The Golden Green Triangle Motorcycle Tour - 5 Days - www.southpawtours.com

• published: 25 Apr 2014
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The Golden Green Triangle Tour - 5 Days - 950km - 50% Road / 50% Track and Trail: Full Itinerary: Day 1: Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong - 170 km - Riding time 6 hours - Road / Trail / Track We depart for this tour from Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand. Chiang Rai is like a smaller mellower version of Chiang Mai, with an even more perfect climate. We meet early and have some breakfast together and discuss the tour ahead. After breakfast we head off north out of the city taking a fantastic route over mixed terrain which is challenging and has exceptional views and scenery. The route leads us up to Tachilek/Mae Sae, the busy trading border town on the Thai/Burma border. We park the bikes up and head into Burma on foot for a bit of Burmese lunch! After lunch and back in Thailand with the bikes - we head off east following the curves of the mighty Mekong river until we reach the infamous Golden Triangle where Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. Some great riding and pit stops at places of interest lead us eventually to the eccentric little town of Chiang Khong whose history is steeped in mystery, where we stay for the night by the banks of the Mekong - across the river from Laos - our destination in the morning. Day 2: Chiang Khong to Muang Sing - 230 km - Riding time 6 hours - Road / Track / Trail On our second day we rise with the sun as we have a long and adventurous day ahead. As usual we fill our bikes with petrol and our tummies with food before we head off. We head over the new friendship bridge into Laos with 30 minutes or so to do the required paperwork with customs/exise and immigration. Once the formalities have been dispensed with - we head northeast, first on road and then on mixed road / track /trail terrain. We ride deep up into the northern Laos jungle through valleys, hills, dales and rivers until late in the day we arrive at Muang Sing. Muang Sing used to have a famous market not so long ago where all sorts of nefarious products were openly offered for sale. Nowadays it's a lot calmer but the leopard doesn't change it's spots, and the city is a fascinating look into an ancient swashbuckling age. We explore the town and take our lodgings and some supper. Day 3: Muang Sing - Green Triangle - Muang Sing - 120 km - Riding time 6 hours - Road / Track / Trail Today we go on a loop riding out of Muang Sing right up to the Green Triangle. This is the point where China, Laos and Burma meet. We ride some simple red mud tracks most of the way - testing, challenging and fun. The scenery is exceptional and the people are fascinating, warm and friendly. The ride takes us most of the day, as the natural speed limit set by the terrain keeps our pace slow. But right now it's not about speed - this is the end of the trail - miles up in the middle of nowhere on the edge of the great China. This really is a special day and a special place to visit. A true crossroads of Asian civilisations. We come back to Muang Sing for a second night and explore the town some more and generally have a bit of fun! Day 4: Muang Sing to Chiang Khong - 250 km - Riding time 4 hours - Road / Track / Trail Today, we head off back towards Thailand. We head south and then westwards through a stunning natural environment and a mixture of good roads and sections of track and trail. We wind our way through the mountains to Luang Namtha where we stop for lunch and a bit of local exploration. After lunch we head out of Luang Namtha towards the Bokeo province and through to Houy Xai. The route is outstanding and we stop at many little places of interest and several incredible viewpoints. The natural environment in Laos is truly awesome and today's ride takes us through a great cross section of it. We arrive for sunset at Houy Xai and drink a few cold ones by the banks of the Mekong before slipping back across the river to our guest house in Chiang Khong (Thailand). Day 5: Chiang Khong - Pu Chi Fa - Chiang Rai - 210 km - Riding time 4 hours - On Road We commence the day with a hearty breakfast before leaving town. We head out of the sleepy enclave and head towards Pu Chi Fa. This mountain towers over the Thai/Cambodia border and is little known to foreign tourists but revered by the Local Thais. With luck we reach the peak with mists still below in the valley giving us a feeling of being on top of the world. We take in the sights and sounds atop this majestic peak and take time for a relaxed lunch. After lunch we ride southwest out of the mountainous area and swing back west to Chiang Rai stopping in at the famous White Temple built by one of the top national artists. We arrive in Chiang Rai for sunset at one of the coolest and tastiest restaurants in town with a view to match for our farewell supper. See more here: http://southpawtours.com/index.php/guided-motorcycle-tours/the-golden-green-triangle-tour-5-days