As its name suggests, this is a route around the region of Mae Hong Son, that starts and finishes at the same place: Chiang Mai. But the Mae Hong Son loop is not a mere route since it has become the most important one in Thailand due to its complex highway (road 108), its length (almost 700km) and definitely, its setting.
It is theoretically ideal to do it by motorbike (especially if you like adrenaline) but you can also do it by car (in my case, I rented one in Chiang Mai's Airport) or book an organised transfer by bus or van to the different locations. At least, you will need three days, but I did it in four and I think that's a good option. Still, you can stay for a longer time if you prefer to do more stops, or go to Doi Inthanon during your way back to Chiang Mai.
Since I want to explain you my experience, I will tell you about the three stops that I did, and everything you can do in them. The route is easy to follow so you just have to look for it in Google Maps.
PAI
From Chiang Mai it takes almost three hours to arrive to Pai, and the road is full of twists and slopes like during all the route. This little town has less than 3.000 inhabitants, but its natural environment fulfills all the people that it lacks. Pai is one of the most popular places for backpackers so you will not have any problems to find a place of accommodation that suits your style of travelling.
There are some places that you can visit along the route like:
Tham Lod Caves: there are three different and amazing limestone caves that you can visit through a bamboo raft with a local guide.
Bua Tong Sticky falls: the particularity of this waterfalls is that the surface has some minerals that don't allow either plants nor moss to grow, so you can walk on it without slipping. Additionally, the water is super crystalline.
And these ones are located in the town itself:
Mo Paeng Waterfall: as you are in the north and won't find any beach, in this waterfall there are various bathing areas for you to freshen, and only fifteen minutes away from the town centre.
Pai Canyon: although you can't expect to find such an amazing Canyon as the one in the United States, the one in Pai is still beautiful.
Wat Phra That Mae Yen: "same thing, different location". This is the name that we could give to this Buddha, since in Thailand you will probably have seen many more like it.
Yun Lai Viewpoint: from here you will have the best views of Pai from the heights. There is a shop and a sitting area on top so you can chill out for a while. A good idea is to visit it early in the morning to see the sunshine, or late in the afternoon for an amazing sunset.
Memorial bridge: this is a steel commemorative bridge that the Japanese built in Pai during the Second World War to open a route from Mae Hong Son to attack Myanmar (it was a British colony). When the war finished, the Japanese burned it, but the villagers decided to rebuild it because it had become essential in their daily lives.
Buddha Bamboo Bridge: this long bridge is two metres above the ground, which is a rice field. If you are lucky, it will be seeded and you will see the farmers working on it.
Night Market: at this point, you can imagine that there is a night market in Pai as well, so I think that I don't have to give you much information about it: food stalls, clothes, accessories... nothing out of the ordinary.
MAE HONG SON
This stage of the route is shorter than the previous one because it only takes a bit more than two hours to get there from Pai. Mae Hong Son is the closest region to the Burmese border and it has about 7.000 inhabitants.
Whilst there aren't many tourist attractions in the town, these are some key sites:
Wat Chong Kham and Wat Chong Klang: the prettiest thing about these two temples is the lake that they have in front of them and the way their reflect on the water.
Doi Kong Mu Mount: the views from the top are amazing and, what's best, you can get to the top by car. The temple itself is a white, simple one, but there are many Buddhists praying and it is nice to see the reality of Thai people.
Sai food market: if you want to buy local food or souvenirs, go to this market that is located in front of the lake.
MAE SARIANG
This is a quiet town located along a river and surrounded by rice fields and forests, with a population of 10.000 people. The journey to Mae Sariang from Mae Hong Son is of three hours, so to make it more bearable you can stop in Namtok Mae Surin National Park, where you will find some waterfalls and many vegetation.
This is the place where I found less things to do, but I used it to chill out in my hotel and enjoy more time with my family. Anyways, these are some things you can do:
Walk along the river: the water is not crystalline, but the trail is enjoyable.
Visit the temples: Wa Jong Sung, Wa Si Bounroeng and Wat Phrathat Chom Thong (Golden Buddha).
Visit the Mae Sariang Museum: the building's architecture is original, and the museum itself is a very informative place that shows you the way of living of different hilltribes that inhabit the country.
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