Mae Hong Son Province

BackGround
Mae Hong Son, Thailand's second northern most province, is sheltered by several high mountains and enjoys a cool climate almost all year round. Mae Hong Son is approximately 924 kilometres from Bangkok and can be reached from Chiang Mai either by Highway No. 108 via Mae Sariang, 349 kilometres, or Highway No. 1095 via Pai which shortens the distance to some 245 kilometres. Mae Hong Son is bordered by the Union of Myanmar (Burma) to the north and the west, and a strong Burmese influence can be seen in the province's temples and buildings. The population of Mae Hong Son include Thai Yai and various hilltribes such as Karen, Hmong, Lahu, Lua and Lisu, scattering in the districts.

Mae Hong Son covers an area of 12,681 square kilometres and is administratively divided into 6 Amphoes and 1 King Amphoe namely: Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Pai, Amphoe Khun Yuam, Amphoe Mae La Noi, Amphoe Mae Sariang,
Amphoe Sop Moei and King Amphoe Pang Mapha.
   

Attractions

Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu
which dominates the provincial city. Constructed by Phaya Singhanatracha, the first King of Mae Hong Son, the hilltop temple affords a wonderful view of the city and surrounding mountains and valleys.

Wat Hua Wiang
contains the image of Phra Chao Phara La Khaeng, a replica of one in Myanmar.

Wat Chong Klang and Wat Chong Kham
These two monasteries are shared the same compound. Apart from the glass paintings depicting Buddhism and simply life style of the villagers which draw much attention from visitors, there are over 30 wood carving dolls taken from Myanmar about the past century. Situated in front of the temples is a big natural pond called Nong Chong Kham whose surrounding area has been designed to be a public park. The park most suitable for relaxation offers a fine view especially in the evening.

Wat Phra Non
contains a huge Burmese-style Reclining Buddha image some 12 metres long. The temple also houses ashes of Mae Hong Son Kings. Two massive stone lions guard the temple staircase.

Wat Kam Ko
Another name of this temple is Wat Dok Bun Nak which is shady and pleasant having ancient scriptures written in the ancient local dialect informing the history of Thai Yai people. About 12 kilometres outside Mae Hong Son, the Pha Bong Dam has been constructed across the Mae Ra Mat River for generating electrical power. Nearby are the Pha Bong Hot Spring and Nam Hu Hai Chai Spring.

Pong Daeng Royal Residence
is located within the Pong Daeng Development Project Center, some 4 kilometers to the south of the provincial city. Experimental plant growing and silk worm feeding are performed there under the royal initiation. A 2-kilometer left turn leads to the Royal Residence surrounded by a variety of beautiful plants and flowers on a hill overlooking Pai River.

Ban Nam Phiang Din
is a destination in Tambon Pha Bong of 2-hour long motor boat trip or 1-day rafting along Pai River via Ban Huai Dua, a scenic route with marvellous terraced cataracts.Not too far beyond Ban Nam Phiang Din, within Myanmar territory, lies another frequented tourist destination known as Pha Hom Nam.

Long-Necked Karen (Pa Dong tribe)
a hill-tribe inhabiting an area in Myanmar territorry which shares border with Thailand's Ban Nam Phiang Din. Pa Dong people are farmers of rice, tea, and tobacco. Most of them believe in spirits and Buddhism. On their necks and limbs, Pa Dong women wear brass rings of which the number will increase when they get more aged. A stack of rings, one above another, makes a woman's neck seem elongated. However, a medical examination by the use of X-ray reveals a normal length of the neck bones but an unusually low of the collarbones which had been pressed by the rings.

Pha Sua Waterfall
is located in Forest Park of the same name. Travel 18 kilometres from Mae Hong Son via Highway No. 1095 and turn left into a laterite road branching off for about 10 kilometres to the park. The 7 level cataract is huge and picturesque. the best time to visit the falls is between early August and late September. About 35 kilometres further up the track to Pha Sua Waterfall lie Pang Tong Palace and a peaceful MeoTribal Village near the border of Thailand and Myanmar.

