On October 31, 2026, I rode my Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 from Bangkok to Surat Thani. The 675 km trip took just under eight hours, including four stops for gas and coffee. I left Bangkok at 5 a.m. with my kit strapped behind my Naang Dante and my boots laced up. The plan is to spend the next couple of months in southern Thailand, putting our boots through their paces and making time to write and design new boots.
Now and then, I need to get out of Bangkok. A change of surroundings gives me room to think, and this trip combines work on Naang with more hiking and motorcycle rides.
Packing the Bike for Southern Thailand
The first problem came before I left. My usual moto camping top bag ripped while I was packing it.
I grabbed an old duffel and a backup bag, split my kit between them, and strapped everything to the back of the bike. Neither bag was made for the job, and the setup was questionable. On the plus side, the pile of luggage gave me a decent backrest for the long ride south.
I finished loading the bike the night before. That left a simple morning routine: wake up at 4 a.m., eat some oats, drink coffee, and get moving.
Which Roads Did I Take from Bangkok to Surat Thani?
The two main roads on my ride were Rama II Road and Route 4. Rama II took me west out of Bangkok, followed by a long stretch on Route 4 heading south along the western side of the Gulf of Thailand.
I live on the Thonburi side of Bangkok, so heading west is straightforward, and it only took me about 10 minutes to get onto Rama II.
In my experience, Rama II is one of the sketchiest roads in Thailand. I have seen more accidents on that road than I care to think about. I was happy to get that stretch behind me and settle into the ride south.
By contrast, Route 4 is a long, straight, easy ride. You might hit a few patches of congestion along the way, but nothing too crazy.
I had ridden most of this route on previous trips. With all my kit packed into improvised luggage, I wasn’t interested in making lots of sightseeing stops. I decided to ride through in one day, stopping for exactly two things: gas and coffee.
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How Long Did the Bangkok to Surat Thani Ride Take?
My trip took just under eight hours, including four fuel and coffee stops. That might be a bit faster than a normal run. Not saying I did a speed run… but also not saying I didn’t.
At 5 a.m., Bangkok was just starting to wake up. I was already heading south and was well out of the city before traffic started to clog it up.
The four stops kept both the bike and me fueled. The rest of the day was about putting kilometers behind me and getting to Surat Thani.
Of course, it’s nice to slow down sometimes and enjoy the ride and make a lot of stops. But there are times when I just really enjoy hammering through and clocking the miles.
Why Base Myself in Surat Thani?
Surat Thani puts me in southern Thailand for the next couple of months, with plans to ride farther south and explore some of the less familiar areas along Thailand’s western coast.
It also gives me time to work on writing and content planning for Naang, as well. asdesign our new few models of boots. And of course, the opportunities to get outside and use the boots between sessions at the keyboard. I wore my Dantes for the ride south. Earlier this year, Garrett and I rode toward the Myanmar border to test a few changes to the Dante. More riding and hiking are on the agenda while I’m here.
For now, I’ve made it south with my boots and a couple of bags that weren’t supposed to be motorcycle luggage.
If things go according to plan, you’ll be seeing more adventure stories from southern Thailand over the next two months.
This isn’t my first motorcycle trip in Thailand, not even close. If you want to read about another ride from Bangkok check out: Riding the Borderlands: Dust, History, and the Three Pagodas Pass.
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