Mae Hong Son Loop Day 1: From Chiang Mai to Mae Sariang
After nearly a month of condo life in Chiang Mai, it was finally time to hit the road again.
The first order of business was picking up our rental car from Budget Catcher in Chiang Mai. For about $180, we scored a tidy little Honda City Turbo sedan for a whole week, complete with full insurance and two drivers. Not bad at all. By the way, meet “Cecil the City". You know we like to name our cars. 😂
With keys in hand and Google Maps loaded, Cecil set off on the Mae Hong Son Loop. We decided to drive the route clockwise, heading west toward Mae Sariang for our first stop.
There was just one small complication: this was our first time driving on the left side of the road. 😅
The first hour involved a lot of concentrated effort, frequent reminders of “stay left,” and occasional windshield wiper activations instead of turn signals. Cecil was rolling his headlights 🙄 for sure. Thankfully, Thai roads are generally forgiving, and before long we started to settle into the rhythm.
Our first stop was Huai Kung Viewpoint. The viewpoint itself was fine—pleasant enough—but the real gem was the small roadside noodle shop next door. We ordered bowls of Thai boat noodles and sat at the counter overlooking layers of green mountains stretching into the distance. The view from those simple stools was far better than the official viewpoint, and the noodles weren’t bad either.
Feeling adventurous, we attempted a detour to a nearby Maesawannoi Waterfall. The access road began promisingly enough with smooth pavement, but after a few kilometers in, it deteriorated into a muddy track carved with deep trenches from recent rains. The final kilometer looked like it belonged to a 4x4 commercial rather than Cecil. We wisely decided that the waterfall would remain unseen and turned around before becoming part of the scenery ourselves.
About thirty minutes later we rolled into the riverside town of Mae Sariang.
The timing couldn’t have been better. We checked into Above The Sea Guesthouse just as the skies opened up. Within minutes, rain was hammering the roof and streets were turning into rivers. Safe and dry inside, we watched the storm unfold from our room and congratulated ourselves on not being stuck on that muddy waterfall road.
Once the rain eased, we wandered into town and discovered Ching Ching, a quirky little bar with old barber chairs repurposed as bar stools. Any establishment that serves drinks from barber chairs immediately earns bonus points in our travel book.
Dinner was a local Karen hill tribe-style chicken and pumpkin soup, often called Kaeng Gai Fakthong. Unlike Thailand’s richer coconut curries, this dish featured a lighter herbal broth packed with fresh aromatics and just enough spice to keep things interesting. It was hearty, comforting, and perfect after a rain-soaked afternoon.
The storm had one unexpected side effect. The Yuam River, which flows through Mae Sariang, had transformed into what looked like a giant river of chocolate milk. The runoff from the surrounding hills had turned the water a rich brown color, creating a dramatic contrast against the green landscape. One of our favorite discoveries was the walking path along the river.
When we were leaving Mae Sariang, we made a worthwhile detour about 11 kilometers off the main road to visit two mountain viewpoints. The roads were surprisingly well maintained, making the side trip an easy decision. The first stop, Lung Mae Viewpoint, was the more relaxing of the two, with several places to sit and soak in the scenery—and a handful of friendly dogs doing exactly that.
Further along, we reached Doi Khunkham Viewpoint, which offers the more dramatic panorama. Unfortunately, when we first arrived, the entire landscape was swallowed by clouds. Visibility was essentially zero. We continued down the road and, about fifteen minutes later, passed by again. This time the sky had completely transformed. The clouds had parted to reveal layers upon layers of green mountains stretching into the distance. Watching the clouds race through the valleys was almost as impressive as the view itself. In the mountains, every minute brings a different landscape.
All in all, a successful Day 1. Just a first day of getting comfortable behind the wheel, eating noodles with mountain views, watching tropical rainstorms roll through, and settling into the slower pace of Mae Sariang.
Stay tuned for Day 2: Mae Sariang to Khun Yuam to Mae Hong Son town.
