A border town largely isolated from city light and a modern convenience, Mae Hong Son offers a rich cultural feast and great natural beauty.
Hidden deep in a valley ringed by misty mountain ranges, Mae Hong Son is rich in texture of green; rolling mountains , dense forests and lush foliage.
Mixed into this setting is a permanent blanket of soft fog, owing to heavy mountain mists, red dints or smoke from highlanders burning their plots.
Locates 1,100 km from Bangkok, Mae Hong Son’s remoteness presents a rich tapestry of ethnic minorities. The Burmese influence is seen in architecture, clothes and customs , and in the writing of the Shan or Thai Yai people, The largest single group in the province.
A majority of the population (almost 60 percent) is a member of one of the hilltribe. Of the tribes, the Karen outnumbers the combined strenth of Meo, Lua , Lahu and Lisu by about five to one.
Recently, the Pradong , or long-necked people migrated from Burma.
For centuries.the densely forested peaks of Mae Hong Son were the domains of these hillfolk and wild animals. In the 19th century, the area was used to round up wild elephants---the province name is a dialectical distortion of “elephant training ground” in Thai.
Tourism is relatively new in Mae Hong Son. Although only 120 km from Chiangmai, the road is dusty , windy one , which takes up to five hours to traverse. Thai Airways now has flights to Mmae Hong Son daily and international hotels have opened up in and around the city. Most of the five-star resorts are situated just outside of town , in secluded places amidst the mountains and mist.
Nowadays , many tourists go to Mae-Hong Son to see the Pradongs. The women of this special tribe stretch their necks with brass coils. Originally, it was meant to frighten away the togas, but in modern times, they are seen as a status symbol; the more rings , the wealthier you are.
Of course, there are othe interesting sights, even spectacular. In the city proper , the temples are sights to go for history, culture and architecture. In the country-side, the views are varied from caves where stalactites and stalagmites are presented in their glittering beauty to blooming sunflowers to the tranquility of the untarnished sky to the Mae Surin waterfall , believed to be one of the highest waterfalls in Thailand.
Chiangmai can be reached by the local bus or air-conditioned coach from Arcade Terminal, Chiangmai, It takes roughly 10 hours over mountain slopes and winding roads to get there. For those in a hurry the plane service takes just 105 minutes, including a stopover in Chiangmai.
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You can head just a few Kilometers south of town to visit a Karen hilltribe village, ride an elephant and return in a few hours on your own if you wish. The place where you rented your vehicle will have the maps and answer your questions on how to get there. You should also go to the temple on top of the mountain overlooking Mae Hong Son around 5 pm and stay until sunset if you wish. Late afternoon is the best time for taking pictures of the valley below from this spectacular vista. Plan to leave early after breakfast and head north toward Pai. Spend one night in Pai then return to Mae Hong Son the next day. ![[temple 11k]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v9HUGhiSjN0RrTl0VfQVm9pxdYFZyiOlfu5p_4c4PSZS7pB3MnzfgtWrjYWFphvrjyi8AkEN9XmnJxiZZ_jK3eIOdhbK84PvP__3ji0jjYN8rF70o=s0-d)
Before you leave the city go by the temple on the south side of the lake in the center of town to the old Burmese style temple behind the market. Picture taking here is best in early morning. ![[WATERFALLS 14K]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t_vwpoqxcAT94UZCpVeIsfQeownkgEVu_smw66owB2ge07Hc-mYtkOtc30OLS-AjXmhsqtI6wamEqa59PnfSc_w1T4pnHt5Q-csTSHqq5wHw8GM2A=s0-d)
The problem is you'll want to stay at the waterfall most of the day because of its impressive beauty and peacefulness. I have been there many times and have yet to see more than four other people there at the same time. There are no food or beverage stands here but toilets are available. From here head back down to the main road and turn left. Your next stop will be known as the "Fish Cave" located on your left. This is a good place to enjoy a chicken barbecue lunch with papaya salad and sticky rice. There are many vendors here when you make the left turn into the park. ![[fishcave 7k]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uIhnPyk7E0G-g2oNbSjssp39jBhujcYGKEoPUa4QDEq1MgfLPjnOmsbYbSbAoNeUN2dW39ZrdaR3NedNiY8Nolpu15_I2Ac0zf5NijpPjOl_fW4x4=s0-d)
You will need to leave your vehicle near the vendors area. Take a leisurely walk along the beautiful gardens and path with meandering stream to the caves. The caves are really holes in the ground along the bottom of a high cliff. Vendors sell fish food for visitors to feed the fish. When you first look into one of these holes, the water is dark but after a few pellets of fish food are dropped in, the water churns with hundreds of huge blue carp. The fish cave is visited regularly by both Thais and western visitors. Although not as peaceful as the waterfall, the "Fish Cave" is a great experience to be had and a superb place to enjoy lunch. ![[lod cave 12k]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vYjhmI62kQy7LDHrENuByeD7mSlRBM7T0kh0b0RtX8uXqiC7TSs6sMkWCHdAK9Q05U9WdkNAXzYs5x07eUYoPCW4eooqick2OrNVoDoX0eqtcODQ=s0-d)
The next stop should be "Lod Cave". This by far is one of the best caves in Thailand. The turn off will be on your left just a few meters past the village of SaPong. Again, turn left here and follow the paved road to the cave. This cave is unique in that there is a river that runs through it. You need to stop at the office and hire a guide who has a lantern and will show you where to go. The guide is 100 Baht per group. Once inside the cave you will cross the river on a bamboo raft that holds up to four persons for 10 Baht. You will climb stairs winding through crevasses, stalagmites and stalactites and colorful rock formations. The path crosses the river three times then heads back again. Another tour take visitors all the way through the cave by bamboo raft accommodating up to three persons for 100 Baht accommodating up to three persons. The raft also come outs the other side of the mountain. There is a special treat near the far opening for those who venture this far. You can climb stairs again to see old wooden coffins which have been left in place for over two thousand years. Some coffins still contain petrified remains. ![[river cave 5k]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vMUDjgMfRrQ9hR_fPMLWy0pcxV8ioFOueiH78_owDzNOk7U2J9v0jm64z9UinN93nCwRzNsp-dFsyPNB4fhqE0a-sSj3nzix02sEuVDctsCsoawA=s0-d)
When your raft trip finishes at the far opening of the cave, walk through a bird feeding station where hundreds of rare and colorful birds native to Thailand roost in the tall trees. Their beautiful songs echo around the canyon walls. The walk back to the cave office takes about 30 minutes from here. The tour of "Lod Cave" needs about two hours. It's well worth the time, effort and money. From here travel on to Pai and plan on arriving in the late afternoon. Pai has changed in the last few years catering mainly for foreign tourists rather than the Thais. High pressure sales by some guest houses for trekking is annoying and they can be rude if you refuse to join one of their treks. Those traveling by motorbike or jeep may not be welcome at one of these guest houses. ![[lisu girls 16k]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uur3a4wyftr6_8dM-3mSpfzToB_a-zM8UMV97uDl5jIkk9npmMCm9047sL6JOOLU5ZTcupsnhULxA_HIUWwKy5x9YrkD6q1jUYA8k6lNgffDzZAcA=s0-d)
The ride back to Mae Hong Son the next day is just as pleasant. You can stop to enjoy the many breath taking vistas that you didn't have time to appreciate. Take time to shop for Lisu handicrafts at the many road side parks on your way back to Mae Hong Son. This is a journey I enjoy doing every year and I know you'll enjoy it also. 
