Sukhothai & Chiang Mai eBike Tour

A Few Things to Do Now

You have booked your tour — now there are a few things that will help us get everything ready for you.

Complete your Guest Questionnaire. We use this information to arrange your eBike, dietary needs, airport transfers and other tour details.

Guest Questionnaire: secure.pedalers.travel/guestQuestions.php

You will need your Booking ID from your confirmation email and the passphrase you selected when booking.

Check your passport and Thailand entry requirements. Pedalers recommends that your passport remain valid for at least six months beyond the end of your trip.

Many Pedalers guests can visit Thailand for a short tourist stay without obtaining a visa in advance, but requirements depend on nationality.

Foreign travelers entering Thailand must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before entering the country. The official TDAC can be completed during the three days before arrival, including your arrival date:

tdac.immigration.go.th/arrival-card/

Each traveler is responsible for confirming the passport, visa, transit and other entry requirements that apply to their journey.

Get Some Riding In

You do not need to train like a serious cyclist for this tour, but spending some time on a bike before you arrive will make the riding considerably more enjoyable.

The most useful preparation is simply regular riding. Try to get out two or three times during the week, even if those rides are fairly short, and gradually add a longer ride on the weekend. The goal is not speed — it is becoming comfortable pedaling for a few hours and getting your legs, shoulders and backside accustomed to time on a bicycle.

If there is a recreational cycling group or local bike club near home, joining one of their easier rides can be a fun way to build confidence and spend a little longer on the bike.

Remember that pedal assist reduces the effort, but you are still pedaling and sitting on the bicycle for several hours. A little preparation pays off even on our easiest eBike journeys.

Your Guide Team

Your tour is led by Pedalers' local guide team, backed up by a support vehicle.

We will send guide names and contact information shortly before departure so you can reach the team if your flight is delayed or you have trouble connecting with the group.

The support van carries luggage between stops, keeps purified drinking water available and provides an easy option whenever someone wants a break from riding.

Meeting in Bangkok

The tour begins at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK).

Plan your flight to arrive before 07:00 (7 am) on Day 1. We meet the group at the airport at 9 am before heading north into Thailand's central countryside. Guests arriving early should plan to return to the airport first thing in the morning. We do not pick up from hotels in downtown due to traffic. If you are flying in the evening before, there are numerous hotels near Suvarnabhumi airport with shuttle service: Hotel Suggestions.

Your final pre-tour message will give you exact meeting instructions and guide contact details.

Local time: GMT+7

Heading Home from Chiang Mai

The tour finishes at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) on Day 8.

Plan departing flights for after 10:00 am.

If you are flying from Chiang Mai to Bangkok on a separately purchased domestic ticket and then connecting to an international flight, don't cut the connection too closely. We recommend allowing at least three hours between separately booked flights.

Money, Cards & ATMs

Thailand's currency is the Thai baht (THB).

Credit-card acceptance is increasing, but Thailand is still much more cash-oriented than many visitors expect. Many of the hotels we use accept cards for room charges, restaurant meals or gift-shop purchases, and some higher-end restaurants do as well. A good portion of local eateries, street-food vendors, bars, markets and small shops remain cash-only.

Thai ATMs charge a local fee when using foreign cards, generally 250 to 350 baht per withdrawal. Some bank chains may charge the higher amount for certain MasterCard transactions. Because the fee is charged each time, fewer larger withdrawals usually make more sense than a series of small ones.

If an ATM or card terminal asks whether you want the transaction converted into your home currency, choose Thai baht. Your home bank then performs the conversion using its buy rate, which is normally more favorable than the sell rate used when the ATM or card-machine provider converts the transaction into your home currency.

Phones, Data & Wi-Fi

Mobile coverage in Thailand is generally very good.

International roaming, a Thai SIM or a travel eSIM can all work well. There may occasionally be gaps in more rural areas, but we are rarely disconnected for long.

Wi-Fi is available at our accommodations and is generally sufficient for normal email, messaging and web use.

Electricity & Power Outlets

Thailand uses approximately 220-230V electricity at 50 Hz.

Most Thai power outlets accept both US-style flat-blade plugs and European-style round-pin plugs. Higher-end hotels may also have universal outlets accepting UK and Australian plugs.

If you are buying an adapter specifically for Thailand, choose one that plugs into the wall using US-style flat blades. They generally fit Thai outlets more securely than European round pins.

Most modern phones, cameras and laptop chargers accept worldwide voltage. Equipment marked 100-240V does not need a voltage converter.

Weather

Our preferred season for this tour is October through February, when central and northern Thailand normally offer some of their best cycling conditions.

Expect warm tropical days and strong sun. Mornings and evenings become somewhat cooler as we travel north toward Chiang Mai, particularly during the heart of the cool season.

Rain is still possible, so bring a lightweight rain jacket even when the forecast looks promising.

Sun protection and hydration matter more than complicated technical clothing. The support van carries plenty of cold purified drinking water throughout the riding day.

