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Mae Hong Son is a picturesque, mountainous northern province bordering Myanmar to the west and the north. Hill tribes, Burmese-style temples, rugged mountains, waterfalls, caves and pristine forests lend the province much of its unspoiled charm.
Mae Hong Son province covers an area of 14,244 sq, km, and is administratively divided into 6 districts, and 1 subdistrict namely: Muang, Mae Sa Riang, Mae La Noi, Pai, Khun Yuam, Sop Moei and Pang Ma Pa Subdistrict. Mae Hong Son province can be reached from Chiang Mai either by Highway No.108 or via Pai, which shortens the distance to some 274
By Car Mae Hong Son is located 924 kilometres from Bangkok. Drive from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and then choose the following routes to Mae Hong Son:
:: Chiang Mai Hot Mae Sariang Khun Yuam Mae Hong Son (Route 108) with 1864 curves, a distance of 349 kilometres.
:: Chiang Mai Mae Malai Pai Mae Hong Son (Route 1095), a distance of 245 kilometres.
By Bus Muang Nuea Yan Yon Tour Tel: (02) 936-3587-8 operates an air-conditioned bus which runs directly from Bangkok to Mae Hong Son every day. The bus departs from Chatuchak (Mochit 2) Bus Terminal at 6 p.m. The trip takes about 17 hours.
By RailOne can travel from Bangkok to Chiang Mai by rail and then continue to Mae Hong Son by bus. For more information, call 1699, (02) 223-7010, (02) 223-7020
By Air Thai Airways flies Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son daily. Reservation should be made in advance at Tel: 0 2280 0060, 0 2628 2000 or call 1566.
 Pai Sang Long Procession This is the celebration of novice ordination which the Thai Yai tribal people hold to be a highly meritorious occasion. Traditionally, the candidate-novice, his head cleanly shaven and wrapped with head-cloth in the Burmese style, will don a prince-like garment, put on valuable jewels and gems and ride a horse or be carried over the shoulders of a male relative to the city shrine. Then he will visit Abbots of various Wats to beg for forgiveness. On the eve of ordination, a procession of offerings and other necessary personal belongings will be paraded through the town streets and then placed at the next day. It is usually held between March and May before the Buddhist Rain Retreat period. Today the tribesmen are encouraged to hold several processions at the same time with the result that they have become a major tourist attraction.
Chong Para Procession The 'Chong Para' in the Thai Yai dialect means a castle made of wood, covered with colorful perforated papers and decorate with fruits, flags and lamps. It is placed in the courtyard of a house or a monastery as a gesture to welcome the Lord Buddha on his return from giving sermons to his mother in heaven, according to traditional belief. The rite is held during the post-Rain Retreat season from the full moon day of the 11 the Lunar month to the waxing moon night of the same month.
Another activity to celebrate the occasion is dancing in which the performers are dressed in animal costumes. This is based on the belief that during those long-gone days, both humans and the animal kingdom were equally joyful at the return of the Lord Buddha and joined together in a jubilant performance as a tribute to the Enlightened One.
Bua Tong Blossom Festival (1 November - 15 November) Each year in November, the hillsides of Amphoe Khun Yuam and Amphoe Mae Sariang are filled with a host of golden Bua Tong blooms. As fresh as daisies and almost as large as sunflowers, the Bua Tong only blossoms for 15 days, a fine reason for Mae Hong Son province to hold the Bua Tong Blossom Festival over this period at Amphoe Khun Yuam.
At Amphoe Khun Yuam's Doi Mae U-Kho, the blossoms appear in profusion. Specialists previously classified these Bua Tong as weeds and because of this, they began to be cleared to make way for cash crops. Fortunately, researchers have discovered the flower's insect-repellent properties. Perhaps for this reason, rather than our enjoyment, they are now a secure part of the annual scene? Whatever, Bua Tong, a symbol of Mae Hong Son, is here to stay on the hillsides.
Tea Tasting Festival This is anually held in February to promote tea products of the Rak Thai village. The activities include hot tea tasting, tea-making demonstrations combined with cultural shows. Visitors can also enjoy riding a horse around the village.
Wat Phraihat Doi Kong Mu is a Burmese-style temple which dominates the provincial capital. Constructed by Phraya Singhanatracha, the first King of Mae Hong Son, the hilltop temple affords a wonderful view of the capital and surrounding mountains and valleys.
Wat Hua Wiang contains the image of Phra Chao Pha Ra La Kheng a replica of the one in Myanmar.
