The Famous Mae Hong Son Loop

Welcome to our Service Centre in the morning for a tour briefing and motorcycle hand over etc. We are at your disposal as of 8 am.

Once on your motorcycle, and starting your Short Motorcycle Tour of Thailand, you quickly leave Chiang Mai behind and start your first mountain riding towards Samoeng, the first destination for today. A well-deserved coffee break and leg stretcher and back on your motorcycle again. The road to Wat Si Witchan is snaking its way over hills and mountains and was just recently fully paved. At Wat, Si Witchan you can enjoy lunch and visit the “Ray-Ban” temple. From here you still have two hours enjoyable mountain riding to Pai. Before reaching your hotel stop at an elephant camp were we feed those majestic animals and even get a hug from them. In Pai dine on delicious local or western food in a restaurant by the river. In the evening after dinner, you can enjoy the delights of the Walking Street market. Overnight in Pai.
(200 km/124 miles)

Today is a very scenic riding day in the short motorcycle tour of Thailand. Even if the distance is not that much, there are plenty of mountains and switchbacks to negotiate, don't worry, you will need the full day. This is also the second part of the road famous for its 1864 bends of varying sharpness. You will pass two mountains with 2 great scenic View Points en route.

The journey takes you through some beautiful mountainous scenery. Around mid-day, arrive at Ban Rak Thai where you enjoy lunch in one of the local Chinese restaurants by the little lake. They serve delicious Chinese specialities. Ban Rak Thai means literally "the Thai-loving village", built around a lake on the Myanmar border. About 800, mainly Chinese settled here after the communist takeover of China and some of the buildings have a distinctively Chinese appearance.

After lunch, continue to Mae Hong Son and up the hill to visit the Wat Phrathat Doi Kongmu. From here you have a great view of the city and its surroundings.

Next destination is the pier where you park your motorcycles. You can leave helmets, jackets etc at the ticket office. Enjoy a scenic boat ride on the Pai River for about 20 min to the Karen Long Neck village (http://www.huaypukeng.com/info_visitor.htm). The Karen, a tribal minority, historically lived in the hills on the Myanmar side of the border. Some of their women wear heavy brass rings around their necks, forearms, and shins. Many ideas regarding why the coils are worn have been suggested. Some have hypothesized that the rings protected women from becoming slaves by making them less attractive to other tribes. Another theory is that the coils originate from the desire to look more attractive. Why don't you ask them and find out the real story?

Return by boat to the pier and ride to the nearby Resort. Enjoy first a drink at the sunset bar overlooking the rice paddies. Overnight in Mae Hong Son for the last night of this short motorcycle tour of Thailand.
(180 km/112 miles)

In the morning you leave Mae Hong Son behind and ride to Khun Yuam. It is a great winding road with wide bends. In Khun Yuam visit the local Museum. The Imperial Japanese Army troops were stationed in Khun Yuam during the construction of a highway intended to cross Burma to India. Tip: Ask the museum staff to show the video about history (approx. 10 min, included). Besides the museum, there is a great Coffee Shop and a 7/11 store.
From Khun Yuam continue to Mae Chaem on great twisty back roads. Lunch at a little local restaurant. Continue up to the top of Doi Inthanon, which at 2,565 meters is the highest mountain in Thailand.
Next stop is the Wachiratharn Waterfall - an impressive and powerful 80 m high waterfall. From here you ride the last part of Doi Inthanon national park. Once down in the valley, you have another 50 km to our Service Center in Chiang Mai where you can expect to arrive around 5 pm, wrapping up your Short Motorcycle Tour of Thailand.
(300 km/186 miles)