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The Samoeng loop is located in the province Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. The route has the same end point as the start point and thus forms a loop. The advantage of a loop is that you can actually start at any point in this route, handy if your hotel is somewhere along the route. The route runs around a group of mountains, of which Doi Suthep and Doi Pui are the best known. Local travel organizations also offer the route under the name Samoeng Loop.
Character
The route leads through mountainous area with a lot of natural beauty. Mae Rim is located at an altitude of approximately 330 meters, while the highest point on the route is approximately 1130 meters (Mon Cham 1300 meters), a height difference of 800 meters. There are no strong ascents/descensions, unless a visit to Mon Cham is chosen. In the latter case, a motorcycle of only 100 cc with two passengers may be just a little too little, then rather rent a 125 cc engine. Samoeng is also well known for its strawberry cultivation, which are therefore widely offered during the season (December-February).
The first kilometers in the Mae Sa Valley are many doing and viewing attractions, while the rest of the route mainly offers natural beauty.
Preparation
This route does not require much preparation. When compiling your travel schedule in Thailand, try not to plan the route on a Saturday or Sunday; the route is very popular with Thai weekenders and you often run the risk of driving bumper to bumper through the exhaust fumes.
If you want to go to Mon Cham by motorcycle, make sure to have a sufficiently strong motorcycle with a full tank, there is only one gas station in the Mae Sa Valley, almost at the beginning of the valley:
- PT Gas Station (approximately 500 m past km-marker 3).
However, if you inquire you will be able to get petrol at local shops, usually sold in 1 liter bottles (more expensive than at the pump).
Safety
The strawberries where Samoeng is known are sold along the road. Do not eat them immediately, the growers use pesticides that must be washed away first.
Arrive/To the start
Although the route is described from a starting point at the north gate of Chiang Mai's old town, it can also be started anywhere. Because it is a loop, you will still end up at your personal starting point.
Hikers
The start of the route is on a busy highway. It is therefore recommended for hikers to first go to one of the starting attractions by public transport (such as songthaew or tuk-tuk).
Thai text for drivers songthaew or tuk-tuk:
- Dara Phirom Palace: พิพิธภัณฑ์ พระ ตำหนัก ดารา ภิรมย์
- Wat Pa Dara Phirom: วัด ป่า ดารา ภิรมย์
- Tiger Kingdom: do they all know
The route then follows on road 1096 (from start to finish) and then on road 1269 until it meets the outer ring road (road 121). This part of the Samoeng loop (66 km on road 1096 and road 1269) is most suitable for walking, although you will be on a highway.
From the end of road 1269 it is a 2 km walk on road 121 to the exit for Ratchaphruek Park (also Royal Flora), from where it is a further 1300 m to the entrance. If you don't want to visit the park, it's best to choose public transport (songthaew or tuk-tuk) to get back to Chiang Mai. If you do visit the park, you can also choose these means of transport, but also a regular bus that leaves from the parking lot (you can also walk from the end of road 1269 at the Ratchaphruek exit).
Tip: about 700 meters past kilometer marker 29 there is a path on the left that after 1200 meters becomes an asphalt road. This is a quiet road that eventually takes you to Ratchaphruek Park.
Cyclists
The route can also be cycled with a good mountain bike. In a past competition, the entire loop was completed in 3 hours and 15 minutes (by the winner).
By car or motorcycle
This is actually the most common way to execute the route.
Route
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The route in outline
The Samoeng Loop is a route that first takes Road 107 to Mae Rim further north, and from there head west on Road 1096 through the Mae Sa Valley to Samoeng. After Samoeng, the route continues south, later east, on road 1269 which is reached at the irrigation canal. From there it is only a few kilometers on road 121 to Ratchaphruek Park, and finally the return to Chiang Mai. After 87.5 km (where no attraction is visited at all) to 104 km (with a visit to really all attractions) you are then back at your starting point.
Mileage markers
In general, a road with a road number one every 1000 meters mile marker. On the side facing the road is the road number, below it the Thai letters กม (km) and there again under the number of the pole. From your direction of travel you can see one side on which you can then read how far it is to one or more of the following places. The roads that are part of the Samoeng loop also have kilometer markers. The table below lists all kilometer markers you will encounter on the Samoeng loop. The name of the kilometer markers is in the format "road number-km-pile number" (pole number "begin" is not a real kilometer marker). Each kilometer marker has a number, which can be clicked to see its map position.
| Road 107 | Road 1096 | Road 1269 | Road 121 |
|---|---|---|---|
Chang Phuak Gate. | 1096start. | 1269km6. | 121km57. |
Comments:
- If the name is in parentheses, the post was not actually found (or was overgrown with shrubs on closer inspection), but is the approximate place where it should have been.
- The kilometer markers for road 1269 are not on the route.
- 1269start.
- 1269km1.
- 1269km2.
- 1269km3.
- 1269km4.
- 1269km5.
- Between Chang Phuak Gate. and 107km4. the distance is 1600 m; it is unclear where the "zero point" is!
