Category Archives: Biking in Thailand

Hi folks, I’ve been away for a while due to family obligations; but good souls always return.
On Sunday, here in Suphanburi Town, I took my trusty Tiger girl out of her cage for a days outing to nearby Kanchanaburi province. I didn’t have any previous plans or ideas about what to visit or see, I just mounted her, my Tiger boxer, and “Here we go”.

The road conditions towards Kanchanaburi are really great , the roads enabled me to cover the distance in about one hour only. Upon arrival in Kanchanaburi I decided to go to the east, away from the bridge over the River Khwae (not kwai as many foreigners used to say). The bridge is already so famous that I don’t want to elaborate about it.

Heading towards the east, I crossed the River Khwae which unveiled, instantly, her beauty. The River Khwae is obviously a beauty queen, with paddy rice fields, and mountains surrounding her banks.

After about 15 km following the River Khwae, a very beautiful structure arose from the skies. At first glance, from a far distance, I couldn’t see what kind of building it was, but on coming closer to the scene I realized it was a temple.
To get access to the temple you have to climb one flight of stairs but it counts to 157 steep steps. There is a cable lift available too, but this is more for the pussycats; a real man always go for the tougher way.

I was really surprised by the temple’s beauty. The name of the temple is Wat Tham Seau, which translates as Tiger Cave Temple, and it is located on a hilltop . I spent nearly 2 hours in the temple because there was so much to see. There is a huge Buddha image which is covered with a half dome (sphere) structure; and from the top one has a wonderful view of the River Khwae. The temple is one of the most colourful temples I ever have witnessed in my entire life. I was impressed by its innocent beauty.

Beautiful Buddha images are also inside the temple buildings inside the mountain which are inside a cave (tham). After a very surprising temple visit, very off the well beaten Kanchanaburi tourist track, I returned very satisfied to my home in Suphanburi .

Wat Tham Seau is located in Tambon Muang Chum just 5 kilometers from Mae Klong Dam. If you don’t have your own transport, it is recommended to talk to a motorbike taxi or tuk-tuk driver in Kanchanburi Town who ought to be more than enthusiastic to take you on a trip there. Well-worth going…..

After returning home from my previous visit to Pattaya, a Belgian friend on holiday in Pattaya called me to visit him the weekend after. My Tiger’s engine wasn’t cold yet.

With the idea of going back to Pattaya, I started to gather some more information about Pattaya. I was interested where it had all began .The name “Pattaya” originates from “Thap Phraya”, meaning Army of the Phraya – memorializing the capitulation of Nai Klom’s army to that of Phraya Tak (Soon after King Taksin the Great), without a battle. Thap Phraya became Phatthaya (the name of the north-easterly wind at the beginning of the rainy season), and then Phatthaya (the true phonetic spelling).

From its beginning Pattaya was a small fishing village. Since the Vietnamese war broke out, Pattaya changed dramatically into one of the world’s tourism hot spots,. The opening of the new international airport near Pattaya was certainly a good move from the Thai officials. For Thai residents, Pattaya is the family resort par excellence. Pattaya offers lots of attractions such as Scuba diving, Ocean World, Pattaya Waterpark, tiger zoo etc, its too elaborating to name it all.

I made an appointment with my friend on Wong amat beach (Na klua).The northernmost tip of Pattaya Second Road, where it meets North Pattaya Road, marks the end of Pattaya Bay and the start of the area known as Naklua. Naklua means ‘salt fields’ , in reference to the main occupation of the region before the escalation of tourism ‘salt farming’. Nowadays, it still has the air of a village, with some old houses, narrow streets, traditional noodle shops, temples and a fishing pier. Slowly that is changing, however, with many condominium blocks now in the neighborhood, and lots of hotels and restaurants too. Wong Amat is a smoothly curving, 3km-long beach. It occupies the far northern end of the Pattaya Bay headland, but is only accessible from Naklua (usually Sois 16 or 18). Unlike Pattaya Beach or Jomtien, it is free of watersports activities, though that is likely to change. You can hire a deck chair and order some food at an open-air local restaurant at a reasonable price.

After a relaxing chat and dinner with some Belgian friends I was eager to visit the strongly promoted Xzyte Disco. I have to say it was worth paying a visit.

I just wanted to let everyone know how Awesome Xzyte is. Xzyte is HOT. The doorman told me that each night is different, they always are working very hard to keep things fresh and New. I couldn’t check it. I was only in Pattaya for one night. Xzyte has outrageous Las Veg#as Style Shows, but I haven’t been to Las Veg#as yet, and I think Xzyte Shows are BETTER than Las Veg#as,terrific! I think at Xzyte you will be overwhelmed your mind and make you feel good with some good music and a few jokes in between.

