une question sur la location de moto en thailande .j'habite dans paris et je n'est jamais resenti le besoin de passer mon permis de conduire pour mes déplacement j'utilise un scooter 50cm .je vais tout les ans en thailande depuis 6 ans et je loue des mobs pendant tout mon séjours. jusqu'a maintenant et je touche du bois je n'est jamais eu d'accident .les expat me dise que si je me fais controler la police me mettra une amande et me laissera partir .
alors ma question est :quelle sont les risques sans permis international?
merci pour vos reponses.
si il se peut que des flics s'arrangent avec une petite commission, souvent (et surtout pour un farang) tu auras surement des ennuis a un moment ou a un autre et alors (et SURTOUT!!!) si tu as un accident, alors la, tu es pas sorti de l'auberge, ttu peux avoir de gros ennuissssssss !!!
Il est important de percevoir combien votre propre bonheur est lié à celui des autres, il n'existe pas de bonheur individuel totalement indépendant d'autrui.....(Dalaï-Lama)
OH OUI vraiment raison la première réponse que tu as eu il faut le dire pas bon ça de ne pas prendre de permis international pour un SCOOTER 125
et bien d'autres désagréments va voir les posts sur les locations de scooter sur ce forum qui ont suscité énormément de commentaires
beaucoup de précautions à prendre pour rouler aussi mais tu le sais tu es prudent mais le facteur zéro n'existe pas j'en sais quelque chose je pars demain pour samui pour ramener en avion médicalisé d'ici 72h ENCORE UN TOURISTE gravement blessé en scooter mais lui c'est pas sa faute, un chien la nuit qui a déboulé brutalement et patatra bref....il a 20 ans et restera paralysé selon le dernier pronostic
(c'est pas des mobylettes comme tu le dis dans ton post) c'est minimum des 125 qui montent à 100 km h donc....
les expat ont raison et des membres ici te le confirmeront d'autres te diront non à toi de choisir :
tu as eu la chance jusqu'a présent de ne pas avoir de contrôle pour le permis . Mais depuis peu ils ont décidé de durcir ces contrôles car hélas il s'avère que plus ça va au fil des ans le nombre de décès et de blessés en scooter pour les touristes est en augmentation au fil des ans.....et ça dans toute l'asie du sud est, le secteur où nous sommes avec les collègues....
tu risques peut etre pire que la prison si tu renverse un thai ... et je plaisante pas !!!
ne pas jouer avec le feu, pour toi et pour les autres... si les thais sont tres sympas, il ne faut pas abuser et surtout pas les renverses !
Il est important de percevoir combien votre propre bonheur est lié à celui des autres, il n'existe pas de bonheur individuel totalement indépendant d'autrui.....(Dalaï-Lama)
je risque pas la taule lors d'un simple control routier ?
nul n'est censée ne pas connaître la loi , la loi dit permis, c'est clair, !!!!!!!!!!!!
il y a des farangs qui croupissent dans les prisons thai pour moins que cela,
« Le voyage apprend la tolérance. »
Benjamin Disraeli
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Notre ami qui te dit que tu risques bien pire que la prison si tu renverses un Thai, surtout un enfant, il ne plaisante pas du tout; Ne jamais oublier que dans toute la région, les gens sont souriants, mais la violence est a fleur de peau, et terrible quand elle prend le pas (voir les Khmers rouges, et les plus de 2000 tués -pas tous trafiquants de drogue, loin s'en faut, exécutés lors de la campagne anti-drogue de Taksin en Thailande; ce mois-ci, a Pai, un flic a descendu un touriste avec lequel il avait un argument, il prétend maintenant que c'était de la légitime défense et, bien sur, pas un des nombreux témoins Thais n'a vu quoi que ce soit!) )
Méfiez-vous de la vie, car les ratés ne vous rateront pas!
Ca, ca a le don de m'enerver. Tous ces farangs qui ne respectent meme pas les lois du pays qui les acceuille meme en vacances. Les lois ne sont peut etre pas pour vous mais le jour ou vous aurez un simple accrochage avec un thai et que vous serez en taule, vous pleurerez pour que l'on vous aide....
Un peu de respect pour ce beau pays, poue les gens qui y vivent.
Apres on se plaint de la mauvaise opinion qu'on les thais a notre egard.
