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Four days three nights

Get your car ready for a long journey up and down the hill. Leave Chiang Mai town by taking highway No 107 to go up north towards Mae Rim district and Mae Taeng district. Before turning left onto highway No 1095 to go to Mae Hong Son’s Pai district, you should go straight a bit further to fill petrol. It is a precautionary step in case you empty your tank before reaching the destination as the whole stretch towards Pai has only one small petrol station and the road is quit steep uphill.

Turn left onto highway No 1095 and go straight for some time, then turn right to the Mae Malai market to shop for food and go back the same way to turn right at the red-light intersection to go to Pai district. Highway No 1095 is a newly-constructed asphalt road but it is quite winding and has several steep sharp bends. It takes about 2-3 hours to drive 110 kilometres to Pai.

Before heading to see the beauty of “Nam Tok Mok Fa” or Mok Fa Waterfall, drop by to sip a coffee at “Paen Kled Coffee Corner” in a relaxing atmosphere at 20 km, which is the entrance to the waterfall. The distance from the entrance to the waterfall is only 2 km and you can reach there by cars on a well-paved asphalt road.  The one-floor waterfall cascades beautifully throughout the year. Visitors have to pay an admission fee to enter the park.

Tip: Keep the ticket to enter Pong Duad Pa Pae, Huai Nam Dang National Park and Ta Pai hot spring on the same day.

Continue the journey till you reach a curve at 42 km. There is a sign: “Pong Nam Ron Pong Dueat” or “Pong Dueat Pa Pae”. Drive anotbher 6 km till you reach the car park. Toilets and restaurants are nearby. From the car park, follow the natural walkway for 300 metres before you arrive at the country’s biggest and highest hot spring. Near the car park, there is a hot spring in which you can soak your feet or legs to loosen up tense muscles.

At 65 km on highway No 1095, turn right and go straight for 6 km onto the asphalt road, which goes up and down the hill to the office of the “Huai Nam Dang National Park”. Some stretches of the road are very narrow. Drive carefully and use low gear. Check into the hotel and enjoy the spectacular view of the mountains, the beauty of flowers, white floating fog and cool climate of the high altitude. Winter multiplies the beauty of the place with more captivating views of the sea of fog that blankets the mountain ranges. There are two panoramic viewpoints – at Doi Kiew Lom, and Doi Chang, the highest mountain top. To get closer to nature, bring food and tents to camp out in the national park. But if you prefer proper accommodation, contact the Royal Forestry Department’s National Park Division. (0-2579-5734, 0-2579-7223)

Wake up to see the sunrise and the famous panoramic view of the fog at Huai Nam Dang National Park. After breakfast, start the journey on highway No 1095 to head to Pai. On the way, you will pass “Khun Mae Ya”, also known as the Pink Mountain, because when the wild Himalayan cherry (Prunus  cerasoides  D.  Don) – locally known as the Thai Sakura – is blossoming, you will see the mountains covered with pink flowers. At 67 km, which is the Khun Mae Ya checkpoint, turn left and go straight for 8 km on a gravel road to Khun Mae Ya Water Management Division.

Some parts of the road are so steep and rough that they are not accessible by cars and vans that cannot run over ruts. Even four-wheel-drive vehicles cannot access the road during rainy season. The best time to visit this place is when the Thai Sakura blossoms. However, no one knows the exact month or date that the flower would blossom as it depends on the weather. Mostly, it blossoms between mid-December and mid-January.

At 80 km on highway No 1095, there is a left turn to highway No 1265 to go to “Ban Wat Chan Pine Forest”. It takes 41 km to reach there but the road is well-paved for the first 10 km and the last 15 metres is bending and very steep. Do not drive more than 40 kph on dangerous curves. If you go in winter, you can behold the beautiful sight of trees sporting leaves and flowers of myriad colours along the stretch till you reach Moo Ban Wat Chan.

From the village, if you go back on the same route for 5 km, you will see the Forest Industry Organisation situated in a pine forest. You can rent a mountain bike for Bt100 per day to ride around and catch a glimpse of nature and pine trees or click some pictures if you like. The weather is cool throughout year. In winter, you might get to see the Thai Sakura here. Call 0-5324-9349 for the Forest Industry Organisation, which provides toilets and a nice and large area to erect tents.

Take highway No 1095 till you reach 88 km where the Tha Pai Hot Spring is situated. Take a right turn and drive a further 2 km onto a narrow asphalt road to reach the hot spring. You will find both a well and geysers that are over 80 degrees Celsius. The place provides bathrooms for tourists to take a hot spring bath amid the greenery of the teak forest. You can erect tents to stay overnight but there other facilities are not available.

Go back the same way to highway No 1095 and turn right to Pai. You will enter Pai through a historical bridge that is like a gateway. The bridge is a World War II memorial. Click some pictures to remember the green bridge that stands in contrast to the red river, blue sky and the mountains as a background.

