Most riders planning a Thailand mountain trip default straight to Chiang Mai and the north, and understandably so. But central Thailand hides a genuine pocket of real highland riding that catches many visitors by surprise, Khao Kho and Phu Thap Boek in Phetchabun province, connected by a celebrated stretch of Highway 12 that’s earned its own local nickname among Thai riders. This guide covers the highlands themselves, the road connecting them, and everything worth knowing before adding this genuinely underrated region to your Thailand riding itinerary.

Why central Thailand holds real mountain riding

It’s worth understanding what makes this specific pocket of Phetchabun province worth the detour. Central Thailand is generally associated with flat river plains and rice country, which makes Khao Kho and Phu Thap Boek’s genuine elevation and noticeably cooler climate a real surprise to visitors who haven’t specifically sought this area out. The region has become a significant domestic tourism destination for exactly this reason, Thai visitors drawn to genuine highland scenery and cool temperatures without needing to travel all the way to the north. For riders, the combination of real curves, cooler air, and considerably less international visibility than northern Thailand’s famous loops makes this a genuinely worthwhile addition to a wider Thailand trip.

1. Highway 12: the Biker’s Route through Khao Kho

Distance: ~130 km, Phitsanulok to Lom Sak  |  Character: A celebrated winding stretch with a real local reputation

Highway 12 running east from Phitsanulok to Lom Sak has genuinely earned a specific nickname among Thai riders, the Biker’s Route, thanks to a winding section through Khao Kho commonly cited at 111 curves. This stretch passes through Thung Saleng Luang National Park and the Khao Kho highlands themselves, delivering genuinely scenic, well-maintained two-lane riding described consistently by visitors as a beautiful drive worth making a special trip for in its own right.

Points of interest

• Sakunothayan Waterfall: Roughly 30 km from Phitsanulok city, genuinely worth a stop, set within jungle surroundings offering fresh air and quiet, though not suitable for swimming.
• Kaeng Song Waterfall: Around 44 km from the city, visible directly from the highway, genuinely worth a proper stop given it’s swimmable, with no entrance fee.
• Poi Waterfall: Roughly 62 km along the route, widely regarded by riders who’ve made this drive as the most beautiful of the waterfalls directly accessible from Highway 12.
• Thung Saleng Luang National Park: The highway passes directly through this park, worth slowing down to properly take in the surrounding forest.
• The Khao Kho highlands themselves: Genuinely worth the detour off the main highway, home to boutique resorts, viewpoints and a noticeably cooler climate that’s made this area a significant domestic tourism draw.

Road conditions

Genuinely good throughout, mostly two-lane sealed road with the curves concentrated specifically through the Khao Kho section. Riders with a particular interest in technical riding should specifically note the stretch between Khao Kho and Lom Sak, described by experienced regional riders as a relentless series of tight, technical switchbacks and fast, cambered sweepers through pine forest, genuinely one of the most rewarding technical sections in central Thailand.

2. Phu Thap Boek: central Thailand’s highest accessible peak

Distance: ~30 km steep climb from the Khao Kho junction  |  Character: A genuinely demanding final approach with a serious payoff

Phu Thap Boek reaches 1,794 metres, the highest point within Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, and the road up genuinely deserves real respect. From the junction near Khao Kho, the approach runs roughly 30 km up a steep, narrow road with dangerous curves, worth ensuring both rider and bike are properly prepared before committing to the climb.

Points of interest

• The summit viewpoint area: Genuinely worth the climb, breathtaking views across the surrounding highlands, particularly rewarding at sunrise when conditions allow.
• Ban Than Boek area: Worth continuing on to for riders wanting to explore beyond the immediate summit viewpoint.
• Local strawberry and highland produce stalls: Genuinely worth a stop, this area’s cool climate supports crops not typically grown in lowland Thailand.

Road conditions

Worth being direct here: this is genuinely one of the more demanding climbs covered anywhere in this guide series relative to its short distance. Visitors who’ve hired local drivers specifically to navigate this road note how narrow and consistently curved it is, particularly the Phu Thap Boek approach compared to Khao Kho itself. It’s genuinely worth avoiding this specific climb if you’re inexperienced with sustained mountain switchbacks, and worth knowing this stretch has seen real accidents during peak visitor periods, when large numbers of riders converge on the area at once.

3. Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park: history in the highlands

Beyond the scenery, this area genuinely carries a distinctive and relatively recent history worth understanding. Phu Hin Rong Kla served as a stronghold for the Communist Party of Thailand during guerrilla warfare against the government throughout the 1970s, its rugged, strategic terrain making it an ideal base for exactly that purpose. The park was only officially declared in 1984, two years after the insurgency’s defeat, and the remains of old guerrilla camps and hideouts genuinely remain among its more unusual attractions today, a considerably different kind of stop from anywhere else covered in this guide series.

