Bus from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son and south to Lamphun.

[thaibeachlovers]

Is it easy to get buses/ van/ songtheaw from Mae Hong Son south and around to Lamphun? I don't want to just go to Mae Hong Son and back on the same road to Chiang Mai.

Does The Green bus line go to MHS?

Thanks.

[asanee]

applies also to your other Qs: most easily to be found in a decent guidebook.

There are NO long-dist. songhthaews from MHS any further as nearby Karen/refugee hamlets.

There are 2 main routes to CM: via Pai and Via Mae Sariang-which also means with some clever planning you do not need to ''bektrek''.

ONLY the 1/day (that is-if it still runs) BKK bound overnite bus-that dep. MHS around 14/15, takes a slight shortcut bypass CMai-but I really dont know if that also means bypassing Lamphun or not.

There may be the odd ST into Lamphun from some point along the M.Sariang-CMai road-ask busstaff, but I doubt it will save any time nor money compared with via Cmai. Its more likely it will be 2-via some inter-village, with hardly any connection after midday.

TV is quite bad for Qs like yours-use a decent traveller forum-this is mainly for fat expats that will tell you that buses are no-go and too dangerous, that your obligatory Thai GF will ask and then be able to tell.

[thaibeachlovers]

applies also to your other Qs: most easily to be found in a decent guidebook.

There are NO long-dist. songhthaews from MHS any further as nearby Karen/refugee hamlets.

There are 2 main routes to CM: via Pai and Via Mae Sariang-which also means with some clever planning you do not need to ''bektrek''.

ONLY the 1/day (that is-if it still runs) BKK bound overnite bus-that dep. MHS around 14/15, takes a slight shortcut bypass CMai-but I really dont know if that also means bypassing Lamphun or not.

There may be the odd ST into Lamphun from some point along the M.Sariang-CMai road-ask busstaff, but I doubt it will save any time nor money compared with via Cmai. Its more likely it will be 2-via some inter-village, with hardly any connection after midday.

TV is quite bad for Qs like yours-use a decent traveller forum-this is mainly for fat expats that will tell you that buses are no-go and too dangerous, that your obligatory Thai GF will ask and then be able to tell.

Thank you for the parts of your reply that anwered my question.

FYI my intention isn't to save time or money. I have plenty of time and enough money, but I will take you advice and go back the alternate route.

What qualifies as a decent traveller forum in you opinion? I'd rather ask expats than some gap year dreadhead that spent a couple of weeks in LOS stoned out of his head.

BTW, I have a Thai wife, not a GF, and she doesn't know about south of MHS, but she wants me to take the bus there.

[Lakegeneve]

Green Bus doesn't do MHS last time I checked but check their website as that may have changed. Your intention to do a circular trip is understandable.

Also, you should be able to do the whole circular route with the journey between Mae Sariang and Lamphun requiring specific local knowledge of the available options.

To that extent, you really should have searched and then posted your query on the Chiang Mai sub forum where locals should be able to give you very specific advice. Post it again there.