Motorbike Rental in Chalong, Phuket

Chalong is not a beach resort — it is the big residential and transport district on Phuket's south-east coast. There is no single centre here: life is stretched along Chao Fa Road, east and west branches, and everything converges on Chalong Circle, the roundabout where five roads meet. From it one road runs south to Rawai, one west over the hill to Kata and Karon, one north-west to Patong, one north-east to Phuket Town, and one east to Chalong Pier. The distances between your condo, the supermarket, a gym on Soi Ta-Iad and the pier are too long to walk, and tuk-tuks charge tourist prices per kilometre. That is why motorbike rental in Chalong is a practical necessity rather than entertainment.

We do not have a walk-in office in Chalong itself — our nearest branch is in Karon: Patak Rd 306/3, open daily 08:00–20:00, phone and WhatsApp +66 622 843 198. From there to Chalong Circle is about 11–12 km over the hill past Kata: 20–25 minutes of relaxed riding. You can pick the bike up at the office yourself, or we bring it to your house or hotel in Chalong. The contract takes around 10 minutes: you need a passport (we make the copy ourselves, the original stays with you) and a cash deposit — 3 000฿ for scooters up to 160cc and 7 000฿ for the Forza 350 and ADV 350. We do not ask for a driving licence to rent the bike; keep in mind, though, that Thai law requires a category A or A1 licence to ride one.

Rental prices

The longer the rental, the cheaper the day: a Click 125 is 400฿ for one day, 230฿ a day from 7 days, and 4 000฿ for a month. The full table for every model is on the prices page.

Which bike to choose for Chalong

Chalong itself is almost flat — the road from the Circle to the pier and along Chao Fa runs level. But everything worth seeing around the district sits up in the hills: the climb to the Big Buddha on Nakkerd Hill, the 4028 pass over to Kata and Karon, the hill road to Patong. That is what decides the engine size:

• Honda Scoopy 110 or Click 125 — enough for life inside the district: the pier, Wat Chalong, the shops on Chao Fa, the gyms on Soi Ta-Iad. The lightest bikes and the easiest to park in narrow sois.
• Honda Click 160 or PCX 160 — the sensible choice if you ride two-up or go up to the Big Buddha and over to Kata regularly. On a long climb the difference from a 125cc is obvious straight away, and the PCX also has a roomier seat and more helmet space under it.
• Honda ADV 160 — taller riding position and softer suspension: useful on the broken asphalt of Chalong's back sois and on the unpaved turn-offs towards the capes.
• Honda Forza 350 or ADV 350 — for long days out: the north of the island on Highway 402, Phang Nga, the airport. Calmer at 90–100 km/h and much less wind.

Every bike comes with two helmets and medical insurance covering up to 50 000฿ in case of an accident. All our bikes are new and Honda only. If you are torn between 125 and 160, describe where you plan to ride in WhatsApp and we will suggest a model.

Where to park a bike in Chalong

Parking is easier in Chalong than in Patong: the district is spacious and almost every house and condo has its own bike area. There are only a few problem spots.

• Chalong Circle and its approaches. Traffic here is dense and the junction is regularly under roadworks. Do not leave a bike on the red-and-white kerb near the Circle — this is the busiest junction in the south of the island and traffic police work beside it almost daily.
• Chalong Pier. The lot is large and free, but in the morning and again in the evening it fills with tour coaches dropping off and collecting groups for Coral Island and Racha. If you are leaving for the islands for the day, arrive 15 minutes early and park near the entrance rather than deep inside.
• Wat Chalong. The temple has its own big car park and bikes stand near the entrance; on festival days the yard is closed off, so leave the bike on Chao Fa and walk in.
• Soi Ta-Iad. Each gym has its own bike bays, but the soi is narrow — do not block the entrances, pickups with water and laundry come through in the evening.

At night park under a light or inside the yard. We have separate guides on where to park a motorbike in Phuket, including free parking, and on how to avoid having a bike stolen.

Where to ride from Chalong

Chalong is the most convenient starting point in the south of the island: from the Circle you can head in any direction.

• The Big Buddha — about 7 km from the Circle, 20 minutes. The climb up Nakkerd Hill is long, with blind bends and a steady gradient; a 125cc will make it two-up, but slowly. Come down using engine braking instead of holding the brake lever all the way.
• Promthep Cape and Nai Harn — via Rawai, 15–17 km, around 30 minutes. The classic evening sunset run; the last stretch is a climb up to the viewpoint.
• Phuket Town — 9–10 km along Chao Fa East, 15–20 minutes. The old quarter, Thalang Road, coffee shops and markets; the town centre has one-way streets, so follow the navigation.
• Kata and Karon over the pass — 8–11 km on Route 4028, about 20 minutes. The road climbs and drops back to the sea; in the rainy season the asphalt is slippery.

Ready-made routes with stops are collected in our article on the best motorbike routes around Phuket.

Police checks, licence and helmets

Chalong Circle is one of the most frequent checkpoint locations on Phuket: all traffic from the south of the island passes through it, and police work here both on weekday mornings and at weekends. A helmet is mandatory for the rider and the passenger — riding without one can cost up to 2 000฿, which is why we hand over two helmets with every bike. We do not require a driving licence to rent the bike: a passport and the cash deposit are enough. Under Thai law, however, riding a motorbike requires a category A or A1 licence — an international permit or a Thai one — and that is exactly what the police look for: riding without it is a 1 000฿ fine, and the responsibility rests with the rider. Full rental conditions are on therules page, and what exactly is checked and which licence counts is explained in our article on renting a motorbike in Phuket without a licence.

Bike delivery to Chalong

Bikes for Chalong come from our Karon office — 11–12 km over the hill, 20–25 minutes. On rentals of 5 days or more, delivery to your house or hotel is free. For shorter rentals delivery is paid: the price depends on how far the address is, and the manager confirms it before you book. We can also collect the bike at the end of the rental, so you do not have to ride to Karon on your last day. Send us your address, the model, the dates and a passport photo on WhatsApp and we will bring a fuelled bike at the agreed time. Delivery conditions are also listed on the prices page.

Bike rental in other Phuket areas:
Nai Harn · Rawai · Kata · Karon · Patong · Monthly rental