2/25/2023 0 Comments Week long road trip![]() Go in late summer (July-September), just as the grapes ripen on the vines, or in time for the region’s famed winter markets. The route: From its (loose) origins as a medieval trade route, the Romantische Strasse plunges from Würzberg (an hour from Frankfurt), down past the vineyards, fairytale castles and traditional Bavaria towns, to the dramatic foothills of the Alps. Take a detour? Down south, the Thai island of Phuket makes for one of Asia’s most charming coastal drives, especially its short north-east loop, which sweeps past fishing villages overlooking the islands of Phang Nga Bay. Wander its shrines, bats and upper reaches at will, but hire a guide and lamp to go deeper. Dramatic hairpin bends dot the route north to Mae Hong Son, before you loop back (Route 1095) past Chiang Dao, a vast limestone network of 100 caves extending some 12km underground. Next, head to the jungle plains of Mae Sariang, where community stays among its hill tribes, treks in Salawin and Mae Ngao national parks, and river trips on the Salween River beckon. Heading clockwise, follow the highway south through Doi Inthanon NP, where waterfall trails and treks to the summit of its namesake peak (2,565m) allow for plenty of birdspotting. Where to stop: Allow time to see the golden temples of Chiang Mai before hitting the road. ![]() Novice drivers/ motorcylists should probably avoid rainy season (May-Nov), when driving conditions can be tricky. It’s all easily reached from Chiang Mai on Highway 108, steering you up to the province’s capital Mae Hong Son before looping back. The route: Northern Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province is a patchwork of jungle-clad parks, misty peaks and honeycombed hills. Sandwiched between the 660km route from Derby to Kununurra (airports each end), it’s a truly remote one-way trip. Take a detour? For pure isolation, the former cattle track of Gibb River Road, which crosses Western Australia’s Kimberley region, extends past gorges and far-flung cattle stations. Continue along the coast to Port Douglas, where side-trips to the Great Barrier Reef offer front-row seats to one of nature’s most diverse ecosystems. Continue up to the UNESCO-listed Quinkan rock art site (near Laura), to see its 30,000-year-old prehistoric paintings, then make your way back down to Cooktown and the Cape Tribulation-Bloomfield Road that winds through Daintree NP (you’ll need a 4WD with a just-in-case winch for this section).Īfter the rainforest and mangrove tours of Cape Tribulation, push on south through the UNESCO-listed Daintree rainforest to Mossman Gorge here you can go on a Dreamtime walk under the guidance of the local Kuku Yalanji people. Where to stop: From Cairns, cut inland through the mountain roads of Kuranda National Park to meet up with Route 81, before heading north past mounts Malloy and Carbine. Follow this route inland on the way up (Route 81), then hug the winding coast on the return, passing through the natural grandeur and sacred mountains and forests of Cape Tribulation and Mossman Gorge. The route: North of Cairns, the eastern coast of Queensland weaves beaches, coral reef, rock art and rainforest. Take a detour? The US is packed with iconic drives, but few catch the eye like the lower reaches of California’s Route 1, around Big Sur. From here, twist north past numerous overlooks along the 37km Rim Rock Drive and the 2,520m-high Douglas Pass for fine views. After that, let nature be your guide as you head west to Ashley National Forest and its red sandstone Flaming Gorge.įurther south, Moab is a short hop to the trails and rivers of the vast Canyonlands National Park or the burnt-sandstone weird-scape of Arches National Park. Where to stop: Begin with a visit to the Dinosaur Quarry and National Monument, near the Utah-Colorado border. From there, head north toward Vernal along US40, before circling south through Ashley National Forest (US191) to the flats of Moab and returning through mountain passes. This loop traditionally starts at the town of Dinosaur, on the Colorado-Utah border. ![]() The route: Dust-dry plains, towering ranges, lush forests and fossils – lots of fossils. ![]()
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