We spent our final days of the Mae Hong Son Loop exploring Pai, where the town’s lingering hippie-trail atmosphere blends with a thriving backpacker adventure scene. Highlights included the giant white Buddha and panoramic views at Wat Phra That Mae Yen, the dramatic sandstone ridges of Pai Canyon, and a refreshing stop at Mok Fa Waterfall on the drive back to Chiang Mai. After more than 600 kilometers of winding mountain roads, caves, temples, viewpoints, and remote villages, we completed one of Thailand’s most memorable road trips.

Day 4 of the Mae Hong Son Loop traded winding roads for deeper exploration, as we settled into a stunning honeymoon suite at a luxury homestay in Tham Lod and enjoyed an unforgettable evening of authentic Karen and Shan hill tribe hospitality. The highlight of the day was an adventurous journey through Nam Lod Cave, where lantern-lit passages, bamboo raft rides, ancient coffins, bats, birds, and slippery trails combined into one of northern Thailand’s most memorable experiences.

Day 3 of the Mae Hong Son Loop took us from the bamboo prayer bridge of Su Tong Pae to Ban Rak Thai, a Chinese-founded village whose fascinating history was more appealing to us than its highly curated tourist attractions—though the locally grown tea was exceptional. After a slow mountain drive behind endless cabbage trucks and through dramatic post-rain scenery, we arrived in Tham Lot and were unexpectedly upgraded to a luxurious honeymoon suite at a hill tribe homestay. Surrounded by mountain views, warm hospitality, and the sounds of frogs and cicadas, we quickly decided this might be our favorite stop of the entire trip.

Day 2 of the Mae Hong Son Loop took us from Mae Sariang to Khun Yuam, where we visited our friend Gai at the local school where he and his wife are teachers, and learned the surprising wartime history behind the Thai-Japan Friendship Memorial Hall, revealing a little-known chapter of cooperation between Japanese soldiers and Thai communities during World War II. After driving part of the 1864 hairpin turns on the loop, we ended the day in the sleepy mountain town of Mae Hong Son, enjoying panoramic views from the hilltop temple and the quiet beauty of the lush green rainy season with hardly another tourist in sight.

Our first day on the Mae Hong Son Loop took us from Chiang Mai to Mae Sariang, where we navigated Thailand’s left-side roads for the first time, enjoyed mountain-view boat noodles, stunning green mountains peeking from behind clouds, abandoned a muddy waterfall mission, and arrived just ahead of a massive rainstorm. The day ended with Karen-style chicken and pumpkin soup, drinks in barber chairs at Ching Ching, and a peaceful stroll along the chocolate-brown Yuam River—a reminder that the best travel days are often the simplest ones.

In one unforgettable week in Chiang Mai, we experienced two very different celebrations: the vibrant energy of Pride 2026 and the peaceful reflection of Visakha Bucha Day (Buddha Day). One filled the streets with rainbow flags, music, and calls for equality, while the other brought thousands together in candlelit prayer and devotion at the Buddhist temple, Wat Phra Singh. Though expressed in different ways, both celebrations reflected the same values of community, compassion, dignity, and respect.