Chiang Mai Countryside Guided Bike Tour

Unless you’re a regular cyclist and / or used to the temps and humidity in Thailand I can’t recommend this tour. When I initially booked this 9+ months in advance the description indicated this was an e-bike tour for roughly 26 km when in fact it’s actually standard bikes at 50 km. I even double checked the description roughly two months out to re-verify they were e-bikes to ensure I wanted to keep our booking, but now that we’ve gone the description is magically different with no mention of e-bikes. I’m a fairly fit 38 year old but I know my limitations and would not have chosen a 30 mile standard bike ride in this kind of heat and humidity so I’m unsure what exactly occurred here. It appears they now have a separate tour specifically labeled as e-bike so I can only assume that is a new tour and they changed the verbiage in the one I already had booked. Additionally, the itinerary description and timeline did not match what we experienced. The numerous reviews about several snacks and numerous water and bathroom stops along the way also doesn’t line up with our experience. There is also a significant amount of city/town biking than what I expected based on the name and description. It was only my husband I so essentially a private tour; however, our guide did not pace himself to match the weakest link (me) despite knowing I was struggling. There were several stretches where he got so far ahead I could barely see him. So the listing stating “small group tour go at your own pace” is simply false advertising. I ended up with heat exhaustion and had to call it quits at the coffee shop which is roughly 25 miles in (and not listed in the itinerary by the way) and 1 or 2 stops early based on what I can venture? My negative review is not based on me having to quit early because that’s 100% on me and nobody can predict someone getting sick but simply on our overall guide experience and the inaccuracies we experienced. When we first arrived I even asked our guide if we were using e-bikes despite me clearly seeing they weren’t and his response was an affirmative YES. So I’m not sure if it’s a matter of them not knowing what an e-bike is, the language barrier or if he intentionally lied. Our itinerary went as follows: 1. 30 minute bike to the train 2. 30 minute train ride 3. 10 minute bike to the first temple 4. 75 minute bike to lunch (this is where it started going downhill for me and I started getting light headed with only one stop for fresh cold water during this stretch) 5. We stopped for a quick 20 minute lunch where I had no real opportunity to cool down with how quick the stop was combined with it being an open air venue. 6. 30 minute bike to the wood carving village where we had to specifically ask for a restroom (no toilet paper so prepare yourselves). Our water from the stop in #4 was already warm at this point. 7. 45 minute bike to a coffee shop where we were offered a drink and a pastry which I had to pass on (beside requesting cold water) simply because I felt so ill. I opted to quit at this point and we got a taxi back to our hotel. Our experience did not align with all the 5 star reviews and obviously me getting sick hampered our experience but there are just too many discrepancies between the past reviews, the itinerary description and what we actually experienced. Our guide was Farm and it’s entirely possible each guide goes at a different pace but no way of confirming this. The higher cost of this excursion (compared to overall costs in Thailand in general) just wasn’t justified for our experience. We paid less money for other excursions during this vacation that far exceeded our expectations. Book at your own risk.

This is a delightful bike ride encompassing a traditional train journey and then cycling through countryside and back to the city. Our guide Don facilitated the whole day with skill and care. He was happy to share his knowledge of the temples.

Our Guide- Gun- 5 stars! Knowledgeable, kind, easy going. The ride itself- in terms of seeing Thai life in the countryside- tasting fruit straight from trees- 5 stars! Part of the ride was on quite paved or unpaved streets and a smaller part was in traffic in the cities of Chiang Mai and Lamphun (which was a little scary- as I am not used to biking in traffic). Not strenuous- as mostly flat- good quality hybrid bike. The wood carving village was quaint and impressive (art wise). The Thai lunch was just ok. (Simple- one option, one dish- cooked by an adorable lady in a spot on the side of the road). Overall a great excursion!

