Mae Hong Son Favorites

Fondest memory: It might sound strange but one of the main draws of the North for me was to see mountains shrouded in that mist you only see in tropical regions. I find them very evokative and on my trip from Pai to the raft centre we were driving through some amazing mountain scenery. Back in Mae Hong Son, just behind Wat Nong Jong Kham I took some more photos of the hills. On the journey from Mae Sariang back to Chiang Mai the bus wound through more misty mountains. It was just only good until the radio came on and it was a woman singing - obviosly nothing I could understand - and the combination of the slow moving scenery and her amazing voice was one of the real highlights of my trip

Favorite thing: Mae Hong Son is the hidden trekking capital of Thailand. For the most origional trek you must go to Mae Hong Son. The trekking is much better in Mae Hong Son than Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai. The tribes are more natural and traditional, and the trek is not on a path, but through the natural forrest with expert guides. For the best trekking experience in Thailand go to Mae Hong Son!

Fondest memory: Community service in a 12 family Karen village. We trekked with water pipes and worked to eventually give these people running water for the first time.

Favorite thing: Mae Hong Son is off-the-beaten path thailand: the town itself is tiny but not ugly... there are some really characteristic wooden houses... however, the whole town is a single street, so no one comes here just to see it. it's also a good starting off point to visit some tribal villages or to go bamboo-rafting on a river. In case it's culture you're looking for, there's a temple that's a real jewel not far from the centre.

Fondest memory: The temple mentioned above but also - and especially - the stunning hilly landscape... karst and limestone hills densely covered in thick forests... very scenic and pretty... a wlcome change after so many flat rice-fileds