After crossing the bridge, go a little further. On the left is Kong Laen or the Pai Canyon. You have to park the car and walk 200 metres to reach the Kong Laen carved by soil erosion spanning across five rai. You can visit this place at any time of the year.

Take a break at 95 km to freshen up with a cup of coffee at “Coffee in Love”. Click some pictures of the shop beautifully situated on the hill with panoramic views of mountain ranges as a backdrop.

Pai is a small peaceful town where people live a simple life on the bank of the Pai River. Time moves slowly in Pai and that is what attracts Thai and foreign tourists to find guesthouses here or the nearby areas to experience the simple way of life. Since a number of tourists go there in winter, which is a high season, it is recommended that you reserve accommodation. Most inexpensive accommodations are walk-in type. You can find a number of guesthouses along the river or in the town. Check the room first before deciding to book. If you arrive there at noon or in the afternoon, driver further to the district office.

BOX:  Visit a somtam shop in front of the district office because it offers a variety of somtam for you to taste. If you go later than 2pm, you may not find anything left because this shop does roaring business of this popular Thai-style salad. The shop opens late and closes early. Opposite the somtam shop is the tourist centre where you can get information about tourism attractions and accommodations in Pai.

Park the car and take a stroll or rent a bicycle to ride around a riverside market where food, snacks, herbal drinks and tea are sold on the street. You can even have dinner in the market.

Box: Buy souvenirs such as bags, hand-woven cloth from hill-tribe villagers at the night market situated on the main street. You will find lots of goods and hand-made products, including inexpensive postcards sold on the streets.

Feel the atmosphere of Pai. Stroll along the bank of the river. Click pictures of beautiful resorts and the Pai River that glitters with the reflection of the orange sunlight on the water surface. Walk further to sip a coffee or have breakfast at the famous coffee shop, “All about coffee”, opposite Mit Thai shop. The shop sells not just coffee but both food and other drinks. If you want to send postcards to loved ones, just cross the road to the Mit Thai shop that impresses tourists with its unique and lovely designs and decorations as well as the hospitality of the shop owner. Many postcards featuring Pai in every corner are for sale here. You can write the postcards and mail them right at the shop.

Start the journey to Wat Nam Hoo, which is 3 km west-bound from Pai, beyond Pai Hospital ((0-5369-9211), in Tambon Wiang Tai. The temple houses the 500-year-old Luang Phor Un Mueang, a Buddha statue whose head is filled with water and can be opened from the top of the head. A pagoda is situated at the back of the statue. History has it that King Naresuan the Great built the statue to keep the remains of his older sister, Phra Supan Kanlaya

Go a bit further; and you will reach Ban Santichon or Yunnan Chinese Cultural Centre village, formerly a drug trade centre of the Wa, the Burmese ethnic group. The area was declared a red zone but now it is a popular tourist attraction, which has more than 1,000 Chinese hill-tribe villagers. Every one wears hill-tribe costumes and lives in mud houses. Khun Bunlor (08-1024-3982), the community leader, has introduced new jobs to the villagers such as agro-tourism and operating Chinese Yunnan restaurants. Do not miss one of the popular dishes – braised pork’s leg with Chinese bread. Support the community by buying local souvenirs. Take a horse ride for sightseeing. Mud houses for two are for rent at Bt1,000 per house, two-bed houses for four at Bt1,500 and six-bed houses for 12 people is at Bt4,000.

Continue the journey on Highway 1095 to Pang Ma Pah heading to the Royal initiative Pang Tong 2 Project, known as “Pang Ung”, passing Tham Pla National Park – Namtok Pa Sua (0-5369-2055, 0-5361-9036). The cave has a stream running throughout the year. The entrance of the cave is 2 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep. A shoal of Soro Brook Carp, a large-size of grey-black, and blue fish called Pla Mung or Pluang, live in the cave. Villagers do not catch these fish because they believe they are sacred fish.

Namtok Pha Sua is a medium-sized waterfall, 10 metres high and 15 metres wide, cascading from the Sa-nga River. The waterfall cascades fully down the cliff in the rainy season looking like a mat but the water runs dry in the dry season but the areas still hold the charm of the beautiful rocks around.

This stretch of the road is paved with concrete and then gravel. The road is winding, up and down the hill. In winter, thick fog reduces the visibility of the road. Stay overnight at Pang Ung. Call the Royal initiative Pang Tong 2 Project: 0-5369-2056, 0-5368-1740, 0-5368-1323 for reservation of accommodation, which range from Bt1,500 to Bt2,000. Tents are for rent from Bt250 to Bt400. A huge area is provided to erect tents. Or you can opt for home stay. Parking area is provided and cars are not allowed to be parked at the reservoir area.

Ruam Thai Guest House (0-5361-1244) offers rooms with a beautiful-lake view at Bt250 per night. Walk a bit further to Ban Lung Pa La home stay (0-5369-2144) to experience the local way of life. The room with breakfast and coffee is between Bt100-350 per night. Please reserve the room seven days in advance.

