Best Things to Do in Thailand for Backpackers: Mae Hong Son Loop

I’ve been wanting to write this blog post for a long time. And now that it’s done, I still feel like it’s missing so much. But oh well, here we go…

The Mae Hong Son Loop will forever be one of my most beloved memories from our three-month trip to Thailand. This lesser-traveled destination, up in the northwestern-most province that touches Myanmar, was our last great adventure in Thailand, and one that I will remember for the rest of my life.

For those of you who have never heard, or perhaps for those of you who have and don’t know where to begin, I hope that this acts as a comprehensive guide for how to drive one of Northern Thailand’s most beautiful — and adventurous — scenic drives. So let’s jump right in, shall we? I know you’ve got the motorbike gassed up and you can’t wait a second longer to begin.

Mae Hong Son Loop Map

What is the Mae Hong Son Loop?

The Mae Hong Son Loop is a scenic drive that loops from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son and back around. The Mae Hong Son loop distance is roughly 372 miles. While the loop is not as "on the beaten path" as destinations like Bangkok, Phuket, or even Chiang Mai, it is still a popular multi-day excursion that is almost a rite of passage for those who are backpacking Thailand, and one of the best things to do in Thailand.

The loop passes through towns like Mae Sariang and Pai, climbing high in elevation along hairpin switchbacks all along the way. You'll drive through forest, lush jungle, across beautiful rice fields, and will be surrounded by beautiful mountains the entire journey.

How to Drive the Mae Hong Son Loop

While you could hire a taxi between each destination, the best way to do the Mae Hong Son loop is to drive it yourself. You can rent a car for the most comfort. But for the most freedom and flexibility, I highly recommend doing the trip on a motorcycle or a motorbike.*

* I say this with an extreme note of caution. Most websites or blogs will tell you that you can drive the Mae Hong Son loop with little to no experience on a motorbike. I am here to tell you that that is incredibly unwise. The route is challenging. While other cars are infrequent, they will be speeding past whenever they show up. And one wrong maneuver will have a motorbike sliding out from under you. It’s not an easy route, so please only attempt on two wheels if you know what you’re doing.

I, of course, do not know what I’m doing. However David has 20 years of experience on motorcycles, so I trusted him to be the driver. A motorcycle rental for a week was a bit out of our budget, so we made the entire trip on the back of a 125cc magenta pink Honda Scoopy. We rented one for about 200 baht per day, which is roughly $5.25 per day. That’s quite a deal.

How to Store Your Luggage for the Mae Hong Son Loop

Backpackers don’t need to worry about this, as all of your belongings will fit in one backpack. But we’re in our mid- to late-30s, so we had two carry-ons and two backpacks. Not ideal for a week-long scooter trip on one scooter.

Thankfully, the Mae Hong Son Loop is well-known enough that hotels in Chiang Mai will happily store your luggage for you until you get back. We asked the hotel we stayed at in Chiang Mai and they were happy to oblige. Then we packed up what we needed for a week into our two backpacks and David drove the entire route with both of them between his legs. Legend.

Mae Hong Son Loop Itinerary

Okay, so here’s the main event. The Mae Hong Son Loop itinerary. Google will tell you that you can drive the loop in about 12 hours. But seeing as you’ll be making stops (and you’ll *want* to be making stops), you should budget four days at the minimum. Other blogs say they did the loop in 10 days, but I really think a week is more than enough time to do the loop comfortably.

Because it’s a loop, you can do it in either direction. We opted to drive from south to north first, making stops in Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son, and Pai. (You can do the loop in the opposite direction, as well.) We also tacked on an extra night because we wanted to drive to the summit of Doi Inthanon, which is the highest peak in Thailand. It adds a few hours to the entire trip to get to the top and back down again, particularly if you’re crawling your way up on a Honda Scoopy.

Doi Inthanon

1 Night

The Doi Inthanon National Park is a magical spot, filled with canyons, hiking trails, waterfalls, and gardens. It’s a wonderful way to kick off a Mae Hong Son loop itinerary. Bear in mind you’ll need about two hours to drive up and down, and you’ll probably also be making stops along the way, which will add time. You’ll also want to bring some sort of warm clothing because the gain in elevation will make you feel chilly, especially if you’re on a motorbike.

Many people spend the first night camping on Doi Inthanon, but we made the executive decision to sleep at a trippy boutique hotel called The Mothership. The Mothership is owned by a German fellow named Marco, who built this otherworldly pod-like paradise above the rice fields. 

For dining, the town nearby did not really provide much. We stocked up on Chiang beers, some chips, and other snacks. Had we arrived earlier, there would have been several small eateries where we could have had some local food, so be sure to arrive before the sun goes down.

Mae Sariang

1-2 Nights

After descending Doi Inthanon, you’ll leave Chiang Mai province. That’s where the Mae Hong Son Loop *really* begins. Your next stopping point will be the town of Mae Sariang, which I found to be an absolute highlight of the trip. We only spent one night there, but had I known how special it was, I would have rather had two nights there.

We stayed at the Riverhouse Hotel, which is a teak-style house right in the heart of downtown, overlooking the river. It was perfect, with plenty of other loopers staying in the hotel with us. You could tell it was a real crossroads type of town, which I love, especially when you can meet other travelers and swap stories. Keep in mind that the hotel is very, very old so you’ll hear literally every single creak in the old floorboards. With that said, try to have some patience, and also try to tread lightly to be respectful of the other guests.

As for dining, we had one of the best meals in Thailand in Mae Sariang. The restaurant was called Coriander in Redwood and it was spectacular. The redwood restaurant was airy, with lovely views out to the back garden or the street. We feasted on the spicy pork larb, grilled pork with spicy cucumber salad, and chicken pad thai. Of course, we washed it all down with frosty bottles of Chiang beer. It was all fantastic.

