04/06/2023
Top 6 Things to Do and See in Mae Hong Son, Thailand.
Northern Thailand is known for its beautiful nature, majestic mountain peaks and extremely hospitable people. Mae Hong Son is an ideal tourist destination to enjoy all these beauties. It is very difficult to access this town because there is only one road leading to Mae Hong Son. Mae Hong Son is known to many tourists and many of them have come here to relax, enjoy slow pace of life.
Far from the magnificent capital Bangkok, or the peaceful and poetic Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son – the land located in the northwest of the country of the land of golden temples is a very separate array of colors.
1. Watch the world go by on Pai Walking Street.
Every day at 6pm, the street of Pai wakes up and bustles with people. Shops and stalls vie for travelers’ attention with street food, handmade souvenirs and of course, the owners’ creativity. The street is also atmospheric with live music both inside shops and restaurants and on the street.
Come morning light, the street goes back to sleep, but that’s probably the best time to observe the local life and immerse yourself in the peaceful ambiance.
2. Explore Pai.
In the morning, go see the sea of mist at Yun Lai Viewpoint near Santichon Village, a Yunnan Cultural Village. Then enjoy the natural landscape like Pai Canyon and you’ll get to see rice fields along the way. Pai also has many temples, cafés with a view and the historical site, the Pai Memorial Bridge.
3. Relax and refresh in Pang Oung
Pang Oung is a paradise on earth. Wooden houses, pine trees, lake, morning mist and the fresh air are the perfect escape from busy city life. Stay for a couple of nights and you’ll feel fresh again.
Not too far from Pang Oung is Ban Rak Thai (Love Thailand Village), an authentic Thai-Chinese Village. With its lakeside location, tea plantation, delicious Yunnan cuisine and lovely locals, you’ll surely fall in love with Ban Rak Thai.
4. Admire wild sunflowers on Doi Mae Ukho
From November to December, the hills of Mae Hong Son are alive with wild sunflowers or dok bua tong in Thai. Doi Mae Ukho holds the biggest Bua Tong Blossom Festival and en route, you can also shop local products.
5. Visit temples day and night in Mae Hong Son town area
Even in the city center, Mae Hong Son remains serene. When in the old town area, you have to get a taste of the blissful way of life at the fresh market, its streets and alleys and local restaurants.
The highlights, though, are the temples. Atop the hill Doi Kong Mu is Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu. The Burmese-style temple is beautiful day and night. Come at sunset to enjoy the city view and stay until the night falls for illuminations. Other unmissable temples are the twins Wat Jong Klang and Wat Jong Kham. The Shan temples are situated by the lake Nong Chong Kham and also illuminated at night.
6. Enjoy nightlife
Apart from gazing at the night reflections of Wat Chong Klang and Wat Chong Kham, enjoy the weekend walking street near the temples. You can taste Northern Thai street food and buy handcrafted from souvenirs from local vendors, which include the hill tribes.If you visit in winter, the night market runs every day.
Best time to visit?
Mae Hong Son is influenced by the tropical Savanna climate. Mae Hong Son is cool and comfortable all year round with a temperature of 14 degrees Celsius – 38 degrees Celsius.
Winters here are dry and warm, and summers are hot. However, you should avoid coming in the period from November to February, because this is quite peak time and crowded with tourists. This pushes all costs up and costs you more for your trip. In addition, February – June is a more suitable time, because at this time costs are stable and there are often big festivals in April, helping you to experience many new things.
Most of the attractions in Mae Hong Son are outdoors, so you should choose to visit this city from November to February next year. At this time, the city has quite cool weather with little humidity, not too hot, so your journey will not be too uncomfortable, on the contrary, it will be very enjoyable.
However, it is known that from January to February, the northern provinces of Thailand still regularly experience air pollution, mainly due to forest fires. Therefore, even if the weather is cool, it should be noted that your vision will be limited and remember to bring a mask.
Along with that, March-April is the month when the weather becomes the hottest and most humid of the year, if you can’t stand this, you should avoid going to Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai and even Chiang Mai during this time. From June to October is the rainy season, it will greatly affect your trip, especially outdoor activities such as going to streams, waterfalls or trekking.