Wat Phra Non contains a huge Burmese-style reclining Buddha image some 12 meters long. The temple also houses ashes of Mae Hong Son kings. Two massive stone lions guard the temple staircase.
Wat Kam Ko Another name of this temple is Wat Dok Bun Nak which is shady and pleasant having ancient scriptures written in the ancient local dialect informing the history of Thai Yai people.
 Wat Chong Klang and Wat Chong Kham These two monasteries share the same compound. A part from the glass paintings depicting Buddhism and simply life style of the villagers which draw much attention from visitors, there are over 30 wood carving dolls taken from Myanmar during the past century.
Pha Bong Dam about 12 kilometers outside Mae Hong Son, has been constructed across the Mae Ra Mat River for generation electrical power.
Pha Bong Hot Spring is located in Tambon Pha Bong about 11 kms. from township area.
Nam Hu Hai Chai , located in Tambon Phabong, is a small pool in the cave from which the water flows out every 45 minutes and there is a breathing sound before the water flows. This is how the place derived its name, 'Nam Hu Hai Chia'. A trip on foot from Ban Hua Nam Mae Sakut takes about 3-4 hours.
Ban Nam Phiang Din is a destination in Tambon Pha Bong of 2-hour long motor boat trip or 1-day rafting along Pai River via Ban Huai Dua, a scenic route with marvellous terraced cataracts. Not too far beyond Ban Nam Phiang Din, within Myanmar territory, lies another frequented tourist destination know as "Pha Hom Nam"
Long-Necked Karen (or Pa Dong tribe) is a hill - tribe living deep inside Myanmar border with thailand's Ban Nam Phiang Din. Women of this tribe wear brass rings on their necks and limbs. The number of the rings increases according to their ages. Their should blades are pressed lower and lower while their necks seem to be longer and longer.
Wat To Phae is located 7 kms. from Khun Yuam Market having large beautiful Burmese style vihara. According to legend, it is said that raft assembling people used to gather up in this area prior to making a teak tree raft trip to the marketing places. They, then, combined their efforts to build the temple and called Wat To Phae.
Wat Muai To in Ban Khun Yuam houses a huge and beautiful northern-style pagoda.
Nam Tok Mae Surin National Park has its area covering Amphoe Muang and Amphoe Khun Yuam. The main tourist spot 'Nam Tok Mae Surin' is located about 30 kms. from Amphoe Khun Yuam in Ban Mae Surin. This beautiful one tiered water fall of 100 metre in height cascades down the cliff to the lower valley. For accommodation in the national park, contact the National Parks Division, Royal Forestry Department, Tel.. 579-0529, 579-4842 or address to Nam Tok Mae Surin National Park, P.O. Box 16, Amphoe Muang, Mae Hong Son 58000.
 Wild - Sunflower Field Doi Mae U - Kho covers the area of 1,000 rail of Wild-Sunflowers, all are in full bloom between the month of November and December which make the hills and surrounding areas look like being plated with gold.
Nom Tok Mae U-Kho, situated at Doi Mae U-Kho, has been discovered in 1987. Just short distance before reaching Thung Bua Tong, the field of the Mexican Sunflowers, there is a branch road running for about 3 kms. to this waterfall. The one tiered waterfall, 30 meters high, flows down between the giant rocks. In the middle part of the flowing water, there is a wide rocky space where visitors can walk through to closely view the cascading water.
Nong Haeng Hot Spring, 25 kms. from Amphoe Khan Yuam, turn left at KM. 174 for 1 km.
 Mea La-up Lawa Village in Tambon Huai Hom, is situated in the area where three districts meet: Mae Chaem, Mae La Noi and Mae Sariang. The culture, architecture, costumes and character of the hilltribes here are different from other hilltribes in Thailand. The attraction of this village is its hilltop location with beautiful view. Visitors can easily visit the village for it is only about 32 kilometers from the district.
Huai Hom Karen Village is about 4 kilometers from Ban La-up. Its villagers adhere to their religion and have gentle and polite manners. As the hilltribe community development certer is established in the village, the villagers have been taught to make clothes from wool and how to grow fruits and other plants of temperate climate. Therefore, this village serves as a good model for other hill tribes.
Wat Kitti Wong is another temple worth visiting. It houses Lord Buddha relics brought from Chiang Mai. and manuscripts discovered in Tham Phra Daeng recounting the history of relations between Myanmar and the Latina Kingdom.
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