My phone's SD card was corrupted, causing me to lose a significant portion of my photos after a lengthy recovery process.
This trip was intended to witness the "แห่ครัวหลู่" procession, or the "ปอยส่างลอง" traditional festival in Mae Hong Son. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, we were unable to arrive in time for the procession. As a result, we spent our time exploring various points of interest within the city. Our first stop, as always, was Nong Chong Kham Lake, a familiar haunt. This trip to Mae Hong Son lasted only two days and one night (April 5-6, 2018).
At the old provincial chamber of commerce building, now a coffee shop opposite the post office, a visitor requested a certificate of their visit to Mae Hong Son. The certificates, dating back to 2018, are available in three designs, along with three sticker options. Each certificate costs 60 baht. Having visited Mae Hong Son over 20 times, the visitor decided to get one for themselves.
Walking back through the alley next to the post office, we found ourselves drawn to its charm. The alley frequently changes its decor, boasting unique and stylish street art.
It's time to walk to the accommodation. When I come to Mae Hong Son, I always like to stay at Coffee Morning, a beautiful wooden house with the aroma of coffee. The accommodation here is fan-cooled with shared bathrooms. This time, I have the whole house to myself. After arriving, I left my luggage in the room and went out to explore.
Walk through the Mae Hong Son Municipality to the motorbike rental shop. This shop has new bikes with no engine problems. The rental fee is 200 baht per day with a 1,000 baht deposit and ID card (the same bike as before, I'm used to riding it now).
It was almost noon and I was planning to have lunch at the Khop Lai Khan restaurant, but it was closed for a long period and will not reopen until before Songkran. I had to turn around and head to the Pha Bong Dam viewpoint. In the summer, it is a bit dry.
Enjoy a simple lunch at the coffee shop at the Pha Bong Dam viewpoint. This shop is the same as the Kub Lai Khan shop. There will be tea and nuts to eat first. Sometimes there will be bananas with honey. But this time, during the Poi Sang Long festival, many things did not have time to prepare.
After a satisfying meal, I rode my motorbike back to the city. Since I was passing by the Ban Pha Bong community, I decided to stop by Wat Pha Bong Tai. The temple was incredibly peaceful, with the sound of flowing water providing a constant source of tranquility.
Leaving Wat Pha Bong Tai, we stopped by the Khao Kiew Rice Terraces for Happiness. Here, you can see rice fields all year round, no matter when you visit. On the day we went, there was a demonstration zone for roasting peanuts, making sesame oil, and many other things to welcome the filming crew and tour groups. As ordinary tourists, we just walked around taking pictures and then left. We love this place during normal times. The Tai Yai Lifestyle Learning Center has a lot to offer for those who want to walk around and explore.
Leaving the Khao Kiew Bridge for Suk, we stopped by Wat Pha Bong Nua. This peaceful temple in the village is quite beautiful.
In the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly and the weather was hot. We decided to stop by the Ban Pha Bong Hot Spring for a soak. The communal pool was 20 baht per person, but we forgot to bring a change of clothes, so we opted for the private room for 50 baht. It was incredibly relaxing to lie in the warm water and enjoy the sunshine. It was the perfect way to end the day.
After soaking in the hot springs, I felt refreshed and comfortable, even though the sun was getting stronger. As I rode back to the city, the pink trumpet flowers along the way were stunningly beautiful.
Riding through the Mae Hong Son city center towards Pai district, the destination on this side is the Thai Elephant Coffee Shop. The rice planting season here is very beautiful, especially when the rice is ripe and yellow. When we arrived at the shop, it was full of people, two vans full. But luckily they had already ordered, so we didn't have to wait long. After getting our coffee, we went down to sit at our usual table. Every time we come here, we sit at this table. Sitting here, we can stretch our feet comfortably. If we sit upstairs, we would be mindful of the people who are already filling the shop.
After resting, I left the place and took the village road to the police station in Ban Mo Cham Pae. This route is very beautiful, especially during the rice-growing season.
Riding back to Ban Mae Sanga, another spot that is particularly beautiful during the rice-growing season. Local restaurants from the police station intersection at Ban Mo Kam Kae to this area are a great option for a quick bite. Many of them grow their own rice, which is fragrant and soft, and the prices are reasonable. However, during my visit, the restaurants were closed as the owners were attending a traditional wedding ceremony. Instead, I captured an aerial view of the rice fields, which are currently planted with peanuts.
Upon reaching Phu Khlon, we took a right turn and sat idly, letting the wind blow on our faces at the Huai Pong On Reservoir. We loved this place - it was deserted, the breeze was delightful, and it offered stunning panoramic views.
