Driving and travel guides for Chiang Mai
Routes, charging points, the paperwork you need, and what to know before driving in the north — written from years of handing cars to real customers.
Three days in Chiang Mai with a car — a route that actually works
A three-day itinerary built around what a car is genuinely good for here: the mountain, the valley north of the city, and the craft villages east. With honest driving times and the places where you should leave the car behind.
Chiang Mai to Pai by electric car — the 762 curves, honestly
The drive to Pai is 130 km, takes about three hours, and has 762 numbered bends. Here is what the road is really like, how much battery it uses, where to stop, and whether you should do it at all.
Driving in Chiang Mai — an honest guide for first-time visitors
What the roads are actually like, the local habits that surprise foreign drivers, the one-way moat loop, motorbikes, parking, checkpoints and the mountain roads. Written from years of handing cars to people who have never driven in Thailand.
Charging an electric car in Chiang Mai — a practical guide
Where the chargers actually are, the difference between AC and DC in real numbers, how long a charge takes, which apps to install before you arrive, and how to plan a longer trip north without range anxiety.
The International Driving Permit in Thailand — what you actually need
You cannot legally drive a rental car in Thailand on a foreign licence alone. Here is which IDP you need, where to get it before you travel, what it costs, and what happens at a checkpoint or after an accident if you do not have one.
The Mae Hong Son loop in an electric car — planning it properly
600 km, 1,864 bends and four days minimum. The loop is entirely doable in an EV, but only if you plan the charging rather than improvising it. Here is the day-by-day breakdown.