TH · Mae Hong Son · 19.30°N 97.97°E

mae hong son

Misty mountain-ringed border town with a Burmese-style temple by the lake.

Best time
November to February is cool and misty, the nicest time to visit. From around February to April, smoke from burning can bring heavy haze. June to October is the rainy season.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly from KL to Chiang Mai (about 3 hours), then take a short domestic flight to Mae Hong Son. By road it's about 6–7 hours through Pai, on a mountain road with endless bends.
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TH · Mae Hong Sonmae hong son19.30°N 97.97°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Misty mountain-ringed border town with a Burmese-style temple by the lake.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingMae Hong SonTH, Mae Hong Son
KLmae hong son
≈ 1,842 km from KL, as the crow flies
Mae Hong Son, a capital of the Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand

Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A small mountain town near the Myanmar border, ringed by forested hills and often wrapped in morning mist. It has a strong Shan character, with Burmese-style temples by the lake, and sits at the far end of the Mae Hong Son Loop road trip.

Makan

  1. Khao kan jinA Shan dish of rice mixed with pork blood and steamed in banana leaf.Map ↗
  2. Tea and Yunnanese dishesHill-grown oolong and Chinese dishes in the tea houses of Ban Rak Thai.Map ↗
  3. Night marketFood stalls set up by Jong Kham Lake in the evenings.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Jong Kham LakeA small lake in town with two Shan-style temples, Wat Jong Kham and Wat Jong Klang, on its shore. Pretty when lit up at night.Map ↗
  2. Wat Phra That Doi Kong MuA hilltop temple above town with views over the valley and the morning mist.Map ↗
  3. Pang UngA pine-ringed reservoir about an hour north, known for misty sunrises.Map ↗
  4. Ban Rak ThaiA Chinese village by a lake near the border, with tea plantations and Yunnanese food.Map ↗
  5. Su Tong Pae bamboo bridgeA long bamboo bridge across the rice fields to a forest temple.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Visits to the Kayan "long-neck" villages are controversial. Read up first and decide whether you're comfortable going.
  • Take motion sickness pills for the drive, or fly in.
  • Bring a warm layer for cool mornings in December and January.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.