After dinner we took our time on the back of the motorbike riding through the narrow roads around the rice fields, drinking in the sunset views behind the mountains. Life moves at a slower pace in Mae Sariang. You could also visit the Morning Market, or make stops at the beautiful Burmese and Thai temples that can be found around the city. One of the top things to do is to visit the three “Chom” temples for blessings. The three temples are built atop three different hills around Mae Sariang.

Mae Hong Son

1-2 Nights

The next day it was on to Mae Hong Son, the capital of Mae Hong Son province. I will say that we were visiting in March, which is the start of the burn season and a low tourist season. It was also shortly after Thailand reopened after the pandemic, and many, many businesses were shuttered due to the loss of tourism. So, for us, Mae Hong Son was likely far sleepier than it usually is. We stayed two nights in Mae Hong Son because there was a side trip I desperately wanted to make. If you don’t take a side trip, you likely only need one night in Mae Hong Son. 

But before you reach Mae Hong Son, there are a few spots you can stop along the way. The first is Khun Yuam, which is a small town that has a lovely temple, called the Wat Muai To. From here, you can take a side trip east to drive to the Thung Bua Tong Fields. These fields have the largest collection of Mexican Sunflowers, but you have to go at the right time to actually see them in bloom — which we did not. The best time to see the striking sunflowers is between mid-November and early December. A bit further is the Mae Surin Waterfall, which is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Thailand.

Then you'll hit Mae Hong Son City, home to spectacular Burmese temples, a thriving night market, and delightful restaurants. Timing is very important, though. March, or Burn Season, is not the right time to be visiting Mae Hong Son. It will be hot and very smoky. During the chillier seasons, however, you'll be blessed with the misty morning sunrises, and spectacularly explosive sunsets. 

Definitely check out the Chong Khan Night Market, along the Chong Khan Lake, which is also home to the Wat Chong Klang and Wat Chong Khan Burmese temples. For a gorgeous sunrise, drive to the top of Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, one of the oldest temples in the city. 

One of the highlights of our visit to Mae Hong Son was the side trip we took out to a village called Baan Rak Thai. This village is an historic Chinese settlement that sits right on the border between Thailand and Myanmar. 

The village was founded by a group of former nationalists from Yunnan province, China, right as China became a communist country. It is a slice of traditional Yunnanese culture, nestled in the mountains of Thailand. Today it is known for its traditional Chinese cuisine, cozy cafes, and fantastic oolong tea rooms. The fields surrounding Baan Rak Thai are practically bursting with tea leaves. 

*Note: This is the part of Thailand where you also can find the Long Neck villages, where the women elongate their necks with gold metal rings. You can go into these villages if you want, but there's something about this voyeuristic type of tourism that sits really uncomfortably with me, so we opted not to go.

For accommodation, we stayed at the B2 Mae Hong Son Premier Resort, which had a lovely pool and clean, modern rooms. 

Pai

2 Nights

We ended with Pai because I had heard so many incredible things about this hippie-friendly, marijuana-loving, bohemian backpacker village. So we booked three nights and expected to make friends and have an epic adventure.

Unfortunately, it didn't exactly go that way for a few reasons. The first of which is that we are not 22 anymore. Backpacker-friendly villages no longer hit quite the same when you're in your 30s. Backpacker towns are known for their high concentration of bars and even higher concentration of, well, backpackers. Usually in their early 20s, looking to "experience life" by way of drinking in excess at bars vibrating with day-glo colors, and subsequently eating spaghetti bolognese with other people in their early 20s. I can't lie to you and say that I've never lived that lifestyle. I certainly have. But again, I was in my early 20s. That was not why we came to Thailand this time around. I'll say it — we're old.

Still, Pai is a fascinating little village. It was once a laid-back town entirely hidden away in the mountains. While today it is a giant tourist trap, you can still see the beauty that once made it so incredibly special. The first stop should be the Yun Lai Viewpoint, which has a gorgeous panoramic view over the valley. If you go at sunrise, you can see the fog lift up over the village. Other spots to visit in and around Pai include the Pam Tok Waterfall, the Buddha Bamboo Bridge, and the Chedi Phra That Mae Yen. 

One thing you will do very well in Pai is eat. It has restaurants that cater to every single type of taste, whether it's traditional Thai food, pizza, steak, tacos, and vegan-friendly. Our favorite haunts included the night market for street food, Om Garden Cafe for breakfast, and Blue Ox for a lovely dinner with wine.

We stayed at The Quarter hotel, which was a bit outside of the village, with a beautiful swimming pool and a hearty breakfast.

Back to Chiang Mai

After Pai, it’s about a three-hour drive back into Chiang Mai. You’ll drive through thick, cool forests navigating challenging switchbacks for the first two hours. The last hour is a relatively boring drive as you make your back into the city. 

How Many Days Do I Need for the Mae Hong Son Loop

You could technically do the Mae Hong Son Loop itinerary in three days. But you won’t want to do that at all. A week is definitely enough time to do the loop comfortably. If you want to do all the side trips, hike all the trails, catch all the sunrises, and see all the waterfalls, you’ll likely need to set aside 10 days to see it all.

Is the Mae Hong Son Loop Safe?

Very safe. Thailand, overall, is a very safe country for tourists. The residents are very accommodated to travelers from all over the world making the route. The road is paved the majority of the time, as well.

However, as I mentioned before, it's a windy mountain road that can be quite isolated at times. Keep your gas tank full, and fill up as often as you can. Be aware of other drivers, particularly going up and around the switchbacks. And also take caution to the roads after it rains, as they can become incredibly slick. 

If you are going by motorcycle or motorbike, it goes without saying that you must (MUST, MUST) wear your helmet.