Tham Pla Forest Park
is situated at Ban Huai Pha, 17 kms. from Mae Hong Son town-ship area on Highway No. 1095 to Amphoe Pail The area is dotted with reservoirs having a lot of fishes and the surrounding is of beautiful nature.

Amphoe Khun Yuam

Wat To Phae
is located 7 kms. from Khun Yuam Market having a large beautiful Burmese style vihara. According to the legend, it is said that raft assembling people used to gather up in this area prior to making a teak trees raft trip to the marketing places. They, then, combined their efforts to build the temple and called Wat To Phae.

Wat Muai To
in Tambon Muang Pon houses a huge and beautiful northern-style pagoda.

Nong Haeng Hot Spring
is in the area of Ban Nong Haeng, Tambon Muang Pon, about 15 kilometers from the district.

Wild-Sunflower Field, Doi Mae U-Kho
covers a large mountainous area in Tambon Mae U-Kho, some 26 kilometres from the district. The wild-sunflowers called in Thai Bua Tong are infull bloom during November which make the hills and surrounding areas look like plated with gold. Nam Tok Mae Surin National Park is situated another 11 kilometres away from Dot Mae U-Kho. Mae Surin Waterfall is 80 meters high and can be seen from the visitor point at the national park office. The forest here still maintains its natural abundance. Visitors are required to carry their own tents for an overnight stay. Its peak season falls in November to April.

Amphoe Mae La Noi

Mae Hu Cave
located some 7 kilometres to the east of the district.

Mae La Ka Cave
between Amphoe Khun Yuam and Amphoe Mae La Noi.

Mae Hu and Mae La Ka Hot Springs
Both have water hot enough to boil eggs.

Mae La-up Lawa Village
in Tambon Huai Hom is situated in the area where three districts meet: Mae Chaem, Mae La Noi and Mae Sariang. The culture, architecture, costumes and character of the hilltribes here are different from other hilltribes in Thailand. The attraction of this village is its hilltop location with beautiful view. Visitors can easily go to the village for it is about 32 kilometers from the district.

Huai Hom Karen Village
is about 4 kilometers from Ban La-up. Its villagers adhere to their religion and have gentle and polite manners. As the hilltribe community development center is established in the village, the villagers have been taught to make clothes from wool and how to grow fruits and other plants of temperate climate. Therefore, this village is a good model for other hill tribes.

Mae Sa-kua Karen Village
in Tambon Tha Pha Pum is about 13 kilometers from the district. Houses here are remarkably built along the slopes of the mountains. During dry season, visitors can appreciate the beautiful scenery when wild flowers and foliage turn to orange colour. Near the village, there are waterfalls good for relaxation. The villagers still live in traditional way and no many changes are apparent.

Amphoe Mae Sariang

Wat Kitti Wong
is another temple worth visiting. It houses Lord Buddha relics brought from Chiang Mai, and manuscripts discovered in Pha Daeng Cave recounting the history of relations between Myanmar and the Lanna kingdom.

Wat Uttayanrom
is called by the local people as Wat Chong Sung built in Burmese artistic style having two white pagodas of Mon style architecture and one Burmese style Vihara which is very beautiful.

Wat Si Bun Ruang
located near Wat Chong Sung, is one of monasteries with attractions such as a Burmese-styled main temple decorated with gingerbread design.

Wat Saen Thong
is situated in Amphoe Mae Sariang. An important attraction is an old and beautiful bronze image of the Buddha Subduing Mara of Chiang Saen period. Phra Buddha Si-Hing, known as Phra Phet or Phra Sing Nung, is another image of Buddha to which the people have paid respect since the old days.

Pha Ma Lo Karen Village
is a large Karen Village, located 3 kms. from the market place, where hand woven fabric are poduced for sale at a cheap price. A single virgin of this village wears a white dress.

