As I said, we came down the mountain in near zero visibility and though it was a relief to be able to see again, my hopes for clear skies and perfect conditions for taking pictures never materialized. Still I like driving on cloudy days. The soft muted light which dulls photos is strangely seductive for me when driving long distances.

At the bottom of the mountain we rejoined the 107, following it all the way to Mae Taeng where we turned right onto the 1095 heading toward Pai. People complain about the many tight turns and rough conditions on the road to Pai, and sure there are accidents every year, but I can’t help but think there would be more if the road were in better shape. People drive too fast as it is, so a better road surface would only encourage greater speed.

It is probably a good idea to take a coffee break along the way and there is no shortage of places to stop. Baan Pa Pae was the place we chose to stop at and it was a lovely place perched on the side of the road. Looking out near the tops of the trees one got the feeling of being suspended high in the canopy and the wet misty conditions only made it more romantic.

For me the drive is perhaps the greatest attraction on these trips and destinations provide a direction to travel and places to rest up before continuing down the road. Arriving in Pai we set about searching for a place to stay. Enquiring at several places, we found some were full and others just a bit overpriced. My wife, with the aid of her iPhone, kept looking until she found a really nice place right on the river and close enough to the walking street that we had no more need to drive that night.

We enjoyed walking up and down the street, eating, shopping, people watching and topped it off with a massage. There was even a parade with everyone being invited to a local temple for a traditional Pai celebration of the end of Buddhist Lent.

In the morning, after breakfast, we continued on through Mae Hong Son where the road turned into the 108, headed for Khun Yuam. We had intended on staying at the same place we stayed last time we were in Khun Yuam but when we drove up, the place looked deserted and not as inviting as before. We made a quick, yet reluctant, decision to keep driving.

We turned off the 108 onto the 1263, hoping to find a place to stay on the way to Mae Chaem. This road was the worst of our trip with many potholes, so our progress was slow. There were roadside signs for a place to stay so we stopped to check it out, finding an Australian biker already there, drying out after a wet cold day on the bike. I talked with him while my wife inspected the room and found it not to her liking.

Even in the dimming light, there was nothing for it but to continue on to Mae Chaem where we assumed there would be a better selection of rooms. It was quite dark by the time we made it to Mae Chaem, which made finding a place to stay that much more difficult. Stopping at a market to eat, we asked one of the vendors for suggestions. She directed us to what she assured us was the best place in town.

Turns out she was right, but to my wife’s great disappointment, the four lovely bungalows were all taken and we had to look elsewhere. Just down the road we found a place, not nearly as nice, but it would have to do. We needed to get some rest before tackling the next section of road.

In the dark the night before, the 1263 had turned into the 1088 and now we were to take on the 1192/1009. This is twenty kilometers of torturously steep, narrow and twisty road with blind switchbacks and signs warning you to honk your horn before proceeding around these bends. I have done this road before and know the risks, so I settled in behind a local truck and followed him up the road, allowing him to run interference for me.

You come out just inside the main entrance to Doi Inthanon Park, half way up the mountain, on a road labeled 1284 and turn left to continue up a very nice road to the top of Doi Inthanon, the highest peak in Thailand at 2565 meters above sea level. I suppose it would be nice to visit the mountain on a perfectly clear day, have great views and take amazing photos but every time I have been on the mountain it has been cold and misty.

So this visit felt very familiar, though a little more wet than usual. Still by being patient I did get a few pictures when the mist parted momentarily. My wife got a lot more shots with her iPhone because I was too worried about getting my camera wet. After taking in the sites we headed down the mountain and turned left onto the 108 for Chiang Mai.

Typically we go to Chiang Mai to visit a good friend when she flies up from Bangkok to visit her parents. She not only spoils us with a lovely place to stay but she drives us around to interesting places we would never find on our own. Without her we are a bit lost so thought we would find a hotel close to the weekend walking street. Somehow I thought it was held on Saturday but I was off by one day so our conveniently located Hotel M on the corner ended up not being quite so convenient.

The room was quite small but we had a very good night’s sleep and a delicious breakfast downstairs at the Coffee Club, on the corner of Rajadamnoen Road. We were eager to check out the new shopping mall Pramenada on the outskirts of Chiang Mai but in spite of a great meal at Duke’s, we left disappointed with the shopping experience. Before heading home the next day we had to make a stop at the old Airport Plaza Shopping Mall to look for things my wife couldn’t find at the Pramenada.

The drive home from Chiang Mai on the 118 was uneventful but pleasant and we got home just before dark. It had been a wonderful trip and a great break from our routines but it was really great to be back home, to see Cookie our golden retriever and sleep in our own bed.

Great trip report and great pics! Thanks!

Enjoyed the report and the images. What camera/lens are you using out of curiosity?

Sounds like you didn't spend any time in Mae Hong Son ... only passed through. I have very pleasant memories of the town from about 10 years ago, but perhaps they're not to be trusted. Any reason for not stopping there?

