IN SEARCH OF PARADISE
THAILAND EDITION
People often ask me why I’m so drawn to these kinds of trips — despite their physical and mental demands, the discomfort, and the often extreme weather conditions.
Honestly, I hadn’t really thought about it until someone asked. But on this trip, I think I found the answer.
Right now, I wouldn’t say I’m at the best stage of my life. It’s been just three years since I started building my photography, video, and content business — a journey full of instability. I also went through a breakup after three years with my partner. On top of it all, there’s that constant feeling that life doesn’t wait, that time flies mercilessly, and you’re stuck… while the rest of the world moves forward.
These trips allow me to lift my foot off the accelerator, shift down a few gears, and truly notice what’s right in front of me — both literally and figuratively: the here and now.
They strip life down to its purest form: eat, ride, sleep. That’s it. And in a world that’s constantly rushing, where we value less and less because we live on autopilot, that simplicity is priceless.
Alexandre Gazquez
Day 0 - Quick Visit to Bangkok
Pol and I chose to stay on the outskirts of Bangkok, at the View Dee Airport Residence (nothing luxurious, but affordable and conveniently located). As the name suggests, it’s very close to the airport.
Why? To avoid spending over an hour in a taxi just to reach the city centre.
If you’re heading out on a bikepacking adventure (which I assume you are if you’re reading this), it’s much better to ride straight into the city. Believe me, cycling through Bangkok’s chaotic traffic feels like something straight out of a video game — and it’s surprisingly fun!
Note: Locals are extremely respectful towards two-wheel vehicles, much more so than in most European countries. Still, with the madness of the traffic, staying fully alert is a must.
We decided to cycle into the city for a casual ride and grab some local food. The route itself wasn’t anything extraordinary, but pedalling through streets so different from what we’re used to, under that unique light, was enough to stir those butterflies in the stomach — the ones that always appear at the start of any great adventure.
What was meant to be a simple shakedown ride to check that everything was working ended up being nearly 70 km. But hey, that’s what we came for — and luckily, everything seemed to be in good order.
What we didn’t realise at the time was the price we’d pay the next day for deciding, just before falling asleep, that it was a good idea to start riding at 7:19 AM. Think that’s early? Keep reading and you’ll see why it turned out to be a terrible idea. Especially since I should have remembered from my 2024 trip just how brutal the mornings can get here. But I guess we humans are good at forgetting the tough moments.
Day 1 - From Bangkok to Pattaya
We woke up around 6:30 AM, packed the last of our gear, got dressed, and right at 7:19 AM we hit the “start” button on our GPS devices.
Yes, it was hot and humid — nothing new in Thailand — but still bearable, and we were incredibly excited to kick off the adventure. Spirits were high.
The first kilometres were fairly uneventful and quite remote. Until about kilometre 73, we hardly found anything at all (which is unusual for this country). So if you ever decide to ride this route, bear that in mind.
In Bang Pakong, we decided to stop for some food. It was only around 11:30 AM, but we found a roadside stall and thought it wise to fuel up (and escape the rising heat).
Up to that point, we had only stopped once. But remember when I said leaving “so late” was a bad idea? Well, the second half of the ride involved at least six stops. The last one was at a 7-Eleven around 4:30 PM, absolutely exhausted. Lesson learned: after midday, riding becomes nearly impossible without completely wearing yourself out.
We practically crawled into our destination (Siri Lagoona Resort). We chose it for one simple reason: it had a swimming pool.
Naturally, the first thing we did was ditch the bib shorts, throw on our swimwear and dive straight in. Even though the water wasn’t especially cool, it brought us back to life.
After resting our legs for a while, we hopped back on the bikes and rode to a “Laundry Express” — these are everywhere and incredibly convenient.
Tip: For just 50 THB (around €1.30), you can wash your cycling kit, and it comes out almost dry. Perfect for having clean, dry clothes every day.
We grabbed some snacks at a nearby supermarket, and when the laundry finished, we went off in search of dinner: an entire duck, shared between the two of us. After devouring it, we headed straight to bed.
