🛣️ Possible Itinerary (7 Day Plan)

Day Route / Activities

Day 1 BSR Bike Shop → Ayutthaya → Lop Buri (3 - 3.5 hours / 150 kms)

Day 2 Lop Buri → Petchabun / Thung Salaeng Luang (4.5 hours / 270 kms)

Day 3 Petchabun / Thung Salaeng Luang → Phu Tub Berk → Chiang Khan (4.5 hours / 240 kms)

Day 4 Chiang khan → Khon Kaen (4.5 - 5 hours / 290 kms)

Day 5 Khon Kaen → Buri Ram (3.5 hours / 200 kms)

Day 6 Buri Ram → Khao Yai (4.5 hours / 250 kms)

Day 7 Khao Yai → BSR Bike Shop (3.5 - 4 hours / 190 kms)

1. Ayutthaya & Lopburi

Why go: Ayutthaya, the capital of the Siamese kingdom and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you only see one temple in Thailand, it should be here. Lopburi, otherwise known as monkey city is a unique for it’s population of roughly 4,000 macaques monkeys.

Ayutthaya’s most famous temples

• Wat Mahathat — Famous for the Buddha head entwined in tree roots; arguably Ayutthaya’s most iconic image.

• Wat Phra Si Sanphet — Once part of the royal palace complex; its three grand chedis stand as symbols of the ancient capital.

• Wat Chaiwatthanaram — A dramatic Khmer-style temple on the Chao Phraya’s west bank; especially atmospheric at sunset or by boat.

• Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon — Known for its tall chedi and peaceful monastic grounds — a nice early-morning or late-afternoon visit.

LopBuri (Monkey city)

• Phra Prang Sam Yot: A large, ancient temple and the most famous site for observing the local macaque monkeys. 

🍲 Local Food

• Try Ayutthaya boat noodles or riverside grilled prawns — many local eateries near the old city are highly rated and give a taste of traditional Thai flavors.

2. Petchabun

Why go: Phetchabun is a city located at the base of multiple mountains making a great place to see beautiful views and experience cooler weather, but really we just like the twisty roads going up and down.

Top highlights

• Thung Salaeng Luang National Park – Is known for having some of the best views in Thailand, along with multiple hiking trails for exploration.

• Phu Tub Berk — Is the tallest peak in Petchabun province and is well known for for having panoramic views and expecially the early morning “sea of clouds”

• Hill-tribe village — the influx of hill tribe (Hmong) communities gives unique local culture, cuisine, and the chance to see into the traditional rural highland living.

Where to stay:

• Accommodations are easy to find within the city of Petchabun, while Thung Salaeng National Park offers limited bungalows and camping locations. Phu Tub Berk has a fair amount of home stays and small hotels along it’s peak offering astounding views and minimal prices.

🎯 Why This Plan Works

• Outside of public holidays such as New Years when local Thais flock to the mountains, these areas are much less crowded than the typical tourist-heavy national parks providing a very quiet and enjoyable experience.

3. Chiang Khan

Why go: Is a charming riverside town on the Mekong river making the divide between Thailand and Laos. With traditional teak wooden houses & old-town atmosphere it is a very relaxed place to visit. It is not about big resorts, and thus is more suited to slow days, and quiet evenings. It’s a nice change from the high-tourism areas.

Top Highlights

• Huai Krathing — a popular (Thai) tourist destination known for it’s waterside restaurants and covered floating rafts where after being served your food you are pulled out into the lake via a long-tail boat and where you can enjoy your food, drinks, and swim in the lake. 

• Walking Street — A narrow street of traditional teakwood houses (running along the Mekong river) where there are many cafes, guesthouses, souvenir shops, and on the weekend is a walking-street market.

• Riverside Promenade — A relaxed riverside walkway along the Mekong River (parallel to walking street) which provides the river and mountain views all while looking over Laos on the other side of the river.

• Bonus experience: On some mornings (especially early) you can witness the local Buddhist alms-giving ceremony (monks walking the street collecting offerings) — a calm, reflective cultural ritual.

  
  

🌿 Local foods

• Local cuisine & street-food : Sai Krok would be a sausage that is native to the northern/Isan portion of Thailand, it’s known for its tangy, garlicky, and savory flavor. 

where to stay

• Guesthouses / homestays in wooden houses by the river: Staying in a traditional teakwood house or a simple guesthouse along Walking Street or riverside is part of Chiang Khan’s charm — you wake up to the sound of river and local life instead of traffic.

