Motorcycle Tours Thailand.

Guided motorcycle tours in the Mae Hong Son area of Northern Thailand.

Health considerations when traveling in a tropical country.

The main ones being Malaria and Stomach upsets.

Don't leave home without travel and medical insurance,
make sure it covers you for riding a motorcycle..

A First Aid kit can come in very useful also the use of a camel back water carrier to ensure you don't get de-hydrated.

Don't drink the water, Bottled water is supplied and always available in the support vehicle

Malaria

The advice offered here is for information only,

we recommend you consult with your Doctor and take their advice before traveling to Thailand.

Malaria risk is present throughout the year in some areas of Thailand. The risk is highest in rural and forested areas. There are hot spots near the borders with Burma (Myanmar) this is due to local cross border traffic from Burma which does not have the same Malaria control measures as Thailand.

Since mefloquine resistance is now common in these areas, Malarone OR Doxycycline is usually advised.

Malarone is under licence so can not be bought in Thailand.
A private prescription from your Doctors surgery in the UK may could cost you. > £100.00 +

Doxycycline is available in Thailand and costs pennies in the street chemist in Bangkok or Chiang Mai. It can be bought easily without prescription.

Taking Malarone 1 hour before you head out on a jungle trail is not a good idea, all the exertion in the heat and humidity + a powerful new drug in your system is asking for trouble..

All of the resort accommodation we use have mosquito nets (except one, however it does have air conditioning so mosquito's are not active) Wear long trouser, shoes and socks in the evening as mosquito's like to hang around under dining tables to chew on bony ankles.

The best form of cure is prevention. Which means using a 40% + deet (N-Diethyl-M-Toluamide) content insect repellent horrible stuff but its the best and it works. . Especially around vulnerable areas like exposed feet, ankles, legs, elbow and neck areas. It is probably better not to wash before eating breakfast (but to apply repellent). As mosquitos seem to like clean skin! Wearing long trousers and socks definitely helps. As does the use of a mosquito net at night (although be careful about touching the netting as mosquitoes then have access to that area of your body). Mosquitoes also like still air. So a fan is a great idea, even if you are using air conditioning. In fact, as air conditioners dry the air out and make the heat of the day even harder to tolerate. Using an air con unit in combination with a fan, not only has anti-mosquito and acclimatization benefits, but is also considered by many as much more pleasant.

Mosquitoes seem to be attracted to dark colours, especially blue, so its best to wear light browns and greens.

All the accommodation we use have air conditioning, fans and Mosquito nets.

Stomach upsets

Stomach upsets are not normally a problem, just so long as you keep a conscious mind, always think before sticking something in your mouth, are my hands clean, is this food clean, only eat food which is freshly prepared and cooked, don't eat food which has been pre-cooked and laying out in trays, make sure fruit is washed in clean water, think carefully about eating salads, ask yourself was the salad washed in clean water?

First Aid

Tour leader and Thai guide have first Aid training
The backup vehicle carries a first aid kit. The tour leader also carriers a first Aid kit and has first aid training going back to a time when he was working as a commercial diver. We are therefore able to cope with and offer First Aid in most situations.

Thailand hospitals are of a high standard and often have an English speaking doctor, we are usually only a couple of hours at most from a major hospital and have used local clinics and hospitals to sort out minor problems.

Its a good idea to carry a small first Aid kit on a trip like this,
The main things to include are:

- antiseptic wipes - great for cleaning up scratches and cuts if you take a fall in the bushes. Its hot in Thailand so keeping small cuts clean is very important so as to stop harmful bacteria can grow quickly.
- imodium - diorama medicine.
- re hydration mixtures - usually a powder to be dissolved in water are good for sorting bad stomach or too much sun.
- antiseptic cream
- Gauze Pads, and Adhesive Gauze Tape- Gauze and adhesive tape are necessary for treating deeper skins wounds. second skin is very good for gravel rash
.- BAND AIDS- Used to treat cuts, scrapes, and minor punctures in the skin.
- Pain Relievers and Fever Reducers such as Paracetamol or Aspirin

other stuff to consider:

-spare glasses
- EPI-PEN If you have history of allergic reactions to bites and stings.
- Antihistamine Pills- For the treatment of minor allergies, bug bites, etc.
- Pair of Tweezers- Effective for removing splinters, slivers, etc.
- Rubbing Alcohol- Used for alleviating bruises and sterilization.
- Disposable Latex Gloves
- Hydrogen Peroxide- Disinfectant, Mouth Wash, etc.
- PEPTO BISMOL- A timeless remedy for nausea, bloating, diarrhea, and other digestive tract disorders.
- Sewing Needle- Used to remove splinters, slivers, etc.
- Small Flashlight- Handy for checking ears, nose, throats, and for administering first aid in dimly lit places.
- Eye Wash Solution- Used for removing foreign objects dust and muck from eyes.
- Any prescription medicines you may need

Other diseases

Bird Flu

Don't talk to any strange birds.
Chickens and ducks etc are everywhere in the rural villages of Northern Thailand they can not be avoided, however close contact with them can, use common sense and stay away from bird markets.

Rabies

Thailand has cases of rabies, just be aware of this when driving through villages, we find most dogs just ignore us and sleep in the shade and don't have the energy to chase bikes. Every dog we meet will be crawling with fleas, its best to give dogs a wide berth.

Water

Drink only bottled water in Thailand.
There will always be bottled water available as we will carry supplies in the support vehicle.
Many riders use a Camelback or rucksack type water carrier some of theses water carriers have an extra pocket which is useful for carrying a small first aid kit.

The Heat

Mountain temperatures are a few degrees lower than Chiang Mai city and clients should bring suitable clothing; during the cool season it may even be considered cold with night temperatures dropping as low as 2 C over the cool season.

Thailand has a tropical climate, it is very hot and humid, The Sun is very strong, The sun is stronger in the rural areas than the cities.
Visitors must protect them selves from the sun.
use sun block and wear a floppy hat, Its not a good idea to ride a bike in shorts and T-shirt, remember to bring sunglasses.

We do not run tours during Soncran festival,
you need a seriously good sense of humour to ride a bike at that time of year, if you can ride a bike in temperatures touching 42 C and put up with 5 days of getting soaked to the skin every 20 minutes by hoards of kids and youths at the side of the road and highways and i mean groups of 10 individuals each chucking 5 gallons of water at you full pelt sometimes icy cold then .... go for it, we will point you in the right direction ........