Mae Hong Son

[bobrcb]

I shall be in Chiang Mai between 26 February to 1 March. I had intended visiting Mae Hong Son on 27 February to visit the market, which presumably has many Burmese items. Yesterday, I checked out how to get there from Chiang Mai, and although you can go by plane in 35 minutes, earliest arrival time would be 10.35 hrs. and last departure 17.30 hrs. which with taxi to and from the airport and check-in time, would leave very little time to look around the town?

1. If I were to hire a car/minibus with driver, is it practical to do this trip in a day, without setting out at the crack of dawn? Any suggestions where I could hire transport?

2. What time does the market close?

Grateful for any advice. Unfortunately, I have already paid for 3 nights hotel in Chiang Mai, and have a business meeting on the morning of 28 February, so staying overnight this time is not an option.

Bobrcb

[Thetyim]

That road has more hairpin bends than any other I know.

You will not be able to do it in one day

[bobrcb]

Thetyim

Thank you for confirming what I suspected. I'll wait until my next visit and stay overnight.

Bobrcb

[PeaceBlondie]

By the way, there's been talk that the flight CMai-MaeHongSon might be discontinued. Anyway, the airport is so close to town that nothing takes more than 5-10 minutes.

MHSon is too pleasant to be done in a half day. Try to book a nice guesthouse right on the little lake by the temples. Many hill tribes there, especially Tai Yai.

But that road is murder. I rode back alone last time on my motorcycle in about 8 hours, but a car would take forever.

[scottie]

Agree not possible in one day.

I too used to look at flying, thinking such a short flight. Surely driving can't be that long or bad.

Well last month for the first time we visited MHS. What a road!! Apparently (if I remember right 1,864 bends!)

We over nighted in Pai....loved it there.

Then spent 2 nights MHS. Visited market early in morning, quite foggy in morning.

Came back via Mae Sariang..did the "Loop".

The other reason we never flew was we weren't keen on flight times,just didn't fit in.

Definitely do it when you have more time.

Oh the drive is spectacular. Mountain after mountain, hour after hour covered in jungle & forest.

Awesome.

Scottie

[JXXXL]

Quite seriously, if you get car sick, better expect a miserable drive. I don't have a problem if I am driving, but if I'm in the back of a mini-bus on a road like that, I may spew .

I rode there on a bike and did the loop. On the way home, I took a nasty spill on on of the 1,000+ hairpin turns - had to ride home in the back of a truck with my battered bike and bloody limbs.

It's a beautiful place though.

[ovenman]

I've done the Mae Hong Son loop in a single day, outbound from Chiang Mai on the southern route through Mae Sariang and return from Mae Hong Son via the northern route through Pai. This is a long haul though and I can't say that I would really recommend it to anybody.

[Ajarn]

I've done the Mae Hong Son loop in a single day, outbound from Chiang Mai on the southern route through Mae Sariang and return from Mae Hong Son via the northern route through Pai.  This is a long haul though and I can't say that I would really recommend it to anybody.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You sound like some friends of mine. Non stop to the Malaysian border in 16 hours from CM, among other feats (fits? ). One friend did The MHS Loop in just over 7 hours, as I remember.

[ovenman]

You sound like some friends of mine. Non stop to the Malaysian border in 16 hours from CM, among other feats (fits? ).  One friend did The MHS Loop in just over 7 hours, as I remember. 

Chiang Mai to Malaysia in sixteen hours!? The OvenMan can be a little crazy but he's not that crazy.

[davidgtr]

If you like riding big motorbikes then the Mae Hong Son loop is not that bad a day trip.

Ive done it on a Honda Dream in a day & it was awesome fun.

Check out http://board.gt-rider.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=134 if you want to see a full report.

Going to MHS for lunch is not uncommon for some of Chiang Mai's big bike riders.

The same goes for almost any other town in North Thailand - nothing's more than 4 hrs good fast ride away. Get an early start & you can be back by dark quite easily.

[Ajarn]

If you like riding big motorbikes then the Mae Hong Son loop is not that bad a day trip.

Ive done it on a Honda Dream in a day & it was awesome fun.

Check out http://board.gt-rider.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=134 if you want to see a full report.

Going to MHS for lunch is not uncommon for some of Chiang Mai's big bike riders.

The same goes for almost any other town in North Thailand - nothing's more than 4 hrs good fast ride away. Get an early start & you can be back by dark quite easily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

David, I've ridden with you enough times to know that's easy for you to say!

Some of us mortals don't have butts of stone..