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| Mae Hong Son | ||
| province | Mae Hong Son | |
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| Residents | 6.526 (2014) | |
| height | 240 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Mae Hong Son(Thai: แม่ฮ่องสอน) is the capital of the eponymous province in Northern Thailand. A small lake that Nong Chong Kham, forms the center of the place. After the place is the so-called Mae Hong Son Loop named, an extremely winding route that is very popular with motorcyclists and runs from Chiang Mai above Pai and Mae Hong Son over Mae Sariang back to Chiang Mai. It is said that there are 1,864 bends as far as Mae Hong Son.
In the city itself, the proximity to the Burmese border is very noticeable. The temples are built in the Burmese style and many residents of the neighboring country have found employment here. People from the neighboring villages of the "hill tribes" appear especially in the evenings when they offer their handmade weaving work at the night market by the lake.
getting there
By plane
Mae Hong Son has a small regional airport - 1 Mae Hong Son Airport
(IATA: HGN). Kan Air flies him off three times a day Chiang Mai off on. The flight takes 30 to 35 minutes and costs between 900 and 1,600 THB each way. Also Bangkok Airways flies here from Chiang Mai once or twice a day for around THB 1,600. Of Bangkok-Don Mueang(IATA: DMK) you have to change trains in Chiang Mai.
By train
The city is not connected to the rail network, the nearest train station is in Chiang Mai.
By bus
Main means of transport are Minivans (13-seat, air-conditioned minibuses), which run every hour between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son commute. Departure is from the Arcade 2 bus terminal in Chiang Mai, exactly at the back. This is also where the ticket office is located, which issues tickets for the individual minivans days in advance, and you can choose the seats. The 2nd row is ideal, the seat spacing is too narrow in the first row, the backrest cannot be adjusted in the 4th row, here the wheel arches also restrict legroom. It is advisable to get tickets at least one day in advance, as the minivans are often fully booked.
The fare is THB 250 to Mae Hong Son, there is no surcharge for larger luggage, it is mostly transported on the roof rack. Daypacks can be pushed under the seat of the person in front. The driving time for the 240 km is about 5 hours, which is due to the extremely winding (allegedly almost 1,864 curves) and mountainous route. Will additionally Pai driven to a main tourist destination in the area to let people out, the travel time is extended by about 30 minutes.
They also run three times a day Regional buses on this track.
The 2 Bus station in Mae Hong Son is about 1 km southwest of the city center, with a tuk-tuk (motorcycle rickshaw) you can get there for 80 THB.
mobility
Dynamic cardsMotorcycle rental from 180 THB / 24 hours (also rental of Car) at JD (Tel. 084-372-6967, 8: 00-18: 00h) opposite the police station on the lake. Not all machines are in roadworthy condition (brakes defective, no license plate). Make sure to check before renting, especially if you want to go to destinations outside the city. ID and 2,000 THB must be deposited as a deposit.
There is another motorcycle rental near the airport, the machines of which are apparently better maintained.
- Tuk-tuk service: An association of tuk-tuk entrepreneurs (Maehongson Tuk Tuk Members, Tel .: 08-6188-5108) offers trips at fixed prices to the most important destinations in and outside the city, a corresponding price list is sometimes posted in the accommodations.
Tourist Attractions
1 Wat Chong Kham and 2 Wat Chong sound are two temples in Burmese style, they are located on the bank of the small lake in the middle of the city. They are brightly lit in the evening and then represent a special attraction.
This temple, which can be seen from afar, is located on Doi Kong Mu, Mae Hong Son's "local mountain" 3 Wat Phrathat Doi Kong Mu. Access by stairs as well as a serpentine road. The temple consists of 2 white Burmese style chedis, built in 1860 and 1974, they can be seen from almost everywhere in the city. Not far from the temple complex there are stalls with local handicrafts and souvenirs, a restaurant and that Before Sunset Cafe, from whose terrace built over the abyss one has a wonderful view over the jungle to Myanmar.
activities
A Sightseeing tram (an open bus in the form of a tram) drives around the city center in just under an hour. The ride is free. Departure every morning at 10:00 am at Living Museum (Singhanat Bamrung across from 7-Eleven). There you can make a reservation for a trip; Obviously, it cannot be guaranteed whether the booked places are definitely free, because if a larger group of students registers a need at short notice, you are unlucky.
shop
- Market hall (on a side street off Singhanat Bamrung Road). Open: every day.
- Evening Market, on the street parallel to the runway of the airfield. Open: every day.
- Sunday Market. Close to the PTT petrol station with agricultural products from local farmers.Open: Sundays.
- Night market. At sea; Food stalls on the bank, handicrafts from the surrounding mountain villages in the side streets.Open: daily 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
kitchen
- Salween River Restaurant, on the northwest corner of the lake (opposite the police station). Good Thai, Shan and Western cuisine.
- Sunflower Cafe, at sea. With Thai and Western dishes.
- Restaurants with western cuisine (Pizza, Steak etc.) on the main street.
- The Food stalls of the night market are located on the western and southern banks of the lake.
nightlife
Nightlife is a foreign word in Mae Hong Son, from 10 p.m. it is mostly quiet in the city, only a few karaoke can be heard a little later.
accommodation
- 1 Piya Guesthouse, 1/1 Khunlumpapas Soi3, Jongkham, Mueang, Maehongson, 58000 Thailand. Tel.: 66(0)53611260, Email: [email protected]. Beautiful and well-kept, family-run bungalow complex with swimming pool, located directly on the lake next to the temples. Each bungalow with bathroom / AC. Despite the central location, very quiet and recommendable.Price: 700 THB.
- 2 Jongkam Guesthouse. Popular accommodation on the opposite side of the lake from the temples.
health
The hospital See Sang Wan Hospital is at the end of Singhanat Bamrung Road, which branches off the thoroughfare.
Practical advice
trips
The 4 Bamboo bridge (Saphan Su Tong Pae) leads across rice fields and a small river to a hill with a temple complex, which can be reached via a steep staircase. How to get there: Take road 1095 towards Pai, from the gas station in Ban Pang Mu after 2.4 km left (the first paved road after the river bridge with signs Ban Rak Thai), after another 2.5 km you will reach a place with signs for "Su Tong Pae". If you have missed the junction from road 1095 and see signs for the bamboo bridge, you should not follow this path, because it continues as a sandy track after 200 m.
The 5 "Fish cave" (Tham Pla) is 17 km away in the direction Pai near the village of Ban Huai Pha, in the Tham Pla National Park and Pha Suea waterfall. Tuk-tuks go there and back for THB 900. This excursion is also possible with a motorized two-wheeler, but you should get yourself a sturdy, mountain-suitable mobile unit with very good brakes, because the last few kilometers contain sharp, steep curves.
National parks in the region:
- Namtok Mae Surin National Park. Surrounds the east of the city; the national park administration is located 8 km north of the city, a little off the road to Pai.
- Salawin National Park. About 170 km south of Mae Hong Son, west of Mae Sariang.
- Mae Ngao National Park. Approx. 190 km south of Mae Hong Son, on the national road 105 towards Mae Sot.
literature
Web links
- http://www.mmhs.go.th/ - Official website of Mae Hong Son
