🌄🚣 PAI & MAE HONG SON LOOP ADVENTURE: 4-Day Mountain Magic!

#springitinerary
"Northern Thailand's ultimate road trip through misty valleys and hill tribe villages"

🗺️ ITINERARY OVERVIEW

Day 1: Chiang Mai → Pai (136 curves!)
Day 2: Pai → Mae Hong Son (hidden caves)
Day 3: Mae Hong Son exploration
Day 4: Return via Mae Sariang (scenic alternative route)

🛵 DAY 1: CHIANG MAI TO PAI (3hrs)

🌅 Morning Stops:

7:00 AM Doi Suthep Sunrise (optional early start)
9:00 AM Mae Malai Market - Stock up on sticky rice snacks
10:30 AM Tham Lod Cave - Bamboo raft through illuminated caverns
🏡 Afternoon in Pai:

2:00 PM Check into Pai Circus Hostel (treehouse vibes)
4:00 PM Pai Canyon Sunset Hike
🍜 Night Market Must-Eats:

Khao Soi Pai (creamier than Chiang Mai's version)
Sai Oua (Northern herb sausage)
🌿 DAY 2: PAI → MAE HONG SON (4hrs)

🚗 Scenic Route Highlights:

7:30 AM Ban Rak Thai - Chinese tea village at Myanmar border
10:00 AM Fish Cave (Tham Pla) - Feed sacred mountain fish
1:00 PM Pang Ung Lake - Misty alpine-style reservoir
🏨 Evening in Mae Hong Son:

Stay at Fern Resort (jungle bungalows)
6:30 PM Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu Sunset
🛶 DAY 3: MAE HONG SON EXPLORATION

🌄 Morning:

5:30 AM Long Neck Karen Village Visit (support ethical tourism)
8:00 AM Morning Market - Try Khanom Jeen Nam Ngiaw (pork blood noodle soup)
💦 Afternoon Adventures:

12:00 PM Kayaking on Pai River
3:00 PM Su Tong Pae Bamboo Bridge - 500m walk through rice fields
🌙 Night:

7:00 PM Night Bazaar - Shan-style tapas
🚙 DAY 4: RETURN VIA MAE SARIANG (6hrs)

Alternative Scenic Route:

7:00 AM Mae Surin Waterfall - Thailand's tallest single-drop fall
10:00 AM Mae Sariang Market - Burmese-influenced street food
1:00 PM Ob Luang Gorge - Grand Canyon of Thailand
💰 BUDGET (4D3N)

Motorbike Rental: 1,000฿ (automatic)
Gas: 500฿ total
Accommodation: 1,500-4,000฿ (hostels to resorts)
Food/Activities: 2,000฿
📸 INSTA-HOTSPOTS:

Pai Canyon narrow ridges
Pang Ung's morning mist
Bamboo bridge reflections
⚠️ PRO TIPS:

Rent 150cc+ bikes for mountain roads
Pack warm layers - mornings can be 15°C
Download Maps.me for offline navigation
"More than just 1,864 curves, this loop is Northern Thailand's soul - where each turn reveals hill tribe smiles, hidden hot springs, and the purest mountain air!"