Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Misty beauty of Mae Hong Sun
City of Three Mists: Mae Hong Sun, Thailand's northern border city hidden between towering mountains, is known for its charm of scenery and culture. Above and top are some of the beautifully designed buildings in the city. Pictures: Liz Price
Liz Price
Sunday, March 9, 2008
THE mountain road was full of twists and turns, and it was pouring with rain, the mist obscuring the view. I'd been hoping to get some good photos but the weather was preventing this and the constant turning of the car meant I could never keep the camera steady enough to get a decent shot. We were on the road from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son in northern Thailand. It is a winding mountain road the whole way.
Mae Hong Son is Thailand's northern border city, hidden between towering mountains with densely forested slopes. Just 30 years ago this province was little known to the tourist world. It was home to nomadic hill tribesmen, opium armies, Burmese border patrols and the Thai military, who were involved in year round fights with the drug barons who ran opium plantations and heroin factories. Impenetrable jungle covered the misty mountains and only the tribesmen and drug caravans knew the way through.
But that has all changed and today Mae Hong Son is a peaceful tourist centre, known for its charm of scenery and culture. The drug lords moved across the border to Myanmar, and much of the province's income is derived from supplying them with rice and consumer goods.
The people of Mae Hong Son consist of the Shans who live in the city and the hill tribe people who live in remote mountain villages where their lifestyle has changed little in hundreds of years.
The Shan originated from Burma. The hill tribe people consist of Karen, Lisu, Mhong, Lahu, and Lua. Both groups have their own distinctive cultures. They have their own lilting dialect, their own architectural lifestyles, their own customs and traditions and their own delicious cuisine. Throughout the year, Mae Hong Son holds many festivals and events. There are different dances, rituals, and ceremonies, and even different foods.
The city is covered with mist all year long, and is nicknamed "the City of Three Mists". This is derived from the fact that it has dewy mist in the winter, forest fire mist in the summer and rainy mist in the rainy season. The best time to visit is between November and March as it's relatively dry then.
On our first morning we drove up the hill Doi Kong Mu to see the temple and look at the view. Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu (also known as Wat Phai Doi) is a Shan built temple sitting atop the 1,500m hill. It has two stupas dating back to 1860 and 1874.
The view from the wat is stunning. There was a sea of mist which had collected in the valley, but as the sun made an attempt to come out the fog lifted revealing a view of the town. The airport runway was devoid of life, but there are at least four flights a day to Chiang Mai.
In the southern part of town are two wats situated by a large pond. Wat Jong Kham was built almost 200 years ago by the Shan. Wat Jong Klang has some century old paintings. But in some of the areas in this wat, women are forbidden to enter, which is not unusual for Shan temples.
Mae Hong Son isn't known for its gastronomic delights, but there are many places to eat. There is also an increasing number of bakeries and other places catering for farang (westerners') food. Many farang come to this area for trekking and so there are more and more guesthouses, restaurants and tour operators opening up to serve them.
We stayed in Rooks Resort at the south end of town, and according to the guidebook it "represents the top end in town". Several European holidaymakers were enjoying the swimming pool but for me it was too cold to take a dip.
The town is mostly used as a base for activities such as trekking and rafting. The nearby Mae Hong Son River is used for rafting and boating tours. You can go for an elephant ride or for the more active, trekking is very popular. There are several guesthouses and tour agents in town which arrange treks. Typical rates for treks are 400 to 500 baht a day, with three to five days the normal duration. You sleep and eat in the hill tribe villages. The villages of the Padaung Karen with the so-called giraffe necked women are specially popular. Alternatively you can visit Karen villages without a guide by walking two hours out of town. Guesthouses will supply a map, and the roads seem to be well signposted.
Further from town are hot springs and Tham Plaa National Park with the famous Fish Cave. Some of the most beautiful scenery is along the road to Pai. You can stay in traditional Shan villages and trek through forests along mountain paths, and see clear mountain streams and stunning limestone caves. So even though the town of Mae Hong Son isn't packed with tourist attractions, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy within the vicinity of town. The Brunei Times
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http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/travel/2008/03/09/misty_beauty_of_mae_hong_sun
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