Mae Hong Son Loop Recommendations

[phills2k1]

Hey all,

 

Will be making this pilgrimage in the next few weeks.  Been doing as much research as I can, but are there any sights / restaurants I absolutely can't miss on my ride?

 

Thanks!

[Pond Life]

If you like to meet other bikers, Mae Sariang guest houses, Above the Sea & Riverside are both good & opposite each other. They seemed to be about the only happening places just before Christmess.

[Sticky Rice Balls]

Sidenote Was thinking of riding my old honda dream 100cc to Pai-----is that a big enough engine size to make it there?......as far as elevation or any hills--it made it up doi suthep+ phuphing palace last week

[Pond Life]

Any bike in good working order will make it.

The road has been improved a lot in the last few years.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

Consider going via the Doi Inthanon way. That's a very interesting way to go, but miss out the lower part of the loop. Road was very poorly signposted when I went and went the wrong way for some distance, so make sure you check the route on the internet map before doing it.

 

If the flowers are blooming when you go, that is apparently worth it. Some way off the main road. I regret that I never got to see them.

There's a museum somewhere on the western route that is supposed to be worth it.

 

100% recommend Cave Lodge for a night and watch the 300,000 Swifts flying into the cave in the evening. Absolutely spectacular.

https://www.lensofjen.org/summer-camp-at-the-cave-lodge/

[trawler]

Where to start...Overnight in Pai and do the walking street.There is a great temple up a hill to watch the sunset(Mae Hi.)Take a look at the Bamboo bridge.Blue Ox has great food and there is a Ban Mi hole in the wall shop on walking street thats good.Get up early and go up to Wiang Tai village and the look out point above the village and watch the sunrise.

Pang Mapha and stop at the noodle shopJabo Noodles(Ban Jabo.)

If you like some Yunnan food then detour to Ban Rak Thai and eat at Lee restaurant and enjoy the view over the lake.

Mae Hong Son is stunning,lake in the center of town is empty at the mo due work.lovely Wat next to lake,(Burmese style)Again get up early and drive up to Wat Phrathat Doi Kongmu and grab a coffee and watch the sunrise over the mountains with Mae Hong Son below you in the morning mists.

Try Kao Soi for breakfast at Khaw Soi Panoon(she has been making it for 40 years)

We stayed at B2 in Pai and Mae Hong Son,around 7-800 baht per night.Worked for us.

Mae Sarieng is lovely as well but cannot comment as forgotton where we went/stayed.Hope this helps.ciao

Edited January 28, 2022 by trawler

[thaibeachlovers]

On 1/22/2022 at 4:47 AM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Sidenote Was thinking of riding my old honda dream 100cc to Pai-----is that a big enough engine size to make it there?......as far as elevation or any hills--it made it up doi suthep+ phuphing palace last week

IMO the problem with riding a bike to Pai/ MHS is that parts of the route are very sparsely populated so if you get a puncture or break down for any reason it could be difficult getting assistance. For that reason alone I'd drive a car. If you do use the bike watch out for the vans. They have a bad reputation for speeding.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, trawler said:

Where to start...Overnight in Pai and do the walking street.There is a great temple up a hill to watch the sunset(Mae Hi.)Take a look at the Bamboo bridge.Blue Ox has great food and there is a Ban Mi hole in the wall shop on walking street thats good.Get up early and go up to Wiang Tai village and the look out point above the village and watch the sunrise.

Pang Mapha and stop at the noodle shopJabo Noodles(Ban Jabo.)

If you like some Yunnan food then detour to Ban Rak Thai and eat at Lee restaurant and enjoy the view over the lake.

Mae Hong Son is stunning,lake in the center of town is empty at the mo due work.lovely Wat next to lake,(Burmese style)Again get up early and drive up to Wat Phrathat Doi Kongmu and grab a coffee and watch the sunrise over the mountains with Mae Hong Son below you in the morning mists.

Try Kao Soi for breakfast at Khaw Soi Panoon(she has been making it for 40 years)

We stayed at B2 in Pai and Mae Hong Son,around 7-800 baht per night.Worked for us.

Mae Sarieng is lovely as well but cannot comment as forgotton where we went/stayed.Hope this helps.ciao

I never had any desire to stay in Pai, but there are some great restaurants on the eastern approach. Very pretty scenery to enjoy while eating. There were a couple of romantic spots where couples in "love" could have photos taken beside large "hearts" or suchlike.

[Sticky Rice Balls]

20 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO the problem with riding a bike to Pai/ MHS is that parts of the route are very sparsely populated so if you get a puncture or break down for any reason it could be difficult getting assistance. For that reason alone I'd drive a car. If you do use the bike watch out for the vans. They have a bad reputation for speeding.