Getting there

From Phetchabun, the route follows Highway 21 north for roughly 40 km to a T-junction, turning onto Highway 12, then after about 5 km turning onto Road 2372 for a further 16 km north to reach the park. This approach road is genuinely steep enough that even car drivers are advised to stop periodically and let engines cool, worth knowing before committing a smaller-displacement bike to the climb without a rest stop of your own.

4. Highway 12 beyond Lom Sak: toward Mae Sot

Distance: ~220 km, Phitsanulok to Mae Sot  |  Character: A genuinely different riding style on each half

Worth knowing that Highway 12 doesn’t end at Lom Sak, it continues considerably further west, eventually reaching Mae Sot near the Myanmar border, and this guide series’ dedicated Mae Sot to Umphang guide picks up the story from there. Experienced regional riders consistently note how the character of this road shifts along its length, the tight, technical switchbacks through Khao Kho give way to considerably longer, flowing curves through rolling hills and river valleys further west toward Wang Thong, a genuinely different riding rhythm on each half of the same numbered highway.

Points of interest

• Wang Thong: Worth knowing as the point where this highway’s character shifts noticeably, genuinely worth pausing to recalibrate your riding rhythm for the flowing stretch ahead.
• Unsealed side tracks off the main highway: Worth knowing about specifically for riders on adventure-capable bikes, several dirt paths lead to hidden waterfalls near Phu Hin Rong Kla and remote Karen villages further west, genuinely worth exploring for properly equipped riders.

How much time do you actually need?

• Half day to 1 day: Genuinely workable for riders purely wanting a taste of the Khao Kho section of Highway 12, riding the Biker’s Route stretch and one or two of the waterfalls without the Phu Thap Boek detour.
• 2 days: The more comfortable option, adding a proper overnight in Khao Kho itself and the Phu Thap Boek climb as a separate day, given how demanding that specific approach road is.
• 3 days: Worth considering for riders wanting to properly explore Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park’s history alongside the scenic riding, and continue further west along Highway 12 toward Wang Thong.

Best time of year to ride

November through February is genuinely the strongest window for this region, cool, comfortable temperatures for the riding itself and the clearest highland views. It’s genuinely worth avoiding March through May specifically, this is regional burning season, and visibility across the highlands can be seriously affected, with a number of local accommodations closing during this period as a result. Worth also knowing this region draws genuinely significant seasonal crowds of Thai riders and organised motorcycle rally groups, particularly around Phu Thap Boek during peak cool-season weekends, gatherings that have on occasion numbered in the thousands and led to real accidents on the access roads, worth planning around busier dates if a quieter ride matters to you.

What kind of bike suits this region

Highway 12 itself through Khao Kho is genuinely accessible to a wide range of bikes given its good, well-maintained surface, a 150cc scooter handles this stretch comfortably. The Phu Thap Boek climb specifically calls for real low-gear control given its narrow, sustained gradient, worth approaching with a bike you’re genuinely confident in rather than a small automatic scooter. Compare motorbike rental options before setting off, with Phitsanulok offering genuine rental availability as a starting point for this region.

A few scenarios, worked through

A rider with a single day should genuinely ride Highway 12 from Phitsanulok through Khao Kho to Lom Sak and back, stopping at Kaeng Song and Poi waterfalls along the way, and should skip the Phu Thap Boek detour given how much extra time and demand that climb involves. A rider with two days should genuinely overnight in Khao Kho itself, tackling the Phu Thap Boek climb as a properly rested, focused second day rather than combining it with a long highway ride beforehand. And a rider with genuine interest in the region’s Communist Party history should build real time into their itinerary specifically for Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, treating the old guerrilla camp remains as a worthwhile stop in their own right rather than an afterthought to the scenic riding.

How this connects to the wider ride

Highway 12 genuinely continues west toward this guide series’ Mae Sot to Umphang route, meaning riders with real time and appetite for a considerably longer central Thailand crossing can connect this highland region directly into that guide’s remote western border riding.

Final thoughts

Central Thailand’s highlands genuinely reward riders willing to look beyond the well-documented northern loops, real elevation, a celebrated 111-curve stretch of road, a genuinely demanding summit climb, and a highland national park carrying a distinctive, relatively recent history few other regions in this guide series can match. For riders passing through central Thailand between the north and Bangkok, or simply looking for a genuinely underrated addition to their trip, Khao Kho and Phu Thap Boek deserve considerably more attention than they typically receive.

Build any of these routes on the Thailand Explorer, compare motorbike rental options if you’re not yet on two wheels, and get properly covered before you ride.