After waiting for nearly an hour, the time to witness the sunset at Sutongpae during the summer season finally arrived. We made our way to the highlight of the sunset, the Sutongpae Bridge. This bamboo bridge is the longest in Thailand (excluding the Mon Bridge, which is a wooden bridge). It stretches for approximately 500 meters.
During this summer season, there are not many visitors, so you can take photos from any angle you like without any worries. You can even sit and play with the cats and dogs on the bridge without anyone bothering you.
"Ta Laew" is a woven bamboo circle that, according to local beliefs, protects against misfortune. Villagers typically hang it at the entrance of their villages, rice fields, and homes.
Upon reaching the summit, we paid our respects at the shrine of Lord Su Tong Pae, awaiting the perfect light.
The moment we fell in love, the setting sun against the summer mist created a breathtaking scene. We lingered until the sun dipped below the horizon.
It's time to head back to the city. It will be difficult to walk when it gets darker. Today (April 5, 2018), there is no fire like every day. I asked Tu and he said that if there is an event in the city, there will be no fire here. And sometimes, they don't offer alms on the bridge. When I came out, there were insects flying into my face and mouth all the time. Even with a helmet on, they still got in. When I arrived in the city, I stopped to take a shower first. We usually stay in 2 rooms. As I said, not many people come to stay here in the summer. I'm the only one here tonight.
It's time to go out for food, but the city is very quiet. All the shops are closed. I only found out the reason when I went to my regular noodle shop. There's a drama tonight called "The King's Daughter". It's good that this shop is open, but they're also showing the drama. I have to admit that the drama is really popular.
Tonight, we haven't checked into our accommodation yet. We are sitting at Nong Jong Kham Lake, enjoying the cool breeze.
The provided text is empty. Please provide the text you want me to translate.
Lost in the moment until nearly 1 am, I realized I needed to return to my accommodation. The city felt incredibly safe, even at this late hour. The atmosphere around Nong Jong Kham Lake and Wat Jong Kham was serene and peaceful.
We woke up and walked to Doi Kong Mu temple to watch the sunrise, but we didn't make it in time. However, we enjoyed the morning atmosphere at Nong Jong Kham instead.
The original text describes a visit to a market in search of a specific dish, only to find it closed due to a local festival. The author then opted for a different snack and visited a nearby temple, observing a statue of a deity adorned with three sashes.
Here's the translated text:
Intending to visit the Sai Hoot market for Shan-style fermented tea leaf salad or tofu salad, I found the shops closed due to the Sangkran festival. Instead, I enjoyed some rice noodles. Afterwards, I visited the Wat Hua Wiang temple, a familiar sight on my regular walks. The statue of Phra Chao Para Lae in this round of the competition sported three sashes. Unfortunately, my photo didn't capture it clearly, so I'll focus on describing other details instead.
After a while, we rode our motorbikes to Wat Klang Thung to watch the Wan Kham Sang, or the ordination day. As soon as we arrived, the fun began. We joined in the festivities and experienced the spirit of cooperation, faith, and joy for the third year in a row. (Although this year I missed the procession of the kitchen due to a trivial matter.) I encourage you to come and experience the warmth, kindness, friendship, and smiles of happiness here.
Seeing that there was still time to climb Doi Kong Mu, I immediately rode my motorbike at a speed of 20 km/h to the temple. Upon arrival, I immediately rang the bell. It is said that "if you ring the bell at Doi Kong Mu, you will return to Mae Hong Son as many times as you ring it." Every time I come here, I ring it 3 times, so it's quite a lot. I took some pictures of the familiar corners before descending from the temple.
Mae Hong Son Airport in the summer mist
We started our day with a delicious meal at Aunt Sri Bua's restaurant. We love her cooking, and this time we enjoyed chicken ubp and pork leg.
It's time to return the motorcycle and go to the bus station. This time, when I bought the ticket, I forgot to say that I would board at the front of Kbank, so I had to go to the bus station. Khun A from Coffee Morning dropped us off at the bus station. Our time for fun in Mae Hong Son is over. We are going with this bus. When we booked, it was the last round and the last seat as well. Otherwise, we would have had to wait until the evening. Another point where the rice fields are beautiful during the rainy season is here at the bus station.
The bus departed on time, and all stops were punctual. At the final stop, OK Mart, we enjoyed our first cup of coffee of the day. During this time, the flowers were in full bloom (the specific type of flower is uncertain).
The journey through Mae Hong Son has concluded, and I am currently retrieving images from Chiang Mai. Once I have gathered enough, I will promptly continue writing the travelogue.
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The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.
ตะลุยเดี่ยวแบกเป้เที่ยว
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 4:47 PM