As I mentioned earlier, we had learned our lesson — the next day’s alarm was set for 5:00 AM (and would keep getting earlier as the days went on and we adapted to the rhythm).
Day 2 - From Pattaya to Ban Khung Wiman
5:38 AM. We were getting better, but there was still room for improvement.
We kicked off the day with a bit of gravel riding, crossing fields that looked like they were growing peanuts. The peace and quiet at that hour was almost indescribable.
Sure, getting out of bed that early is tough, but I can assure you, the reward is well worth it — both for the magic of the moment and for avoiding a few hours of brutal heat later on.
After a couple of hours of pedalling, our stomachs started reminding us that we hadn’t eaten since the night before. Well, to be completely honest, they’d been reminding us from the moment we woke up, but we didn’t find anything open until after covering around 40 km.
We were in the middle of nowhere, but the great thing about this country is that even in the most remote places, you’ll usually find a market, a small stall, or someone’s house turned into a shop, complete with fridges and snacks — a real lifesaver considering the climate.
After that first stop, we managed another 40 km without a break. In Ban Phe, we finally reached the first “big” town we’d seen for quite a few hours (including the day before). We refilled our water bottles and took shelter in the supermarkets, as once again we’d been caught out by the extreme midday heat.
From that point on, the real struggle began. What we had previously managed with just one stop now required five or six more to reach our destination. The last one was at a small restaurant on a nearly deserted road, where we had one of the best plates of fried rice of the entire trip — and at an incredible price: around €2 per person, drinks included.
After that much-needed stop — which probably saved us from heatstroke — we finally arrived at Ban Khung Wiman, a fairly remote coastal village where we decided to spend the night at the Faasai Resort and Spa. Guess why? Exactly — it had a swimming pool.
Even though we’d been caught by some extreme heat again, we arrived feeling much fresher than the day before (and with plenty more time), so we were able to properly relax by the pool, munching on some bananas kindly gifted to us by the lady who ran the place. Later on, we hopped back on the bikes and headed out for dinner at a spot called Wiman View Cafe, where we ate enough for four people.
Note: Something I find extremely curious about Asia is that even in remote, local villages like this one, you can come across businesses like Wiman View Cafe — which feel like some sort of attempt at a tourist venue… but in a place that’s not touristy at all. The contrast is truly surreal.
After dinner, we went straight to bed (well, maybe we edited a couple of photos, but that was about it). We had set ourselves an unspoken challenge: to leave a little earlier each day. The memory of those hours spent under the “fire sun” was motivation enough.
Day 3 - From Ban Khung Wiman to Paradise (Koh Kood)
Do any of you reading this have an iPhone? Have you heard the “duck” alarm sound? No? Go and listen to it, then let me know what you think. Once you have, imagine being woken up by that at 4:15 AM after riding 150 km the day before, under scorching heat, on a bike weighing around 20 kg. Unpleasant, right? Good — could someone please explain that to Pol? Thanks.
5:19 AM, 137 km ahead, and a ferry to catch — one that would take us to paradise (though at the time, we had no idea).
As you might have noticed, there hadn’t been much elevation gain on previous days (something that, just so you know, would become a bit of a theme), and today’s route was no exception.
After barely 15 km, we found the first open 7-Eleven and decided to stop for breakfast — which would end up becoming our standard morning meal: a couple of toasted sandwiches (surprisingly decent), some onigiris, a drink to rehydrate, and a liquid yoghurt Pol had become obsessed with.
Believe me when I say it was about as “real” as food got under the circumstances.
Tip: It’s a good idea to stash a couple of onigiris in your backpack for a quick snack later.
That day, without even discussing it, we made the unspoken decision not to dawdle. We had one clear goal: the island.
Until the final 30 km, we kept a “normal” touring pace. But during the last hour, for reasons unknown, we suddenly decided it would be a great idea to start taking turns at the front and push above 30 km/h on average.
At the time, it didn’t make much sense — although of course, it never crossed my mind to ease off — but thanks to that effort, we managed to catch the 12:00 ferry.
We arrived at Ban Leam Son Pier dripping with sweat, only to find out it was just for private hires. So, we had to pedal a couple more kilometres to Laem Sok Pier.
