Mae Hong Son is a nature lover’s paradise. The small town surrounds a lake with a picturesque temple on the edge. Mae Hong Son has a large Shan population which is visible in the architecture of the temples, the cuisine offered at restaurants and the town festivals. During the high season there are handfuls of tourists but during the low season most of the foreigners are NGO workers or volunteers. This foreign influence has led to many of the restaurants offering western cuisine and there are a few recently opened coffee and smoothie shops that offer wifi.
Mae Hong Son has a traditional fruit and vegetable day market. The largest market takes place on the edge of town on Sunday mornings when farmers from the surrounding villages come to town. On the weekends a walking street is set up at sundown adjacent to the lake with regional handicrafts and other souvenir-type items. After 9 or 10pm the town becomes very quiet and nightlife is almost non-existent except for a few people that you can usually find playing pool at the popular bar ‘Crossroads’.
A push bike is the best option for local transportation around Mae Hong Son although a motorbike can be useful in the hot season and a fun way to explore the surrounding areas including forest trails, hot springs, caves, waterfalls and hill tribe villages in surrounding areas. There are a few tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis that gather close to the day market and there are buses and songthaews that depart throughout the day to neighboring villages and towns, including Pai which is about 2 hours away and is popular with the backpacker crowd.
Mae Hong Son has a beautiful mountain setting, a small town feel, western comforts and the chance to experience the diversity of both Thai and Burmese life. Visitors to this ‘heaven in the hills’ may find themselves staying longer than expected.