Having arrived in Nan the previous day I had a day with no destination and highway 1243 suited this brief perfectly.
There really seems no reason for this stretch of highway 1243 , joining nowhere to nowhere. However it provides a wonderful few hours of solitude up in the hills. The road actually appears relatively new at first but is obviously not used often enough to fend off the advancing shrubbery on the road verges. Soon after the road starts to narrow the tarmac disappears but never enough to turn you back and you can head on in relative ease if not comfort. I suspect it will be sealed with tarmac soon as it appears to be prepared for such a fate although I cannot see the purpose of such an endeavour.
It goes without saying to not head into this section of road with your fuel light on. The end of this road eventually ends up towards highway 1083 which is worthy of a future video. After 1083 highway 1026 takes you up to Nan for a satisfying loop.
Panorama
Creeping shrubbery
Onto Nowhere
Sleeping Dogs
Map of the route:
Highway 1243 Part 1
Highway 1243 Part 1
Ride carefully and always within your ability. The video shows speed (it is not completely accurate and has some inconsistencies), elevation graph, grade, longitude and latitude, time and date, distance along the route and a squiggly line representing the road with a dot showing the current location. This video was shot in December 2015 and roads in Thailand do change over the years, a once pristine section of tarmac can degrade and likewise a bad section can be resurfaced and become as smooth as silk!
Leave a comment if you have an up to date report.
You can find excellent bike reports and information of northland Thailand over at Golden Triangle Riders
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