Mae Hong Song

Mae Hong Song is a small town of 6,100 inhabitants located in the Northwest Thailand and is the capital of Mae Hong Song province. The province is located along the Burmese border. The main river passing through the town is river Pai. Mae Hong Song is 800 km /500 miles/ away from Bangkok and about 80 km /50 miles/ from Chiang Mai. The city of Mae Hong Song was founded in 1831 and was used as a training camp for elephants captured from the surrounding jungle. The city can be easy reached as there is a small airport with daily flights from Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

The province of Mae Hong Song is the most forested in Thailand. It is the only place in Thailand where the temperature can drop to 0 degrees Celsius during the cold season evenings. The area offers perfect opportunities for trekking and exploring from the back of an elephant, sightseeing on a mountain bike, rafting along rivers or safari in the jungle. There is a great diversity in wildlife – elephants, exotic birds, tigers, orchids and many more. It is the place for adventurous people. Also the province is popular for its cultural and ethnical unity - Mae Hong Son is a melting pot of Thais, Chinese, Muslim, Akha, Lisu, Hmong and many more. Mae Hong Song is also popular with its three nicknames - “The Switzerland of Thailand”, “The Land of the Three Mists” and „Siberia of the North“. Visiting Mae Hong Song you will fully understand their meanings.