Thailand - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 739

DIRECTORY
Hospital Sukhothai Hospital ( T 055 611782) is west of
New Sukhothai on the road to Old Sukhothai.
Post o ce Th Nikhon Kasem, about 1km south of the
bridge (Mon-Fri 8.30am-4.30pm, Sat & Sun 9am-noon).

automatically be given a new fifteen-day
hai stamp (thirty days for British, US
and Canadian citizens).

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Nok Air ( W nokair.com) operates flights from
Bangkok (Don Muang; 4 daily; 1hr 15min) and Chiang Mai
(1 daily; 50min), as well as Yangon and Mawlamyine in
Myanmar, to Mae Sot's airport, 3km west of town.
Motorbike taxis await arrivals.
By bus, songthaew and a/c minibus The government
bus station is about 2km west of town at the intersection
of Highway 105 and the main east-west street, Th
Indharakiri, with motorbike taxis shuttling passengers to
the guesthouses. A/c minibuses to and from Phitsanulok
and Sukhothai arrive at a terminus on Th Banthung, near
the south end of the market, while songthaews to
Umphang can be found about 300m to the east on the
same street.
Destinations

MAE SOT
Located only 6km from the Burmese
border, MAE SOT boasts a thriving trade
in gems and teak and a rich ethnic mix of
Burmese, Karen, Hmong and hai, plus a
lively injection of committed NGO
expats working with the thousands of
refugees from Myanmar. It's a relaxed
place to hang out before heading down to
Umphang for some trekking (see box
opposite) - treks can be arranged from
Mae Sot - and chances are you'll meet
some interesting people at one of the
many excellent places to eat.

10

Bangkok (12 daily; 8hr 30min); Chiang Mai
(2 daily; 6hr 30min); Chiang Rai (2 daily; 10hr); Lampang
(2 daily; 4-5hr); Mae Sai (2 daily; 12hr); Phitsanulok (8
daily; 4hr); Sukhothai (9 daily; 2hr 30min-3hr); Umphang
(hourly 7.30am-3.30pm; 4-5hr).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
here's little to see in the small town
apart from several glittering Burmese-
style temples, an ornate Chinese temple
and a bustling, Burmese-influenced day
market with interesting delicacies such
as eels, live toads, tiny tortoises and a
range of insects. Frequent songthaews
(B20) run from hanon Banthung near
the south end of the market to the
Burmese border at Rim Moei , 6km from
Mae Sot, where a large, slightly tacky
market for Burmese handicrafts and
other goods crowds the banks of the
River Moei. Look out for shops selling
exquisite woodcarvings to the east of
the market. At the time of writing,
access to the Burmese village of
Myawaddy on the opposite bank of the
River Moei is only open to farangs for a
day's shopping (B500 entry); visitors are
allowed no further into Myanmar.
When coming back through hai
immigration (6.30am-6pm) you will

ACCOMMODATION
Bai Fern 660 Th Indharakiri T 055 531349, W bai-fern
.com. A popular, well-run and helpful guesthouse in the
centre of town, offering simple rooms with share d
bathrooms, and very good rates for singles. Double B250
Ban Pruksa Th Indharakiri, beyond Wat Arunyaket on
the west side of town T 055 532656, W banpruksa.com.
Comfortably furnished rooms, some with shared hot-
water bathrooms, in a s paciou s modern building with a
nice garden area. Double B300
Duang Kamol (DK) Hotel 298/2 Th Indharakiri, near
the post o ce T 055 531699. Great-value town-centre
hotel offering huge, clean rooms, many of them with
little balconies and some with a/c and hot showers. The
entranc e is o n the first floor, above a series of shops.
Double B250

EATING AND DRINKING
Borderline Tea Garden Th Indharakiri, behind the
Borderline crafts shop. Cheap Burmese dishes (mostly
B30-40), including tea-leaf salad and potato curry,
Burmese tea, lemon-grass juice and other healthy drinks,
are sold at this simple, relaxed tea garden. Also runs
cookery classes (B450-1000 depending on group size).
Tues-Sun 10am-6pm.
Casa Mia Th Don Kaew, off Th Indharakiri west of Ban
Pruksa Guest House . Delicious home-made pastas and
pizzas (from B130), as well as Thai food, veggie options
and great cakes. Daily except Sat 7.30am-10pm.

Most of the aid organizations that work in
the Burmese refugee camps welcome
donations, and some are happy to receive
visitors and even short-term volunteers;
ask at Borderline or Krua Canadian
restaurant (see opposite).