Southern Thailand: Bangkok to Phuket Bike Tour

thailand bike tour 51

Overview

This trip takes us to the thick of things in Southern Thailand where old school meets the new and lush countryside and pristine beaches go hand in hand with bustling fishing villages, charming beach sides, and national parks. There is something for everyone who ventures here.

Explore rainforests, enjoy bucolic island life, or seek out some of the world’s best warm water beaches. Welcome to Thailand!

Start

Bangkok | 17:00hrs

Finish

Phuket

Lodging

casual

Level

easy to moderate

Avg. dist. cycled

65km or 40mi

Suitable for

Age: 16+

Fly-In

BKK

Fly-Out

HKT

Highlights

Highlight Image

serene landscapes

Energize you mind, body and soul in the serene hills, springs, beaches and islands of South Thailand

Itinerary

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

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Day 1: Bangkok

Arrive in Bangkok and settle into your hotel. Plan your own day exploring some of Bangkok's classic highlights. Our guide meets you at 17:00 in the hotel lobby for a tour briefing. Tonight, we gather to celebrate the beginning of our incredible journey on a bike.

Meals: D
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Day 2: Hua Hin

Our guide greets you in the hotel lobby at 7:30 am, and we transfer for about two hours before the cycling adventure begins. Today, we pedal through vast expanses of paddy fields and palm trees. Conclude the day with a ride along the coast to a magnificent crescent beach located in the midst of an airbase.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 60km / 36mi
Accommodation: Asira Boutique Hua Hin
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Day 3: Kui Buri

Traversing a flat terrain and encountering some hills on the way to a dam leads us to Sam Roi Yot National Park, known for its breathtaking limestone mountain views and freshwater marshes. The final stretch of the ride follows the beach to Kui Buri.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 60km / 36mi
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Day 4: Ban Krut

Following a satisfying breakfast, we kick off our journey, venturing off the conventional paths to enjoy breathtaking sights of winding trails, wooden fishing boats, coconut groves, and palm oil plantations.

Our path hugs the coastline, offering sea vistas on the left and rugged mountains on the right. Along the way, we pass several bird condominiums designed to gather swiftlet nests for bird's nest soup. The ride concludes at our beachfront hotel in Ban Krut.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 75km / 45mi
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Day 5: Saphli

Today, enjoy a leisurely bike ride along the deserted coastline, passing through a quaint fishing community, tropical countryside, tree-canopied rice farms, and vibrant green fields and paddies.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 60km / 36mi
Accommodation: Nana Beach Resort
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Day 6: Lang Suan

Today's bike route is predominantly flat, taking us through shrimp farms, fishing villages, and alongside coconut palm plantations and mangrove forests. During our journey, we pause to visit the shrine of the Prince of Chumphon, the pioneer of the modern navy in Thailand. Afterward, we resume our coastal cycling route to Chumphon.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 80km / 48mi
Accommodation: Ban Lae Resort
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Day 7: Laem Thong Beach

Proceeding south, we find ourselves truly off the conventional routes, surrounded by endless sandy beaches. Our destination today is Chaiya, one of Thailand's oldest cities with a history dating back to the 5th to 13th centuries, serving as a regional capital in the Srivijaya kingdom based in Sumatra, Indonesia. Our lodging for the night has a more rustic charm, reflecting the accommodations preferred by local Thais. For those with evening vigor, an option to arrange a squid fishing excursion is available.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 80km / 48mi
Accommodation: Laem Sai Resort
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Day 8: Cheow Larn Lake

Today, we pedal in the direction of the petite inland town of Ban Ka Khun, veering away from the Gulf of Thailand that has been our route so far and exchanging the beach for the verdant embrace of the jungle.

En route, we pass through rubber and coconut plantations and picturesque villages. A brief yet steep ascent leads us to the summit of Ratchaprapa Dam, offering breathtaking vistas of the waters of Cheow Larn Lake.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 60km / 36mi
Accommodation: Laguna Chiew Larn
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Day 9: Cheow Larn Lake

Today, organize your own schedule. Take a 30-minute boat ride to the rafts. Seize the opportunity to swim directly from a raft, surrounded by spectacular karst cliffs, or opt for a kayak or another invigorating swim.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Laguna Chiew Larna
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Day 10: Khao Sok National Park

Experience an undulating terrain today that meanders through a succession of breathtaking limestone cliffs and vibrant jungle along the periphery of Khao Sok National Park, recognized as one of the world's oldest rainforests. The ride is enveloped by towering rock outcroppings, vivid cliffs, and the rich embrace of the tropical forest.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 50km / 30mi
Accommodation: Khao Sok River Lodge
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Day 11: Khao Sok National Park

Feel free to enjoy a leisurely day or engage in diverse activities within the park, including options like elephant bathing, jungle river canoeing, and trekking through the jungle.

Meals: B
Accommodation: Khao Sok River Lodge
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Day 12: Khao Lak

Today cycle along the periphery of Khao Sok National Park towards the outskirts of Takua Pa. Explore the old town, where traditional wooden structures harmonize with Portuguese colonial buildings. Along the way, visit the Tsunami Victim Cemetery, a memorial for victims from 39 countries.

Subsequently, navigate tranquil backroads, passing through small villages, shaded rubber plantations, and crossing rivers en route to the Sam Rung waterfall. Continue along the mountain road, eventually reaching the coastal road, where we head south to enjoy a relaxing beach experience at Khao Lak.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 60km / 36mi
Accommodation: The Leaf on the Sands
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Day 13: Phuket

Today marks the final day of our cycling journey along the Thai coast, and it's a lengthy ride, so savor every moment.

