Mae Sai Travel Guide

  MONKS CROSSING THE RIVER
by davidjo
 
  • MONKS CROSSING THE RIVER
      MONKS CROSSING THE RIVER
    by davidjo
  • REAL OR NOT
      REAL OR NOT
    by davidjo
  • Northernmost town monument
      Northernmost town monument
    by tim07
  • The bridge between Thailand & Myanmar
      The bridge between Thailand & Myanmar
    by tim07
  • Immigration
      Immigration
    by tim07
 

Pro

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 Green fields, limestone mountains, open roads and fresh air! 


Con

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 Be careful while exploring the streets 


In a nutshell

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 Vibrant and lively-a must see 

 

Explore Mae Sai

Things to Do  

CROSS THE BRIDGE to MYANMAR

CROSS THE BRIDGE to MYANMAR, Mae Sai

 davidjo Says:  Last year we crossed the bridge and spent a day in Tachileik, the Burmese town across the river. There is another huge market on the other side, selling the same items as in Mae Sai, but if you take time and wander away from this eyesore you will find many interesting things... 

Tachileik Market

Tachileik Market, Mae Sai

 Willettsworld Says:  Tachileik, on the Myanmar side of the border, is a typical border town that exists purely on the trade, some say, dodgy trade, between Thailand and Myanmar. There's a large market here which I went around and was fairly similar to what you find in Thailand except that it... 

Wat Tham Pla/Monkey Cave Temple

Wat Tham Pla/Monkey Cave Temple, Mae Sai

 Willettsworld Says:  Wat Tham Pla means fish tail and this temple is found about 13km (8 miles) south of Mae Sai. The temple is also known as the Monkey Cave Temple after the macaques that live here. They are not usually aggressive though and only stay in one area near the fish pond and shrine... 

Golden Triangle Tour

Golden Triangle Tour, Mae Sai

 Willettsworld Says:  Unlike Chiang Mai where there's dozens of tour agents offering tours, it became apparent to me when I walked around Chiang Rai that tour agents were a bit thin on the ground. I only found a few and the cheapest I found to do a Golden Triangle Tour was a place opposite the... 

Hotels  

Taitong Hotel

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Restaurants  

Mae Salong Villa: Chinese in the Hills- Doi Mae Salong

Mae Salong Villa: Chinese in the Hills- Doi Mae Salong, Mae Sai

 Myndo Says:  A lot of people that live ini that area come from China. They fled after the Mao regime took over the power and stayed here later.So lots of shops have chinese signs on it and you can find a real chinese Restaurant here with genuine chinese specialities.The view over the... 

Portable Restaurants on a Sidewalk Near You: Sidewalk Buffet On the Streets of Mae Sai

Portable Restaurants on a Sidewalk Near You: Sidewalk Buffet On the Streets of Mae Sai, Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:  Every night a hundred or more of these portable street stall restaurants line the min boulevrd in Mae Sai and offer all sorts of very tasty northern Thai dishes. For 50 baht (about $1.10) you can't beat the price! I had my best plate of Pad Thai right here at the food stand... 

Nightlife  

Sailom Joy Rd.: Find the river & you'll find your beer!
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BorderHopper 519 reviews
Jason & Ron toasting Singha in Mae Sai

Beer & karaoke about round out your options for nightlife in Mae Sai. If you fancy neither you can find a good conversation or retire to bed with your Lonely Planet guide book. I should mention that there are several Karaoke bars that are on again and off again that are located near the Sai river on the Thai side of the border. I only know this because our first hotel, the King Kobra, had to resort to filling their rooms with short time customers who'd get a girl from the Karaoke bar and bring them across the street into our hotel where we were watching the coming's & going's from the outdoor lobby. These places didn't cater to Westerners and seemed to be more for the Thai or Burmese men who wanted to spend their paychecks.

For an alternative to a lazy night at your hotel you can cruise the main road where hundreds of food stalls have been set up and join the locals for a good dinner and a beer. In 2004 there was a restaurant , Uncle George's, that had a nice nightlife feel to it with a pool tabel, lots of alcohol, and plenty of food. There were a few backpackers and locals hanging out there the few nights we spent in Mae Sai.

Dress Code: Anything short of your birthday suit.