Nice to get out of the city into the countryside, meet the Thai locals and the water buffalo! We enjoyed the experience of the train ride, our guide Gan was informative about Thai custom and culture and over the course of the day we stopped a few times for coffee, lunch, ice cream, very welcome on a hot January day! We covered 45km but we were aware of that distance as we had read the trip description before booking which was very true. We are a fairly fit couple in our sixties and we enjoyed the day but take into account the weather temperature on the day you plan to do it as it was very hot over the last two hours! You do not have to be committed cyclists to enjoy this, we would recommend.

Plenjai was awesome! This is a great day trip! Lots to see and explore outside of Chiang Mai. Great Lunch and cool little towns. I highly recommend it.

Gun was an amazing guide. He took is on a real off road trip to many many places of interest with regular stops and refreshments. I would really recommend anyone to do this trip when you visit Chiang Mai

Fantastic guide and beautiful country side views. Took the train there and biked all day! So much fun! We saw a few farms, temples, interacted with locals - they were so happy to see us :) food was yummy and guide so knowledgeable. Recommend this adventure

Our guide was A. A did a great job leading us on back roads through Lamphun and Chiang Mai. A has a wealth of knowledge on the temples and the area. We could stop for pictures along the way and we learned about the temples. A has great energy!

Great bike tour! If you want to get away from all the tourists and bustle of Chiang Mai and see the countryside, this is a great way to do it. Our guide was fantastic and the cycling was beautiful.

A great little cycle tour made possible by the wonderful guide Farm. It had a great selection of cultural spots, a relaxing lunch with gentle riding through the quiet countryside paths south of Chiang Mai. This is leisurely riding and not strenuous. The best part is Farm, who is such a lovely guy, and took so much care to keep us informed and safe (such care at every road crossing). A great trip that ended with a smile on our face.

James was a safe navigator and a friendly guide. The time spent at the temple, lunch and various stops along the way were just nice. I had a fun day exploring the country side with James.

A wonderful ride through the countryside with interesting stop off points. Sadly the train arrived late so we needed to start the trip with a bus ride rather than a train ride which was a shame. Our guide was excellent and shared lots of great night.

A truly amazing and fun day. Incredible scenery and lovely food. Would never forget this experience. Well organised and really safe. Distance not as bad as it seems. Totally fab day.

Great adventure with Fiam! Nothing fazed him, flat tire=he fixed it; rain=no problem, jackets for everyone; flooded underpass=no problem, rolled up his pants and walked through it. Very knowledgeable, conscientious, and fun. We enjoyed the experience!

We had a wonderful day on this cycling tour led by the very welcoming, friendly and professional cycling tour leader Don. We arrived early at the meeting point in Chiang Mai old town where we met Don and given our bikes and helmets and the day/road rules/hand signals explained. There were just 5 of us in our group (+Don so 6 in total) so communication was easy and it never felt crowded. I was initially a little anxious about riding out through the busy city traffic but it was early in the morning and Don led us through mostly quiet back streets and he made sure none of us were left behind. We stopped briefly at a street vendor where Don bought us all some banana sticky rice for us to eat later for morning break. We then arrived at the Chiang Mai train station where Don bought us train tickets (bring your passport which you will need for this). We put our bicycles on the train and we all then rode the train to Lamphun, a town about 30km south of Chiang Mai, where we then disembarked and got back on our bicycles. From here we followed Don to a beautiful ancient Buddhist temple (Wat Phra That Hariphunchai) which we had time to explore (not so many tourists here so it’s a great spot to get away from the hordes and visit one of the oldest temples in the region). After this we rode our bikes through the sleepy backroads of the lovely countryside, past rural villages and farms and green fields of rice. Local children and adults waved and said hello as we rode by - so friendly as the Thai people are! We stopped at a small roadside shop for a break to eat the banana sticky rice Don had bought us earlier - yum! - and here he also bought us some soft drinks to replenish our energy stores which was very welcome. We rode on at a steady relaxed pace which was just perfect for us all - not too fast and not too slow. Husband and I are in our mid fifties and only moderately fit and we were quite able to keep up with the younger ones in our small group as all the roads we traveled were mostly flat and easy to ride on. Stopped for a lunch break at a roadside restaurant where Don ordered and paid for our meals and bottles of water. Best genuine home-made fresh khao soi of our trip so far! Delicious! After lunch we rode on again through the countryside, past fields of rice and interesting little villages and farm houses. Then we had another break in the Baan Tawai village, famous for its wood carved handicrafts and furniture. Had a very refreshing iced mocha here in the Rock Star cafe and wandered around the shops marvelling at the beauty of all the stunning wood crafts on offer. We rode on after this for another 40mins or so, to our finishing point at the impressive entrance of the Chiang Mai Night Safari park. Waiting for us here were two red songthaews (pickup trucks) which Don had arranged to transport us and our bicycles back to the start point in Chiang Mai old town. We had ridden about 40km by now so a lift back to the city was very welcome! All-in-all, we had a fantastic time on this well-organised and professional guided bicycle tour led by Don. It was terrific to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, get out into the fresh air of the countryside and get a glimpse of the real Thailand beyond the well-trodden tourist trail. This was our favourite organised tour whilst in Chiang Mai (and we’ve been on some great ones!) Highly recommend!