Enjoyed the report and the images. What camera/lens are you using out of curiosity?

Sounds like you didn't spend any time in Mae Hong Son ... only passed through. I have very pleasant memories of the town from about 10 years ago, but perhaps they're not to be trusted. Any reason for not stopping there?

I am pretty sure I was using my NEX-6 on that trip with the standard lens.

When we go on a road trip it isn’t really about a destination. We simply passed through Mae Hong Son and had something to eat before continuing down the road. I am sure it is a nice place and deserves more time but we don’t like to leave the house and animals in the care of others for too long. For us it is all about the journey.

May I write something about the road 1192 from Mae Chaem to Doi Inthanon ?

Not really about the road but where its arriving on rd 1009 going to the summit of Doi Inthanon ;

If you go to Doi Intanon by the normal road 1009 from Chom Thong , you have a toll ;

if you are living here you pay the same price as thai people ; it's a good thing for Villagefarang or me.

but if you arrive from Mae Chaem you don't pay anything because the 1192 arrive on the 1009 after the toll ....

I have more adventures from 2011 to 2013 with the longest being a four parter with lots of pictures. Some of my stuff might be more easily read in my blog format but the rules seem to prohibit me from sharing a link.

I don’t want to monopolize this new forum so perhaps I should let someone else take a turn.

I have more adventures from 2011 to 2013 with the longest being a four parter with lots of pictures. Some of my stuff might be more easily read in my blog format but the rules seem to prohibit me from sharing a link.

I don’t want to monopolize this new forum so perhaps I should let someone else take a turn.

I believe the link to your blog is in your profile?

I have more adventures from 2011 to 2013 with the longest being a four parter with lots of pictures. Some of my stuff might be more easily read in my blog format but the rules seem to prohibit me from sharing a link.

I don’t want to monopolize this new forum so perhaps I should let someone else take a turn.

I believe the link to your blog is in your profile?

I changed the link on my profile page to go to Google Plus because I update that page more frequently. From there you can still find a link or one could always Google my name or add a .com at the end of my name. Villagefarang is everywhere, even has a FaceBook Page and Twitter link.

A twinge of jealous envy...a lovely wife...a lovely adventure...what more could one ask for...thanks for sharing...

Enjoyed your report. Would you mind informing what/where your 8 pictures were taken (in top to bottom order):

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Baan Pa Pae for coffee on the way to Pai.

Our hotel in Pai but can't remember the name off the top of my head.

The view from our balcony.

Somewhere along the 1263 to Mae Chaem but I don't have a specific location.

Somewhere along the 1263 to Mae Chaem but I don't have a specific location.

Gardens on Doi Inthanon.

Classic shot of one pavilion taken from the other.

Here is a bonus shot of the highest point on Doi Inthanon.

The last shot is the Coffee Club, on the corner of Rajadamnoen Road.

that's the way to do it.

love this kind of stuff. We go this way often, on the way to the wife's resort in mae hong son.

^thanks for that.

Love the building in the first photo...love to have that in my garden.

Hope you remember the hotel name. In Pai we stayed at The Quarter next to the hospital. ..nice place but didn't have any great views.

that's the way to do it.

love this kind of stuff. We go this way often, on the way to the wife's resort in mae hong son.

May I ask what's the name of your wife's MHS resort?

I finally found it. Try Googling, Paivimaan Resort.

^thanks for that.

Love the building in the first photo...love to have that in my garden.

Hope you remember the hotel name. In Pai we stayed at The Quarter next to the hospital. ..nice place but didn't have any great views.

^ thanks. As I see decent places of interest or to stay as I read the internet I like to send myself an email of those details for next time I'm planning a visit somewhere. Looks a good place.

The place where Villagefarang shot his photos : the two Pavilion and the very beautiful garden unfortunatly in the thai smog is not the highest point of Thailand;

If you want to be there you continue the road after that place to it's end where there is a military camp , about 3 km more .

We can enter that camp each year when we cycle the Doi Intahnon race bike, beginning in Chom Thong and finishing there, 47 km further, sometimes very, very difficult;

if you ride this road with your car or pickup you can see that sometimes it's a huge % ;

I did that race once, three years ago; hope I can do it next year ( 2016 ) in february;

hope I can do a better time than my 4 hours and 28 minutes .

This shot was taken far beyond the two pavilions and is marked as the highest point in Thailand.

In all fairness, what you see in the pavilion and garden shots is not smog. Rather it is good old fashion fog and cloud created by the cold temperature, relative dew point and high elevation.

This parking is just a few meters after the entrance of the two pavilions ;

as you can read on the blue road sign, we are at

altitude 2157 meters

km 42,000 from Chom Thong

The top is at 2565 m ;

from this mark to the military base there are only 5 kilometers on the road mark which is in front of the blue one

Yes, it's me, the giant on the left side of the photo

A really enjoyable read. makes me castigate myself for my cement feet; to many places I could easily go to and haven't.