Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son used to be considered the furthest backwater of Thailand. When high-ranking Thai civil servants or military officers misbehave, they are generally transferred to the proverbial 'inactive post,' even to this day. Time was when Mae Hong Son was the most 'inactive' of postings possible, practically a place of exile. Read more on the history of Mae Hong Son…

Mae Hong Son town - all of it!

It's hard to argue that any place you can fly to is remote or isolated, but as your small (72 seats) plane threads its way through the mountains and onto the equally small runway practically in the center of town, you get the definite feeling that you're well off the beaten path.

The attraction to Mae Hong Son, as opposed to more mainstream destinations such as Chiang Rai, is it's small-town atmosphere and architecture heavily influenced by neighboring Burma. With many people looking for more 'adventure' in their vacations, Mae Hong Son's wild rivers are also a big attraction.