Great day out in the country side and a train ride as well. My guide Farn (sorry if it’s mid spelled) was very good in ensuring the we were safe travelling the back road and also very informative on the various places we stopped. A Highly Recommended day out. We travelled 44 km on mostly flat ground.

The day cycling was fabulous, our guide, Ahn made the ride a great experience. Ahn’s schedule of interesting stops were well timed and informative in a casual way. Lunch at the market was delicious as was the local Thai coffee concluding the day. Highly recommend this cycling tour.

We had such a great day with An! He grew up in the area and it really showed — he knew so much about the countryside. He introduced us to locals, shared little stories from his own life, and gave us a real feel for what it’s like living out here. We rode approximately 28 miles, broken up by landmark tours, water breaks, and lunch. We were looking for an authentic countryside experience and this tour checked all of the boxes. This was an excellent experience we will not soon forget.

James our guide was not only knowledgeable about all things that we saw but he was very considerate of us in regards to stopping for drinks, ensuring our needs were met and importantly he had a great sense of humour. We saw amazing temples, rice paddies, agriculture and even the train ride was a good experience. James could tell us the history and stories about everything. Despite the heat and humidity it was a great way to explore this area.

This was an experience that I’ll never forget. I have not been on a bike in years and my poor bum is still feeling it but I’d do again. My guide Gun was awesome, he took me to extra places he didn’t need to and got me trying snacks I thought I would never try(only because I didn’t know what they were) 😁 and now I see them and I’m buying. Yes I will admit it was hot and yes I got burnt but we went to places I thought I’d never go and met some beautiful locals along the way. The scenery too was beautiful. I would highly recommend these guys.

Farm was the best tour guide! The bike ride is pretty long, but totally worth it! Don’t forget your passport for the train ride!

A great way to see the the temples and countryside in and outside of Chiang Mai. I particularly enjoyed the train ride out of the city and the ride back. It is a long ride so be prepared for that but there were plenty of breaks along the way and my guide was very good at explaining the history and nature.

I took a train from Chiang Mai to Lamphun, and on the way back I took a leisurely 70km bike ride along a country road. It was quite hot, but I took plenty of rest and hydrated, and it was a fun journey. Mr. Pratheep's historical and cultural explanations were also very informative.

Absolutely amazing! This is a trip you don't want to miss when you're in Chiang Mai. Our guide Aun was superb. I felt safe on the roads and he guided us fully about palaces, woodcraft, food and silk production. Very interesting and beautiful countryside.

