Maehongson Travel

Trip Background Information

Mae Hong Son is a picturesque town that is mist-shrouded all three season, It is always an ultimate dream of any traveler who wants to view a magnificent natural beauty of mountains, hills and pristine forest. It is a place of mountains, hills and pristine forest. It is a place where one travels through a mist screen to the land of Shangri-la.

Mae Hong Son is located in the top most northwest border of Thailand. Being a small town amidst a vast forest, its area is 90% mountainous and 10% flat plains. With this geography, Mae Hong Son provides a quite complete and balanced ecosystem.

History of Mae Hong Son City

In the past, Mae Hong Son was formerly calles, "Mae Rong Son" which means a stream used for bathing and training of wild elephants. It was previously a forest settlement of Tai Yai. A villager named "Shan Ka Lae" initiated the native people to settle together in a place which they than established as "Khun Yuam" village. In 1874, the village developed into a town and the name was changed into "Mae Hong Son". Later, Prince Inthawichayanont of Chiang Mai realized the guardianship ability of Shan Ka Lae and promoted him to be Phraya Singhanat Raja, the first governor of Mae Hong Son.

The province of Mae Hong Son is the only province in the entire country that has been selected as one of the ten livable and beautiful cities in the world, is comprised of about 12,682 sq.km. making it the 7th largest province in the country. It consiste of 7 districts, namely:

Muang, Khun Yuam, Mae La Noi, Mae Sariang, Sob Muei, Pai and Pang Ma Pha.

The fascination of this land lies mainly on the purity of its nature, with its verdant forests and to wering mountains that always seen to fortify and protect its intrinsic culture from the rest of the country. This had capacitated the native people of Mae Hong Son to preserve their real and distinctive identity in terms of arts, culture and way of life. Hence tourists are allured to come and visit Mae Hong Son all the time.

Travel to Maehongson, Thailand

Mae Hong Son is 924 km. far from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. From Chiang Mai, the distance from Mae Hong Son is 369 km through Highway 108 while through Highway 1095, the distance is only 245 km. If you travel by plan from Chiang Mai, it will only take you 25 minutes to reach the city of Mae Hong Son.

Muang district has numberous tourist and study tour destinations. For those who are fascinated with temples and their architecture, should never fail to visit the following places:

Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, which is located on the top of Kong Mu hill, has existed with the town. The temple contain two pagodas. The bigger pagoda was built by "Jong Tong su" in 1860 while the smaller one was built in 1874 by " Phraya Singhanat Raja", the first Governor of Mae Hong Son.

Wat Hua Wiang, houses the image of Phra Chao Phra La Khaeng who is a revered Buddha of Mae Hong Son.

Wat Chong Kham is a very old Burmese-style temple. It houses a huge and revered statue of Luang Pho To,

Wat Chong Klang is found adjacent to Wat Chong Kham. It contains a spectacular marbled Buddha image and carved wooden dolls of persons and animals representing characters based on jataka tales of Buddha.

Wat Phra Non is found at the foot of Doi Kong Mu and contains a lying Buddha image of 12 meters long.

Chong Kham Lake is found in the center of the city. It is an original body of water which contains ever-flowing water the whole year through. It is resting park and is frequently used as a location for the staging of import traditions.

For visitors interested in visiting places of nature, Fish Cave national park should not be misses. It is located 17 km. north of Mae Hong Son in Tambon Huai Pha. Surrouding the area is a subterrane an stream and mountain forests. The water flows from the cave stream to the fish. There is a great number of craps.

Pha Sua waterfalls is found in Tam bon Mok Jam Pae, about 20 km. from the center of the city. This gorgeous waterfalls has six levels.

Not far from the Pha Sua waterfalls is the beautiful garden of the Pang Tong Royal Residence where once can see natural beauty and modern agriculture practices.

Fuether along one passes by the Ban Rak Thai and observe how tea plants are harvested including the way of life of old Chinese national soldiers who fled to settle in Mae Hong Son, Thailand.

Going back to the center of the city, the visitor can drop by the Queen's creative arts center. One can see and observe various native handicraft-making which represent the civilization and learning of the indigenous habitants of Mae Hong Son, Thailand.