We bought the tickets — not exactly cheap — with just a couple of minutes to spare. They actually transport you to the jetty by pick-up truck, but luckily, being on bikes, we managed to skip that bit. Thank goodness, because otherwise, we would have missed it.
On the boat, one of the crew tied our bikes to the stern, and we set sail for Koh Kood.
Pol made good use of the hour-long journey by taking a nap. I, having spent many years involved in the maritime world, simply sat back and enjoyed the breeze and the sound of the waves breaking against the bow.
Yes, I know. I get a little sentimental when it comes to the sea, but it genuinely feels like my natural habitat. The place I belong to. It might not make sense to everyone, but it does to me — and that’s enough.
As we approached the island, we couldn’t believe our eyes. Apparently, ChatGPT had been right: Koh Kood was (and is), and I quote, “Thailand’s least touristy paradise island.” The “port” looked like an old fishing village, complete with moorings and wooden houses. Truly amazing and authentic.
That said, all the climbing we had avoided during the past few days had been saved up for the first 3 km on the island — with gradients over 20%.
It took us nearly 40 minutes to cover the mere 10 km separating us from the resort where we were staying. In fact, my GPS activity even stopped on the ferry, so here’s the track:
Although the island wasn’t particularly crowded, given that it’s only about 20 km end-to-end, a lot of the accommodation was fully booked.
After enquiring at one place and doing a fair bit of searching on Booking.com, we managed to get a room at Suanya Koh Kood Resort & Spa. It ended up being the most expensive night of the whole trip (€40 per person), but considering we were literally in paradise, with a pool, private beach, and so on, we weren’t about to complain.
We had lunch at the resort (an incredible meal, by the way) and then spent the rest of the afternoon doing exactly what we came for: sunbathing on the beach, watching the sunset, and unwinding.
The following day would be dedicated to exploring the island and doing a bit more of the same. One thing was clear: we weren’t going to touch the bikes.
But that… is a story for later.
“Rest Day” in Koh Kood
Cyclists are a dramatic bunch. I’m sure you’ll agree with that statement, right?
Well, this time, Pol and I decided to leave that typical drama behind and take advantage of being on an incredible island. We rented a couple of scooters, left the bikes at the hotel, and set off to explore. And even though the day started with a tropical downpour that forced us to shelter in a café for half an hour, I think it ended up being one of the best days of the trip.
It’s hard to explain in words, but that day, I was truly happy.
Two friends, exploring a paradise island, cameras slung over our shoulders, with no worries other than deciding which smoothie flavour to go for (they were all delicious, by the way).
The first thing we did was visit Ao Yai Fisherman Village, at the southern tip of the island. A place that absolutely blew us away.
It’s hard to believe that in the 21st century, places like this still exist — authentic, untouched by the Western world… pure.
After a while, the sun returned and we set off to explore every beach we came across along the way. Before sunset, we ventured down a few dirt tracks on the scooters to visit Khlong Chao Waterfall, only to find — unsurprisingly — that, being the dry season, there was anything but a waterfall. That said, the ride there was an absolute blast.
Before dinner, we decided to catch the sunset at Ao Phrao Beach. And well, as the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, so I’ll shut up and let a few pictures do the talking.
That night we thought it was the perfect occasion to treat ourselves, so we headed to King Seafood Restaurant. I’d even dare to say we had some of the best grilled fish I’ve ever tasted. We ordered a fish that the cheerful and friendly owner told us weighed about 1kg, plus some scallops and squid — all grilled to perfection. We paired it with two plates of rice and a couple of beers. All of that for around €15 each.
I’m pretty sure that the same meal (probably not even as good) would have cost at least €60 or €70 per person anywhere in Europe.
And to finish off the day, we headed to the place where we would spend our second and final night: Lungpeiykhomestay. Yes, we changed accommodation because the resort from the first night was fully booked. Since we had the scooters and they had no problem with us leaving the bikes at the first place (and picking them up the next day), we found somewhere a bit more tucked away from the beaches. It was great — and half the price too.
We set off in search of paradise, and not only did we find it, but we enjoyed it like two little kids.
