Road To Bagan 2018

This trip has been planned for since December 2017 and the planning phase took about six month. It was finally firmed up in July 2018. The trip takes us through Thailand and the start of our Myanmar leg will be from Myawaddy (Myanmar) -Maesot (Thailand) Boundary Post. The journey in Myanmar itself takes about 10 days spanning over the different provinces.

Our Route- Road To Bagan

Planning Stage - The Road To Bagan

Idea for this trip was mooted in December 2017.

The following are a summary of the different phases during the planning.

• Dates fixed by end December 2017

• Broadcasting of the trip in search of members (January - April 2018)

• Linking up with known Travel Agencies in Myanmar to work out itinerary and cost (February- April 2019)

• Finalising the members of the trip (End April 2018)

• Finalising arrangement of itinerary with Myanmar travel agent and Ministry of Tourism (May 2018)

• Collection of partial payment for confirmation of trip (End May 2018)

• Linking up with Global Ehsan Relief for our charity programme (End May 2018)

• Partnering KS Stickers & 2 Wheels Print for our merchandise (June 2018)

• Sale of T-shirts and Stickers (June - August 2018)

• Start of Myanmar paperwork in advance for our trip (July - September 2018)

• Collection of second payment from participants (End September 2018)

• Handing over of the donation to Global Ehsan Relief (October 2018)

• Confirmation of Itinerary and approval from Myanmar Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Home & Myanmar Police HQ

• Processing of Myanmar Visa

• Final payment from participants (October 2018)

• Final preparation by riders on their documentation, vehicles and personal items.

• Depart for our trip 30 November onwards (different departure dates of different participants)

Our trip in Videos

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Giving Back to the people (Awareness and Collection of Donation)

As a way of giving back to the community of the country that we visited, Red Baron Diaries has arranged for a collection of donation through the sale of our trip official T-shirt and stickers. The recipient of the donation will be the Rohingya refugees of the Rakhine State in Myanmar. From the sale of our t-shirts and stickers, the money is channeled to our intermediary, Global Ehsan Relief.

Thank you to all who have supported this great cause!

Daily Trip Write Up

Read our Daily write-up on our journey with photos.

Road To Bagan

Day 1

Danok - Chumphon

Approx 600km

Headed out of Danok in the morning thinking that I would be riding alone today. However everyone from the pack has made their way in the Land if smiles by last night. So i laid out my itinerary and they are ok to follow. So we have decided to catvh and pick one another up along the way.

Our target for today was Hua Hin. Similar to most of my Northern Thai ride, day 1 was supposed to be a day where we cover th distance so that we cn spend more time up north. However we got news that Hua Hin was having a bikeweek therefore we prefer and chose to avoid the crowd. Decided to put up the night in Chumphon instead just south of Hua Hin.

Due to the fact that our distance was shorter for the day, as usual i slottes in places to visit in the vicinity of the province of Chumphon. Although I have been to or have ridden through Chumphon many times, there are still places of interest that I have not visited. Well..... one can not cover enough of Thailand...there are always places to visit beyond the touristy places. Iff the beaten track or local places of interest are still the best.

Today's POI

- Hat Sairee Viewpoint

- Prince of Chumphon Warship

Road To Bagan

Day 2

Chumphon - Suphan Buri

560km

Left the hotel after breakfast and we plan to hit around 500 plus kilometres before we rest for the night. Had decided on Suphan Buri (just to clear the incoming BKK traffic) for our second part of heading north towards Mae Sot, where we are supposed to be at on December 3rd.

It was a hot day to ride and the roads were mostly boring straights on Route 4. We took route 4 up to Nakhin Pathom where we bypassed Bangkok and towards Suphan Buri.

Along the way we stopped by Cha Am cowboy restaurant and resort. Place was partly under construction. From there we headed to Cha Am muslim food in PTT Cha Am (next to Swiss sheep farm). Owner and workers are from Pattani and speak fluent Malay language. A recommended stop for muslim travellers around the area.

Next we headed into Nakhon Pathom to visit the palace grounds of the former King Vajiravudh. Sanam Chandra Palace has been used for many uses after the passing of the King from being an administrative centre to that of a military academy.

