Renting a Motorbike in Chiang Mai

It was our second day in Chiang Mai and we wanted to try something different. We spent the previous night discussing our plans--checking through Lonely Planet and the tourist maps. We decided that we should rent a motorbike and ride up to Doi Suthep. It sounded like a beautiful day trip with the royal palace, temples, and the mountain summit views.

The Sumit Hotel rented automatic motorbikes (more like a scooter with a lawnmower engine) for 200 Baht per day, which is significantly less expensive than taking a taxi or tuk-tuk. We waited in the lobby to get our bike for the journey. While waiting, we asked the travel agent for directions to ensure we didn't get lost. The bike arrived, looking in fairly good condition but without any gas. We were informed to fill up the tank--about 70 Baht. As I sat on the bike, I noticed the receipt with the company name: Mr. Beer. This is supposed to be one of the major suppliers of motorbikes in Chiang Mai.

The bike had enough gas to get us to the station to fill up. It was a fairly easy ride, although I was a bit nervous navigating the lanes of traffic without getting hit by a car. It didn't help that traffic runs the British way in Thailand.

The tank was filled and we checked the map to ensure our directions were still correct (we couldn't rely on street signs as they are mostly non-existent). We sped up the diagonal highway to the zoo and then further along to the mountain of Doi Suthep and the views of Chiang Mai.

Once out of the city of Chiang Mai, it's a beautiful ride--peaceful and quiet save for the engine noise. The traffic is light during much of the day. There are plenty of turn-offs from the road to rest, have a snack, or take in the mountain views.

We passed Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep and continued on our way, deciding to stop at the temple on the way down the mountain. The first stop was the royal palace. Parts of the palace were closed due to a royal visit, but there was still plenty to see in magnificent gardens. As we walked to the reservoir, I thought I might be entering a James Bond movie set with the fountains spinning to the classical music.

After a short break for a light lunch, we were on our way to the Hill Tribe village before continuing to the summit. We quickly discovered that the village was a waste of time--it was nothing more than metal shacks set up as tourist-trap shops selling the same souvenirs as the Chiang Mai night bazaar. As we rode further up the mountain we came to a gate with a fork in the road. The park officer spoke no English and couldn't answer any questions. It appeared that the road to the summit was closed and the road toward the campsites was being paved. We headed back down the mountain to the wat.

There was quite a crowd in the afternoon at Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. This temple is beautifully designed (and probably recently reconstructed). The serpents greet the visitors along the stairway up to the gate--at which point all foreigners must pay admission. After seeing so many temples in Bangkok, Ayutthaya, and Chiang Mai, most of the sights become repetitive. However, looking out into the mountains and over the city is well worth the time to enter this one.

As we coasted down the mountain with the engine off, I spotted a side road and decided we should take a look. We discovered a small temple, Wat Si Su Dat. This temple is home to many monks of the Miao minority (who share the same ancestry as the Miao minority of China). The purpose of the temple is to teach the young monks about social work so that they can return to their villages to teach. As with many other small temples, we found a monk who spoke English and Chinese to explain much of the history and importance. The monks were eager to speak with us as few tourists ever stop by.

We left Doi Suthep feeling that we had a relaxing day in the mountains. Unfortunately, I had forgotten where to turn to get back inside the city walls of Chiang Mai. We were lost for a moment, only to discover that I had managed to still go in the right direction toward the hotel.