Ive considered both of those concerns----still debating the trip...the latter is the bigger concern

[The Hammer2021]

21 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO the problem with riding a bike to Pai/ MHS is that parts of the route are very sparsely populated so if you get a puncture or break down for any reason it could be difficult getting assistance. For that reason alone I'd drive a car. If you do use the bike watch out for the vans. They have a bad reputation for speeding.

But you would have the same problem  if your car broke down!

[The Hammer2021]

22 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Ive considered both of those concerns----still debating the trip...the latter is the bigger concern

Don't worry. You are on a regular bus/van route in case of emergency..

[EricTh]

On 1/28/2022 at 3:58 PM, trawler said:

 

We stayed at B2 in Pai and Mae Hong Son,around 7-800 baht per night.Worked for us.

 

 

I find 800 baht quite expensive especially in a small town. Do you know of a cheaper version?

 

A 3 star is more than enough.

 

[KhunLA]

8 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

I find 800 baht quite expensive especially in a small town. Do you know of a cheaper version?

 

A 3 star is more than enough.

 

800 baht ... seems more than fair ... I've paid more for less

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by KhunLA

[CharlieH]

Reported post removed.

 

 

[HaoleBoy]

Do stop in Ban Rak Thai - just before Mae Hong Son ... beautiful area with the tea growing on the hillsides.

 

[daveAustin]

Driven it, ridden it, cycled it many times. If you're adventurous and on a bike (scrambler best), the back route to Pai via Samoeng is a blast. Last time I did it--few years ago--they'd sealed a fair amount compared to years before. 

 

If still going, Fern Resort in MHS is really nice. Stayed there when it first opened... comes with pool. Owners also have/had a tasty restaurant in town.

Ban Rak Thai is an interesting side trip up from MHS... fish cave also up that road.

 

Still like Pai, even if it was spoiled somewhat after that silly movie and the advent of 7-11s and traffic lights of all things.

 

Would do the Loop as suggested, back through Doi Inthanon. 

 

@Sticky Rice BallsNo worries on a Dream; you'll even go past cars and trucks on the bends.

Edited January 30, 2022 by daveAustin

[HaoleBoy]

10 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Driven it, ridden it, cycled it many times. If you're adventurous and on a bike (scrambler best), the back route to Pai via Samoeng is a blast. Last time I did it--few years ago--they'd sealed a fair amount compared to years before. 

 

Back way is great ...

We ride to Pai the normal way for breakfast then come back through Bang Wat Chan / Samoeng on Harleys no problem.

[Sticky Rice Balls]

When u say back way what exactly does that mean?

any links or maps?...im in no rush so can take the long way --slow n steady

[Pond Life]

Here's some pic/vid of the real back way to Wat Chan.

No Harleys seen ????

For routes, I highly recomend the paper/plastic map "Mae Hongson Loop" from GT Rider, then cross reference it with Google maps.

The downside of Google maps is you have to zoom in a lot to see the smaller roads & you lose context. The paper map is much better for the zoomed ot view. 

https://www.thegtrider.com/maps-of-thailand-laos-maps

They have an enourmous amount of detail & they've all been riden so they are accurate.

[daveAustin]

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

When u say back way what exactly does that mean?

any links or maps?...im in no rush so can take the long way --slow n steady

Here you go. As Pond Life says, gtrider has a good site (photo of the route, link below).

 

 

 

Link to trip report here. You basically turn off along the Mae Sa Valley (after Mae Rim) along the 1096 of the Samoeng Loop--or go south past the airport then along the 1269--get to Samoeng and go on from there. Looks like GT also incorporated a side route along the 4021.

 

Going by that, it is all sealed now. While safer, it was fun to have a variety of surfaces. First did it mid Noughties when most of it was unsealed. What a buzz. Seem to remember there being another offshoot, avoiding Wat Chan, but that was 'proper' off-roading.

 

Regards your Dream, even if unsealed, it'd handle it... built for the mountains. I used to take my old Wave up the back route to Dot Suthep via Huay Tung Tao lake!

 

Have fun!

 

 

 

[bubba]

On 1/30/2022 at 11:25 AM, HaoleBoy said:

Do stop in Ban Rak Thai - just before Mae Hong Son ... beautiful area with the tea growing on the hillsides.

 

 

Ban Rak Thai is not quite just before Mae Hong Son. The village is actually nearly an hour's drive off of the main highway (1095) and includes some fairly steep climbs. But yes, it is indeed a beautiful little Chinese KMT village, albeit a bit touristy.