Road To Bagan

Day 3

Suphan Buri - Mae Sot

470km

Planned to head into Mae Sot early today to check out th town. Normally Mae Sot will be a town that will be forgotten unless for those going to Umphang or Mae Hon Song via Route 105.

Finally managed to check off the complete Route 12 off my list (albeit doing it in parts). Visited the Westernmost point of Thailand while checking out Tak Boundary post where we will be exiting Thailand .

By chance met up with a local Thai custom officer in Suphan Buri during one of our petrol stop. We had a long chat with him. And by luck againmet him today while we were at the traffic lights. Went to dinner with Apitchai and his wife Araya Aongchaiyanan, who was kind enough to bring us around Mae Sot.

At the same time met Tar, a girl who is stateless, a burmese born in Thai without documentation. Therefore she cannot get Thai citizenahip and cannot return to her parents' country (Myanmar). Therefore she is housed in Mae Sot as a refugee. Her story is told by our new Thai friend Apitchit and wife. To date there are three refugee camps in Mae sot with over 20 000 refugees. The thai government is good ebough to allow her to stay only within the Mae sot boundary while also allowing her priviledge to go to school.

Road to Bagan

Day 4

Myawaddy - Hpa An - Kyaikhto

280km

Today we entered Myanmar through the Mywaddy Border gates. Paper work and processing was handled by our Guide Mr Than Zaw. We were also welcomed by official from the different ministries.

Our journey today takes us about 280km into Myanmar passing through Hpa An and going towards Kyaikto. Crossing the Kiayin State into the Mon state. We rode through the Crocker Range giving spectacular

View of the vicinity.

Along the way, we stopped by Kawgoon cave to visit the sites.Kawgon Cave was known as Kogun in colonial days. It is also called Cave of the Ten Thousand Buddha.

Road To Bagan

Day 5

Kyaiktho - Napithaw

560km

Woke up early this morning to catch the transport to shuttle ua 4000ft above sea level to the temple of the Golden Rock. The temple complex is situated within the Kyaiktho wildlife reserve.

Coincidentally we are here on the busiest day of the year for worshippers. Today is the day when devotees are provided free food and free transport to get to the temple. Therefore throngs of worshippers line the streets and temple grounds.

From Kyaiktho we left and mads our way to Napythaw via the old Highway road (dun expect mich even of its name is highway). Plenty of road works lined the streets and plenty of trucks around too.

We finally made our way into Napythaw after 2 hours of darkness. We were escorted in Napythaw by the police to our hotel.

Road To Bagan

Day 6

Napythaw - Mt Popa - Bagan

400km

We had a city tour in Napythaw in the morning after breakfast. Another group of bikers who rented bikes from Chiang Mai had joined us. Police escorted us all the way. Even the roads are closed at intersection for our convoy to pass through. We felt like VIPs.... haha.

We visited the Parliment house which is linked by a huge ass highway with multiples lanes. No vehicles allowed to stop therefore we could only take pictures while on th move. This is where the gopro came in handy. From there we headed on to the Uppasanti pagoda. This pagoda is a replica of the Schwendagon pagoda in Yangon. It also housed the white elephants which th Burmese believe to bring good luck and fortune.

From here we followed highway 1 to Mt Popa. We went to the Mt Popa resort to catch a view of the top of Mt Popa. For those interested to climb Mt Popa, it takes 800 stairs to reach the top. Mt Popa is a lava vent or lava plug that rose nd solidify from the main mountain. It is believed that the main mountain is still dormant and not extinct. Mount Popa is a volcano 1518 metres above sea level, and located in central Myanmar in the region of Mandalay about 50 km southeast of Bagan in the Pegu Range.

From here we rode into the sunset as we approach Bagan. We caught glimpse of th ruins as we made our way to our hotel for the next two nights.

Road To Bagan

Day 7

Exploring the Plains of Bagan

Today we started off early in the morning to catch the hot air balloons taking off into th sky over the Bgan plains. It was toi cloudy so was not able to catch the majestic sunrise in the backdrop. But the sights ofvthe balloons over th plains was simply marvellous.

