Cycling in Thailand: Routes in Chiang Mai, Khao Yai and Hua Hin
Road rides in the north, the northeast hills and the Gulf coast, with distances and climbing from Komoot, one supported tour with a published price, and what to check before you go.
Cycling is a simple way to train in Thailand without a gym. The cool season, from November, is the usual time for long rides, and the country has big hills, quiet farm roads and a flat coast.
This guide covers three bases: Chiang Mai in the north, Khao Yai in the northeast hills, and the coast road from Hua Hin. It uses route data from Komoot, one tour operator’s published price and a touring-route site. We have not ridden any of them, so treat distances as planning figures.
How we chose
We picked areas with a named road route, a published distance and climb, and a way to hire a bike or join a supported ride. Komoot routes are uploaded by riders, and the site’s own time estimates assume a steady pace. Check any route against a current map before you set off.
Chiang Mai: the climbing base
Most of the ten routes in Komoot’s Thailand road-cycling guide, last updated on 22 October 2026, start in or near Chiang Mai. The Samoeng loop ranks first. It is listed at 97.7 km with 1,560 m of climbing, rated hard, with an estimated five hours of riding.
Shorter options start at Chiang Mai University. One loop past Pha Lat Temple to Tiger Ted Cafe is 38 km with 780 m of climbing and rated moderate. A 22 km loop from the campus adds 700 m of climbing in under an hour and a half, which tells you how steep the hills are.
Chiang Mai Cycling Buddy rents road bikes and runs day rides on Doi Suthep, the Samoeng loop, Doi Inthanon and Mae Win. Its six-day Mae Hong Son tour covers about 600 km with more than 14,000 m of climbing, according to the operator. We found no published price, so we do not quote one.
Khao Yai: hills in the northeast
Khao Yai offers real climbing without a flight from Bangkok; SpiceRoads’ tour starts with a transfer of around two hours. Komoot lists an 83.1 km lake loop from a hotel near the park with 1,040 m of climbing. Two loops near the National Park Road and Sai Sorn Reservoir run about 66–67 km with roughly 1,020 m of climbing, both rated hard.
Komoot flags the park road as a protected area and tells riders to check local regulations before riding. Call the park office or your hotel about cycling access and fees before you go.
SpiceRoads offers a supported four-day Road Escape from Bangkok. It covers 383 km on tarmac, mostly flat for three days. On day four riders gain over 1,000 m in nearly 40 km to the top of Khao Yai, the operator says.
The tour costs US$1,450 per person as published on the operator’s factsheet in October 2026. A road bike hire adds US$140, and a single room adds US$285. Flights, airport transfers, visa fees, alcohol and tips are excluded. Listed departures include 15–18 November and 13–16 December 2026. Riders must be 18 or older on scheduled departures.
Hua Hin: a flat coastal day
If hills are not the point, the Gulf coast is the gentler choice. BicycleThailand lists a 115 km one-way route from Highway 4 in Hua Hin to Prachuap Khiri Khan. It follows the coast where it can, passes through Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park and is fully paved.
The site says roadside shops sell drinks and snacks along the way. It is a point-to-point route, so you need a plan to get back. Options include a bus, a train or a split into two days with a night in Pranburi.
One more for Phuket
Komoot lists a Phuket ride too: a 109 km loop from Thalang to the Samet Nangshe viewpoint. It is rated moderate, with 780 m of climbing and an estimated four and a half hours.
What it costs and what to check
Costs are low if you hire locally and ride on your own. A supported tour, as the SpiceRoads figure shows, is a different budget.
- Ask whether a rental bike comes with a helmet, spare tubes and a pump. We found no published rental prices for the Chiang Mai shops.
- Plan to ride early in the day, before the heat peaks.
- Carry more water than you think you need, and plan food stops before the long climbs.
- Check your travel insurance covers cycling. Some policies exclude it or limit cover on rented bikes.
- Look at the current road conditions and weather before you ride, especially on mountain roads after rain.
If you have a heart, lung or joint condition, or you are new to hard exercise, talk to a qualified doctor before taking on climbs like these.
Know before you go
- Where: Chiang Mai (north), Khao Yai (Nakhon Ratchasima and Nakhon Nayok), Hua Hin to Prachuap Khiri Khan (Gulf coast), Phuket (Andaman coast).
- Best months: the cool season from November; check the forecast for your region.
- Price: SpiceRoads Road Escape from US$1,450, plus US$140 bike hire (as published on the factsheet, October 2026). Other rides have no published price.
- Book: Chiang Mai Cycling Buddy or SpiceRoads.
- Good for: Riders who want hills, a supported tour or a flat coastal day.
- Check first: Park rules at Khao Yai, return transport on one-way routes and insurance cover.
Jonas. Jonas covers medical travel, fitness, costs and the rules that affect wellness travellers in Thailand. A pragmatist who treats health as a long project, he wants to know what something costs, what the evidence says, and who it’s really for.
RestRobin is editorial content, not medical advice. Prices, programmes and opening details change, so check with the provider before you book, and talk to a qualified doctor before starting a treatment, fast or detox programme.
