Riding guides

Ride the north like you live here.

Honest guides to riding around Chiang Mai: the famous loops, the licence rules nobody explains properly, real prices, and the scams worth knowing about before they know about you.

The rides

The loops and roads that make northern Thailand the best riding in Asia.

Route guide · 12 min read

The Mae Hong Son Loop by scooter: the complete guide

How to ride the Mae Hong Son Loop from Chiang Mai.

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Route guide · 8 min read

Chiang Mai to Pai by scooter: 762 curves, one perfect day

Riding from Chiang Mai to Pai on Route 1095.

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Route guide · 6 min read

The Samoeng Loop: Chiang Mai's perfect half-day ride

The Samoeng Loop is a 100 km circuit of jungle road you can ride from Chiang Mai in half a day.

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Before you rent

Licences, prices, insurance and the traps to skip. The unglamorous stuff that makes the trip easy.

Practical guide · 10 min read

Renting a scooter in Chiang Mai: prices, licences, insurance and where to go

Everything about renting a scooter or motorbike in Chiang Mai.

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Practical guide · 7 min read

The International Driving Permit for Thailand: what riders actually need

Do you need an International Driving Permit to ride a scooter in Thailand? Yes, with a motorcycle endorsement.

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Practical guide · 8 min read

Scooter rental scams in Thailand and how to avoid every one of them

The passport hostage, the phantom scratch, the disappearing deposit, fake insurance.

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Practical guide · 7 min read

The best time to ride in Chiang Mai: seasons, burning season and monsoon honesty

Cool season bliss, burning season smoke, monsoon gambles.

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The bike for these rides, without the rental roulette.

RideLanna is a marketplace of vetted Chiang Mai shops: fixed prices, insurance with the excess shown up front, no passport deposit, delivered to your hotel. Launching in 2026.

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