Thailand Heritage by Bicycle

This heritage-infused bike tour takes you back in time on a route shaped by Siamese kingdom builders. From the rice paddy-covered, temple-studded Central Plains to the lush valleys and mountains of the North, we uncover some of Thailand’s most illustrious historical sites while immersing ourselves in the rustic beauty of its rural hinterlands and charming provincial towns. And there’s plenty of mouthwatering Thai cuisine, of course!

We begin our journey by leaving the skyscrapers of Bangkok behind and driving north into Thailand’s rice basket, where the first two days take us along the plains surrounding the Chao Phraya, the river of kings. Here, we explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ayutthaya—once a stately capital of pre-modern Siam and now a collection of captivating ruins that echo its former glory. We weave through rural communities and farmlands on backcountry roads before driving to Sukhothai, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the beautifully preserved vestiges of Thailand’s first Kingdom await. After an in-depth exploration of these ancient, hallowed grounds by bike, we transition to the mountainous north, spending a night in Phrae, once the centre of Thailand’s lucrative teak trade. Now in the cultural sphere of Lanna — the local name for northern Thailand — we spend two days cycling through an agrarian world shaped by Buddhist and animist beliefs. We conclude the journey with an off-saddle exploration of Chiang Mai, the vibrant cultural capital of northern Thailand.