This trip will take place from February 5th to 8th, 2017, and will cover a distance of 1,847 kilometers from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, and Doi Tai Lang. The journey will involve crossing the border into the Shan State.

After completing a trip to Laos, I felt a lingering desire for another adventurous journey. This led to the creation of this trip! I readily agreed, without conducting any research. I later discovered that the roads on this trip would be challenging, but I will gradually provide more details step by step.

The first day, we met at PTT Bang Pa-han at 9 am. As I am a punctual person, I arrived 10 minutes early at 7:50 am. However, the person who invited me did not show up until around 9:30 am. I wonder when we will arrive in Chiang Mai. Let's go!

On the way from Bangkok to Chiang Mai this time, the time was good. Leaving at 10 am and arriving at 8 pm, it took about 10 hours (including breaks of no more than 3 hours). Upon arrival, I looked for food to eat first. In the cold weather, I needed to find something warm to eat to fill my stomach and eyes....

This dish, called "mala," resembles skewered grilled pork but stands out for its coating of premium sesame oil and a sprinkle of diverse spices, delivering a spicy, tingling sensation on the tip of the tongue. After our bellies were full and eyelids heavy, we sought accommodation nearby. The next morning, we were up early and ready to explore the Shan State.

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

Waking up early at 8 am, today we will embark on a journey to Doi Tai Lang. We are joined by two special companions of different ages: N้องต่อ (21) and Lุงซ้ง (65). Once everyone has arrived, it's time to hit the road. We take the Chiang Mai-Mae Rim 107 route, heading towards the 1095 Mae Malai-Pai road.

A challenging 200-kilometer journey on steep mountain roads, overcoming numerous obstacles and sharp curves.

Upon reaching the checkpoint before entering Pai, the soldiers kindly stopped to greet us and advised us to take a break beforehand.

Posed for a photo with a celebrity, but they didn't say a word. Sigh...

After arriving in Pai, we stopped for lunch. There were only three of us left, as Uncle Song had already driven ahead to Pang Ma Pha (a small town in northern Thailand). (He may not have had much screen time, but he overtook every vehicle on the road.)

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

Before crossing to the other side, we need to stop at a house to complete some paperwork. The house is located on the curve leading to Wat Tham Lod (the alleyway with the yellow sign, just a short distance in, you will find an old wooden house).

The required documents may vary from year to year, so it is advisable to prepare extra copies just in case. Once all the information has been filled in, submit it to the officer for stamping, and the process is complete. With all the documents in hand, it's time to continue the journey to the nearby destination.


On the way, we passed by the legendary "Ja Bo" restaurant. This was my second time visiting, but due to time constraints, we could only stop for photos. We plan to return for a meal on our way back.

The journey is not as easy as it seems. The route ahead requires passing through five military checkpoints. The road gradually changes from a smooth, long slope to thick, dusty sand, rocky grooves, and dirt ruts. I must admit that I am not an expert in this field, and I feel like I have been tricked into coming here. As you can see in the picture, I have already fallen once. The trick to climbing here is to use first gear and keep the RPM below 4000.


Several pickup trucks have been stuck and unable to move for quite some time.

The sand is so thick that it's hard to walk. Those who can't walk have to push themselves along slowly.

Initially, I was curious to see so many off-road vehicles. Now I understand...
The distance is not far, but many have fallen and stumbled. It took us several hours, but we finally arrived.
"Doi Tai Lang," the highest peak in Shan State.


Upon reaching the expansive field in front of the school, we encountered a diverse group of travelers setting up their tents. Motorcycles, cars, and off-road 4WD pickup trucks were abundant, prompting us to establish our base camp and pitch our tent in this very location.


The local food scene offers a variety of options, including noodle shops, made-to-order dishes, and other typical fare. Interestingly, people here tend to add cabbage to their dishes, similar to the northern region of Thailand. Some vendors speak Thai, although some may be difficult to understand.


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We initially set up our tent at the top, but we encountered a group of people who had prepared a large sound system and screen. We assumed they were going to screen a movie outdoors, but instead, the music blared all night long. As a result, we decided to seek refuge and sleep at the bottom.

The bathroom is located on the upper floor of the school. Due to the large number of people, the queue is long. Although I am covered in dust, I have decided to dry clean my clothes and go to sleep.

On the third day, we quickly packed our belongings for convenience. Today, we will be attending the parade ceremony to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Shan State, the National Day of the Shan people.


The event will feature a parade for your viewing pleasure.


Additionally, there will be a show to commemorate the past.


Demonstrate close combat skills.


Women dressed in vibrant colors attended the event.


Additionally, there is a museum that collects historical photographs of Thailand.





After a short visit to the cave, it was time to head back. We parted ways at the exit of Tham Mae Lana Cave. Two of us had to hurry because we planned to drive all the way to Tak City. Was that too ambitious?

The dusty roads, hundreds of winding mountain curves, and the lack of a shower for two days made the nighttime run on the dark, chilly road particularly challenging. After a long day, the decision was made to stop in Lampang. A room at the Nakhon Thai Hotel for 400 baht provided a welcome respite. After a refreshing shower, sleep came easily.


Today is the 4th day, and it's finally time to head back to Bangkok. Since we had some time to spare, we decided to take a quick tour of Tak Province. After a short drive from our accommodation, we stopped to take some photos by the Ping River, enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Regarding the fuel consumption review of these two models,

GPX CR5 and GPX CR5 EFI

Freeman rode a GPX CR5 (carburetor model) with a weight of 75 kg (driver) + 3 jerry cans and luggage not exceeding 20 kg, resulting in a total weight of approximately 100 kg.

And Omega drove a GPX CR5 EFI (fuel injection)
The driver's weight was around 100 kg
Over a similar distance, the driver's weight + luggage was similar, and it was found that

Distance test of 180 km, covering various terrains including dirt roads, paved roads, mountains, and plains.
The GPX CR5 (carburetor) consumed approximately 9 liters of fuel.

The GPX CR5 EFI (fuel injection) consumes approximately 7 liters of fuel, which is about 2 liters less than the GPX CR5 (carburetor). This difference is significant. Other issues encountered include chain slack, which was previously observed on the GPX CR5 (carburetor).

I encountered the same issue during my extended trip to the north. However, considering the challenging road conditions and dusty environment, I believe the journey was handled exceptionally well.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert in this field. However, I can say with confidence that this vehicle is truly impressive.

This concludes my review. Thank you for reading.







#shan state#doi to lang#burma#myanmar#motorcycle
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