And don’t get me wrong: having made it all the way there by bike made it even more special. But being able to disconnect a little from the bikes and explore the island the way we did was amazing for recharging both physically and mentally.
Because yes, cycling has become a way of life for me these days — but sometimes I feel that because of that, I forget that life is so much more than just one thing. And, as with everything, the key lies in balance. Don’t you think?
“The bike as a means, not as an end.”
AG
Day 4 – From Koh Kood to Pong Nam Ron
I won’t lie to you. That morning we woke up with mixed feelings: we didn’t want to leave the island, but at the same time we were eager to get back on the bikes and continue exploring.
Since we didn’t have much choice, we went to return the scooters and pick up the bikes from the resort where we’d spent our first night. We pulled on our bib shorts and retraced the same road from the first day (thankfully with much less climbing this time).
The first ferry was supposed to leave at 9:00 AM, but we didn’t actually set off until almost 10:00 AM. And since we were travelling against the current this time, it took us over an hour and a half to reach the port. Which meant we were only just starting the 132 km ride to Pong Nam Ron (where we’d be spending the night) at around midday.
I probably don’t even need to tell you that this was pretty much the worst time of day to start cycling — but we didn’t really have any other option, so we just took it in stride and decided to tackle it kilometre by kilometre.
To our surprise, it wasn’t nearly as bad as we had expected. Which got me thinking: expectations are pointless. If your expectations are too high, you risk being disappointed; if they’re too low, and things turn out fine, you’ll have wasted all that energy worrying for nothing. That’s why I’m becoming more and more of a “go with the flow” type of person.
And, as every cloud has a silver lining, we ended up riding along some stunning red dirt tracks (the kind that could rival any you’d find around Girona, just to give an example) and witnessed an absolutely breathtaking sunset.
That said, once night fell, we definitely started to feel like we’d been cycling for three days straight. We’d got up early to catch the first ferry, and with everything else in between, we had basically been on the go for an entire day — it felt like a lifetime.
Arriving into Pong Nam Ron, exhausted and starving, we found ourselves on a road where it seemed unlikely we’d come across anything — and yet, out of nowhere, we stumbled upon one of those wonderfully random contradictions that Thailand is full of: the Blue Maple restaurant. Honestly, I’d recommend you check it out (and the area around it) to see what I mean when I say some things here just don’t make sense.
After dinner, we rode a couple more kilometres in search of somewhere to sleep. It was already dark and everything was eerily quiet. The first place we tried was closed. At the second, we couldn’t find anyone at first — but, as I’ve said more than once already, this is one of the things that makes Thailand such an easy country for bikepacking.
The place we eventually found was called: อัมรารีสอร์ท (it didn’t even have a translation). After wandering around for a bit, we found the little house where the owner lived — a lovely lady who, unsurprisingly, didn’t speak a word of English. (Tip: these days, we all carry the best tool for situations like this in our pockets — Google Translate will save you more than once.)
That day was one of the dustiest we had, and both us and the bikes were absolutely filthy by the time we arrived. So we jumped in the shower, washed our clothes at some coin laundries we found just across the road (they really are everywhere, even in the most unexpected places), and collapsed into bed.
The alarm for the next day was definitely going to hurt…
Day 5 - From Pong Nam Ron to the Middle of Nowhere
This time, Pol had the decency not to set his duck alarm. Instead, we got to wake up to one that sounded like a nuclear warning siren.
I honestly don’t know how we managed it, but we were already pedalling by 5:30 AM. I guess just thinking about the heat we suffered on the first day was motivation enough to make sure we didn’t linger in bed.
Barely 2 km into the ride, we came across a 7-Eleven, so we thought it was a good idea to stop and have our usual breakfast combo of sandwich and onigiri. I know it might sound odd at first, but anyone who’s done a few of these kinds of trips will know that, in reality, it’s actually not a bad breakfast at all.
After that first (very early) stop, we managed to push through around 60 km in one go. Once again, we were riding along beautiful reddish dirt tracks, where the contrast between the deep green vegetation and the bright blue sky created some truly photogenic scenes.
