Mae Hong Son
Table of Contents: Travel to Mae Hong Son, visa requirements Flights to Mae Hong Son, airtickets By road Buses to Mae Hong Son By train / Get around / Mae Hong Son attractions and sightseeing / City tours / Shopping, Mae Hong Son souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Mae Hong Son nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Budget / Mid-range / Splurge / Get out More from Mae Hong Son %28province%29: Mae Hong Son |
Mae Hong Son (pop. 7000) is a small outpost town in Northern Thailand, near the border with Myanmar.
Get in
By plane
The most comfortable but also most expensive option is a 30 minute flight from Chiang Mai with Thai Airways (about 1000 baht one-way). Nonstop jet service from Bangkok to Mae Hong Son is also available from PB Air.
By road
There are two road options from Chiang Mai, both taking 6-7 hours by car. Route 1095 via Pai (280 km) is the more scenic drive, while route 108 via Mae Sariang (350 km) is an easier drive.
By bus
Regular services connect Mae Hong Son with Chiang Mai (Arcade bus terminal) and the entire trip will take at least 7-8 hours. There are also several minibus services catering for tourists which are a little bit more expensive than the regular buses. Buses go via Pai or Mae Sariang so take the one you like. The bus station is at the northern part of the main road (Thanon Khunlum Praphat).
There is also an overnight bus to Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal (Moh Chit) which takes about 16-17 hours.
By train
There is no train service to Mae Hong Son.
Get around
This is a small town so walking is the way to get around. If your feet get cramped take one of the many tuk-tuks.
See
Walk around the picturesque lake and visit the surrounding wats. Wat Phra That Soi Kong Mu (aka Wat Phai Doi) overlooks the town from the west and offers superb views.
Do
- Trekking - one of the main reasons for tourist to go to Mae Hong Son is to go trekking in the surrounding mountains and visiting the so-called hill-tribes. Nearly every guest house offers tours. There are also many other tours on offer.
- Fish Cave (Thumpla) - near the village of Huay Pha, about 17 km from Mae Hong Son (Highway 1095), this is a beautiful spot to escape the heat
- Pha Sua waterfall - 26 km from Mae Hong Son on the road to Pai, this waterfall consists of six levels and offers some fine walks
Buy
There is an interesting night market at the lake where you can buy art and handcrafts from the hill-tribes.
Eat
Many restaurants are along the main road and the night market where there are also many food-stalls.
Drink
Sleep
Mae Hong Son has a broad range of guest houses, mainly located around the lake. There are several hotels within the city. If you've got your own transport there are several more resorts a little bit out of town. Take a look before checking-in because there are always changes...
Budget
- Friend House, 20 Phaditchongkam Road, tel: (053) 620 119 - near the lake and town centre. 13 rooms, 100-350 baht.
- Johnnie Guest House, 5/1 Udomchawnitech Road, tel: (053) 611 667 - located next to the lake, but you'll have to walk about two blocks to get to it. 8 rooms, 100-250 baht.
- Palm House, 22/1 Chamnansahait Road, tel: (053) 614 022 - 14 large clean rooms near the lake with TV/UBC, 350-600 baht.
- Pana Huts tel: (66) 0-5361-4331 [1]
- Piya Guest House, 1/1 Khunlumphrapat Soi 3, tel: (053) 611 260 fax: (053) 612 308. Clean rooms, many with TVs and all with aircon. Good location. AC private bedroom 600 baht. 14 rooms.
- Yok Guest House, 14 Sirimongkol Road, Tambon Chong Klum, tel: 6653-611523, 611318 - 9 rooms, rates 200-300 baht
Mid-range
- Panorama Hotel tel: (66) 0-5361-1757-62 [2]
- Soppong River Inn [3]
Splurge
- Fern Rim Tarn Resort tel: (66) 0-5368-6110-1 [4]
- Imperial Tara Mae Hong Son tel: (66) 0-5368-4444 [5]
- Maehongson Mountain Inn tel: (66) 0-5361-1802-3, (66) 0-5361-2285 [6]
- Maehongson Riverside tel: (66) 0-5368-4143, (66) 0-5368-4145 [7]
- Rooks Holiday Hotel & Resort, 114/5-7 Khunlumprapas Road, tel:(66) 0-5361-2324-9, (66) 0-5361-1390 [8] - one of the more upmarket places in Mae Hong Son and offers wooden cottages as well as standard hotel rooms (starting at 1400 baht). It's a little bit out of town but within 10-15 minutes walk of the night market / city centre. Some of the cottages are in need of a little refurbishing so take a look before check-in.
Get out
More from Mae Hong Son %28province%29: Mae Hong Son |
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