The run-up
In Thailand, all types of traffic – from pedestrian to car – can use all roads, including the highways. The total distance of 90 km is very easy to walk for experienced hikers. However, the route will usually be driven by motorcycle, passenger car or minibus.
Course: first to the north
This course of the route is the most chosen. You start at the north gate of the old city traveling north. You therefore follow the "circle" counterclockwise.
If the first attractions are not or not all of your interest, you have a few alternatives to get to the start of the Mae Sa Valley. Therefore, there are 3 steps to this point:
- The entire route with all the sights, but where the Tiger Kingdom is also easy to skip (route schedule Samoeng loop, run-up 1)
- The route without Palace and temple, but with Tiger Kingdom (route schedule Samoeng loop, run-up 2)
- The route completely without attractions (route schedule Samoeng loop, run-up 3)
From the starting point of the Mae Sa Valley, all attractions are either on road 1096 or a few hundred meters down a side road. In the latter case, you turn off road 1096, visit the attraction and then it goes back to road 1096 via the same road, which you then have to follow further west.
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Course: first to the south
The route can of course also be run in the opposite direction. You then start at the west gate (Suan Dok Gate) of the old city and then go through the "circle" in a clockwise direction. Right at the beginning of road 1269, the first attraction is: What Ton Kwen.
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The main ingredient
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The main part of the route is on roads 1096 and 1269.
The last piece
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Road 1269 ends at the outer ring road which has road number 121. From there you can follow the road along the irrigation canal (usually called Canal Road) to Chiang Mai. At 2 km from the end of road 1269 there is another intersection, turn left you go to Ratchaphruek Park and also to Chiang Mai Night Safari.
Sights/attractions along the route
The route takes you past many sights, as well as some dodestinations. Many descriptions have a symbol "
", which can be clicked to see its map position.
- Chang Phuak Road at Chang Phuak Gate (Starting point at the Northern city gate).
- Chang Phuak Bus Station (for songthaew to Mae Rim). The white and orange songthaews have a fixed route, also to Mae Rim.
- Dara Phirom Palace.
- Wat Pa Dara Phirom.
- Tiger Kingdom.
- Starting point Mae Sa Valley.
- Crocodile show. 300 baht.
- Sainamphung Orchid. 100 baht.
- X-Centre (X-treme sport, bungy jump). Bungy jump: 2000 baht 1st jump, 1000 baht 2nd jump 800 baht 3rd jump, 4th jump free.
- Mae Sa Snake Farm (Many different snake species). 200 baht.
- Mae Rim shooting range (shooting range). 1700 baht for single caliber shooting, choice of 6 calibers.
- Kum Une Museum, ☎053 044 344. By appointment only. Private museum, home of Ajarn Uab and Wisuta Sanasen.
- monkey center.
- Chiang Mai King Cobra. Sylvester Stallone was here during the shooting of his last Rambo movie. 200 baht.
- Siam Insect Zoo & Museum.
- Mae Rim Snake Farm Cobra Show (With more dangerous snake species). 200 baht.
- Suanbua Maesa Orchid.
- Mae Ram Orchid Farm.
- Mae Sa Waterfalls.
- Mae Sa Elephant Camp. 200 baht per person for the show; 800 baht for two people for a half hour ride on the back of an elephant.
- Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden (Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens).
- Mae Sa Craft Village.
- Exit point for Mon Cham.
- mon chamo (mon jam).
- Samung view point.
- Thung Roeng Royal Project Development Center.
- Huay Pak Phai Royal Project.
- What Ton Kwen (What Intrawat).
- Ban Muang Kung Pottery Village.
- Ratchaphruek Park (Royal Flora).
- Chiang Mai Night Safari.
Places to visit around Samung
Samoeng is also a starting point for some sights that fall outside the route.
- Strawberry farms (strawberry farms).
- Khun Khan National Park.
- Mon Angket.
Food
Simple eateries are available at many places along the route. Significantly more expensive dining options are the hotel restaurants. And eating at the restaurant of Mon Cham is also quite an experience with the breathtaking view.
stay overnight
If you walk the route, you can hardly avoid it: accommodation is required. Most accommodation on the route is of the expensive price range, whereby exclusivity is mainly paid and to a lesser extent luxury. the word resort in the name of the accommodation is almost always a synonym for expensive. If you can walk 30 km a day, you can avoid staying overnight on the route by taking public transport to the middle of the route (T-junction road 1096 with road 1269), and from there take road 1096 (direction Mae Rim) or leave 1269 (direction Hang Dong). And if you don't make it: on road 1096 after 18 km you have the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, where you can take a songthaew back to Chiang Mai after a possible visit. You can then have yourself taken back to the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden the next day and follow the rest of this road. On road 1269 you can do something similar, although it is more difficult to explain to a songthaew driver where you want to travel the next day.
Safety
On weekends, this is a popular destination for Thais in particular. Not everyone is equally experienced with driving on mountain roads.
After the end point
all around
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| This is a usable article. It contains information on how to get there, as well as the main attractions, nightlife and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but dive in and expand it! |