Updated Jun 8, 2005

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Transportation  

Renting a Honda Motorbike in Mae Sai

Renting a Honda Motorbike in Mae Sai, Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:  Renting your own Honda 125 cc motorbike can easily be done at the one & only Honda dealership in Mae Sai which is located less than a mile from the Myanmar/Thailand border crossing on the main road in Mae Sai. All that is required of you is that you leave your passport, fill... 

Air Asia to Chiang Rai

Air Asia to Chiang Rai, Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:  An easy option for getting to Mae Sai would be a daily flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai on Air Asia. The flight is a bit over an hour and cost us about $40 usd one way. From the Chiang Rai International airport you can hire a taxi or tuk tuk take you to the Chiang Rai bus... 

Shopping  

Strawberry wine/juice: Roadside stalls

Strawberry wine/juice: Roadside stalls, Mae Sai

 Willettsworld Says:  On the way to Mae Sai from Chiang Rai, we passed by a whole load of stalls alongside the road selling all things to do with strawberry's - juice, wine, liquor and, indeed, strawberries themselves. We stopped at one of them to try some of the juice and it was so good that I... 

Local Customs  

You don't see the monks walking around naked!

You don't see the monks walking around naked!, Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:  Most people coming to Thailand for a visit know, or at least read up on, the cultural do's and don'ts of Thailand & her people. I'll use this space to write a bit about a horrifying sight we saw on our family trip to Thailand. I was disgusted at what I saw and felt sorry for... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Leave your valuables in safe place....

Leave your valuables in safe place...., Mae Sai

 iNorv9 Says:  If at all possible, I wouldn't take any valuables (like a nice watch or expensive camera) into Tachileik. While the people were all very friendly towards me, it certainly felt much more third world than Thailand, and I doubt there is much protection for tourists who are... 

Tourist Traps  

Speedboats on the Mekong River

Speedboats on the Mekong River, Mae Sai

 aukahkay Says:  When you reach the Golden Triangle, there will be many Thais trying to persuade you to take a ride on a motorised boat on the Mekong River. Tourist trap!! It costs B1500 for a short 15-minute spin. If you are in a group of 6 persons, the cost can be divided amongst all of... 

Your Burma Border Crossing....

Your Burma Border Crossing...., Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:  Crossing the border from Mae Sai, Thailand to the Burmese town of Tachilek in Myanmar is very easy. Just be careful not to get suckered in by the touts.Those touts are waiting for you and there isn't much to see...but at least you'll get that Myanmar stamp for your... 

What to Pack  

Rain Gear For Those South East Asian Showers

Rain Gear For Those South East Asian Showers, Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:   Many times while riding a motorbike in South East Asia I've been caught in a sudden down pour only to get soaking wet. Our friends, Jason, My, & Connie came prepared on our outing from Mae Sai to the Mekong River. They brought their rain ponchos & were able to stay dry... 

Off The Beaten Path  

The Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle, Mae Sai

 aukahkay Says:  The Golden Triangle is the meeting point of three countries - Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, separated by the Mekong River. It is a short drive from the town of Mae Sai, the northernmost town in Thailand. On the Myanmar side, you can see a red-roof building complex which is the... 

You Never Know Where a Road Will Lead You

You Never Know Where a Road Will Lead You, Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:  Many roads around Mae Sai will lead you somewhere "off the beaten path". In our explorations around Mae Sai by motorbike we fond hidden lakes perfect for swimming, deep caves, remote villages, and border markers indicating the boundry between Myanmar and Thailand. In the... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Fishing, Thai Style!

Fishing, Thai Style!, Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:  Some people consider fishing a sporting activity so I'll mention my experiences with fishing in Mae Sai here. There are several fishing holes, ponds, and rivers that you can fish in. I tried fishing in the Sai river, and though it was relaxing I wasn't able to catch anything... 

Favorites  

Border Crossing

Border Crossing, Mae Sai

 Willettsworld Says:  As of April 2009, an entry permit into Myanmar, valid for up to 14 days, costs 500 baht/US$10 (be sure to bring clean US notes, without any marks, stamps, etc. on it - otherwise customs officers will refuse it and, if you don't have another one, happily receive significantly... 

Guardian of Mae Sai: The Scorpion

Guardian of Mae Sai: The Scorpion, Mae Sai

 BorderHopper Says:  I'm not sure if this hill top monument at one of the Buddhist temples in Mae Sai is in honor of the Hollywood film "Scorpion King" or if its been erected for another, more noble reason. I wasn't able to learn the history of this monument but from what I saw it may have... 

Comments

 
Map of Mae Sai