Motorcycling to Mae Hong Son

I've earned my motorcycling stripes this week! I travelled over the mountains in north west Thailand with a group of friends to visit a buddy who lives in beautiful Mae Hong Son and works in refugee camps on the border.

The road to Mae Hong Son has some notoriety - more than 1600 bends. It's a very challenging ride, but much pleasanter and scenic on a motorbike cutting the bends than trying to keep breakfast down, on a bus. I spent a lot of time chugging up hills in 2nd gear, but can't report on the downhill sections because the speedo wasn't working ;o)

Took this pic on the way back; buddy Zach kept me company on the road

Our first overnight stay was in Pai, a backpacking paradise. Unfortunately the Constitution long weekend attracted lots of Thai travellers as well (mega amounts of Bangkok yuppies with big cameras and gray minivans), so after 2 hours of fruitless accomodation searching, we "resorted" to an out of town resort and shared a 6 bed dorm. Major school days flashback.

Friends Leonie, Dave, Zach, Quynh and Ian, at Pai

On the way to Mae Hong Son we stopped in at Tham Lot - one of the longest known caves in caves in mainland Southeast Asia (2km). Hordes of tourists were there and all of the bamboo rafts were booked up, so feeling adventurous we headed in with an inadequate torch, and paid an enterprising local lad to show us around. The caverns were massive, and so active, with huge stalactites all over the ceilings. This area probably contains more caves than any other region in the world.

Tham Lot entrance - found the mud in the dark, no worries

After some wonderfully windy mountain & forest roads we arrived in Mae Hong Son near the Burmese border - the nicest town in the country, by my reckoning. The population is predominantly Shan (Shan state is adjacent in Burma), but as with the surrounding region, there is a huge diversity of ethnic minority (hilltribe) groups, with lots of traditional dress worn on the streets, adding to the interest factor.

Mae Hong Son lake in the afternoon and alfresco eating at night

We spent a rest day in Mae Hong Son, enjoying a massage, having a soak at the local hot springs, visiting the lookout at the nearby temple and spending time at a residential school for young Burmese students.

View of Mae Hong Son town from Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu in the late afternoon and early morning (enforced exercise=excellent)

The Wat stupas pre-dawn; unwinding at the local hot springs

We also drove west in search of nice rice paddy vistas, and ended up a km or 2 from the (occasionally dangerous) border zone.

Typical rice paddy view; crisp winter mornings and beautiful deciduous views

The 6 hour trip back to Chiang Mai was long, and my muscles aren't behaving very well today, but I'm champing at the bit to "hit the road" again for some more country riding - the northern mountains are on the wish list, maybe in January.