Une moto sans permis....Vous vous rendez compte de la connerie?
je ne peux que me joindre à la majorité des commentaires. Quand tu vas à rome fait comme chez les romains. Il faut un permis prends en un. Moi je me suis fit controler une seule fois avec un "gros cube" et une thai derrière moi. Ella avait pas de casque. Je me suis dit "je vais casquer" et bien pas du tout, j'ai montré mon permis international et hop je vous en prie circuler. Point d'amende, même pas pour la fille sans casque que j'avai à cul. c'est vrai, je roule cool, je respecte les thais, je ne me gare pas n'importe ou et je ne fais pas le zazou. Quand au histoires d'arnaques, j'ai vécu qq années dans différents pays d'afrique. C'est pas gai, ça existe partout, fait un crash en allemagne en tant qu'étranger t'as vachement intéret à être droit dans tes bottes. De toutes façon ne jamais lacher d'argent surtout de grosses sommes sans vraiment savoir si c'est une bonne pratique. ça peux parfois te laisser qq jours à l'ombre mais si tu montres que tu laches pas d'argent et que tu peux faire bouger les choses (c'est différend si t'es vraiment seul) ça finis normalement toujours par s'arranger. Même si comme je le dit, tout peux toujours arriver, mais pas dramatiser si t'es droit dans tes bottes
merci pour tout cette moral .mais juste pour ma défense en france ont ne croise pas des enfants de 10 ans sur une 125 cm ou toutes une famille sur la moto a papa . quand je loue une moto en thailande c'est pour ne pas me faire entuber a chaque fois par les metters qui ne mette jamais leurs conteur ou les motos taxi qui te propose de la chnouffe une fois sur deux (je parle des iles).quand au sang'tého la nuit c'est vraiment dangereux avec les anglais bourré qui pense qu'a la bagarre.🏴☠️pour la loi en thailande je la connais c'est le pouvoir du dollars.😏et je pense que permis inter ou pas si tu plante un thai, prison et amende pour tout le monde. (voir la nana qui avait laissez un post sur vf parce que son jule etais en prison sur samui et il avait son permis inter le mec).
Je vis et travaille dans ce pays. Et j'en ai marre de voir continuellement des farangs venant pour des vacances et qui se croient tellement au dessus des lois. Ils viennent pour trouver les nanas qu'ils ne pourraient pas draguer chez eux, les permis de conduire ne sont pas pour eux.....ils se sentent tellement superieurs......
Continue comme ca et peut etre qu'un jour je te verrai aux informations a la tele dans les faits divers
heuresement que je rencontre des gens super sur la thailande parce que les mecs comme toi j'arrive a ment passer il y en a asser comme sa en france.et ne me parle pas de prostitution alors que tu ne me connais pas, moi je te dit pas que ton travail en thailande c'est gérant d'un gogo bar .oublie moi .😠
Pourquoi prendre ce risque en thailande ??? Vous êtes dans un pays où il faut respecter les règles (et ce peuple se plient ), il faut savoir déjà que le permis français n'est pas valable en thailande, si vous avez un accident le permis International est obligatoire . Si la Thailande commence a abriter des touristes qui se moquent des lois, et bien c'est la thailande vous rappellera ses droits ; de nombreux contrôles de scooters sont éffectués .
Bonjour
Je déterré ce sujet après avoir parcouru pas mal de site pour me renseigne sur la conduite sans permis à Phuket .
Après deux voyage effectué aucun permis ni passeport demander à chaque contrôle par contre ils contrôlent l alcoolémie à font .de 5000 à 20 000bhts après avoir été au grand commico de phuket town pour ma part j ai négocié 800bhts en étant cuit et payer sur place j étai à kata
Nous serons 2 à Chiang Mai à partir du 01 février 2009, nous comptons louer 2 trails genre 250 XR, TTR, KLR, voire des 125cc et amener un peu de bagages.…
Je pars bientôt pour un périple qui me mènera sur les routes du sud-est asiatique et ayant entendu plusieurs personnes disant avoir loué des motos ou scooters…
J'y retourne fin mars pour encore un mois;malgré mes recherches sur place, je n'ai pu trouver de moto off road-type 250xr ou similaire-à louer;des europeens en…
Je pars pour la Thaïlande le 1er fév. et envisage de louer une 125cc pour faire le voyage Chiang mai-Bkk voire plus. Cependant je me demande si c'est possible…
Hey everyone!
New to the forum, but not so new to Asia 😄
I’m Nico, from Switzerland, currently based in Bangkok. I love taking my motorcycle out to get lost in the mountains and small villages of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and more. I’ve been roaming around this area for a good fifteen years now, racking up quite a few kilometers—especially in northern Vietnam.
This time, I finally decided to tackle the Mae Hong Son Loop, clockwise. I’d been to Pai several times before, but oddly enough, I’d never done the full loop.
