Before reading this, relax and imagine yourself perched on the bike, engine running and a warm breeze caressing your face. Slip it into gear, twist the throttle, feed out the clutch and join us in your head on this wonderful journey…….

• Chiang Mai to Mae Sot – an early but easy start out of Chiang Mai to familiarize yourself with the bike before getting into the twisties. Lunch is taken in the town of Mae Sarieng, close to the Myanmar border. After lunch take route 105 south which is one of the author’s personal favourites as it hugs the Myanmar border and provides some truly exceptional riding. Overnight in quality accommodation in the border town of Mae Sot.
• Mae Sot to Nakhon Sawan – twisty mountains then a high speed run leading into the central plains of Thailand. The tour coincides with the perfect time to observe the verdant green rice paddies which comprise the majority of the landscape once we leave the mountainous north. You will be seriously impressed with the way the green “pops” with it’s lushness. We will stop just north of our overnight destination, Nakhon Sawan to pay a visit an inquisitive troop of wild monkeys where you’ll have the opportunity to hand feed them bananas.
• Nakhon Sawan to Erawan – More beautiful riding with a good variety of roads. We take a break at an unusual teak temple with a beautiful backdrop of limestone karst formations. Then it’s more twisties through a virtually deserted national park followed by a short ferry ride across the lake before plotting up at our spectacular overnight lakeside destination, still with plenty of daylight left for you to take a dip!
• Erawan to Kanchanaburi. Follow the lake shoreline for amazing twisties culminating in visits to the beautiful multi-tiered Erawan Waterfall and the spectacular Srinagarind Dam with a view of the impressive hyrdo-electric plant. Again,once moving, we are in a very remote area and in places there are signs to take care because of wild elephants often crossing the road and this can evidenced by their “leavings” piled in the road! Then it’s on towards the town of Kanchanaburi via a stop to pay respect to the hardy souls that built the Hellfire Pass which many paid for with their lives. Just before docking at our riverside hotel, we’ll also visit the famous Bridge on the River Kwai.
• Kanchanaburi to Cha-Am. Upon leaving Kanchanaburi, we will stop by the War Cemetery to once again take a moment to remember the victims of the atrocities carried out here whilst the occupying Japanese forces built the supply line railway in WW II. Then we head eastwards with the focus on riding remote scenic national park roads, ending our day at the world renowned beach resort of Cha-Am on the gulf coast.

Welcome to the Thai Riviera!

The following three days have been designed to follow the newly created Scenic Route 2021. This is a current Thai government initiative to link picturesque roads together to provide an uninterrupted coastal route showcasing the beautiful views. This route features amazing fresh tarmac and surprisingly twisty roads and is a rider’s delight.

• Cha-Am to Ban Krut. A day of discovery today – hugging the coast to our next overnight. As we’re in no rush, we are able to visit one of the most beautiful bays on the gulf coast – Ao Manao, access to which can only be gained via the local Thai Airforce base, and we actually cross the runway! Here we’ll also visit the Su Suek promontory, home to the Dusky Leaf Monkey, an endangered species only found in this small part of South East Asia. All this before lunchtime. A leisurely lunch will be taken at Khlong Wan Fishing Harbour and we aim to be on the beach by mid-afternoon giving you plenty of suntan time!
• Ban Krut rest day. Spend the whole day lazing on the beach doing nothing apart from topping up your tan or floating in the gloriously warm ocean. If you don’t fancy that, liaise with one of us to arrange some non-beach activities such as a visit to the local produce market, a boat trip with snorkelling or feel free to take your bike and explore on your own. In the evening TBB staff will prepare a special seafood BBQ using fresh, locally sourced ingredients – bring a bottle!
• Ban Krut to Chumphon. An easy half day ride with the focus on getting sand between your toes. That’s not to say that the riding is inferior – absolutely not. We will follow the coastal scenic route which involves great twisties whilst all the time getting glimpses of the ocean and visiting off the beaten track harbours and bays. Lunch will be taken at a very non-touristic hidden gem of a cove with a simple beachside restaurant serving freshly caught seafood. Idyllic!
• Chumphon to Khao Lak. After plenty of relaxing beach time, we change it up with an early start and a full days ride. Today we will once again cross the breadth of the country, riding from coast to coast before plotting up for our overnight in the coastal town of Khao Lak fronting the Andaman ocean. The road is a rider’s dream – well surfaced, curvy and lightly used. On the way, we drop in at an unusual attraction – a crocodile farm. You’ll be able to observe both the Siamese Fresh Water and Salt Water creatures (which are both indigenous to Thailand) at various growth stages of their lives. The animals range in size  from the 1 year old that you are able to handle, right up to 4 metre monsters that you definitely don’t want to handle!
• Khao Lak rest day. Khao Lak is infamous for being part of the Thai coastline hardest hit by the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami. The town has recovered and is once again a thriving holiday destination for both Thais and foreigners alike. Veg out on the beach or explore this interesting town’s recent history. There’s also the opportunity to jump on a boat and head out with your snorkel and mask to see the underwater wildlife that this area is famed for in the beautiful Similan National Park.
• Khao Lak to Ao Nang, Krabi. The last (or first) full day’s ride sees us once again cross from coast to coast, ending up in Krabi, world famous for it’s beachfront limestone karst formations which are popular with climbers, sea-kayakers and divers. A very special lunch stop today includes a boat cruise in Phang Na Bay to Khao Phing Kan – better known as “James Bond Island” due to it being used as a location in the 1974 film “The Man with the Golden Gun”. Then it’s on to our beachside resort in Ao Nang where we’ll park up and have time to explore this lively beach front town. A perfect end to an unforgettable holiday with just the right mix of action and relaxation!
• Spaces are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment!

Some notes and observations

You’re booked into a quality hotel for your final night in Krabi but if time allows, we’d recommend at least an extra day here and take the opportunity to visit some of the closer “Robinson Crusoe” islands via a privately chartered boat and includes lunch and the chance to drop off the side and snorkel with the abundant local marine life.

The description has focused on the North to South tour but please don’t be mistaken to think that the South to North tour is in any way inferior. Absolutely not! We run the same route and experience the same wonderful riding and locations. It’s entirely up to how you want to play it. You could flip it and start with a few days lolling around on the southern beaches before joining the tour. This way you’ll end in Chiang Mai and be able to spend time absorbing the ancient city’s history, culture and other fine attractions and if you still have an appetite for the twisties, it’s possible to extend your tour on an ad-hoc basis for a day or more and team up with one of the TBB guides and get another fix of the fantastic riding that we are grateful to have on our doorstep.

Whichever direction you chose, you can be assured that you (and your partner) will have an absolutely unforgettable experience whilst being looked after by the accomplished TBB team who have your safety and enjoyment as their top priority. Thank you.