The Samoeng Loop is in Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand. It is a roughly 100 km circuit that starts and ends in the city of Chiang Mai. Its winding road into the mountains northwest of Chiang Mai is highly popular with both bicyclists and motorcyclists. It is named for the town of Samoeng, 5 km off the circuit proper.
Understand
[edit]
Prepare
[edit]By motorcycle
[edit]Particularly if you are a motorcyclist, Rider's Corner is a good place to start your trip. At the northeast inside corner of the moat, it serves the motorcycling community. Besides offering rooms and a full-service bar and restaurant, the British owner, Phillip, is knowledgeable and helpful. He also sells maps.
Try to find the GT-Rider Mae Sa Valley; Samoeng Loop map (180 baht). It not only maps the loop but all the more adventurous roads forking out of the loop.
By bicycle
[edit]Total elevation gain on this 100 km route is about 1,500 m. Bikemap.net[dead link] has an excellent map showing elevations at various points along the route. The fastest reported time for pedalling the entire route is 3 hours 15 minutes.
Get in
[edit]Chiang Mai is the natural starting point and is the easiest place along the loop to get to. Join Rte 107 from anywhere north of the city walls.
The road between Chiang Mai and Mae Rim is not pleasant to walk and can have heavy traffic. You can skip this section by taking a songthaew.
- 1 Chang Phuak Bus Station (For songthaew to Mae Rim). White and orange songthaews go to Mae Rim.
Go
[edit]These instructions are written for a counter-clockwise loop from central Chiang Mai. You can also go clockwise; see notes lower down.
Start at 1 Chang Phuak Road at Chang Phuak Gate (North Gate).
Head north on the road to Mae Rim, Rte 107, tricky as traffic can be heavy.
Once you turn off Rte 107 the petrol gets more expensive, so fill up. Gas stations are plentiful.
Mae Rim
[edit]- 2 Dara Phirom Palace.
- 3 Wat Pa Dara Phirom.
Mae Rim-Samoeng
[edit]Turn left on 2 Junction Rte 1096 to Samoeng, Rte 107 to Chiang Mai (16 km from the north side of the moat). The left turn is about ten minutes past Mae Rim town; you can't miss it as it is well sign-posted.
- 7 Sainamphung Orchid. 100 baht.
- 8 X-Centre (X-treme sport, bungy jump). 2000 baht for the 1st jump, 1000 baht for the 2nd jump 800 baht for the 3rd jump, 4th jump free.
- 9 Mae Sa Snakefarm (Many different species of snakes.). 200 baht.
- 10 [dead link] Mae Rim Shooting Range. 1,700 baht for shooting with 1 calibre. 6 calibres available.
- 11 Monkey centre.
- 12 Chiang Mai King Cobra. Sylvester Stallone was here while shooting his last Rambo movie. 200 baht.
- 14 Mae Rim Snake Farm Cobra Show (More dangerous species). 200 baht.
- 15 Suanbua Maesa Orchid.
- 16 Mae Ram Orchid Farm.
- 17 Mae Sa Waterfalls.
- 18 Mae Sa Elephant camp. 300 baht p.p. for the show.
- 20 Mae Sa Craft village.
- 3 Right turn to Mon Cham Camp Site.
- 21 Mon Cham Camp Site (Mon Jam). Nice place for lunch.
- Baan Khun Un Museum.
- Ban Toeng Hilltribe village.
- 22 Samoeng view point.
4 Right turn to Samoeng town. Junction, Rte 1269. Samoeng 5 km to the right. Turn left to continue the circuit to Chiang Mai.
Samoeng
[edit]- 23 Strawberry farms (Strawberry Samoeng).
Samoeng-Chiang Mai
[edit]- 24 Huay Pak Phai Royal Project.
- 25 Wat Ton Kwen (Wat Intrawat).
- 26 Ban Muang Goong Pottery village.
- 27 Ratchaphruek Park (Royal Flora).
Clockwise
[edit]To start the loop, from near the southwest corner of the moat, get on Rte 108 heading past the airport. Less than 10 km down the road you will see a Big C on the left and a large intersection just beyond it. Turn right to Samoeng at this intersection. The direction is well-marked. Take the right and you’re on Rte 1269, the well-paved two-lane road that takes you into the hills.