Find scooter & motorcycle hire in Thailand
Enter your city, island or destination below to search available scooters and motorcycles.
Enter your city, island or destination below to search available scooters and motorcycles.
Explore Thailand on Two Wheels
From Phuket’s tropical beaches and winding island roads to the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai, having your own two wheels gives you the freedom to discover more of Thailand at your own pace.
Whether you’re exploring Ko Samui on a scooter or heading into the countryside on a larger bike, sometimes the journey becomes as memorable as the destination.
Renting a scooter also gives you the flexibility to stop when something catches your eye — a hidden beach, a roadside food stall, a temple or simply a spectacular tropical view worth lingering over.
Discover Hidden Beaches
Escape Bangkok’s buzz and discover tropical beaches, quiet coves and coastal roads.
Explore Mountain Roads
Follow winding roads through lush hills, traditional villages and spectacular mountain scenery.
Go Beyond the Tourist Trail
Ride beyond Chiang Mai to discover temples, countryside and quieter corners of northern Thailand.
Explore Thailand
Phuket
Explore Phuket’s lively streets, tropical beaches and scenic roads winding around the island.
Koh Samui
Discover Koh Samui’s palm-fringed beaches, coastal villages and beautiful island roads.
Pattaya
Explore Pattaya’s lively streets, beautiful beaches and
coastal roads beyond the city by scooter.
More places to ride in Thailand
Found your destination? Let’s ride.
Enter your city, island or destination below to search available scooters and motorcycles.
Considerations Before You Ride in Cyprus
To ride a scooter or motorcycle legally in Thailand, you need a valid driving licence that covers motorcycles, appropriate for the type of bike you intend to ride. For UK visitors, GOV.UK specifically warns that if you would not be legally entitled to ride that type of scooter or motorcycle in the UK, your travel insurance may not cover you in Thailand.
UK visitors should also carry their UK driving licence together with a 1968 International Driving Permit (IDP). Thailand’s Department of Land Transport recognises IDPs issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention as well as qualifying licences and permits under its rules.
Don’t assume that being able to hire a scooter means you’re legally licensed to ride it. Some rental businesses may hand over scooters without checking the correct entitlement, and GOV.UK warns that scooters and motorcycles offered for hire in tourist areas may sometimes be unregistered and therefore illegal to use on public roads. Check your licence entitlement, the vehicle and your insurance before riding.
Useful link: GOV.UK – Thailand travel advice: road travel and motorcycle hire
Sometimes, but you must check with the rental provider first. Thailand has vehicle ferries that carry scooters and motorcycles on certain routes. For example, Raja Ferry currently carries motorcycles between Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, as well as between the mainland at Donsak and both islands.
However, the fact that a ferry accepts motorcycles doesn’t automatically mean your rental agreement allows you to take a hired scooter off the island where you collected it. The rental provider may restrict ferry travel, taking the vehicle to another island, or taking it outside a specified area. Doing so without permission could also affect your insurance or make you responsible for recovery costs.
Always check the rental terms and obtain the provider’s permission before taking a scooter or motorcycle onto a ferry. It’s also worth confirming that your chosen ferry actually carries vehicles, as many of Thailand’s inter-island services are passenger-only boats or speedboats. GOV.UK advises travellers to use care when travelling by boat in Thailand, particularly because rough seas, overloading and poor maintenance have contributed to accidents.
Useful link: Raja Ferry – vehicle and motorcycle ferry information
In Thailand, both the rider and passenger of a motorcycle or scooter must wear a protective helmet. Thai road traffic law specifically requires helmets for both, and the rider must not ride while their passenger is without one.
Other protective equipment such as gloves, motorcycle jackets, long trousers and suitable closed footwear is strongly recommended, particularly given Thailand’s high rate of motorcycle accidents. GOV.UK highlights motorcycle road safety as a significant risk for visitors to Thailand.
Helmets are commonly provided by scooter rental companies, but you shouldn’t assume they will always be included or that the supplied helmet will fit properly or be in good condition. Check what your rental provider supplies before booking and inspect the helmet carefully before riding. Other protective clothing will not normally be something you should assume is included.
Useful link: GOV.UK – Thailand travel advice: road travel and motorcycle hire
Yes. Age requirements can vary between rental providers and according to the scooter or motorcycle you choose. Rental companies may set their own minimum age and may also require you to have held the appropriate motorcycle licence for a certain period.
Under Thailand’s motorcycle licensing system, riders aged 15 to under 18 are restricted to motorcycles of no more than 110cc, while riders aged 18 and over can qualify for a motorcycle licence without that 110cc restriction.
For UK visitors, however, the important point is that you must also be legally entitled to ride the particular scooter or motorcycle on your UK licence. GOV.UK warns that riding without the correct licence can invalidate your travel insurance.
So don’t assume that simply meeting a rental company’s minimum age means you can legally ride every scooter it offers. Check the provider’s age requirements, your motorcycle licence entitlement and any engine-size restrictions before booking.
Useful link: GOV.UK – Thailand travel advice: car and motorcycle hire
Yes. If you’re visiting Thailand with a UK driving licence, you need to carry a 1968 International Driving Permit (IDP) as well as your UK driving licence when riding or driving. GOV.UK advises travellers to obtain the IDP before travelling, as you cannot buy a UK-issued IDP once you’re in Thailand.
An IDP does not give you additional motorcycle entitlement. You must still hold the correct UK licence entitlement for the scooter or motorcycle you’re riding. Riding without a valid licence could invalidate your travel insurance and leave you unable to claim following an accident or injury.
Rental providers may also have their own documentation requirements, so check what you’ll need before booking.
Useful link: GOV.UK – Thailand travel advice: driving and motorcycle hire
Yes. In Thailand, traffic drives on the left, so UK visitors should find the basic road position familiar. Follow local traffic signs and speed limits, and take particular care at junctions and when changing lanes. Thailand’s Road Traffic Act requires vehicles meeting oncoming traffic to keep towards the left side of the road.
A helmet is compulsory when riding a motorcycle or scooter, and GOV.UK warns that Thailand has a particularly high number of road traffic accidents involving motorcycles. Avoid riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs and take extra care in unfamiliar traffic, during heavy rain and on poorly surfaced roads.
Also make sure the scooter you’re hiring is properly registered for road use. GOV.UK warns that some motorcycles and scooters offered for hire in Thai tourist areas are unregistered and therefore cannot legally be used on public roads.
Useful link: GOV.UK – Thailand travel advice: road travel and motorcycle hire
Some level of insurance may be included with a rental scooter or motorcycle, but the type and level of cover can vary considerably between providers and vehicles. Basic cover may not protect you against all damage, theft, injury or other costs.
Before booking, check exactly what insurance is included, together with any excess, exclusions and security deposit. Additional cover may sometimes be available if you want greater protection.
It’s particularly important to check your travel insurance. GOV.UK warns that if you ride a motorcycle or scooter in Thailand without the correct licence, your travel insurance may be invalidated. Check that your policy specifically covers riding the type and engine size of vehicle you intend to hire.
Useful link: GOV.UK – Thailand travel advice: motorcycle hire and insurance
There may be. Additional charges vary between rental providers and the vehicle you choose. Optional extras such as additional insurance, extra helmets, luggage, delivery or collection, additional riders and one-way rentals may cost extra.
You may also be asked for a refundable security deposit when collecting the scooter or motorcycle. This isn’t normally an additional rental fee, but an amount may be held or collected until the vehicle is returned in accordance with the rental conditions.
Always check the total price, what’s included, optional extras and deposit requirements before completing your booking. Also check the provider’s rules covering fuel, late returns and damage, as these can result in additional charges.
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