I accept, from the jump, that most people aren’t going to be looking for a Tak travel guide. Tak, after all, is one of the least-visited provinces of Thailand.
Most travelers, to be sure, don’t even know how to pronounce it (the “t” is actually a hard “d” sound; the “a” is long; the “k” is really more of a “g”), let alone have it on their radar of places to visit in Thailand. Of course, if they knew more about Tak—a dearth of knowledge that underscores why I’m even writing this article in the first place—that might not be the case.
No matter where on this continuum you currently fall, I hope you’ll give me a few more minutes of your time. I think you might be surprised—I hope you’ll be delighted—with what you find.
Where to Base Yourself in Tak
As you might imagine, most Tak hotels are located in Mae Sot. These range from relatively “nice” options like The Teak Hotel (which is my typical accommodation choice when I’m in the city), to more local-style guest houses such as Monte Mae Sot, to the typical range of Airbnb apartments. Obviously, if you happen to be coming to Tak for humanitarian-related work, you can expect the organization that sponsored you to arrange accommodation.
Likewise, given that reaching Thi Lor Su for most of the year requires an organized tour, you can expect the tour company you work with to book places to stay for you. In the immediate vicinity of the waterfall, this is typically a tent; however, depending on how extensively you explore the countryside around it, you may be able to do some kind of homestay experience, though I warn you: It will be very spartan.
What to Do in Tak
Devote at least a day to Mae Sot
Mae Sot is one of the strangest cities I’ve ever visited in Thailand. In some ways this is a good strangeness; I expected it to feel or maybe even be sketchy, with one exception (which I’ll cite in a subsequent paragraph), it was nothing of the sort. The Burmese architecture and cuisine, however? 10/10; no notes.
Continue onward to Thi Lor Su waterfall
It won’t shock you that I list Thi Lor Su Waterfall high on my list of things to do in Tak. This particular namtok, after all, was my primary reason for visiting this far-western province in the first place. If you do follow in my footsteps, I would suggest visiting a bit closer to the west season than I did—November or December instead of almost-February.
(Or elsewhere in the countryside)
For most travelers, the easily accessible parts of rural Tak province are going to be what you can so en route to and during your Thi Lor Su tour. This means the town of Umphang; other natural attractions like the Rainbow Waterfall; and any number of charming (but spartan) hamlets, where the quaintness of the townscapes make up for the lack of electricity and running water—sort of.
Go to the Myanmar border
Whether while you’re in Mae Sot-proper or during a more…adventurous part of your Tak itinerary, I do recommend getting as close to the border with Myanmar as you can. I always find borders to be an interesting place to hang out, whether for the diversity of cuisine, the eclectic range of people you see, or Mae Sot’s aforementioned Burmese temples.
(But maybe don’t cross it)
With this being said, while I would’ve recommended otherwise prior to covid-19, I simply don’t suggest attempting to cross the border from Thailand to Myanmar by land, or even really to go to Myanmar. This is most acutely to the threat of being kidnapped and forces to work in a “scam center,” but more generally because of Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.
Is Tak Safe?
I’ll be honest: Before I visited Tak, I was a bit concerned. And not for the Thi Lor Su trek, which I knew would be arranged by the tour company I used; I would be with a local guide the entire time. Rather, Mae Sot itself spooked me. I’d read about various disease outbreaks spilling over the border, and although that people had been kidnapped there and taken against their will to scam centers in Myanmar.
Now obviously, I visited Tak and lived to tell about it; I neither got sick nor abducted. On the other hand, as I wrote about above, I did feel slightly sketched out when I was walking around near the border area, even though I was there during the middle of the day. As a result, no matter how many days in Tak you plan to spend, or what you expect to get up to there, I highly recommend that you remain vigilant (but not paranoid).
Other FAQ About Visiting Tak
Is Tak worth visiting?
Tak is absolutely worth visiting! It’s not the most exciting part of Thailand (Mae Sot is an interesting city, but not an especially touristic one; Thi Lor Su waterfall is the only “wow” attraction in the province) but it is authentic, uncrowded and definitely has not fallen victim to anything resembling “overtourism.”
How do I get from Bangkok to Tak?
Nok Air offers nonstop flights from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Mae Sot, though these have become much less frequent (once per day as of the late 2020s, as opposed to up to thrice per day in prior eras) and more expensive as a result of how infrequent they are. The only other option is to ride a bus from Bangkok’s Mo Chit (Northern) Bus Station, which takes around 7 hours en route.
How many days do I need in Tak province?
Tak is a huge province where travel takes a long time. While you can visit Thi Lor Su waterfall (including a night in Mae Sot on the front or back end) with around 3-4 days, more comprehensive explorations of the broader Tak province can easily take a week or even longer.
The Bottom Line
I’m honestly not sure how many of you are even looking for a Tak travel guide. I’m guessing that in most cases, you simply want to plan a trip to Thi Lor Su waterfall, or perhaps that your search for things to do in Mae Sot ended here. Whatever the case, I’m happy you’ve arrived. Jangwat Tak is one of the most interesting provinces in Thailand, and certainly among its least-visited. It’s the very picture of being “off the beaten path” and always surprises (and usually delights) anyone who is adventurous enough to make the journey here. Need a more white-glove approach as you put your Thailand adventure together? Commission a custom Thailand itinerary today!