After that everyine went back to the hotel while I continued exploring the sights on my own. Regrouped with the group for our daytrip around Bagan with the guide at 8.30am. From there the guide brought us to the different temples around Bagan and aso a peek at the Irrawady River. We were told stories of the ancient kings and that of how civilisation of Bagan started and the importance of the Irrawady to the civilisation. We were also enlightened on why there were more than 2000 temples, stupas and pagodas around the plains of various sizes. It has to do with the preparation for the after life. We explore hidden temples and went through offroad tracks of varying conditions.

Ended the day at th sunset viewpoint overlooking the plains of Bagan. Finally Road to Bagan has been realised after 2 years of thinking about it.

Tomorrow we embark in a trip inspired by the book "Road To Mandalay"..... off to Mandalay we go.

Road To Bagan

Day 8

Bagan - Mandalay

200km

Early morning exploration of hidden temples that allow us to climb up to watch the sunrise. The sky was startes toblit up by 6 30am and by 7.30am baloon were seen flying across the plains of Bagan with the sun as a backdrop (yes what we did not get tobsee previously due to cloudy sky).

After breakfast we left Bagan for Mandalay. So today it is actually The Road To Mandalay (inspired by the book). Along the way we stopped by U Bein Bridge. This is the longest teak wood bridge in the world.

Construction on the wooden bridge was completed in 1851 after three years. The bridge was built at a slight curve, and is supported by over a thousand wooden pillars that were hammered into the bottom of the shallow lake. The planks of teak that make up the surface of the bridge were taken from the old royal palace of Inwa, a former Burmese capital, that had been razed a number of times.

Road To Bagan.

Day 9

Mandalay - Inle via Kalaw

350 km

It was such a pity that we hd to spend a short time in Mandalay because it was a beautiful city. There are still lots to see in Mandalay eg. White temple, biggest book or even U Bein bridge for sunset. Perhaps it was meant for me to return to Mandalay with my better half.

It was going to be a whole day journey since we will be passing via Kalaw which is a mountain station at 4000 ft above sea level. The road was winding filled with gravel and sands. Road works and plenty of vehicles that do not give way to motorcycle does not make it any better. However the view up to Kalaw was fantastic. In Kalaw we had our lunch in a Nepali restaurant. The scene in the city truly remind me of scenes from Nepal. We visited the Kalaw railway which was built from colonial times

From there we visited Inle region. Entrance fee for foreigner was 10usd for this region. We will be exploring the beauty of Inle Lake tomorrow as planned. For tonight we are staying in Nyaung Shwe

Road To Bagan

Day 10

Activities around Inle Lake

For today we post video snippets of our daytrip viaiting the different tribes of the Inle region and view what they does for a living andthe different home based industry they are involved in.

- fishing

- 5 day Market at Nam Sam

- metalwork industry

- Lotus stem industry

- Silver industry

-Long neck village

- tobacco cigar industry

- boat making industry

Road To Bagan

Day 11

Nyaung Shwe - Namsang

150km

Today is a short ride of 150km for us. We entered the capital of Shan State, Taunggyi. Shan State is a state of Myanmar. Shan State borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Burma in the west. Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers 155,800 km², almost a quarter of the total area of Burma. The flag of Shan State has three horizontal stripes of yellow, green and red, symbolising, from the top: Buddhism, the green mountain plateaus and courage. The white circle is the moon, standing for purity and peace.

We also visited the Kakku Pagodas in Kakku. The view was magnificient. It was such a waste that many places jn Myanmar do not allow the flying of the drones otherwise I am sure it would be great video footage captured.

From there we headed to Namsang to spend the night. Along the way there were road closure where traffic had to be halted and only one direction is able to pass at a time. This is mainly due to landslide and clearing work is taking place. The ride between Kakku towards Namsang is very scenic as we were skirting the mountain roads. It was difficult to stop along the way as traffic was bad especially trucks and minibus speeding around the bends and blind curves. Th view was scenic and awesome. Tried to stop henever the opportunity rises and then found myself riding alone...hahha. Had to catch up with the rest of the pack. Sometimes due to road conditions and being alone... i prefer to go slower as long as I know that I will get to regroup with the rest somewhere ahead somehow...hahahha.