The Music is backed up with some very talented musicians as well. The drummer that night was amazing, he entertained everyone with a 5 – 10 minute solo act. I had the feeling I was listening to the great CESAR Zuiderwijk from the Golden Earring. You can really tell the difference between a group of people like the ones at Xzyte who really enjoy doing what they do, Some Thai big name artists showed up before at Xzyte and they wouldn’t waste their time if Xzyte wasn’t worth it. Perfect to spend your night there with your spouse.

The second day I planned to visit Jomtien beach. Jomtien Beach is located about 2 kilometers from South Pattaya. This beach and the area has become more and more popular for swimming, water sports and activities because it has a long straight coastline. There are many hotels guesthouses and restaurants available just across the street from the beach. Many tourists like to be on Jomtien beach because It has long white sandy beach, furthermore you can witness a beautiful coastline and some pretty islands. After a 2 hour (relaxing) time on the beach, I decided to go back home. The very minor point of Jomtien beach is the ever disturbing beach vendors. That’s the reason why I put relaxing in between brackets. If there was a vendor selling parrots I probably would have bought one. Next time I go to Jomthien beach I’ll bring myself a parrot. And I will teach him “mai ow khrap” for a male “mai ow kha” for a female. That means “No thank you”. Every minute vendors disturb you with whatever you can imagine .

After all Pattaya is always a worthwhile visit. I’ve been too many beach resorts already but, I think I may say Pattaya is the most complete Beach resort I ever have seen in my entire life. Anything you want is available in Pattaya. But, contrary to common belief, it’s also a family resort!

Have a nice time in Pattaya … CHARLIE

After doing a bit of research, I found out that there were, amazingly, UNESCO Wildlife sanctuaries in Uthai Thani province. These wildlife sanctuaries were declared UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites on 13 December 1991. They cover an area of about 2.780 square kilometers and are part of a large area of national parks and wildlife reserves. I decided that I just had to go!

A little bit about the sanctuaries first though, nearly every kind of virgin forest and jungle found in Thailand is present in these sanctuaries, which are home to a large variety of species, some of which are very rare and endangered: last species of “mahingsa” big buffaloes, are unique to these parks. With only 50 remaining, this means they are the last herd of buffaloes. Special species of tigers and one in particular can also be found; in fact, the sanctuaries rank number 2 in the world for its population, only 13 are left.

A lot of red gaur buffaloes (males turn into black when get older). Rare types of bulls ,several herds of not more than 20 bulls some 2 meters in length , tapirs, leopards, wild elephants, bears, hornbills, deer, snakes, etc. Moreover, wild rhinoceros are also said to still roam the area. Also present are several nationally rare species of reptiles and amphibians, including the Indian Monitor, giant Asiatic toad and Asiatic giant frog. They are also a bird-spotters haven. Combined, Thung Yai and Huay Kha Khaeng sanctuaries are home to 34 internationally threatened species, emphasizing their conservation value.

Huai Kha Khaeng can be reached by taking Uthai Thai – Nong Chang – Lansak Route (Highway No.3438) to KM. 53 – 54, then turn left for another 14 kms. The roads towards the park and Cyber waterfall are in excellent condition and I was able to witness breathtaking surroundings. The deep blue sky was filled with a nice range of mountains, some of the mountains are split in half by bending rivers, displaying their natural prettiness.

A bit late due to the returning traffic to Bangkok just after the New Year, I reached the park and first planned a visit to the unknown Cyber waterfall a few kms before reaching the park I had to cross a river- bed with my GOLDEN TIGER GIRL. It’s widely known that tigers aren’t afraid of water which is very rare for cats. The ever-friendly local farmers advised me to take another road and not to cross the river, many predecessors tried before me. Many of them had got stuck in the middle of the river . Engines, filters or exhaust pipes filled with water – well, reckon that any help is far away. I took the risk however. I counted on the reliability of my Tiger Boxer 250 Rs to go through the 40 – 50 cm deep river. I knew the air filter , spark plug and exhaust are in a high position on the Tiger Boxer 250 Rs.

I mounted my Golden Tiger Girl and pulled her ears; instantly she responded with her rough roaring sound. Full of confidence, I managed to cross the river in one take; my Golden Tiger Girl had accomplished her assignment with glamour. The second option was going around the river – but if i had embarked on that, it would have taken me another hour before I reached Cyber waterfall.

