Chiang Mai Province - Thailand - page 544

ery, 24-hour emergency road service, and comprehensive insurance. Another good bet is
Thai Rent a Car (Petchburee Car Rent; 0 5390 4188; www.thairentacar.com ; Chiang Mai International Airport) ,
located at the airport. Other car-rental agencies in town include Budget Car Rental
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (

0 5320 2871; 201/2 Th Mahidol) , across from Central Airport

Plaza.

MOTORCYCLE
One of the most popular options for getting about on your own is to rent a motorcycle.
Agencies along Th Moon Muang and even some guesthouses rent Honda Dream 100cc
step-through manual and automatic bikes for about 200B a day; more powerful bikes,
such as the Honda or Yamaha 125cc to 150cc, rent for 250B to 300B a day. A few places
rent 400cc motorcycles (600B to 900B), while a 650cc can go for 1500B. The small bikes
are good for city touring but if you plan on going outside of town along mountain roads,
consider upgrading to a stronger machine. By law, you must wear a helmet, and police
frequently set up checkpoints to enforce this.
Most agencies include motorcycle insurance in the price, but always ask if insurance is
included and what it covers. Some policies will cover free repairs if the bike breaks down,
but will charge a 1500B excess in case of accident and a 10,000B excess if the motorbike
is stolen. Often bike hire places will ask for your passport as a security deposit; while it is
unnerving to surrender such an important document, it is usually returned when you return
the bike.
If you're renting a motorcycle for touring the countryside around Chiang Mai, check
out the tips and routes at Golden Triangle Rider ( www.gt-rider.com ) .
Here are some of the more established and reliable outlets:

Mr Mechanic OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 0 5321 4708; www.mr-mechanic1994.com ; 4 Soi 5, Th
Moon Muang) There are also two other branches in the old city; new, well-maintained fleet
and comprehensive insurance.
Tony's Big Bikes OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 0 5320 7124; 17 Th Ratchamankha) Rents well-
maintained 125cc to 400cc motorbikes that all have license plates. Also offers riding les-
sons, gives touring advice and repairs motorcycles.

Dang Bike Hire OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 0 5327 1524; 23 Th Kotchasan; 9am-5pm daily)

Fleet quality varies so inspect the bike before committing.

PUBLIC & CHARTERED TRANSPORT