The Tribal Development & Assistance Centre
at Km.84 on Doi Mae Ho is administered by the Public Welfare Department. Most of the hilltribe people in this centre are of Karen ancestry. The scenic area is noted for colourful flower plantations. Bua Tong or wild sunflowers bloom covering the valley during November every year.

Amphoe Sop Moei

Mae Sam Laep
is a village on Salawin River. Travel some 47 kilometers from Amphoe Mae Sariang via Highway No. 1194. It is a renowned attraction among visitors for the boat trip along the Salawin River. The village is situated within a deep valley facing Myanmar with white sandy beach on some parts of the bank. Visitors can put up their tents in the area of Salawin National Park Office where it will take 30 minuites by boat from Mae Sam Laep to the north. Accommodation is also available in Sop Moei where it will be reached by taking a 30 minute-boat-ride from Mae Sam Laep to the south.

King Amphoe Pang Ma Pha

Tham Lot
some 77 kilometres from Mae Hong Son town, via Highway No. 1095, a laterite road to the left runs a further 9 kilometres.lt is a place where antiques and pre-historic remains were found. This huge cave is beautifully decorated with colourful stalagmites andstalactites. To visit inside the cave, a guide and a lamp are needed. There are other caves located in different areas of Amphoe Pang Mapa such as Ban Mae Lana, Ban Pang Kham and Ban Pha Phuek.

Amphoe Pai

Lisu Tribal Village at Pang Paek
is another tribal worth visiting, located some 30 kilometres before reaching Amphoe Pai.

Wat Nam Hu
about 3 kilometres from Pai Market contains a sacred Chiang Saen Buddha image, 24 inches wide at the base and 30 inches high. The image's topknot can be opened. Inside is holy water, revered by local folk.

Wat Klang
is in Tambon Wiang Tail In the precincts of this temple, a main Chedi of Thai Yai style stands in the center of the temple yard, surrounded by Mon Chedies below which Buddha images of the seven days of a week are put in niches. A final-topped Mandapawas also built on the base of the main Chedi.

Mae Ping Karen Village
is located in Mu 4, Tambon Mae Hi. The Karens here have their own alphabets and are highly civilized. Travelling can be made by car.

Chedi Phra That Mae Yen
in Ban Mae Yen, Tambon Mae Hi, which no one can tell when it was built, is located on a hill from where visitors overlook the whole Amphoe Pai after paying tribute to the shrine. Travellers by air take this chedi as a marker of Pai district area.

Mae Yen Waterfall
is situated in Ban Mae Yen, Tambon Mae Hi, about 7 kilometers from Amphoe Pail It is a threetiered waterfall and one of the most beautiful waterfall in the district. It takes visitors 3-5 hours to get to this waterfall on foot.

Mo Paeng Waterfall
is located 9 kilometres from Amphoe Pai and can be reached conveniently by car. The surroundingarea is shady and beautiful. Nearby are Muang Soi Waterfall and a peaceful Muser tribe village.

Huai Nam Dang National Park
The area, stretching out as far as Amphoe Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai, is planted with flowers and trees of cold weather zone which contribute to its scenic landscape. It is accessible by travelling along the Highway No.1095 from Amphoe Pai to the east about 60 kilometres and taking a left turn for another 6 kilometres. From the visitor points at Doi Kieu Lom and Doi-Chang not only a fine view of complicated mountain ranges but also, especially in the early morning, beautiful mist are overlooked.

Hot Spring
There are many hot springs located in Amphoe Pai area such as Muang Paeng Hot Spring in Tambon Muang Paeng, Pong Ron Hot Spring in Tambon Mae Hi and Pong Duat-Hot Spring in Tambon Thung Yao.

Rafting Along Pai Rever
With its approximately lenght of 180 kms, 30 m. width and 7 m. depth, the Pai River is the biggest and longest river in Mae Hong Son. This challenges the adventurous lover to raft along this river

information of this page come from Tourism Authority of Thailand.

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