Small group of 4 of us with the guide. Surprisingly easier than I thought to ride on the roads in Chiang Mai ( given the volume of traffic) but our guide was confident and helpful with his instructions. It was hot ( of course) so quite exhausting at the end but do-able even at nearly 60 years of age. Once out of the city the countryside was beautiful and great to see the farms and locals in their day to day environment.

Great experience. Our guide Gun took care of our group from start to finish. He took us to the sites listed on the itinerary and shared his local knowledge of history with great stories. We were also introduced to real Lanna food (a bit different than Thai food).

The guide, Don, is very kind I enjoyed it thank you very much We took our bikes on the train And there was a monk sitting nearby. I'm surprised The local restaurants and cafes we visited during the cycling trip were also great. The temperature was not too hot and it was a comfortable ride. Lunch and drinks are included in the tour I recommend this tour to everyone ガイドのドンさんは親切です ツアーを楽しめました ありがとうございました 自転車を地元の列車に乗せて 近くには僧侶も座っていて驚きです 地元の食堂やカフェも良かったです 気温も高くなく快適なライドでした ランチや飲み物代も含まれていました おすすめします

Lovely to get out into the countryside. Well looked after by our guide. We stopped at regular intervals for lunch, tea, temple viewing etc which was helpful!

Really fun and interesting cycle tour of CM countryside suburbs! Fun train journey to start then really gorgeous meandering countryside riding. Stunning temple visit with excellent lunch stop. Mr T was a really enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide!! Great fun! Flat riding circa 50k was easy and beautiful - can totally recommend!!

I thought this trip was superb! I highly recommend it to anyone with reasonable fitness who enjoys gentle cycling. Our guide, Mai, was fantastic - knowledgeable, kind, and happy to answer any questions. She looked after us well throughout the trip and spoke excellent English, so we really were able to learn a lot from her. Awesome views and insight into the countryside and farming areas - so nice to see this side of Thailand outside of the cities and resorts. The biking was slightly hairy for a few minutes leaving the city in the morning, but we all handled it fine. We were in our saddles for maybe 2.5-3 hours total, but with plenty of stops and a comfortable pace - not too slow nor too fast. The bikes and helmets were good, and the trip felt very efficient and well organised. Thanks again to Mai!

Really worthwhile excursion. Bike is the best pace to see the beautiful countryside. Mai is a great guide. We appreciated her perspective on all that we saw.

This bike ride is not for the faint of heart, but if you are looking for a fun adventure and the ability to explore areas we most likely would not do on our own. Our guide was amazing!

James, our guide, was superb. He had great knowledge, good English and a nice sense of humour, offering great insights into Thai life, culture and traditions. The cycling was easy (25 miles) although the bike was quite heavy. Fab lunch and really interesting to see the farming around Chiang Mai. Added bonus was watching farmers harvest and pack their Longan fruit. Tuk Tuk back to base to avoid traffic.

The excursion was canceled by the company because they lacked a guide. They contacted me to cancel after I booked the tour.

Such a great way to see a piece of Thailand. The bike ride is about 40 kilometers. Take your passport for the train ride! Tue was a great ride leader and host. He provided us with snacks and drinks when we desired. We visited our first temple, had a delicious lunch near a small market. They even made vegetarian food for others in the tour. He told us lots of history. We saw people working in the rice paddies , and Tue took lots of photos. We got a lot of his time and knowledge for the price.

This was my favourite day trip during my visit. For anyone who likes cycling I’d highly recommend this trip around the nearby countryside. The guides were great and the overall operation was very good.

Great bike tour to see the Chiang Mai area. Very friendly host. Great to see local, non-mass tourism, sites. The guide was vert friendly and explained a lot. We would recommend this trip!

We had already been in Chiang Mai for a week but our guide Tiu took us through different neighborhoods and unique locations where we saw life outside of the usual tourist spots. It was a fun day spent with nice people from across the globe. We think we rode 28 miles (45 km) . Flat terrain over a variety of surfaces from urban asphalt to rural paths through rice fields. A good experience!

