Mae Rim Discovery Ride
Waterfalls, botanic gardens, mountain views. A selective Mae Sa and Mon Jam day-trip.
Why choose this route
Mae Rim works best as a selective half-day where you earn each stop instead of collecting them all. The better version of this ride has breathing space between attractions—a morning waterfall walk, a panoramic lunch, and a garden stroll—while the worse version turns into a checklist rush that leaves you tired before the return.
It’s the perfect route for when you want nature and views without the extreme distance of Chiang Dao.
Route Briefing
The ride is roughly 70km round trip. The hills near Mon Jam are moderate but sustained, so a 155cc or 160cc scooter is preferred, especially with a passenger. The road surface is excellent, but stop-heavy pacing means you’ll need to plan your time carefully to avoid the afternoon tourist bottlenecks.
Route Snapshot
Fundamental data to help you size up the ride before you start the engine.
A varied day ride with nature stops, viewpoints, cafés, and mountain lunch pacing.
This feels moderate for a Chiang Mai ride and suits a relaxed half-day plan.
Works best as a 3–4 hour outing once waterfalls, gardens, and meals are included.
Mixes easy stretches with climbing sections and stop-start tourist traffic.
Ideal for riders who want variety rather than one single destination.
Earlier starts give cooler air and help avoid heavier tourist traffic around Mon Jam.
The best balance for high-elevation hills and changing road pace.
The day flows through multiple stops; the overall experience is the headline.
Tourist areas can get crowded, especially around viewpoints and lunch hours.
Route Highlights
Nature Stop
Mae Sa Waterfall
A ten-tier waterfall with well-maintained paths. Quick walk and cool air before the Mon Jam climb.
Main Destination
Mon Jam
The ridgeline heartbeat of the route. Viewpoints, flower gardens, cool mountain air. Can get busy on weekends.
Nature Stop
Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden
High-quality glasshouses and a canopy walkway. A curated nature stop worth the hour spent walking the grounds.
Technical Stop
Nong Hoi Royal Project
Local agriculture at scale. Good lunch stop with high-altitude views of the vegetable terraces.
What riders report
Ride time (Tripadvisor, May 2025)
“Today 29 May 2025 decided to take a scooter ride to Mon Jam from Chiang Mai. It was a very pleasant ride taking around 70 mins. The scenery at Mon Jam was…” — confirming the ~70 minute riding time and pleasant road conditions for this route.
— Tripadvisor reviewer, Mon Jam, tripadvisor.com (May 2025)
Route description (MotoGirl Thailand)
“Mon Cham (often spelled as Jam) is a scenic day trip from Chiang Mai city centre. You can always stay there if you prefer, but I usually just make it a day.” — confirming this is a popular half-day destination, not requiring an overnight stay.
— MotoGirl Thailand, Daytrip to Mon Chaem, Mae Rim (scooter trip), motogirlthailand.com (accessed 2026-04-27)
Stop sequence (Hungry Backpack, 2024)
“Turn left into route 1096 towards Mae Sa Waterfall. You will pass the Waterfall, Elephant Camps, the Botanical Garden, the riverside restaurants…” — confirming the standard stop sequence from Chiang Mai through Mae Sa, then onto 1096 toward Mon Jam.
— Hungry Backpack, DAY TRIP FROM CHIANG MAI - Mon Cham & Mae Sa Waterfalls, hungrybackpack.com (accessed 2026-04-27)
Local knowledge & road feel
The Stopping Rhythm
Mae Rim is stop-heavy. The main friction isn’t the road—it’s the daylight you lose at each attraction. Pick your battles. If you spend 2 hours at the waterfall, you might need to cut the garden visit later. The 7 AM start is the one thing that makes the full set of stops possible.The Mon Jam Climb
The road steepens noticeably in the final 5km toward Mon Jam. It’s well-paved, but hairpins with a passenger require steady throttle management. Watch for songthaews (red trucks) and tour vans; they are confident on these roads and will often take the wide line through curves.Wet Season Nuance
Between June and October, the waterfalls are at their best, but the mountain road to Mon Jam becomes more demanding. Check your brake pads before leaving—descending from the viewpoint in rain requires absolute confidence in your stopping power.Before You Go
- Morning start (7 AM): The 70km loop is stop-heavy. An early start gives you the daylight headroom to not rush through each attraction.
- Stop selectivity: If you spend 2 hours at Mae Sa Waterfall, you may need to cut the garden. Pick your battles — not every stop needs to be a full visit.
- Mon Jam traffic: Weekends bring tour vans and songthaews. The road is well-paved but the final 5km steepens — watch for vehicles taking wide lines through hairpins.
- Wet season brake check: Between June and October, check your brake pads before descending from Mon Jam in rain. Descending in wet conditions demands full stopping confidence.
Segment-by-Segment
Chiang Mai → Mae Sa Waterfall (Route 107 → Mae Rim)
Easy suburban exit, then rolling road toward the foothills. Well-paved, straightforward. Elephant camps and tourist stops begin to appear — this is the stop-start part of the route. Keep moving through this section to save time for the mountain.
Mae Sa Waterfall → Route 1096 → Mon Jam
The road climbs consistently. Views improve as elevation gains. The surface is excellent. Final 5km steepens noticeably — steady throttle management here, especially two-up. Watch for tour vehicles taking wide lines through hairpins.
Mon Jam → Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden → Return
High-altitude return via the botanic garden. Canopy walkway and glasshouses are worth the hour if your time budget allows. The return leg joins Route 1096 back toward Mae Rim — descending is easier than climbing but watch for wet-season surface conditions.
By Kai Mercer · Updated April 2026