So, I’ll try to give you a little recap here, day by day, with the roads, stops, places worth checking out… and those that didn’t quite blow my mind 😅
I also filmed the trip, so I’ll post the corresponding video at the end of each day if that’s okay. If it’s not allowed here, just let me know, and I’ll remove them without any issue.
DAY 1 — Chiang Mai → Doi Inthanon → Mae Chaem → Khun Yuam
I left Chiang Mai after renting a Honda ADV 160 from Pop Motorbike. Not exactly an Africa Twin, but for what I had planned, it was more than enough.
Quick hotel note: I stayed at the Lanna Thaphae Hotel before leaving. Around 30 € per night, super well-located, and probably one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in. A crucial detail for any motorcycle road trip, obviously.
The plan for the day was pretty straightforward:
Head toward Doi Inthanon… and see what happens.
Flawless Swiss organization.
First stop along the way at Wachirathan Waterfall. A really nice waterfall, very easy to access, but don’t expect to channel your inner Indiana Jones—it’s crowded, touristy, and swimming isn’t allowed. Still, it’s a pretty stop along the way.
Next, up to Doi Inthanon.
The road climbs steeply, and my little 160cc started to realize that carrying my 80 kg to Thailand’s highest point probably wasn’t part of its youthful dreams. I was maxing out at 34 km/h in some spots.
But it made it. Good little bike.
The summit is nice—the forest is beautiful, and it’s cool—but I have to admit, it didn’t completely wow me. Glad I went, but not necessarily the highlight of the day for me.
Because then comes Route 1192.
And that’s *much* more my thing: small mountain roads, beautiful scenery, hardly any traffic… the kind of road where I usually start taking way too many unnecessary detours just because a little side road “looks fun.”
Stopped in Mae Chaem for a bite to eat, then headed to Khun Yuam to finish the day.
A little over 200 km in total.
Khun Yuam is… quiet.
*Very* quiet. 😅
A cute little market, a couple of cafés/restaurants, and zero chance of ending up in a club until 4 AM. But after a day on the bike, it was perfect.
Stayed at the Mit Khun Yuam Hotel, around 20 € for a small but very decent room.
All in all, a solid first day and a pretty relaxed start to the loop. Part of this leg is mostly about getting out of Chiang Mai and really diving into the mountains, in my opinion.
Because for me, the really interesting stuff starts over the next two days…
And a few slightly questionable route decisions will also make an appearance 😅
If anyone’s planning the Mae Hong Son Loop, feel free to ask your questions—I’d be happy to answer!
I also filmed this first day, so for those who’d rather see the roads and landscapes than read my rambling, here’s Day 1 😊
DAY 1 VIDEO
I’ll post the next part in the coming days with Day 2: Khun Yuam → Mae Surin → Mae Hong Son.
And that’s where it starts getting *really* fun. 😉
That’s all for now! Looking forward to contributing as much as I can to the forum!
I’d like to ride from Mahajanga to Morondava, sticking as close to the coast as possible—using roads and tracks—in September 2026. If you’ve got any suggestions, let me know! 😉
hi
I’m planning a 10-month trip to South America, and I’m looking into options for shipping a motorcycle to Buenos Aires by air or sea. If anyone has any info, thanks in advance!
christian
Hello everyone.
I'm looking for campsites around BOLZANO (South Tyrol) for early September.
I'll be on my motorcycle with a small tent.
I've noticed that some campsites have exorbitant prices.
If you've traveled through the Dolomites by motorcycle or otherwise and camped there, I'd love any tips on places and prices where I can stay for one night or several.
Thanks to all of you, and happy travels.
I’m starting to think about a trip that’s really close to my heart: Algeria by motorcycle, specifically the southern part of the country. It’d be for January 2025, and I’ve got two main questions:
Is it possible for an individual on a motorcycle to travel freely, outside of any organized tour, or does the regulation require some kind of supervision in the Algerian Sahara region?
Is the Hoggar massif accessible by road or by (rideable) tracks?
Beyond the official recommendations, I’m really looking for your firsthand experiences.
Thanks so much for your answers, and sorry if my questions are a bit newbie!
I just realized I’ve been registered on VoyageForum since... March 28, 2012 😊. Yet, I’ve barely participated until now.
August 1, 2026, will mark a somewhat special milestone: 5 years on the road.
We left Switzerland on August 1, 2021 with a simple idea: let chance decide our direction. We placed a bottle of wine on a world map, spun it... and it chose our first destination.
A year later, when we arrived in Morocco, we faced a new choice: continue toward Africa or head to Asia. This time, a tarot card game made the decision. Since then, we’ve tried to keep this journey as open to the unexpected as possible.
