Mae Hong Son

[Fred C. Dobbs]

Can anyone share any info on this city?

Many farangs there? Nightlife? Can you get a pizza?

[OneeyedJohn]

I drove there in a pickup 2 years ago from C Rai...took me 10 hours.

Like a lot of places here they only come to life at night. We found many different types of places to eat.

Plenty of places to stay.

Pai nearby is well worth a visit as well.

The time of year for our visit was Xmas / /New Year so I guess the farang numbers vary accordingly.

[In the Rai!]

I drove there in a pickup 2 years ago from C Rai...took me 10 hours.

Like a lot of places here they only come to life at night. We found many different types of places to eat.

Plenty of places to stay.

Pai nearby is well worth a visit as well.

The time of year for our visit was Xmas / /New Year so I guess the farang numbers vary accordingly.

Try this out Fred,

This was aimed at Pai but relates to Mae hong son aswell. I found it very useful. I really like Mae hong son personally.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=79862

In The Rai!

Edited November 7, 2006 by In the Rai!

[svenivan]

I have passed Mae Hong Son a couple of times but really not stopped there. But last time I said to my lady that we must go back there and stay for a couple of days to find out how it is. It is a very nice area.

But to get answers to your questions, try the Chiang Mai Forum because that is closer to Mae Hong Son.

Good Luck!

[Potter]

Can anyone share any info on this city?

Many farangs there? Nightlife? Can you get a pizza?

Not much nightlife, but there is a bar/restaurent for farrangs to hang out.

Lots more farrangs and night life in CR.

MHS got very good italian pizza indeed - though more obtions in CR.

Pai usually appeals more to forreigners than MHS. From CM, Pai is half way to MHS.

[Jai Dee]

Pai usually appeals more to forreigners than MHS. From CM, Pai is half way to MHS.

I stayed overnight in Pai back in July this year... the farang in the place reminded me of the 60's or early 70's... sort of hippy-ish.

What's the big attraction for them there?

Back on topic though... the MHS loop was a fantastic (although twisty) drive... absolutely stunning scenery.

[Potter]

Pai usually appeals more to forreigners than MHS. From CM, Pai is half way to MHS.

I stayed overnight in Pai back in July this year... the farang in the place reminded me of the 60's or early 70's... sort of hippy-ish.

What's the big attraction for them there?

Guessing...

Ability to bring their own culture into a forreign country.

Local police enforcement and drugwarnings.

Mild climate.

Just a couple of hours drive away from civilisation.

Higher social status amongst the many rural minorities in the area.

White Water Rafting on the river pai, while visit the village pai.

"Bebob"

Trekking

Ralaxed atmosphere

Does it make any sense?

[CountryBoy]

Anything makes sense if it suits you. Pai is a hippy magnet because there are lots of hippy approved bamboo huts to crash, sleep ot shag in for Thb150. The savings on accomodation alone will leave most with lots of dosh for cheap fags, booze and Thb 100 m/cycle rentals. For the loners there's a high chance of 'connecting' with other hippies at the pub, internet cafes or while floating down the Nam Pai. Then there are the senior hippies in their 40s, 50s and 60s who haven't quite found themselves yet.

MHS? Big city, too stressful for hippies.

[Limbo]

It's rather far from Chiang Rai, isn't it?

Limbo

[Jai Dee]

It's rather far from Chiang Rai, isn't it?

Limbo

Closer to you in CR then me in Sattahip mate.

[svenivan]

It is good they have a place for the hippies in Pai so they don't have to come up here to CR!

I am very happy with that!

[goski]

It is good they have a place for the hippies in Pai so they don't have to come up here to CR!

I am very happy with that!

And since we are off topic with Pai I would like to continue with some pictures from that area (now when I finally remembered how to insert them). I went with a friend to Pai on ordinary 110 mopeds and considering my size I'm very proud of the outcome.

The road from Mae Malai to Pai is inteteresting enough but going back the same way is something that I usually tend to avoid. Looking at the map of the Chiang Mai province gives you very few alternatives if you want to return to Chiang Rai along a different route. But, if you are up for a few hours of fun (?) and you don't mind off roading, preferably with better bikes than the one we used, there is a very small track going from Pai to Wiang Haeng north of Pai. It's about 60 km to drive but for us it took more or less 4 hours to complete.

It's impossible to drive a car, jeep, humvee or even a tank along that road since it lacks any concrete (except for a couple of strips every now and then), mud, water, rocks and big holes and or course a ravine just next to you that invites for a free fall of about 300 meters. I think my 110 cc Suzuki (smash junior) was exactly the right vehicle for the trip if it had only had twice the size of tires and an extra 140 cc plus suspension and and and...

From Pai you take a tiny dirt road towards Meuang Noi that starts off in a way that makes you think: "I better turn back", but behold it gets worse! By then you just keep driving because you are about 50% on the way to Wiang Haeng and there is nothing out there. By that I mean we met 4 people along the way and of course all of them were Thai living in the few Karieng villages there (only one small shop that sells water and that's in Meuang Noi, I asked). The farangs tend to drive their off road bikes in the town of Pai for some reason which was sad because my friend and I really would have liked some hardcore Australian on 250 cc dirt bikes or something to watch two Swedes on mopeds skipping along like madmen trying to avoid rock formations and meter-deep holes.

Very long post this so I stop writing and enclose some pictures from the trip.

Edited November 18, 2006 by goski

[goski]

And to say some words about Mae Hong Son which I have been to on the same bike (but not this time), it's very relaxed and is very beatifully situated with half of the city on a plateau overlooking the rest. Close to nice national parks. After driving there it makes a very nice place to unwind. Remember to go to the tourist office to get your certificate that you actually managed the 1700 curves on the way there.

[pumpuiman]

Mae Hong Son is beautiful, and the trip along the winding mountain road is half the fun.Had some great traditional northern Thai food there, I'm sorry I've forgotten the name of the style...but is served on numerous small dishes/pots, kind of like dim sum.

The hippies in Pai disgusted my Thai travel partners with their disrespectful dress and poor hygeine.

Edited November 18, 2006 by pumpuiman

[PeaceBlondie]

I've been to MHS twice, once by air and once by Honda CBR150. Rode all the way back to Chiang Mai in one day, but didn't count if there were 1,428 curves or 1,713.

It is anything but a big city. Small town is more like it. The first time, we went straight from the airport to the hospital (although neither of us did much straight ) and it was like 58 seconds by songtaew.

The only pizza I could find, near the lake, had a menu in Thai and Spanish. Yes, castellano, with some misspellings. And the pizza was more Spanish than Italian.

And you're way out beyond nowhere, the last vestige of civilization. Almost in Burma. That's part of the charm. Let's pray it doesn't become the Chiang Mai of year 2046.