Fantastic and interesting tour Guide was brilliant Saw a lot of the countryside and learnt a lot about the culture and history Would highly recommend as you get to see more of Chiang Mai outside of the city

An excellent immersion into everyday country life. We toured some of the city and then took the train south to the Lamphun region. Saw a silk loom operation (from silkworm to bolts of fabric), took many back alleys and roads to see water buffalo, livestock, many chickens and roosters, discussed northern funeral practices, ate northern Thai food (Khao soi), and saw the glorious bright green rice fields. I’ve never seen a rice patty operation so that was very interesting. The numerous temples we saw were just lovely. The Thai people never cease to amaze me - many along the way giving us a head nod or practicing hello on us foreigners. Our guide Chu (sorry about the spelling) was incredibly affable, welcoming, and had many great stories to share. We felt like he was an old friend after the day was over.

Great way to see the countryside. Tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly, spoke English well, made the trip fun. He maintained safety for the group. Bikes were fitted for each person. Gave opportunity to taste a variety of fruits freshly picked along the way. Highly recommend this tour.

"Gun" was an outstanding guide. He was very knowledgeable about Thai culture including all the plants along our tour. I know so much more about Thai black magic :). He was enthusiastic and authentic. The bikes on the tour were in top notch shape and easy to ride. There was plenty of shade along the ride and plenty of sun. Bring s lot of water and sunscreen. The temples were beautiful. The snacks were local and tasty. The lunch of Khao Soi was good. The wood craving community had some impressive pieces. The water buffalo and bee hives were interesting to look at. The scenery along the ride in Lampung and Chiang Mai was lush and green with tons of purple, yellow, red, and orange flowers in full bloom.

Excellent value. Good bikes and relaxed english-speaking guide, lovely countryside, lots of temples - and even an ex-leper colony visited by Queen Elizabeth 2! Decent lunch at a rural restaurant. A most enjoyable morning outside ChiangMai

Lovely bike ride in the countryside near Chiang Mai. Equipment very good and guide excellent. A great day out. Enjoy!!!

It was a great cycling tour with our guide Mai who answered all our questions always with a big smile ! The train ride, the beautiful countryside, the stops at temples, the delicious food on the way, the quality of the bikes, it was just amazing. Thanks again Mai for this formidable experience !

We were greeted by our guide Aei at Discova. We thoroughly enjoyed cycling in the countryside especially visiting temples at our leisure pace. The visit at Baan Tawai Wood craving village was educating for my kid. We were reminiscing toys and furniture my husband and I used to grow up with. Aei was gracefully waiting for us when we slowed down. While given the opportunity, she kept my husband and I pumped, in a good way, on the bicycles. We love the ride back to Discova.

Small group and charming countryside despite a very rainy day. Very informative and jovial lead guide, with both guides having a high regard for the road safety of all participants.

Super ride with Don, all thoroughly enjoyable , you gently cycle back to Chiang Mai having caught the train to Lamphun and largely cycle on quiet country lanes

Chiang Mai's crowded streets and car exhaust make google Maps useless for enjoying a bike ride. Discova tours, aka Grasshopper tours, can serve you up with a great bike and gear and lead you through the shaded, back streets of the city. Leaders will guide road crossings and get you to the CM station for the short train ride to Lamphun. There, you can see Wat Hari Punchai, one of the oldest and most historic temples in the north. After that, cruise along a Greenway next to the river, enjoy a great lunch and head to the ban Sawai handicraft shade and prepare for the last leg. Our leader, James, shares some of the remarkable history of the Lanna, Siam, and other cultures predating the unified Thai state. If it's too hot, the tour can be shortened an hour or so, and the vehicle will come and take you and the bikes back to the Discova office. There is a lovely, shaded park like space there where you can enjoy a drink or food, and possibly plan your next adventure.