Today, that adds up to about 120,000 km, 46 countries, and over 1,800 days on the road—mostly by motorcycle, but also by sailboat, train, bus, hitchhiking, or on foot when adventure calls.
Our guiding thread isn’t just the motorcycle, but service exchanges. Instead of simply passing through countries, we try to stop regularly to lend a hand to the people we meet. So far, that’s about 600 days of volunteering.
Over the years, we’ve:
renovated a house in Croatia
made earth bricks in the Moroccan desert
helped sail a boat through the Greek islands
looked after houses, dogs, horses, a camel... and lots of other animals
worked at a street art festival in Morocco
created videos for local associations and projects
worked the grape harvest on the Tibetan plateau
been accredited as "media" for the World Nomad Games in Central Asia
Some of the moments that have stuck with us the most include six months in China, a night spent on the Great Wall, the Pamir Highway, the Silk Road, three months in Taiwan, and the incredible encounters in the mountains of Central Asia.
We travel on Falkor, our lucky dragon—a 2014 BMW F800GS that’s been with us since the start and is starting to have some great stories of its own.
While we share our adventure on Instagram, Polarsteps, and YouTube, that’s not why we’re here. The forum’s rules about promotion are clear, and I totally get them. If I’m finally taking the time to write, it’s mostly because after five years on the road, I thought our experience might be useful to other travelers.
Happy to chat about:
preparing for a long motorcycle trip
visas and borders
the Silk Road and Central Asia
riding in China (with or without a motorcycle)
volunteering and service exchanges while traveling
gear, daily life on the road... or just the unexpected moments that make long-term travel so special
Looking forward to swapping stories and hearing about your adventures too! 😊 Greetings from Thailand, and happy to chat! ✌️
Hello, I’m retired and planning a roughly 3-week motorcycle trip (1200gs). The dates aren’t set in stone yet, and everything’s open to discussion—I’m pretty flexible with the planning.
hi
planning to ride through Rajasthan on a motorcycle in January 2027 and I’d love to hear about the road conditions.
I’ll be riding with a buddy on a Royal Enfield that I’ll rent in Delhi.
Thanks for your tips!
hi there
I’d like to ride the RN 12 by motorcycle in September.
I’d love to know the main challenges—I ride a 300cc and do enduro in France.
Thanks for your tips!
I’m planning a motorcycle road trip to Armenia and Georgia in September 2026 or May 2027. I’m looking for one or more riders (male or female) who’d like to explore these countries with me.
Along the way, we’ll visit Cappadocia, the capitals Yerevan, Tbilisi, Sofia, Skopje, and other cities—we can finalize the route and roadbook later.
This trip requires experience with long motorcycle journeys, as we’ll cover around 7,000 km over 5 or 6 weeks (or more, depending on sightseeing and time spent).
I don’t expect dozens of applicants, since motorcycle riders are few and far between on this forum, but I’m putting this out there anyway.
Hi, I’d like to take a 15-day "break" to get away from the surrounding hustle and bustle.
Why not explore the Peloponnese!
I’m not particularly drawn to museums, ruins, or monuments.
I want to experience local life—small villages, seaside spots, beaches, and the interior if the landscapes are extraordinary.
Ideally, coming from Athens, I’d take a bus or train to get as close as possible to a starting point, then rent a scooter (125cc) to explore by taking secondary roads or even coastal paths. I’d stay in 2-3 places for a few days each to discover their surroundings.
Do a loop.
What do you think would be the ideal itinerary?
From Athens, the best option would be to take either a flight or a bus to Kalamata. Rent a scooter and head either west or east. Is there a tertiary road (very lightly trafficked) or a path where I can ride slowly, take it easy, and enjoy the scenery without being bothered by traffic? I’d like to go all the way to Monemvasia, still hugging the coast. I need to find a way to avoid returning to Kalamata to drop off the scooter and catch a flight—maybe a small town where the train stops so I can head back to Athens.
Thanks in advance for your tips.
I want to rent an off-road style motorcycle to get around the coast during my trip to Ecuador. I’m only finding options in Quito. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Hi there,
I’m planning a sidecar trip to South America for 4 or 5 months at the end of this year.
I’m looking for info on shipping my vehicle by sea—possibly to Uruguay or another destination, as I haven’t finalized anything yet.
How do you get visas for the countries I’ll be crossing: Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile? Are they e-Visas, obtained at the border, or through embassies?
Where can I get vehicle insurance?
Lastly, if any bikers want to join us (my partner and me), we’re open to that possibility too.