That day, our destination was the Sonne Country Resort (ซอนเนอ รีสอร์ต) — without doubt, the most surreal contrast of the entire adventure.
In the middle of absolutely nowhere (I couldn’t even give you the name of a proper village), someone had built this “resort” and the Sonne Country Café right opposite, across the road.
The café, where we had lunch, looked like something straight out of Little House on the Prairie. And the “resort” and its rooms were truly something else.
But why do I say it was so crazy? Precisely because this “village” was by far the most local and remote place we encountered on the whole trip.
While we were eating, we found out from friends and family that a 7.7-magnitude earthquake had struck Myanmar, also affecting Bangkok and causing quite a bit of significant damage. Luckily, despite being only about 150 km from the capital, we didn’t feel the slightest tremor.
After lunch and a bit of a rest, we took the opportunity to create some lifestyle content for a few of the brands that had decided to support us in one way or another on this trip.
Once we wrapped that up, we went back to our daily routine: cleaning and oiling the chains, doing the laundry (yes, even in that tiny village we found coin-operated machines), and finding somewhere for dinner.
The girl who ran the café (who was also the same person running the “resort”) told us she wouldn’t be opening the café again that evening, so we were forced to find somewhere else — and ended up at a local barbecue spot. The surprise? It turned out to be one of the best dinners of the whole trip.
Afterwards, we headed back to our room and found that Pol’s rear tyre was flat. Well, to be fair, we had already noticed it before dinner — but a kind man at a local workshop let us pump it up, and we had been hoping that the tubeless sealant would have patched the hole.
The problem was that, thanks to the heat, whatever little sealant he had left had completely dried up. So Pol had no choice but to fit an inner tube.
Tip: in these countries, the roads aren’t exactly the cleanest, and the risk of punctures is quite high. It’s definitely worth checking your sealant levels regularly and carrying a small bottle of emergency sealant just in case.
Day 6 - From the Middle of Nowhere to (Unexpectedly) Bangkok
The original plan was to visit Khao Yai National Park and spend the night in the area. But barely 25 km into the ride, after a quick shooting session (taking advantage of the stunning scenery around us)… I hit the ground.
We wanted to film a small dynamic scene along a dirt track. I put the DJI in my mouth and told Pol to ride as fast as he could, to try and capture that feeling of speed in the video. Unfortunately, a hidden hole, high speed, and me riding too close to Pol’s wheel brought all the fun to an abrupt end.
I crashed at over 35 km/h, and because I was gripping the bars tightly, the stem gave way (which is normal to avoid it snapping). Then, inertia took over and I was launched over the front of the bike, landing on my head and right side.
Luckily, it was nothing more than a scare (especially for Pol), a couple of scrapes, and a lens that I’ll now have to get repaired. As I said, it could have been much worse, but after the crash, I couldn’t stop thinking about my new collaboration this year with RACC.
Having a sports travel insurance policy is absolutely essential on any of my adventures, and being able to work with a company like RACC—after paying for their policies out of my own pocket for years—is a real privilege. If you’d like to benefit from a discount on your next travel insurance, here’s a link where you can get it: https://www.racc.es/?ref=njdjodv&aff=1.
Did I take the opportunity to plug this after my crash? Maybe. And yes, I do earn a small commission if you purchase anything through that link—but you benefit from it too, so what’s wrong with that? It’s these little things that help me dedicate countless hours of work to bring you content like this for free :).
I tried to pull myself together and stick to the original plan, but once the adrenaline wore off, the pain really kicked in. That’s when I asked Pol if we could adjust our plan, save a day, and head straight to Bangkok by road (the rough terrain was just killing me).
I can’t even tell you how grateful I was to have him as my riding partner. He looked after me the whole way, took the brunt of the headwinds for hours across endless straight roads, kept his pace in check, and kept glancing back to make sure I could keep up. (Note: Trips like these are tough—both physically and mentally. Choose your adventure partners wisely.)
Despite Pol’s help, the remaining 100+ km felt endless. As time went on, the pain worsened, and the heat and rough surfaces didn’t make things any easier.
