North Thailand - More Than Mae Hong Son

[FB666Y]

It seems everyone who goes to Chiang Mai ends up doing the MHS Loop. During a recent trip I managed to wander off the mhs loop, and here are some of those routes. Hopefully it might encourage others to try them.

 

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Mae Sot - Route 105 (Thereon Route 1090 to Umphang)

South of Mae Sariang the road was in repair in some places but overall very smooth. You will be riding along the Burmese border with long swatches of rice fields and mountains framed against the setting sun. Three quarters in and youll come across the Burmese refugees straw homes sprawled several kilometres along the road. Some of the houses are precariously wedged on hills that sprout out of the ground like teeth. From Mae Sot you could stroll into Burma or you could take the bike to Umphang - further north, along some amazing mountains roads.

 

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Pu Chi Fa - Route 1155

The delightfully named Pu Chi Fa is sandwhich between Laos and Thailand. You start from Chiang Khlong and make your way down south, following the directions - theyre pretty precise. At some point youll meet the Mekong and youll find walking to Laos across the Mekong a breeze provided the tide is low. The road unravels over hills and small villages. There are several turn-off points to Pu Chi Fa. Any one of them will involve steep hill climbs and amazing views of farmlands. You could easily do this route and be back in Chiang Mai in one day.

 

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Other interesting routes

 

Mae Chaem - Route 1263

A small village huddled in the shadows of Doi Inthanon, its a good place to spend the night. You could take a short cut through the empty and desolate mountain range and join up with the MHS Loop at Khun Yam. Its quite an amazing road - it snakes from one mountain to another with hardly a straight, only bends. Early morning ride on this road is a must - its quite special riding on top of mountains with the clouds below you. Keep an eye on the road signs - plenty of side roads that might lead you to ganja plantations and the like ...

 

Doi Ang Khang

Turn right and travel in the opposite direction to Chiang Mai (assuming youre doing the loop in a clockwise direction). Pretty soon youll come to the turn-off for Doi Ang Khang - note there a more direct route to Ang Khang that you dont want to take cause it dull. The route will take in several indigenious villages, several mountains and at least one military checkpoint before it spills into the alpine Ang Khang settting. At times it'll feel as though youre travelling in strange lands - the scenery here is amazing.

 

Mae Hong Son

Well if youre already there spend a day or two in its cool environs. There are plenty of roads to explore around MHS. Take the one that will lead you on very narrow snaking roads up a mountain to the Yunnanese village of Ban Rak Thai. You can sit by the lake and have some tea and have some Yunnan food and contemplate the all downhill ride and wonder if your brakes are up to it.

 

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Hopefully it might inspire some to try some different paths. All the information is readily available. North Thailand is getting very popular and the great thing is the roads are in very good condition.

 

Here are some tips first-timers might find handy:

Get the Golden Triangle map - you can get it at Mr Mechanic. The information within it is invaluable.

Make it a point to try different routes.

More pictures from the trip can be had here: http://www.fb666y.com/photo_gallery/photo_gallery_norththailand.php

Edited June 6, 2011 by FB666Y
North South East West - thanks to SW9000 for pointing that out

[eq87]

Beautiful scenery!

[Motion]

Nice!

 

Thank you for sharing!