General Information of Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son or the City of Three Mists, is one of the dream destinations here in Thailand. As the name implies, the city is full of mists throughout the year and you can never see this amount of mist anywhere in Thailand.
Location
It is located at the north of Thailand with the areas of more than 13,000 square kilometers and a population of 7,000 people. The province is famous for its many mountains, virgin forests, wildlife, and exceptional hill tribes.
In fact, it is the province with the most mountains in all of Thailand. This is why many tourists choose to visit Mae Hong Son in every year. As there are many mountains here, you are expected to see a lot of caves as well. If you are an explorer or an adventurer, this province will provide you with much joy on that matter.?
How to travel to Mae Hong Son
There are many different ways you can choose to travel to this place.
By Plane
The first way is to travel by plane, but there are very little flights from Bangkok to Mae Hong Son. There is only one provider which is Nok Air that you can choose to travel with. Alternatively, if you are in Chiang Mai, you can book a flight ticket with Bangkok Airways and take a flight here as well.
By Bus
The second choice is to travel by bus which can take you a long time to get here. There is an overnight bus you can take from Bangkok?s Northern Bus Terminal or Mo Chit which takes around 15 hours. If you are at Chiang Mai, it will take you around 7 to 8 hours to get here from the Arcade Bus Terminal.
By Car
You can choose to drive yourself here, but it is recommended that you have experienced mountain drivers with you to be able to get here safely.
Things to do in Mae Hong Son
If you have arrived here safe and sound, it is time for you to enjoy the famous attractions that Mae Hong Son has to offer.
Dok Bua Tong fields
The first highly recommended place is Dok Bua Tong fields at Doi Mae U-kho.
The world ?Dok bua tong? can be classified as wild sunflowers. This place is also one of the places that has been stated in the province?s motto which is truly worth to see. You will be able to see the largest fields of wild sunflowers in Thailand at this hilly area with more than 800,000 square meters in total area.
However, if you come here at the period other than November to December, you will not see the wild sunflowers bloom at all. So, it is highly recommended that you plan your trip for this place as well as other places.
Tham Lot or Lod Cave
If you are an adventurer who wants to go to an archeological site from some explorations, Tham Lot or Lod Cave is the place for you.
This is one of the many important archeological site that you can access in Thailand. In this cave, you can find truly mesmerizing stone arts in three sections inside of the cave.
Those three sections are called Sao Hin Cave, Tuk Ta Cave, and Phee Phan Cave based on the stone arts inside of the section. The highlight of all three caves is in the Phee Phan Cave as there are many ancient artefacts such as pottery and ancient tools. The special thing about this cave is the Phee Phan Coffin, it is believed that this coffin used to have an ancient human remains inside.
Pang Oung
The next place is Pang Oung. This place is a swamp in the middle of pine trees which also surrounded by mountains.
One thing that you cannot miss here is the mist that floats on top of the lake with a ray of sunshine in the winter. This place is recognized as the one of the top attractions for romance in Mae Hong Son, so it is very suitable for couples. You can take a raft tour to see the most amazing views and you can set up a tent to stay overnight as well.
The long neck Karen tribe
If you want to see the long neck Karen tribes which are the minority groups that immigrated from Myanmar, there are three villages in Mae Hong Son that you can visit and take a peek into their way of life. If you visit them on the weekend, you will meet adorable children that you can have a conversation with and take pictures. There are also souvenirs available for purchase too.
?Local Tells?
Those are famous attractions that you should go and see, but here are some local recommendations of that places that is worth mentioning.
Nam Bor Phee Cave or Spirit Well
The first place is Nam Bor Phee Cave or Spirit Well which is the deepest cave in Thailand with more than 200 meters deep and 100 meters wide and you need to rappel down to explore.
It takes around an hour to rappel down the cave. Inside of the cave, it consists of dense forests with a giant hall. The cave also has evidences of weathering on the rocks. As the cave only contains a one-way entrance and exit, you need to climb back up to get out the cave.
Mae Lana Cave
The next cave you can explore is Mae Lana Cave and it is one of the longest caves in Thailand with more than 12 kilometers in length. This is the cave only for true adventurer and not for someone who is weak in both physical and mental health. From the entrance to the exit, it will take you between 12 to 15 hours for the whole trip. There are waterfalls, cave pearls, and beautiful rock formations for you to enjoy inside the cave.
Kaew Komol Cave
The next cave is??Kaew Komol Cave and it is a special one. You can experience one of the three beautiful calcite caves in the world here in Thailand. Calcites inside the cave will turn white after they are hit with lights and it will produce snow-like textures on the surface. As you walk in, there are staffs ready to service you and take you into the cave in which there are five rooms inside. The more you go deeper in the cave, the more you will see. This cave is also known as the Ice Cave because of its texture and characteristics.
Phu Klon
Phu Klon which is a place that contains muds. In fact, it is one out of three muds in the world that is both a natural water and mud. The mud contains many minerals such as calcium, bromine, chloride, and potassium. Those minerals will treat your skin and you can also use it with Thai herbs for amazing scents. It is the perfect souvenir for your love ones as you can use it in many ways for your skin health.
Living in Mae Hong Son
The motto for Mae Hong Son is ?Three Seasons Mists, The Kong Mu (Monastery) that Scrapes the Sky, Verdant Forests, Gentle People, Beautiful Customs, and Renowned Land of Sunflowers?. To get around, you can easily walk through town as it is quite a small town. You can also rent bicycles and motorcycles for your convenience. If you plan to go to somewhere far, there is a bus station close to town that you can walk to.
Accommodation in?Mae Hong Son
For accommodation, you can sleep at a place as cheap as guesthouses to a resort with the price around 3,000 baht to 9,000 baht a night. Budget hotel is also pretty cheap, and it is suitable for backpackers and travelers with a budget. Enjoy your stay here!
Contact our local partner, @ TonyCooperatePage , if you would like to visit Mae Hong Son
Suggested cities around Mae Hong Son
Lampang ? The City of Elephant and Culture of Thailand
Phayao ? Explore the Land of Religion and Nature in Thailand
Nan ? A Hidden City on a River Valley of Thailand