Mountain Biking in Chonburi

Just 2 hours from Bangkok is a great place for mountain biking in Chonburi.  Khao Mai Kaew is a small group of hills originally designed for moto cross biking but increasingly as cycling in Thailand becomes more popular is being frequented more and  more by cyclists.  

The terrain is diverse with technical single track uphills and steep downhills, dusty tracks, grass areas, rubber plantations and lots of jungle.  There are 2 tracks to choose from, one being 4km in length and the 2nd is 10.4km in length, it is possible to combine the 2.

From the car park, head up the hill through the treeline and for the longer route turn immediately left, there are a few fun jumps for 200m before you will start heading uphill for the toughest section.  Once on top of the hill the remaining route is downhill or relatively flat.  There is some nice scenery a long the way and eventually you will come out of the jungle and into a grassy clearing where you will likely bump into farmers with their cattle. 

Past this clearing you will see two trails so you should take the lower one.  The remaining route will involve a short uphill section and lots of winding downhills through the trees and back to the car park.  

The car park has a shower and changing facilities and well kept gardens to relax in and a few hundred meters away are some restaurants should you choose to stop off on the way home.  


How to get there
From Bangkok take highway 7 on the way to Pattaya and then take highway 36 with signs to Rayong.  A short drive along this highway will take you to route 331 and you will see some small signs for Khao Mai Keaw.  The area is not well signposted so look out for a number of buildings on your right and take the first tarmacked road on the left to get to the small lake at the start of the trail. 

The coordinates are:
Latitude: 12°57'32.29"N
Longitude: 101° 2'20.52"E


Mountain biking in Chonburi makes for a great day out and there is every chance you will have the trail to yourselves.  Action Sport Asia is an online directory promoting various activities such as cycling in Thailand.  For more information please contact info@actionsportasia.com

Off Road Biking in Bangkok

There is a nice little off road cycling track within an army training camp on Phahonyothin road, just past soi 49, over the bridge and on the opposite side of the road with a 3km cycling track through some woods, swamps and fields.  The track is short but makes for a fun morning or afternoon getting dirty and riding up and down the hills through the woods.

Also on the training ground is a paintball course, quad biking and an assault course.  Day visitors are welcome and there is a restaurant and refreshments on site.  During the dry season you can rent bikes for just 20 baht, however during rainy season a lot of the track is underwater - for some making the experience more fun!  You are welcome to go for free during the rainy season, however ensure you bring your own bike with you.  You can wash your bike down near the restaurant.  

Also on the training ground is a paintball course, quad biking and an assault course.  Day visitors are welcome and there is a restaurant and refreshments on site.  During the dry season you can rent bikes for just 20 baht, however during rainy season a lot of the track is underwater - for some making the experience more fun!  You are welcome to go for free during the rainy season, however ensure you bring your own bike with you.  You can wash your bike down near the restaurant.  

Action Sport Asia has further information regarding cycling in Thailand so please contact us with any questions.

Rayong Cycling Trips

This weekend we went on a cycling trip in Rayong, in total cycling around 70km.  The first trip was to a small hill resort called Brook Valley, a peaceful area 30km outside the main city of Rayong.  The roads are quiet and there are many small lanes through rubber plantations and fruit orchards on the way making the ride a pleasant one.  There are few hills on the way and so we reached the destination in around 1 hour.  The cycle up the hill to the resort is quite steep but over quickly.

The resort has a number of chalets for rent, a playground for children and various shops to keep visitors occupied.  There is also a small waterfall set amongst the jungle which makes for a refreshing break after the bike ride.  The way back took a few alternative routes to avoid the main roads and in all took 3 hours of cycling time.

The next day was spent cycling around Dok Krai lake, about 30 minutes drive outside Rayong.  The area is good for some off road cycling with dirt / gravel tracks scattered amongst the plantations and pineapple fields.  The water is clean enough for swimming and so there are plenty of scenic areas around Dok Krai lake to stop and cool off.  There are also resorts and nice restaurants dotted along the shore.  

Cycling in Thailand can be a great chance to see a different perspective on the country and there are numerous cycling companies in Thailand offering tours.