A note about sun and staying cool: long tropical riding days are not the best time to work on a tan. Heavy waterproof or sweatproof sunscreen over large areas can make evaporative cooling less effective and leave you feeling hotter. Lightweight sun-protective clothing often works better on the bicycle; save the tanning for the pool or beach.

Your Kaze eBike

Your tour includes a Kaze pedal-assist eBike.

Before the first ride, the guides will fit your bike and explain the controls, gears and different levels of pedal assistance.

An eBike still rides like a bicycle: you pedal, change gears and control the bike normally. The motor simply adds assistance while you pedal.

On this tour that assistance is useful in two different ways. Most of the route is relatively flat, but several days cover 65 to 75 km. The pedal assist helps keep those longer days relaxed. The final riding day introduces more rolling terrain and climbing, where the assist becomes particularly welcome.

Your Helmet & Water Bottle

Please bring your own bicycle helmet and water bottle.

We ask guests to bring their own helmets because helmet padding absorbs sweat and skin oils, and we do not feel shared helmets can be cleaned thoroughly enough between users.

We also skip the souvenir water bottles many tour companies hand out. Most are used briefly and then become unnecessary plastic, so we would rather you bring a bottle you already use and like.

Our support vehicle carries plenty of purified drinking water for refills throughout the riding day.

If you normally use a particular saddle or clip-in pedals, ask us before the trip and we can determine whether they can be fitted to your eBike.

Thai Food — Including the Spicy Question

Food is an important part of our Thailand trips, and the guides choose restaurants and dishes to give the group variety rather than ordering the same familiar dishes night after night.

Thai cooking can certainly involve chilies, but not everything is fiery. Many dishes are naturally mild and restaurants can often adjust the heat. Tell your guides what level of spice suits you and they will help plan meals accordingly.

Vegetarian, Vegan & Gluten-Free Diets

Vegetarian food is readily available in Thailand, but there is an important difference between a dish containing vegetables and a dish that is strictly vegetarian.

Fish sauce and oyster sauce are common Thai seasonings, including in dishes that might otherwise appear vegetarian.

Strict vegetarians and vegans should tell us in advance so your guides can explain the requirements carefully to restaurants.

Gluten-free meals can usually be accommodated with advance notice.

Whatever your dietary requirements, include them in your Guest Questionnaire. The more the guide team knows beforehand, the easier it is to plan meals that work for everyone.

Drinking Water & Ice

Tap water at many of our hotels comes from provincial water systems and has been treated. It is generally fine for brushing your teeth and normal washing, but we recommend using bottled or filtered water for drinking.

We keep plenty of purified drinking water in the support van throughout the riding day, and bottled water is readily available at hotels and shops.

Commercially produced ice in Thailand is made from purified water and delivered to restaurants, hotels and shops, so the ice served in normal restaurants and cafés is not the same as freezing untreated tap water at home.

Temples & Respectful Dress

Buddhist temples are part of the journey.

When entering temple buildings, shoulders and knees should be covered. Lightweight clothing makes this easy: carry a light shirt, wrap or other layer that can be put on over riding clothes when necessary.

Shoes are removed before entering many temple buildings, homes and some other indoor spaces.

Your guides will explain local etiquette as it comes up during the tour.

What to Bring

Thailand rewards simple packing.

For riding

• Bicycle helmet
• Large water bottle
• Cycling shorts or comfortable riding bottoms
• Lightweight jerseys or breathable shirts
• Cycling gloves, if you normally use them
• Comfortable cycling or athletic shoes
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Lightweight rain jacket
• Lightweight long-sleeve layer for sun protection or cooler mornings
• Your favorite cycling gear if there are particular items you prefer

For after riding

• Lightweight casual clothing
• Comfortable walking shoes or sandals
• One light layer for cooler northern evenings
• Clothing that covers shoulders and knees for temple visits
• Swimsuit for hotel pools

Useful extras

• Prescription medications
• Personal toiletries
• Mosquito repellent
• Phone and charging cables
• Travel adapter if needed
• Small power bank
• Small daypack or waist pack
• Favorite riding snack, if desired

There is no need for formal clothing on the tour.

Tipping Your Guide Team

Tipping traditions differ around the world, and many of our guests come from places where gratuities are not an everyday custom. A multi-day guided journey is a little different. Your guides and drivers spend the trip looking after the group, sharing their country, solving the small problems that inevitably arise and helping make the journey run smoothly.

For that reason, Pedalers encourages guests to consider a gratuity as a personal thank-you to the people who have looked after them throughout the tour.

As a guideline, we suggest 2000 baht (~US$70) per guest for each guide and 1500 baht (~US$50) per guest for each driver. Gratuities are best given directly to each person at the end of the tour, preferably in local currency.

Questions Before You Leave?

If you are uncertain about flights, documents, eBikes, food or what to pack, ask us before you travel.

It is much easier to sort something out before departure than at the airport.

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