Pictures and videos will follow soon.

Fyi tonights hotel....no wifi.

We are so dependent in wifi.

Road to Bagan

Day 13

Keng Tung - Tachilek

140km

End of Road To Bagan

Today marks the End of Road To Bagan trip. As we exited Mae Sai, Thailand Checkpoint we bade our goodbye and wish each other well on their individual journeys. Got the opportunity to provide each participant with a momento gift (individualised Burmese number plate) to commemorate the trip together. I would like to thank each and every one for being patient and helpful towards each other during the trip. You guys made my dream of riding Bagan a reality. Jefri Ismail Rasdeen Mohamed Ali Badigol Sot feroze Kevin Ng. Thank you so very much.

From here on, I am back to riding alone. I hope tobspend some time in the northernpart of Thailand as i slowly make my way south. Perhaps next year I cn spend more time just in the Northern Thai region. My favourite riding region in December.

On the way out since we are so close, manages to stop by Golden Triangle signage and also the northernmost point of Thailand. Well since both are with 30 km radius ...why not!

Road To Bagan

Chiang Mai to Nakhon Pathom

Day 15

After 9 hours of riding with slight detours managed to hit Nakhon Pathom an hour after dark. This is mainly due to a late start this morning leaving Chiang Mai at 10am. Plus as usual a few detours along the way to explore new places.

Nakhon Pathom a favourite stop among trainlanders comming up north feom Hatyai. Nakhon Pathom train station is one main stop away from Hua Lampong that is situated in the heart of Bangkok. By stopping at Nakhon Pathom they will be able to start the ride up north by skirting around Bangkok.

Is taking the train any faster (with all the wait time)?

But definitely you will feel fresh after a good sleep in the train. For me... i cannot sit down for 16 hours in a room....hhaha.

Road To Bagan

Day 16

Nakhon Pathom - Chumphon

480km

Started out a bit late today at 10am. Traffic out of Nakhon Pathom was good probably since it is Sunday.

Had brunch at my favourite muslim stall at Cha Am PTT. The staff remembered me and asked about the rest of the gang.

From there diverted to Ban Pun Palace that is located within an army camp. Was allowed entry and managed to park close (next to actually) to the palace. Visitors are allowed to have a look into the palace. The palace was built in colonial style. It has served as a palace, a military school and is currently open for visit.

From there we managed to get a photo opportunity at the Narrowest of Thailand signboard.

We then moved on off the highway to the scenic Royal Coastal Road. Managed to visit Ban Bo and the sand dunes of Chumphon. Took a hike up the viewpoint. Nuthing really much since it is not a large as its counterparts, Mui Ne in Vietnam.

From there we ended the day in Chumphon since dusk is beckoning. Same hotel as when the group got together on Day 1 in Chumphon... near to Muslim food as well. Dinner and sleep. Ohhh... heard that flooding in Surat Thani province near Ban Kiriwong this afternoon.

Road To Bagan

Day 17

Chumphon - Phuket

420km

Left Chumphon towards Phuket going via Ranong following route 4. Weather has started to change the moment we entered Chumphon from yesterday. Seems to be plagued by torrential rain daily. Rivers and dikes are bursting their banks. News reports on TV indicated flooding in certain areas of Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat with Ban Kiriwong the worst affected.

As we ride along the andaman sea on the western bank of Thailand, there were some respite from the rain. Headed into Phuket at 2pm and went straight to Ducati Phuket hoping to get some fix for my vibrating mirrors within its socket ( due to the terrains of Myanmar, one side hs become loose) and also a service reminder reset and ECU checked for the fault code. I really have to commend Ducatis flagship stores all over Thailand.... so far they have been very helpful and rendered help on the spot. This is not the first instance when they shifted their current jobs to attend to bikers on roadtrips helping them to solve ther problems so they may carry on their journey.

Kudos to all the Ducati Service providers that have provided me with assistance one way or another.

- Hatyai (radiator leak)

- Korat (fuel injector dirty)

- Chiang Mai (oil service)

- Hua Hin (change of accesories parts)

- Phuket (diagnostics n mirror issue)