Mae Hong Son Loop

[RickG16]

How many days should it take on motorbikes at a leisurely pace? 

 

And does anyone have suggestions on the best places to stay along the way.

 

Cheers

[banglay]

Just finished a 4042 km  circuit which included the loop ...if you're not time bound   just take one day at a time and enjoy. ...  the roads they are deserted at the moment but there's still a lot of crazy truck drivers from the Evel Knievel school of motoring  ... PLUS  a lot of the resorts around that area are closed ... but there's always another one open just round the corner.  

[RickG16]

12 minutes ago, banglay said:

Just finished a 4042 km  circuit which included the loop ...if you're not time bound   just take one day at a time and enjoy. ...  the roads they are deserted at the moment but there's still a lot of crazy truck drivers from the Evel Knievel school of motoring  ... PLUS  a lot of the resorts around that area are closed ... but there's always another one open just round the corner.  

Thanks Banglay. Would you mind noting which places you stopped overnight at along the way?

 

[seedy]

Done it many many times as it is in my back yard.

Are you going CNX 1095 Pai MHS ? Then 108 back to CNX ?

Or CNX 1269 Samoeng 1349 Wat Chan Pai ... ?

[RickG16]

1 minute ago, seedy said:

Done it many many times as it is in my back yard.

Are you going CNX 1095 Pai MHS ? Then 108 back to CNX ?

Or CNX 1269 Samoeng 1349 Wat Chan Pai ... ?

Undecided yet pal. Just in the planning stage. What do you recommend?

 

Will be starting in CNX

[Greenwich Boy]

Did it last week. CM, Pai, MHS and Mae Sariang. Side trips to a couple of bamboo walkways, Ban Rak Thai and the Burmese border on the Salawin River near Mae Sariang. Heading out now but if you want details of what is open, booze availability and hotels we stayed in can provide later.

[RickG16]

20 minutes ago, Greenwich Boy said:

 if you want details of what is open, booze availability and hotels we stayed in can provide later.

Would be great

[Bredbury Blue]

Plenty of vids on YouTube of people doing it on motorbikes which should give you an idea.

 

I'm never sure when people say the MHS Loop do they mean the big one that goes from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot and back or the smaller loop of Chiang Mai to Mae Sariang and back.

 

Drove the big loop a few years ago, we loved it. Especially loved the drive from Mae Sot to Pai. Loved Mae Sariang, MHS and Pai. 

 

Route was:

BKK to Sukhothai (1 night at hotel at airport)

Visited the brilliant Si Satchanalai Historical Park (2nd night at hotel at airport)

Sukhothai via Tak for lunch and on to Mae Sot (1 night at centara hotel)

Mae Sot to Mae Sariang (1 night at Riverhouse hotel) *mistake not to stay an extra day at M.S.

Mae Sariang to Mae Hong Son (2 nights at Imperial)

MHS to Pai (2 nights at The Quarter)

Pai to Chiang Mai (2 nights)

Chiang Mai to Sukhothai airport again (1 night)

Back to BKK

[seedy]

45 minutes ago, Greenwich Boy said:

 the Burmese border on the Salawin River near Mae Sariang.

Turned back at the park gate Sunday

[seedy]

1 hour ago, RickG16 said:

Undecided yet pal. Just in the planning stage. What do you recommend?

 

Will be starting in CNX

I like the Wat Chan route to get to Pai. Next to no traffic, great road.

Easy day ride from CNX.

But the 1095 is quicker if you in a hurry. CNX Pai MHS easy day ride.

Have gone there for lunch before, return CNX !!! 555

Pai walking street starting - still quiet but getting there. I stay in B2 in Pai, nice pool. Piya in MHS. Right downtown by the lake and night time walking street across the road. Nice pool there too

[krieke]

4 hours ago, Greenwich Boy said:

Did it last week. CM, Pai, MHS and Mae Sariang. Side trips to a couple of bamboo walkways, Ban Rak Thai and the Burmese border on the Salawin River near Mae Sariang. Heading out now but if you want details of what is open, booze availability and hotels we stayed in can provide later.

Would also be interested in more info, as we plan to do the loop in mid December. Thanks.

