All roads lead North

Thousands of visitors are drawn to Thailand’s North – and especially Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son – during the cool season and there is really no better way to explore this magnificent region than by road. There are as many folk tales and legends as there are twists and turns, as the beautiful north reveals its charm through Shan and Lanna culture, villages of thatch cottages, panoramic views over terraced rice fields and friendly people.

Here’s our guide for a five-day self-drive journey along a scenic route that starts and ends in Chiang Mai and takes in hilly Mae Hong Son. 

 

DAY ONE – MAE SARIANG

Start: Pick up your rental car at Chiang Mai International Airport and drive to Waroros market for a hot breakfast before heading out of Chiang Mai on Route 108 to Mae Hong Son’s Mae Sariang district.

Route: It’s a comfortable 184-kilometre drive from Chiang Mai and Mae Sariang and 100 km of it is spent heading south on Route 108 before the road turns right into Hot district. Stay on Route 108 and continue for another 80km through Op Luang National Park. It’s worth making a short detour to Suan Son Borkaew, a pine plantation in the middle of the national park, for some fresh air and a coffee at the roadside stand. By noon you should have reached Mae Sariang on the Yuam River. 

Look out for: When Siam was trading teak with British companies in the 19th century, Mae Sariang was home to an important log-loading operation. The loggers floated the teak trunks along the Yuam to the sawmill at Mawlamyine in Myanmar. Today, you can hire a kayak and paddle gently through the scenic and rustic countryside and along Tenasserim Range. Take time too to stop off at  the market and get to know the Shan – or the Tai as they are also known – through their food. Don’t leave Ma Sariang without visiting  Ma Sariang Museum.

Where to stay and eat: Inthira (053 681 529) in downtown Mae Sariang is good for lunch and offers great fish dishes, while Red Wood (053 683 309), a restaurant that recalls the teakwood industry days, is excellent for dinner. River House Resort (www.RiverHouseHotels.com) and River Side Guesthouse have comfortable beds with a river view.

 

DAY TWO – MAE LA NOI 

Start: Drive from Mae Sariang to Karen villages and the mountain district of Mae La Noi. 

Route: Stay on Route 108 and you should cover the 70 km along with two-way asphalt road in about an hour. At Mae La Noi Post Office, turn right into Route 1266 for the Karen communities of Huai Hom. This can be a demanding two-hour drive as the road twists and turns through hilltribe villages and their soybean farms. Take a detour to La Oob Royal Project and enjoy the beautiful view over the terraced farmland. From La Oob to Huai Hom, the road is poor with lots of potholes. 

Look out for: Big skies, a long and winding road and hilltribe villages where there are as many pigs as dogs.  The small Karen village of Huai Hom is known for its sustainable agriculture and the Arabica bean. The Karen sell the premium coffee beans to Starbucks, and distribute the second-best beans under their own Huay-Hom brand. Enjoy a cup of  espresso while admiring the never-ending plantations. You can also spend the night in the village thanks to a home-stay arrangement.

Where to stay/eat: Hern Tai Resort (053 689 033) in Mae La Noi borders a scenic paddy field. Check into one of its Shan-style cottage and wake up to the scent of cut grass. 

 

DAY THREE – KHUN YUAM

Start: Escape the high ranges of Mae La Noi for a Shan cultural retreat in Pon, Khun Yuam. 

Route: It’s an easy drive. From Mae La Noi, you head North on Route 108 to Khun Yuam district of Mae Hong Son. It’s a comfortable 50km drive and you can ignore the map and enjoy the stupendous views instead. The road is lined with teak forest and you occasionally  pass farmer’s cottages and stands selling local fruit.

Look out for: Lush countryside, charming Shan-speaking communities of thatched cottages and friendly hosts. The Shan, aka the Tai or Tai Yai, have been living in this part of Thailand for centuries. Their traditional way of life follows the Buddhist calendar, meaning that there are plenty of celebrations year round. Dig into both taste and tradition by sampling the Shan Food Trail in Mueang Pon village. Wat Toh Phrae, a Buddhist temple, is magnificent with Shan-style architecture, woodwork and a gilded pagoda. 

Where to stay/eat: Khamloo Sunan (084 808 6189). This Shan-speaking Pon resident is more than happy to host visitors at her authentic Shan-style thatch cottage for a small charge. She also arranges Shan food for visitors on request. 

 

DAY FOUR – MAE CHAEM

Start: Leave Mae Hong Son for Mae Chaem in Chiang Mai province.

Route: It takes about three hours to drive from Pon to Mae Chaem , an isolated district hidden beyond Doi Inthanon National Park. Leave Route 108 at Khun Yuam Hospital, turn left into Route 1263 and continue driving through the corn fields for 115 kilometres. Then turn right into Route 1088, and you will soon be surrounded by Mae Chaem’s paddy fields sheltered by a majestic mountain.

Look out for: Big skies, panoramic views over terraced rice fields, small temples and local weavers. Tucked away beyond the Inthanon Range, Mae Chaem is an ideal place to while away the time, far away from the madding crowd. Do however avoid Mae Chaem over a long weekend or you’ll be surrounded by hundreds of tourists with the same idea as you.

Where to stay/eat: Ban Mon Mai Ngam (089 853 7194) offers bed and breakfast. 

 

DAY FIVE – INTHANON TRAIL

Start: Head to Chiang Mai on the other side of majestic Inthanon Mountain 

Route: There is only one road leading from Mae Chaem to the other side of the Inthanon Range. Stay on Route 1192 and claim the mountain. Then turn right at the very top of Inthanon into Route 1009 and continue. Make a detour to the Dok Siaw waterfall and take a two-hour break from the wheel by strolling through  the countryside along the trail 

Look out for: A downhill hike, outdoor swimming in the cascades and scenic terraced rice fields. The hikes are led by Karen tour guides who enjoy talking about how they came to grow Arabica. 

“A middleman came to our village in Mae Klang Luang with an Arabica crop many decades ago, and convinced us to grow coffee. There was a promise of big money from coffee beans,” my Karen guide told me. Sadly, the middle man didn’t tell the hilltribes how to roast the beans and for a while they made a hot drink from the leaves. That was rectified when the Christian missionaries showed up a few years later and told the Karen about the powerful beans. Mae Klang Luang is now known as the producer of Chiang Mai’s finest coffee, and you can sip a cup at the end of the waterfall trail.

Where to eat: Royal Project Restaurant in Inthanon (053 268 558 and 053 268 567) is the best place for lunch. All ingredients from the fish to the vegetables are fresh from the farm. 

 

If you go

_ You need a 4x4 car to negotiate the high roads of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai provinces. Don’t leave town with a half-empty tank of gas and stock up on cash. There are few ATMs en route.