If you have some free time and fancy a one-day motorbike loop ride then
the Samoeng loop is the obvious choice. The loop is easily accessible from Chiang Mai and will take you through the well-forested backwaters of Doi Suthep/Doi
Pui national park.Here's how to do it
First youll need a Honda scooter, which can be rented all over Chiang Mai. Chances are you'll be required to leave your passport as a deposit, which is common practice in Chiang Mai.
With transportation sorted you need to head up Huay Keaew road toward the university. Before you reach the university you will come to a large intersection with a Dunkin Donut house over on the far corner. This is where Huay Keaew intersects with the irrigation canal road.
Turn LEFT into the canal road and just keep following it. After about 10 kilometers (following the canal all the way) you will come to a small intersection where road 1269 turns right and heads off into the mountains.
Take Route 1269. You are now on the Samoeng Loop Road. This road is packed with all kinds of interesting things, including elephant camps, waterfalls, a botanical garden, a snake farm and some nice places to stay. Might be wise to bring a map since most places of interest to foreign visitors will be marked.
A worthwhile first stopping point is the Coffee Cottage, which not only has a balcony that extends far out over a river but it also serves perhaps the finest iced coffee in Chiang Mai.
Further along (about a kilometer) is the road is the rather unknown Thardyoy waterfall. Parking your bike and walking along the dirt trail to the fall makes for a nice little stroll. It's possible that if you go on a weekday you won't see anyone else.
After burning off that caffeine at the waterfall, head back to the road and continue your loop journey. You're going up into the mountains now. Notice the further you go the fewer resorts and restaurants there are. You'll get to a point when they stop completely. And how crisp is that air!
One of the great things about Chiang Mai is that a 40-minute motorbike ride in any direction can have you breathing pure, untainted oxygen. Fill those lungs! This ever-winding mountain stretch is the back end of that large hazy mountain range you can see looming over Chiang Mai. Some people say that there were tigers around here just 40 years ago.
With the climb now behind you'll begin a gradual descent so ease off the throttle and let the bike cruise back down to earth, all the while taking in scenery and stopping for the odd photo shoot.
Eventually you will come to a fork in the road; here your loop road changes number to become Road 1096. You'll need to follow it. But hold on - if you have time then continue along 1269 for a few kilometers down into the town of Samoeng
Stop at Suphanee's restaurant and taste her excellent garlic pork and cashew chicken. Served with a cold beer it totally hits the mark and what's more it will hardly put a dent in your pocket. You can find Suphanee's at the main town junction (there is only one large junction in town).
The town of Samoeng also has some mediocre places for an overnight stay, which is useful since there is some great exploring to be had around here. All around this sleepy little town is dense jungle.
For those wishing to get back to town before the Chiang Mai rush hour kicks in then go back the way you came to the loop road. Taking Road 1096, continue the winding descent until you start seeing resorts and signs in English. Eventually you'll come to a heavily trafficked T-intersection which marks the unspectacular town of Mae Rim.
Turn right and follow the speeding cars and lorries back to Chiang Mai.
Note: There's a whole load of 1 and 2-day loop trips around Chiang Mai to enjoy. Some of them far nicer than the Samoeng loop.