Mae Hong Son is not an off-the-beaten-path part of Thailand. Well, not exactly—and least not all of it. In fact, you could argue that one destination in particular (the “hippie” town of Pai) is downright mainstream, and has been for a long time.
All of which is to say that there’s no good reason it took me as long to visit Mae Hong Son as it did. I just didn’t want to go until very recently.
Whether you take a road trip along the Mae Hong Son Loop from Chiang Mai, or a standalone trekking trip, this Mae Hong Son travel guide leaves no stone unturned.
Where to Base Yourself in Mae Hong Son
If you’ve never been to this part of Thailand, your inclination may be simply to search for Mae Hong Son hotels and be done with it. And in some ways, this is fine. Although Mae Hong Son town is hours away from some of the other places in the province you’ll want to visit, it is nonetheless my favorite place there. The Fern Resort is one of my favorite places I’ve ever stayed, and not just because Brangelina stayed there 20 years earlier.
On the other hand, unless you plan simply to fly to Mae Hong Son and explore destinations right around the city, I’d encourage searching for hotels elsewhere. These destinations include the “hippie” town of Pai (which these days, as I’ll explain later, mostly hosts bougey bro- and babe-packers) and Mae Sariang, a sleepy river town I initially felt ambivalent about but eventually loved.
What to Do Along the Mae Hong Son Loop
Chill out in Pai
Or rather, don’t. Indeed, while I loved my organic (and seemingly vegan) “Buddha bowl” at the Earth Tone restaurant near the foot of Pai’s Big Buddha, the reality is that the town mostly left me cold. I suppose this was because far from being some hippie commune, Pai seems to be a place instead where affluent bros and babes to come and cosplay as hippies.
Take Ban Rak Thai with a grain of salt…er rice
If I’m honest, my first couple of days driving the Mae Hong Son Loop were disappointing. Pai, as I’ve explained, left a lot to be desired. Then, on the way to Mae Hong Son, the top destination on my list (the village of Ban Rak Thai) was…not what I was expecting. Far from the “prettiest town in Thailand” (which it was apparently once voted), it’s basically a retail resort park designed to look vaguely Chinese, in spite of being nearly in Myanmar.
TIP: The Mae Hong Son Loop is about the journey, not the destination. Which is why Pha Suea Waterfall, located just along the way to the town, makes the entire trip worth it.
Savor Mae Hong Son
For me, the Mae Hong Son Loop begins in…well, Mae Hong Son. There’s not a lot of “there” there, in the town, even if the Burmese-style Wat Chong Kham adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the walking street. Rather it’s the vibe, both here and on the outskirts (including at the aforementioned Fern Resort) that provide what I consider the first real sense of arrival along the Loop.
See the “sunflowers”
If you drive the Mae Hong Son Loop in November or December like I did, you’ll see lots of advertisements for a “sunflower” field known officially as Thung Bua Thong. I put sunflower in quotes because the flowers in these fields (which are, admittedly, impressive) are more like Brown-eyed Susans. Regardless, this is a very worthwhile stop along your journey if the time is right.
Reflect on it all in Mae Sariang
To be honest, I arrived in Mae Sariang in a state of cognitive dissonance. On one hand, the town was everything I could’ve wanted, in a visual sense. A sleepy single street along a muddy, still river and barely any foreigners around at all. On the other hand, the locals there didn’t seem especially friendly or welcoming. I ultimately concluded this was a good thing; it will prevent anyone from “discovering” this place.
Should You Drive the Mae Hong Son Loop?
Part of the reason it took me so long to visit Mae Hong Son? I didn’t simply want to visit one place. And while you can get a bus from Chiang Mai to Pai, or fly to Mae Hong Son, the reality is that public transport just isn’t sufficient to piece the trip together, at least not unless you have a ton of time (and patience—I have neither). It wasn’t until very recently that driving in Thailand ceased intimidating me.
Indeed, I’ve assembled this Mae Hong Son itinerary primarily with the assumption that you would be following in my footsteps (er…tire tracks) and driving the loop yourself. Or, at least, with the assistance of a hired driver. You can of course visit these destinations individually, but to me they’re more impressive (and, more than being impressive, they seem more essential) when experienced as a collective.
Other FAQ About Visiting Mae Hong Son
How long does it take to do the Mae Hong Son Loop?
You can do the Mae Hong Son Loop is as little as three nights. So one night each in Pai, Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang (in reverse order) and the drives in between them (and from Chiang Mai to Pai, and Pai to Mae Hong Son), which range in length from 3-6 hours, depending upon how often you stop for sightseeing and pictures.
What is the famous Mae Hong Son Loop?
The famous Mae Hong Son Loop is a constellation of towns in Mae Hong Son province north of Chiang Mai, which is connected by a “loop” (primarily Highways 1095 and 108) that allows you to see all its destinations while driving a contiguous circuit, either by car or motorbike.
Which way do you drive the Mae Hong Son Loop?
The majority of travelers begin the Mae Hong Son Loop with the “Road to Pai”—in other words, they start in Pai, which is counter-clockwise along the Loop when driving from Chiang Mai. However, you can of course head first to Mae Sariang, then go to Mae Hong Son and finally to Pai before heading back to Chiang Mai.
The Bottom Line
I hope you’ve found my Mae Hong Son travel guide useful, no matter why you’ve decided to head to Thailand’s far north. Some travelers start in Chiang Mai, where they rent a motorbike (or car, like I did) and drive the Mae Hong Son Loop, including Pai, Mae Sariang and of course, Mae Hong Son town. In other cases, you’ll fly to Mae Hong Son, where you may enjoy local trekking, or simply hunker down amid the jungle and relax. In either case, you can use my guide to plan your trip. Or, if you want personalized assistance, commission a custom Thailand itinerary and let me do the work for you.
