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Thailand Family Biking
Thailand Family Biking

Thais by their very nature are welcoming. With your kids even more so. They smile and invite you in. To their mountain villages, ornate temples, noodle shops and long-tail boats. Even the elephants are friendly, taking you for a ride, and letting your kids bathe and feed them. As you bike past, schoolchildren run out to greet you, their waves and big grins saying it all. Warm. Inviting. Exotic. Approachable. It’s the Asia you dream of.

Days 1-2 Receive a blessing from the village elders and meet the resident monk Villagers greet you with smiles as you ride into the countryside on hard-packed paths, cutting through rice and garlic fields, and papaya and teak forests  The younger set crafts traditional fire balloons made out of natural paper.

Days 3-4 Bike backcountry lanes through remote villages and rural scenery, with grazing water buffalo as your audience After visiting an Akha hill tribe village, a picturesque downhill and flat route leads to the trading center of Fang Kids embark on a scavenger hunt, ready to interact with locals and practice their Thai numbers Welcome the sunrise by offering alms to monks on a hilltop beneath the White Buddha While adults participate in a Thai cooking class, kids learn about teamwork on a ropes course.

Day 5 A jungle trek aboard an elephant - hold on!  In long-tail boats, float down the Maekok River Embark on a spin through the countryside or treat yourself to a massage this afternoon . 

Days 6-8 A fascinating convergence of Thai, Laotian, Burmese and Chinese cultures Bike alongside the Mekong River on the Laos border, past tobacco fields and rice paddies into the ancient kingdom of Chiang Saen Sop Ruak’s market stalls provide a chance to sample Thai iced tea and shop for local handicrafts  Kids attend a mahout (elephant driver) camp and have fun helping feed and bathe a friendly pachyderm.


Trip Highlights
  • Bike gorgeous backcountry lanes through remote villages, where schoolchildren rush out to say hello
  • Jungle trek aboard an elephant - hold on!
  • Intriguing interactions with Buddhist monks at ornate temples
  • A ropes course and scavenger hunt that turn the outdoors into a classroom
  • A fascinating convergence of Thai, Laotian, Burmese and Chinese cultures
big map


Premiere Inns

Suanthip Vana Resort (2 nights): A simple countryside retreat blending Thai and Western comforts, with an open-air restaurant in forested surroundings. (pool)

Maekok River Village Resort (2 nights): Basic teak-framed rooms and a fantastic riverside setting at this authentic Thai-style inn. (pool)

The Legend Chiang Rai (1 night): With panoramic views of the hills, mountains and river, this small boutique hotel offers an ideal location for exploring Chiang Rai. (pool, spa)

Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa (2 nights): This Travel + Leisure World's Best Award winner is described by Hideaway Report as a "stylish hill country retreat amid 160 acres of tranquil gardens in the Golden Triangle overlooking Burma." (pool, spa)


Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Please note: On this Family Trip, our routes follow rolling terrain. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.

Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
Activity Level Average Time Biking Average Walking Average
Level 1 2-3 hours 10-20 mile 2-5 miles
Level 2 2-4 hours 21-30 miles 5-7 miles
Level 3 3-5 hours 31-40 miles 7-9 miles
Level 4 4-6 hours 41-55 miles 9-11 miles
Level 5 5-7+ hours 56-75+ miles 11-13+ miles


2012 Dates & Pricing*

FAMILY TRIPS

*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.


Recommended Kids Ages

Minimum Ages:

General Info on Minimum Ages:

We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria: Please note that a trip may feature an activity with an older age requirement than the minimum age recommendation for the trip. Younger kids are still welcome on the trip and while they will not be able to participate in the activity, the leaders will suggest an alternate activity. For safety reasons, children under 7 may not ride their own bikes and are required to ride on a Piccolo or in a Burley. For certain destinations, children must be 9 or older to ride their own bikes.


Guest Trip Reviews

Just returned home from the Backroads Thailand bicycle adventure. I am exhilarated, enthused and disappointed that it had to end. This was my first experience with Backroads, and all aspects of the trip were exceptional. Your organization sets a very high standard of customer service, and it is very much appreciated. The leaders were exceptional. Their enthusiasm for their jobs and their lives is contagious, and their dedication to service is obvious. What a pleasure to spend a week in such an exotic location and have these great people take care of everything. The complete success of each day was never doubted. You can be assured that I will travel with Backroads in the future, and will probably become a Backroads junkie! Thanks for a great trip.
Michael Peterson - Seattle, WA

My wife and I had a wonderful trip, and the entire experience was so much better than we could have ever hoped for. The trip was well balanced with great food, activity and cultural experiences. It far exceeded our desires. We look forward to our next Backroads adventure.
Mike Dixon - Lafayette, CA