Co all Day Chiang Mai: 9 hour bicycle / train / cooking

Overview

Cycle through Northern Thailand’s countryside, ride a local train to historic Lamphun, and discover authentic flavors in a hands-on cooking experience. A day of culture, landscapes, and Northern Thai cuisine awaits.

This full-day journey blends countryside cycling, local transport, and the rich culinary traditions of Northern Thailand. Starting in Chiang Mai, the ride winds through quiet backstreets and neighborhoods where daily life unfolds in markets, temples, and small shops. The route leads to the railway station for a short local train ride, offering a relaxed view of the surrounding countryside on the way to Lamphun.

Arriving in one of Northern Thailand’s oldest cities, cycling continues along peaceful rural roads near the Kuang River. Rice fields, fruit orchards, and small farms reveal the region’s agricultural roots, while traditional wooden houses and friendly communities give a sense of authentic local life. In Lamphun’s historic center, quiet streets and a visit to a local temple showcase the area’s cultural heritage. A simple lunch at a neighborhood restaurant allows for a taste of genuine Northern Thai flavors.

The afternoon focuses on Northern Thai cuisine. At a lively market, fresh herbs, vegetables, and spices introduce the ingredients that define the region’s dishes. The experience continues at a welcoming family-run cooking school, where three traditional dishes are prepared and enjoyed under the guidance of the chef and her family, concluding with mango sticky rice.

After a day of cycling, culture, and cooking, a comfortable transfer returns to Chiang Mai, offering a full introduction to the landscapes, traditions, and flavors of Northern Thailand.

Additional Information

What's Included

• Experienced local guide
• Customized bike
• Child/adult helm, optional
• Train ride Chiang Mai to Lamphun
• Snacks and (soft)drinks
• Simple, local lunch
• Experienced local chef
• Visit a local market to shop for ingredients
• (digital) recipe book to take home
• Transfers by local transport as mentioned in the program

What to Expect

Due to the ever-changing cityscape, festivals, and overall dynamic character of Chiang Mai, we do not have a pre-defined routing that is "set in stone" making each day a new adventure for all of us.

• Cycle through Chiang Mai’s quiet backstreets and local neighborhoods, observing daily life and morning markets.
• Enjoy a short local train ride to Lamphun, taking in scenic countryside views.
• Explore Lamphun’s historic streets and visit a tranquil local temple.
• Ride along peaceful rural roads by the Kuang River, passing rice fields, fruit orchards, and traditional farms.
• Experience authentic Northern Thai culture through interactions with friendly local communities.
• Savor a simple local lunch at a neighborhood restaurant featuring regional flavors.
• Visit a lively market to select fresh ingredients for a hands-on cooking session.
• Learn and prepare three traditional Northern Thai dishes with guidance from a family-run cooking school.
• Conclude with Thailand’s beloved mango sticky rice dessert.
• Return to Chiang Mai with memories of cycling, culture, and authentic culinary experiences.

We pride ourselves in being an alternative to the standard tourist experience by taking our customers "off the beaten path" to show them the REAL Chiang Mai, away from Chiang Mai’s typical mass tourism attractions (Night market, Doi Suthep, etc). We go behind the scenes into the local communities to places that are typically inaccessible to the average traveler, where our individual fascinations emerge.

Food

We will be sampling several types of street food snacks along the way without a fixed menu and indulge in a Thai local style meal. For any dietary restrictions, kindly tell your guide before the start of the tour.

Weather

Joining one of our bicycle tours in Chiang Mai is a surprisingly refreshing adventure year-round as most cycling is taking place in shadowed places. The activity of cycling (as opposed to walking) will always create a breeze to help cool you down. We are also aided by the fact that the Chiang Mai valley is very flat and we cycle at a leisurely pace. In addition, plenty of cold drinks and rest stops along the way will keep you refreshed for the journey.

The weather in Chiang Mai is unpredictable and rain can occur at any time, especially during the 'rainy season' (which typically means 30 minutes of rain per day) of June-October. Rain is also a very localized phenomenon, happening in small pockets in places while being completely dry only a few kilometers away. In our vast experience doing the tours, we know that heavy rains rarely last more than 30 minutes and our guides know very well where to take our customers for cover during the deluge.

Language of the tour

The vast majority of our guides are English-speaking local Thais. By design, our tours do not contain much talking. Our philosophy is to focus more on the interactive experience of cycling within the local community rather than presentations about facts, figures, or history. In that respect, language does not play a large factor in your tour experience, and it is unlikely that you will feel like you've missed out on anything by not having a native language guide.

What to Wear and Bring

If you have any dietary restrictions and/or allergies, please mention this in the comments section of your reservation.

What to Wear

On our tours, we are guests at local and more conservative communities, including temples. Please allow us to ask you to dress more conservatively out of respect for the local community. A top that covers the shoulders and a sarong for covering the legs in a temple is always appreciated in Thai culture.

For your own convenience, we recommend you wear light, comfortable clothing with a hat to keep the sun off your head. For footwear, we recommend closed shoes or sports sandals for maximum protection and control during your tour. For your own safety, we discourage the use of ‘flip-flops’ as they often compromise the ability of the rider to control his/her bicycle on the tour. The liberal use of sunscreen is also highly encouraged.

What to Bring

Our tours are on an all-in basis, and there is no need to bring any food or drinks. You may, however, want to consider bringing the following:

• Sunglasses, hat or cap, sunblock
• Camera, smartphone to capture your experience
• Passport number (a copy or in smartphone is sufficient) in case of emergency insurance
• In case of rain, you may want to bring a raincoat if you have one. This is not necessary, as we bring them along as well for everyone in the group.
• An open mind and a big smile, it's your holiday!

Bookings

Children under the age of 12 years old receive a 25% discount on the adult price. Kids joining in a baby- or child-seat are joining free of charge.

Our Bicycles

Custom bikes are provided to give you the ultimate local experience. This means bicycles are comfortable, delivering a straight-up position to look around, and have an open frame to easily step on/off. All of our bikes are adjustable in size, and we have bikes suitable for both smaller (1.40m) and taller (2.10m) people.

• Comfortable and straight-up position for a better connection with the environment
• Step-through frame to facilitate easy mounting / dismounting
• Hand-brakes
• Basket to bring along bags, cameras, etc.

Cycle Skills and Safety

We cycle at a leisurely pace and make frequent stops at local, interesting destinations along the way. Children as young as five years and seniors as old as 80 years have joined our tour with no issues, but a certain level of balance and comfort on a bike is required.

On our tours, we do NOT cycle on main roads with traffic and are hence as safe as it gets. Following our concept, we go off the beaten path, use back roads, alleyways, and footpaths (nearly 95% of the tour takes place here). Helmets are also readily available at our office if you wish to wear one. For your comfort and safety, helmets for adults and children are readily available and optional; please feel free to take one if you wish.