Pedal alongside canals, through palm and rubber plantations, and past shrimp farms, tracing the shoreline until you reach the bridge linking Phuket island to the mainland. Parts of the route lead through the main highway, with the last stretch offering vistas of the Andaman Sea.

Relish your time in Phuket at your own pace. Consider extending your stay or proceed with your onward travel plans.

Meals: B,L,D
Cycling Distance: 90km / 54mi
Accommodation: Nai Yang Beach Resort
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Day 14: Phuket

If you have time, we recommend to visit Ko Phi Phi island which is about 2 hours boat trip from Phuket.

Meals: B
Accommodation:

Ready to plan your adventure? Download a print-ready detailed itinerary.

Map

Dates and Prices

Members get an estimated 10% off on this trip.

$50/yearLearn more


Single Supplement

From US $850

E-Bike Upgrade

From US $350


Couldn't find a trip with convenient dates?

Open your date as a join-in tour or customize further as a private one.


Essential Info

Inclusions

LODGING

All hotels as mentioned in the tour details or similar (subject to availability).

trip leader

Expert Trip Leader(s) who look after your every need and add meaning to your vacation.

bike

Immaculately maintained bike with helmet, suited to a terrain.

shuttle

A Van support follows the group of riders and carries all belongings.

meals

Meals as per itinerary. Guests are given the opportunity to dine on their own so that they discover a location independently.

refreshments

Refreshments and mineral water while cycling.

entrance

Entrance fees to most of the monuments and temples.

E-bikes

E-bikes are available (subject to availability) on this trip at a surcharge.

Exclusions

Airport pickup and drop

We recommend to book direclty from airport or hotel.

meals

Some meals may not be included. Please check your itinerary.

Beverages

Beverages such as alcohol, tea, coffee, juice at a hotel or restaurant.

Bikes

When you have a road and the thrill of a journey ahead of you, it’s imperative to have a good bike to enjoy it. Our fleet majorly consist of the below bikes as a part of this tour. However, sometimes due to height or availability constraints, we may provide a different but similar quality bike.

Bike Image

Merida Speeder T3 or similar

hybrid

Included in your trip price

Weather

Southern Thailand is coastal and mostly flat. The cycle tour season here runs from November to March when the weather is sunny and pleasant. April to June are the hot summer months and July to October is the rainy season when southern Thailand receives considerable rainfall.

  • The best time of year is winter (November through February). It is the dry season and temperatures are cooler. The south gets a scattered shower every few days. Temperatures in the South are in the low 30s.
  • March through May in the South is warmer, but only fluctuates a couple of degrees during the year.
  • June through October is the rainy season (or green season as the hotels like to call it). September and early October peak in the south. Rain tends to be short but heavy tropical downpours, then clearing out, usually happening in the afternoon or evening, so cycling tours are still possible.

In a nutshell, winter is great (Nov - Mar), and the rest of the year is ok in the South.

January

Best

February

Best

March

Good

April

Offseason

May

Offseason

June

Mixed

July

Mixed

August

Offseason

September

Offseason

October

Mixed

November

Good

December

Best

Best

Good

Mixed

Offseason

Visa

Travelers wishing to enter Thailand have two options: through an airport or overland. Regardless of the mode of entry, the same rules apply to all travelers. Citizens of countries that can enter visa-free will receive a 30-day entry stamp, while those with a Tourist Visa will receive a 60-day entry stamp. Travelers from countries eligible for a Visa on Arrival will receive a 15-day entry stamp and a visa at the airport.

To comply with the rules, travelers entering visa-free or applying for a VOA must present an airline ticket that departs Thailand before their initial entry period ends (30 and 15 days, respectively). Other travelers may also be asked by the airline to show proof of a departing flight.

When applying for a VOA, travelers must be able to demonstrate that they have 10,000 THB for an individual or 20,000 THB for a family. For those entering visa-free or with a Tourist or Non-Imm visa, proof of financial ability must be shown in the form of 20,000 THB and 40,000 THB, respectively. It's important to note that cash is the only acceptable form of proof of financial ability, and credit cards or bank statements do not count. Any major currency is equivalent is acceptable.

Although the majority of travelers are not asked to show proof of financial ability, some travelers may occasionally be asked to do so at Immigration. Therefore, travelers should always be prepared to provide evidence of their financial ability.

Here is an excellent resource on Thailand visas that may be worth to look at.

Reviews from our friends

Paul Norman from US

5.0

an experience that I will never forget

The Southern Thailand bicycle trip was an experience that I will never forget. Woody, our guide and Mr. Sit our driver made sure that I journey was insightful and educational. This trip is for those who want to experience the real Thailand, not just from the travel brochures. I highly suggest this bicycle trip, It will definitely change your perspective.

Jane from AU

5.0

superb service

The leader and driver worked extremely well together and provided superb service. We appreciated support team accommodating our requests for early start, configuring a bike for tall cyclist, and buying meals to accommodate allergy. The leader demonstrated initiative to show us local features (eg jackfruit farm, markets, numerous crop types) and made the trip a true unique experience for us. Our cycling trip leader acted as the local guide and she was extremely knowledgeable. Yai far exceeded our expectations.

End of reviews