Patrick
I’ve got 15 days off in June and I’m pretty undecided about where to go for a motorcycle road trip. Two strong desires are pulling me in different directions: Corsica or Norway.
Corsica has been a dream of mine for a long time: legendary roads, stunning landscapes, a unique vibe, and the perfect mix of sea and mountains. At the same time, I’m wondering if 2 weeks might be *too much* for Corsica—risking feeling like I’ve seen it all too quickly, especially on a bike.
Since I also have an extra week free in May, I could use that specifically for Corsica. Maybe splitting it into two trips would make more sense? If so, which routes or regions would be the most interesting to plan for a 7-day trip?
On the other hand, Norway is *super* appealing. The landscapes look incredible, totally different from anything I’ve experienced, and it’d be a real “wow” trip. I know 15 days is still short for such a vast country. Getting all the way to the North Cape seems pretty much impossible in that time, but I’m curious about what realistic routes could be planned.
So I’m wondering:
Is it better to save Norway for next year, take 3 weeks off, and do it *properly*?
Or are 15 days enough for a first amazing taste of the country?
I’d love to hear about your experiences—whether it’s Corsica (ideal duration, routes) or Norway (what’s realistic in 2 weeks on a bike).
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Hello,
I'm thinking of buying a used small motorcycle to travel around the country for a month and a half.
I've done this in other countries without putting the registration in my name—is that possible in Guinea given the apparently frequent checks, or do I have to go through the paperwork?
Thanks.
Hello,
My dream is to ride Route 66 by motorcycle. I have a disability—while I’m not in a wheelchair, my walking mobility is reduced.
The ideal scenario would be to have a motorcycle driver and ride as their passenger on an organized trip.
Are there any guides or services like this offered by travel agencies?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Hello,
I’ve got a plan with a friend to go on a motorcycle road trip in 2028 or 2029, starting in Santiago de Chile and ending in Ushuaia, for about a month.
Has anyone done a trip like this before, and what’s the best time of year?
I’ve heard there can be quite a bit of wind depending on the season.
Thanks for any tips!
Cheers,
PA
I'm seriously considering heading to Nepal to do some nice motorcycle loops... my goal is also to do the Kailash Yatra round trip from Kathmandu, in a small group with a guide, in May '26... but here's the thing—I'm solo! So if you're up for sharing a similar adventure, hit me up... Cheers, Frankoys
It's all in the title: I'm heading to Krabi soon and want to rent a scooter for a few weeks, but after reading comments about all kinds of scams, I'm reaching out to ask where and how (read: *the right way*) to rent one.
Thanks for your tips and advice.
Hello everyone! Like every year, a winter migration is on the horizon (revised plan): this time, it’ll be Dakar, or even Abidjan, via Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Looking for an experienced motorcyclist or pillion rider—small build preferred—on a GSA 1250 with a comfy seat and luggage setup, available from early November to late December 2025. I’d like to plan the trip together (important to me) to make sure we’re on the same wavelength.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Didier
Looking for travel companions to ride from France to Senegal by motorcycle.
I’m Paul, 37, and I’ve already done a bit of riding in Morocco.
For now, I’m solo, riding a 1998 SUZUKI DR 650 with some basic gear to keep things smooth. I’ll have a tent so we can do a few nights under the stars.
We’ll need to coordinate departure dates—"ideally in November."
I’m currently checking out routes to take. Any tips would be welcome! :)
I’m heading to Vietnam and Laos with a buddy next week for a month.
We’re thinking of renting motorbikes, especially to do the Ha Giang Loop. We don’t have an international license, just our Belgian one. Is that enough? If not, is it risky?
In November, we’re planning to do the Ha Giang loop and the RC4 by motorbike without a guide. 😎
We’re looking for a decent place to stay/rent in Ha Giang.
If anyone has any info, we’d be really interested.
Hello! We’re planning a motorcycle trip that will include a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau in June 2026.
We’re unsure (still debating) whether we should stay at a hotel on-site and get to the memorial with an Uber (leaving our bikes at the hotel) and book a guided tour, or base ourselves in Kraków and take a tour that includes transport.
One thing’s for sure—we’d prefer a guide in French since we don’t speak English 😅.
Could you share your experiences or advice?
I understand we need to book online rather than on-site.
Thanks in advance for your replies!
Hello,
Next October we’re planning to ride the Ruta de la Plata by motorcycle—a historic Spanish route that runs from Gijón to Seville, also known as the N630.
Has anyone here already ridden it?
Unfortunately, I’m worried that parts of the N630 may have disappeared or merged with the A66 motorway, forcing us to ride long stretches of highway, which we’d rather avoid.
Thanks in advance for any tips or details about this route!
