Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mae Hong Son loop
To the northwest of Chiang Mai is the Mae Hong Son region, an exquisite yet wild province
known for its beautiful and remote mountains. The quickest way to reach the town Mae
Hong Son is to take a thirty minute flight from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son airport. But
what you save in time you will miss in the lovely scenery on the road. To go by public trans-
portation takes about eight hours on the bus with a few bumps along the way, or you can
take a minibus in about 5-6 hours for additional baht.
You can also rent a motorbike and drive yourself through the whole 370 mile loop, the ulti-
mate way to see the region at whatever pace you like. There are two roads from Chiang Mai,
the shorter northern route that is a more challenging drive but it is also more scenic, at 145
miles long. The southern route is 220 miles from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son and it is an
easierdrive.Manytravelers opttotakethelongerroutetothesouthonthewaytoMaeHong
Son and then the northern road on the way back to Chiang Mai once they are more experi-
enced with the roads. This will also give you a chance to adjust to the aggressive, haphazard
traffic of the other drivers on the road. You can take as little as 4 days or you can go at a
more leisurely speed and spend a few nights along the way to and from Mae Hong Son.
There are many places in Chiang Mai to rent a bike to ride through the loop, even all the way
up to Chiang Rai if you want to go farther north. Keep in mind that while most of Thailand's
roads are paved some of the ones on the loop and nearby are not so it can be tricky to drive
during the heavy rain season from June to October. February to May the valley and fields
are often burning to provide fresh agriculture plots so the smoke can obstruct your views.
Therefore the best time to visit is in the cool dry season from November to February. Re-
member to pack extra socks and a sweater for the nights can get quite cold in the mountains
during that season.
There are many places to stop over while you ride to Mae Hong Son, both in the north and
the south. On the northern trail is Pai, a popular jumping off point for the Mae Hong Son
loop. The steep descent into town is stunning so take it slow and soak up the sights as you
twist and turn down the curvy road. This backpacker-friendly town has many options for
drinking holes and bungalows before you continue on your journey.
Another worthwhile stop is Soppong, a small but restful layover. You can stay for a day or
two and raft through the Tham Lod, a massive cave there. Just before you arrive in Mae
Hong Son consider taking a break in the village of Mae Aw, also known as Ban Rak Thai,
