Cycling Around SuanGlangNa
Get ready for some seriously satisfying cycling right from SuanGlangNa. There are hundreds of kilometers of riding right from our property. From dirt roads and tracks to well-paved mountain passes, there’s something for every type of rider. In addition to the recommended routes below, apps such as Strava, Map My Ride, Ride with GPS, and Komoot offer good suggestions as well.
Big Day in the Mountains
(64-80km; 1,300-1,650m elevation)
Here it is - a big day in the saddle with two distances and challenges to choose from. Setting off from SuanGlaNa, enjoy about 5km spinning before you hit the start of the climbs, where you’ll soon be enjoying peaceful bliss, lush rice fields, and inclines from 5-14 degrees.
Along the way enjoy the stunning temple at Na Khu Ha (careful on the sometimes slippery road down to the temple) for some classic pictures, then continue further up to U Na Cafe (we suggest NaKuHa Coffee, it has a better view of the valley) for a shot of espresso, top up those water bottles, then take on a challenging 6km climb, before enjoying a dramatic, steep descent, then along an undulating valley road to a three-way intersection where you can decide how much more gas you have in the physical tank. If you want to ride 64km (1,300m vertical) then turn left onto Route 1343, or turn right onto Route 1024 for the full 80km ride (1,650m vertical). Remember to fill your water when you can as supplies are scarce on the first two-thirds of these rides.
If you opt for Route 1343, consider having grilled chicken for lunch or enjoy some hillside snacking a bit earlier at this cute spot. If you take the longer ride along Route 1024, ride it for a while, then turn left onto Route 1324 and have some grilled chicken and somtam at this simple hillside spot. You will encounter other options along the way as well as you pass through small towns.
Be sure to bring energy bars and snacks on this ride, refill water when the option exists, ensure you’re comfortable with long, steep and sustained climbs, and you’ll be rewarded with some of the finest mountain views the kingdom of Thailand has to offer.
Out and Back - Phrae Mountains
Map: 58km
A nice out and back from SuanGlangNa with 600m+ of mostly gentle climbing. The nice part about this ride is you can simply turn around when you’ve had enough, or go all the way until you hit the start of the dirt road and turn around from there. The climbing is mostly gentle, with grades of about 5-8%. It’s quiet, with several small coffee stops, a small waterfall and it’s nice to enjoy a stop on the way down at one of the many riverside restaurants.
If you want to mix in some sight-seeing, pop in to the popular Wat That Doi Leng temple either on your way up or on the return. There’s a small waterfall about half way, Choeng Thong, which you can have a short walk to and try to cool off as well but it’s not overly large. Beyond the restaurants at the start of the climb, there is typically nowhere to buy water so make sure you bring a good amount along as well as snacks. This is a very nice, quiet mountain climb.