Cyber waterfall is under the responsibility of the Cyber Ranger Station. It is situated 86 km. from the provincial city. This multi-layered waterfall is formed by water, which flows from a high mountain in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. The waterfall at the higher level is called Namtok Loi Choi. Below, there is a huge water basin to receive the water which keeps flowing down continuously. In other part, the water squeezes through rocks to the basin, creating a beautiful high multi-layered waterfall. The waterfall is most stunning from September until early November (rainy season). The waterfall is surrounded by a rattan forest with shady trees. Complete quietness can be experienced here. Only the sound of birds as well as insects are heard here. This was one of the quietest experiences in my entire life. Such natural, unaffected beauty. Here you realize how wonderful our globe is. Let’s respect her a bit more.

I climbed up to the top of the waterfall alone which is normally not allowed. Halfway there is a sign telling tourists that it’s rather dangerous to climb the waterfall. On 14th October 2544 one tourist died, fell down the waterfall – no change to survive. However, if you are a bit cautious its not that dangerous. On my way back I was met by an amiable ranger with his thumbs up. He spoke some Thai words to me, like “farang keng mak” which means ‘courageous foreigner’.

Late afternoon, I returned to Suphanburi, very satisfied about my visit to this unspoiled wildlife sanctuary. The area around the sanctuary from Ban Rai towards Dan Chang is a real bikers paradise, wide curving roads with wonderful landscapes in the background . I rode these roads with the sun setting , completely alone just as if everyone had abandoned this area, so peaceful.

I recommend Thailand as a real bikers’ paradise with many off the beaten track unseen parks and sanctuaries. Thailand has still a lot to offer to tourists .

This Wildlife Sanctuaries in Uthai Thani province obviously “ MADE MY DAY “…… now, which famous actor said that again ?

First, I want to introduce my new love. I separated from my IRON LADY, even though she did a good job for me, I required something heavier and stronger than her. I bought myself a golden tiger girl, which is an Italian Thai co-operation.

The unknown “TIGER BOXER 250 Rs”. Many people look down on this bike, but I assure you that it is a very reliable. It is a back to the basics bike with no whistles and bells. But, oh so beautiful, its Italian exotic design makes this bike a real beauty. She’s far from lazy, the Italians have never made slow bikes – which results in a splendid road handling.

The Tiger engineers in Bangkok guaranteed me that the Tiger was comfortable to ride on and that short or long distances would be no longer a problem to cover. I should rather say the Tiger is a marathon bike, a sporty cruiser
Riding her for 2 weeks now, I can confirm what the engineers told me…The Tiger engineers offered me the opportunity to design my own color scheme, which was a fine surprise for me and so it’s the only bike in Thailand of this kind – a real head-turner. On the roads many locals greet me with their thumbs up.

The 250 cc engine has a high torque at low revs. It’s instantly noticeable at the moment you let out the clutch. Riding the swooping mountain roads to Mae Sot and Um Phang with my Golden Tiger Girl was a joyful ride. The 250 cc engine produced a pleasant roaring sound a few blips of the throttle and she started roaring instantly . It’s not the bee in a pickle pot sound, therefore she’s called a tiger of course.

My trip from Suphanburi, which is about 420 km, took me about 7 hrs including quite a few coffee stops along the way. Pha Charoen Waterfall and Um Phang in Tak province were on my menu. I’d been to Mea Sot Town several times previous but didn’t find too many interesting places to visit; except that is for Pha Charoen which is certainly worth a visit.

Pha Charoen Waterfall, also called “97-step Rom Klao”, is located close to the headquarters and highway 1090. The 50 meters high waterfall consists of 97 ladder-shape steps or tiers. You can stopover all year round, during dry season and rainy season. In winter time temperatures can drop to as low as 6 degrees which is very cold for Thailand

The second day I planned to visit Umphang about 130 Mea Sot. There is only one single mountain road to Umphang, about 33 km away from Mae Sot and it is an even nicer unknown waterfall to visit. There is no information or roads sign available. I had to ask the name of the waterfall to some locals. They told me it’s “ Nam Tok Huai Tapu Hor” but I’m not sure if I spell it right. The water falls down from the top of the mountain . The waterfall is really unseen, absolutely no tourists there! I reckon during the high season in Thailand, there’s no paths or whatsoever to go to the summit of the mountain or waterfall. I really enjoyed the beauty and virginity of this waterfall. The one hour I spent listening to her symphony was the most relaxing moment of my 2 days trip to Mae Sot.

Her beauty attracted me that much that I didn’t have times enough to go to Um Phang. The swooping mountain roads where a real enjoyment for my golden tiger girl. In this area you can spot the most exquisite teak Thai-Burmese style houses.

To conclude my article always be a responsible driver in Thailand, otherwise you may end up in serious trouble.

Memoirs of my latest biking holiday…. to be continued………