[farang51]

Maybe you will find this Google Map useful:

Mae Hong Son Loop

It has a lot of info on what to see along the way and some suggestions about where to stay.

[seedy]

For the best info, lots of pics, trip reports, go to Google - GT-Rider Forum - MHS loop

[Greenwich Boy]

13 hours ago, seedy said:

Turned back at the park gate Sunday

Agreed. We got to Mae Sam Lap, had a coffee, took some photos and headed back the same way. Never did get a straight answer as to why we could not do the loop through the park. State of the road maybe?

[seedy]

13 minutes ago, Greenwich Boy said:

Agreed. We got to Mae Sam Lap, had a coffee, took some photos and headed back the same way. Never did get a straight answer as to why we could not do the loop through the park. State of the road maybe?

Covid

[jackdd]

If only riding and maybe 1 or 2 smaller discourses on the way, then 2 days.

If you want to spend a night in Pai, plan to visit the caves, hot springs, ban cha bo, ban rak Thai and some other villages then you can also spend 3 or 4 days

[Greenwich Boy]

14 hours ago, RickG16 said:

Would be great

In Pai we stayed at Sawasdeepai River Resort. Good location shame the pool was out of action due to Covid. Booze widely available in restaurants and bars. On the way in to Pai we diverted to Kho Kuu So bamboo bridge which goes over paddy fields to a temple. Prettier before the harvest comes in.

On the way to MHS we went to Ban Rak Thai for lunch which is an ethnic Chinese village on the Burmese border. If you have little ones with you there is a fish cave just before the turn off to BRK (the food stalls in the car park do excellent roast chicken and pork)

MHS stayed at Piya Guesthouse. Next to the lake. Pool open. No bars but got a drink with dinner.

Girls went early morning to feed the monks at a temple over another bamboo bridge. Su Tong Pae.. very pretty early morning with mist over the river..

On the way to Mae Sariang we stopped at the sunflower fields off from Khun Yuam but not sure when they stop flowering.

Mae Sariang was Riverbank Resort (everything seems to be River something) which as expected had views of the river. Only one restaurant was serving booze, think it was called Riverhouse.

From there went to Mae Sam Lap which is a village on the Salawin river on the border. A few boats there working the river, reckon you could hire one for a trip but we did not. The road is a bit rough and you have to turn around and come back the same way. We could not get through the park.

Enjoy your trip.

[Mickeem]

45 minutes ago, jackdd said:

If only riding and maybe 1 or 2 smaller discourses on the way, then 2 days.

If you want to spend a night in Pai, plan to visit the caves, hot springs, ban cha bo, ban rak Thai and some other villages then you can also spend 3 or 4 days

Yes Tham Lot cave near Soppong well worth a visit there are guesthouses nearby .. also Ban Jabo the Black Lahu village on the 1226 has homestays and amazing sunrise views

 

 

 

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

2 minutes ago, Mickeem said:

Yes Tham Lot cave near Soppong well worth a visit there are guesthouses nearby .. also Ban Jabo the Black Lahu village on the 1226 has homestays and amazing sunrise views

 

 

 

 

I usually stay in the Jungle guest house in Soppong , 3-400 Baht

 

[seedy]

3 hours ago, Greenwich Boy said:

On the way to Mae Sariang we stopped at the sunflower fields off from Khun Yuam but not sure when they stop flowering.

Full bloom Saturday.

End of the month they start to disappear

[EricTh]

On 11/24/2021 at 5:53 PM, Greenwich Boy said:

Did it last week. CM, Pai, MHS and Mae Sariang. Side trips to a couple of bamboo walkways, Ban Rak Thai and the Burmese border on the Salawin River near Mae Sariang. Heading out now but if you want details of what is open, booze availability and hotels we stayed in can provide later.

Can you recommend a hotel to stay in Pai and Ban Rak Thai to stay that is value for money?

 

Are the hotels in Ban Rak Thai cheaper or more expensive than that in Pai?

 

 

 

 

 

[jackdd]

10 hours ago, EricTh said:

Are the hotels in Ban Rak Thai cheaper or more expensive than that in Pai?

Pai is cheaper

[RickG16]

Just checked into Sawasdeepai River Resort in Pai. Made the mistake of booking an air con room because with the temperature it really isn't needed!