With just 20 km to go before reaching the hotel where we had stayed on our first night, Pol punctured again. What had started out as an epic day ended up being one of those days where you just want it to be over.
But if there’s one thing cyclists are, it’s stubborn. And of course (also because, as I’ve said several times: “we had no other choice”), we made it to the hotel just after midday.
Our (bad) luck didn’t end there. To top it off, they told us there were no rooms available for that night, so we had to drag ourselves a few more streets over to the Yamyen Hostel.
Although, as always, every cloud has a silver lining: we ended up saving a bit of money, which, after a very painful shower, we put to good use by stuffing ourselves at a sushi buffet—Oshiki Sushi (โอชิกิ ซูชิ ลาดกระบัง)—which, to our surprise (once again, very on brand for this country), turned out to be one of the best sushi experiences we’ve ever had. At least in terms of value for money.
This day marked the end of our adventure and, although it didn’t quite go as we had planned, all our reflections over dinner were positive: because I was filming, I had the crash on video (you can watch it here), we saved a good bit of money by changing hotels, we were going to have a full day to “wash” the bikes and pack properly, and we’d also have time to catch up on emails and back up all the footage. And best of all, we could do it all without rushing, because for one reason or another, we had made it back to Bangkok a full day ahead of schedule.
Last Days
The final day of any trip always feels a bit strange. On one hand, you’re looking forward to going home, but on the other, you don’t want it to end. Doesn’t that happen to you too?
I woke up feeling incredibly sore. If you’ve ever crashed your bike, you’ll know there’s nothing worse than the day after the fall.
The first thing we did was find somewhere to get all the dust off the bikes. It’s not ideal if you don’t have a way to dry them properly, but the level of dirt was extreme, and since we had the whole day ahead of us, they would have plenty of time to dry out.
We found a car wash and asked if we could use the pressure washer ourselves. The four guys working there looked completely baffled. We think they were probably thinking something like: “Wait, they’re going to pay us to do the job themselves?”. It was a pretty funny moment.
After that, we headed to a café called The Tempo, which we’d already been to a few times before the adventure. Or more accurately, that I had frequented while waiting for Pol to get back to Bangkok. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, have a look at his blog and it’ll all make sense.
We spent the whole morning there, right up until lunchtime. Both of us are freelancers, and if anyone reading this is too, you’ll understand the peace of mind that comes from spending a few hours catching up on emails and clearing a bit of the backlog.
We grabbed lunch at a roadside restaurant — this one: Meng Phochana (เม้งโภชนา). After eating, we went straight back to the café until it was time for dinner.
For dinner, we decided to try a very local spot that I’d been curious about for a few days: Cheng Sim Ei Lat Krabang 40 (เช็งซิมอี๊ สาขาลาดกระบัง 40). It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t quite enough to tackle the massive calorie deficit we were carrying.
So, a second round was in order — this time at Ebisu Ramen (เอบิสึ ราเมน ลาดกระบัง), which, surprisingly, turned out to be one of the best ramen we’d ever had.
Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel where Pol packed up his bike, as his flight was very early the next morning.
Mine wasn’t until midnight (the following day), so I still had a few hours to kill. I used the time to get more work done at the café and take a few final photos of my Trek Checkpoint SL 7 to round off the content.
Conclusions
And just like that, our adventure had come to an end.
I hope you’ve enjoyed it and, if there’s anything you’d like to know — any questions about how we create this kind of content, anything about planning, gear, logistics, costs, etc. — please feel free to get in touch through any of the options you can find HERE. I’d be more than happy to reply privately or even create another blog or video if enough people are asking the same thing.
For now, it’s time to say goodbye — but before I do, just one last question:
Shall we meet again on the next one?
SUPPORTED BY…
Without the support of brands like Trek Bikes Spain, Tailfin, Framesandgear and the RACC, these trips, adventures and projects simply wouldn’t be possible.
So I’d like to take a moment to thank them all — and also to thank you, whoever you are, reading these final lines of the blog.
If you want to be the first to know about the upcoming ones, don't hesitate to subscribe to my newsletter below. I assure you the year has just begun and there are exciting journeys on the horizon.