4. Khon Kaen

Why go: The gateway to Isan, Khon Kaen is city which borders the lines of traditional Thai culture and Thai Isan culture. It is also unique in that it known for dinosaurs after several important fossils were discovered in the region making it the hub of paleontology.

When you are here:

• Check out the fossils: Museums, excavation sites, and dinosaur parks are located througout the area do it’s unique history with fossil discovery.

• Ton Taann Night market: Located near the university, the market is open daily and offers a variety of local foods along with other traditional items for sale.

• Bueng Kaen Nakhon (Lake & Park): A scenic city-lake with walking/biking paths, shady parks, lakeside restaurants/bars — perfect for relaxing, evening strolls or sunset views. Locals often hang out here in the late afternoon.

Local grilled-meat & fish specialties — In districts around Khon Kaen, there are good places for grilled chicken or fish. For instance, restaurants near rural districts offer charcoal-grilled local breeds, giving authentic Isaan flavor. Look out for Som Tam (Papaya salald, Gai Yang (grilled chicken) and Larb.

5. Buri Ram (Race city)

Why go: Buriram is a great city due to it’s unique blend of small town feel, ancient history, mixed culture along with it’s excitement of being the center of motorsports and football in Thailand. Put those together with the genuinely friendly people and it’s a great place to visit, especially when a sporting even it planned.

When you are here:

• Motorsports: The hometown of the Chang International Circuit, hosting major races like MotoGP, World Superbike, GT World Challenge Asia, and Thailand Super Series.

• Football Hub: The energetic home of Buriram United FC and the impressive Chang Arena

• Khmer Ruins: Some of Thailand's best-preserved Khmer Empire sites like Phanom Rung Historical Park, are built on an extinct volcano.

Isan Flavors: Famous for fiery Northeastern Thai (Isan) cuisine, check out the night markets like the Buriram Walking Street.

🛶 Overnight Stay: Because of the major events hosted, accommodations are plentiful and come in all price ranges. Just know that the largest events like MotoGP can book out several months in advance.

6. Pak Chong / Khao Yai

Pak Chong is a small city that resides just outside of Khao Yai. Featuring several incredible restaurants, luxury resorts and hotels, wineries, and proximity to Khao Yai National Park’s abundance of nature, it is a favorite place for people to visit. Interestingly, multiple locations in Pak Chong have been designed with Italian architecture.

Pak Chong Attractions & Experiences

• PB Valley Khao Yai Winery — Vineyard & winery offering wine tastings and meals; a scenic, relaxed stop especially in the afternoon. Great for western or fusion-style dishes after riding.

• Primo Piazza Khao Yai — A small “European-style” village with cafés, photo spots and fun ambience; a good rest-stop or light-hearted detour before heading into the mountains.

• Palio Khao Yai - an Italian-themed shopping village in Thailand, designed to look like a town in Tuscany. It features antique-style architecture with many small shops selling decorative items, fashion, souvenirs, and food, along with cafes, restaurants, and relaxation areas.

• Manee Sorn Sunflower Field - A large sunflower plantation and is a popular destination for its scenic mountain views and fields of golden-yellow sunflowers

Khao Yai Recommended Park Highlights

• Nong Phak Chi Wildlife Observation Area — Open fields and forest edges where wild deer, birds and sometimes elephants are spotted; great early morning or late-afternoon wildlife-watching site. (Note: always keep safe distance.)

• Pha Diao Dai Viewpoint — A forest-edge lookout giving panoramic views over the forest canopy and mountains. Great for photo sessions or a calm rest on a ride day.

• Haew Suwat Waterfall — Accessible waterfall with short walking trail within the park. Nice place to cool off or take a quick nature break.

• Haew Narok Waterfall — One of the largest waterfalls in the park (especially during rainy season); dramatic and worth the short hike (if time and conditions permit).

🧭 Tips & What to Know

• Avoid tolls: Use the map link shown above and set Avoid tolls in Google Maps.

• Park fees & opening hours: National parks collect entrance fees; check opening times & any access limits

• Gear: Bring rain jacket in wet season; sturdy shoes for hiking; insect repellent for jungle trails.