Unexpected Tranquility in Southern Thailand
Seemingly endless rolling gravel and paved roads to ride, and almost no tourists or traffic
Seemingly endless rolling gravel and paved roads to ride, and almost no tourists or traffic
At first, I figured that three days in the Khanom area of southeast Thailand would be just about my limit. From there, I’d run to the inland hills, and maybe even continue on over to the tourist-focused west coast.
Six weeks after arriving in Khanom, I was still there. Somehow I had managed to find new roads and trails every single day of riding. I really could not believe how I’d struck it so lucky. I’ve been back several times since.
There’s not much going on here. I guess that you could even see it as slightly boring from an entertainment slant. This is the real Thailand, much as I’d always wanted it to be. It was something that I thought was long since lost, if it ever even existed. Tranquil, genuine, local, crisp, clean and friendly – the perfect place to spend time soaking up what 99.9 per cent of visitors to the country never even get a scent of.
Throughout long, leisurely periods of time, I’ve now ridden just about every one of these roads and trails. By linking them all together, you can ride for hours at a time without so much as seeing anything with a motor, let alone any other cyclists.
These ride options go on for miles in all three of the possible directions. You can take on really flexible and long traffic-free routes without ever having to be too far from a small shop selling supplies, or from the option of taking a shortcut home should you wish.
The riding here is not excessively hilly; it’s mostly flat to rolling, although
there are a couple of super steep and tough out-and-back climbs should you feel like spicing up your ride. As many of the roads pass through wooded areas, you can find yourself in merciful shade for much of the time. No matter how far from the sea you are, there seems to always be a slight breeze. The breeze really helps to keep you comparatively cool, and also greatly reduces the humidity in the air.
This is an area that doesn’t jump out and yell, “Why hello!” It’s just not in its mild and charming manner to do so. Perhaps this is also why it’s hard to find out much about Khanom.
If you ever have the chance to visit, keep your eyes and ears peeled. You may well find me along the way, dodging the coconut trees and buffalo on these awesome backwater gravel roads, grinning like a slightly demented and contented madman on his aluminum horse.
“No matter how far from the sea you are, there seems to always be a slight breeze.”