Watch the beautiful dawn. In winter, the lake is filled with thick fog. The golden sunlight, the green pine trees as a backdrop and the mountain ranges reflected in the lake offer a beautifully view. The weather is cool throughout the year. In winter, the temperatures hover around 10 degrees Celsius. The place is dubbed the Switzerland of Thailand.

Go back using the same direction heading towards Mae Hong Son. On the way there is enough time to try a mud mask on your face at Phuklon Country Club Health Mud Spa 1, one of the “Unseen Thailand” destinations and only one of the world’s three mud and mineral spas. With temperatures of around 90-140 degrees Celsius, it was discovered under ground in 1995. The boiling black mud is used to mask the body and face to get clear, glowing and youthful complexion. The rich-mineral mud also helps promote blood circulation. The place offers natural spa service in a natural mineral pool all year round (0-5361-2265, 0-6198-0722). To reach there, turn right at 191 km and go straight for 4 km to Mooban Kung Mai Sak-Ban Huai Na Kan.

From Phuklon Country Club Health Mud Spa, drive 6 km to Mae Hong Son. If you do not have enough petrol, stop over at a petrol station and have lunch at Fern shop, located at the centre of the town.

Box: Take a certificate that shows you have won the victory by driving through 1,864 curves to Mae Hong Son. Just show your identification card and pay a Bt20 fee to officials on the second floor of the Provincial Chamber of Commerce, opposite Fern shop.

Drive around to see an old temple, Wat Phra That Chong Kham – Chong Klang, situated at the centre of the town, near Nong Chong Kham Public Park. The temple was built in 1827 in a beautiful Thai Yai (Burmese) art style. Not far from the temple is Wat Chong Klang that houses a replica of Phra Phuttha Sihing with beautiful gold leaves attached all over the statue. Visit Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu to see the Thai Yai architecture, formerly known as Wat Plai Doi, a temple dating back to ancient times. Also, this hill-top temple affords an exceptional aerial view of the city and surrounding mountains and valleys.

Continue the journey to Doi Mae U-kho (96 km). On the way, you can drop by to visit the famous long-neck Karen hill-tribe at Huai Sua Thao. From Muang district, take highway No 108 to Mae Hong Son Provincial Hall, the same way to Khun Yuam. As you drive past the provincial hall, you will see Mae Hong Son Gate and a T-junction. Take a right turn and drive straight to the main road to cross a bridge over Pai River and pass a helicopter landing path and turn left to take the path parallel to the landing path. The distance from the town to Huai Sua Thao is about 12 km. The path is narrow and has water spillways.

Continue the journey on highway 108 heading towards Khun Yuam district. The distance is 67 km. One km before you reach Khun Yuam district, there is a Krung Thai Bank, opposite Khun Yuam District Police Station (0-5369-1115). Not far from the bank, there is a junction. Turn left to highway No 1263, drive straight for 27 km to see the Dok Bua Tong (wild sunflowers) at Doi Mae U-kho. The road is well-paved but the last 13 km is narrow and very steep in some stretches and has many turns. The blossoming Dok Bua Tong, spanning over 1,000 rais of land, beautifully paints the entire hilly area of Doi Mae U-kho.

Box: The Dok Bua Tong blooms from November to December painting the mountains in a brilliant yellow. The tourist attraction is facilitated with restrooms and tents as well as restaurants. A large area is provided to erect more than 100 tents. Thung Bua Tong tourist centre has tents for rent.

Box: If you come to see the Dok Bua Tong when they are in full bloom, you should camp out overnight on the hill to get close to nature, otherwise, staying overnight in the town is recommended. The next morning, go straight to Muang district to Tham Kaew Komol without stopping over at Doi Mae U-kho.

The next morning take the same route back to highway No 108 to Mae La Noi District to T-junction of Mae La Noi Hospital (0-5368-9060). Take a left turn to highway No 1266 at 132-133 km and drive on for another 5 km to Tham Kaew Komol Park (0-5361-2078). The route is a concrete, well-paved road, but do not drive too fast while passing the village.

Tham Kaew Komol Park (Calcite Crystal Cave) is another of the “Unseen Thailand” destinations. Calcite Crystal is found in the cave. White fluoride covers the surface of the cave’s wall and that why it is called ice cave as the fluoride glitters beautifully when reflecting with light. This type of cave is found only in the three countries – Australia, China and Thailand.

Tip: Since air inside the cave is thin, only 20 visitors are allowed to go in each time. In winter, the place attracts a number of tourists. Fee for adults is Bt40, and for children Bt20. The cave opens every day from 8.30am to 4.30pm. Car parking in front of the cave is limited. Find more parking at the tourism centre of Mae La Noi Tambon Administrative Organisation. Then catch a local bus to the cave.

Leave for Chiang Mai in the afternoon by taking highway No 108 down to Mae Sariang district. Continue the journey on highway No 108 to go to Hot District then go to Chom Thong district, San Pa Tong district and Chiang Mai Muang district.