Wet season: pottering around the Mae Hong Son Loop

[Davidfl]

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Wet season: 5 nights 6 days on the Mae Hong Son Loop
Dates: Monday 16th August - Saturday 21st August 2010.

WHY
The need for a quick ride ‘n photo cruise before the Africa Twin’s engine gets stripped down for an overhaul after 100,000 kms.

THE RIDERS
Backdoorphil & Robert H, Chiang Mai – Mae Chaem.
David Unk – the full loop, Chiang Mai – Doi Inthanon – Mae Chaem – Mae Sarieng – Mae Hong Son – Pai – Chiang Mai.

THE WEATHER
The middle of the wet season & only rain
1. Mae Chaem – Mae Sarieng: 15 minutes
2. Rak Thai : a 5 minute sprinkle
3. Pai – Malai: 45 minutes up on the ridgeline.
Brilliant - nothing ventured nothing gained & it was a beautiful 6 days on the Loop.

THE MASTER PLAN
Slowly potter round the loop, taking nice photos of the waterfalls & lush green rice fields + the forest. Something to keep me going with whilst the AT’s off the road for a week or two or three…(you never know what you’re going to see inside after 100,000 kms since the last overhaul.)

DAY 1 DOI INTHANON
Mae Ya waterfall stop # 1





I got a shock when S E Asia adventure rider RobertH said he’d never been there. And what a gem right in your own back door!

Backdoorphil & RobertH


NEXT STOP # 2 Mae Klang Waterfall. Backdoorphil posing for RobertH


RobertH brushing up on his photography skills.




Lunch & a rare sight RobertH looking at a GT Rider map. Proof indeed that he’d never been to Mae Ya waterfall.


A local lunch

BBQ chicken, sticky rice & some larb. Good stuff, totally delicious & CHEAP.

NEXT STOP # 3: Vachirathan waterfall
A pretty sight even from a distance


Closer up


Joint enlightenment?


NEXT STOP # 4 (Passing only): Siriphum waterfall





NEXT STOP # 5 The highest spot in Thailand


The fog was intense


The collapsed road just below the summit.

you wouldn’t want to hit this in the dark!

On the road.....
ROUTE 1192: one of the North’s tightest steepest, best forested roads & rides.










Out of the forest & into farmlands


Looking for somewhere new to go & photograph


The KTM caught this farmer’s eye, but unfortunately he did not have enough cabbages planted to buy one this year.


RobertH in a cameo pose


More coming…

[Joko Hurricanemax]

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thanks for the pix...you guys really make the @T looking so small!

[Davidfl]

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MAE CHAEM CITY
The 2nd quietest town in North Thailand?
We rocked into Mae Chaem city at 5.45PM





Departure time from Chiang Mai was 11.30AM
Arrival time in Mae Chaem was 5.45PM

It looks as quiet as usual, but the towns booming with a big new 7-11?


and this is the cool spot to hang out at night in MCC.


The rumour is that Tesco-Lotus are looking to open a 3rd outlet – a Lotus Express in Mae Chaem, such is the new rate of development.

My fave restaurant in Mae Chaem used to be the Krua Lai Hin, previously reported here
re-mapping-towns-on-the-mae-hong-son-loop-t6160.html
but a month ago Pa Tim finally gave up the lease & it is now a Pub & Restaurant – the only one in MCC.
It was fine country establishment, both the food & service was good, but we were disturbed & confused by the “unnecessary flag” backstage.



DAY 2 MAE CHAEM – MAE SARIENG
Bedtime the night before was early, so I was up for the early morning market at 7AM

but obviously not early enough as I did not see anything of great interest or photographic value.

RobertH & BDP then rose for the day & we scampered out to the Navasoung Resort for brekky.


The NAVASOUNG
http://www.navasoungresort.com/
is the # 1 place to stay in Mae Chaem, but is a bit out of town. Ok if you’re with a group, but perhaps not so good if you’re alone. It does however have a nice pool & sauna & view.
mae-chaem-accommodation-t8437.html#p49824
Plus the hosts Heiki & Sa are wonderful down to earth people.

After brekky at the Navasoung we split up, with RobertH & BDP heading back to Cnx via R1088 & Ob Luang, & me pottering around the Mae Chaem valley, starting south of town also on R1088.
I lead the way from the Navasoung & turned onto R1088, heading for a nice photo spot I knew. RH & BDP continued straight on into town. Odd I thought. I got my first few snaps





then paused & had a hearty chuckle while RH &BDP rode past, “backtracking” & finally on the right road.
These guys need to study their GT Rider maps a bit more & not solely rely on a GPS I thought.



WAT PA DAET
A bit further on up the road was a nice find










The temple drum

and what a size.



Wat Pa Daet is not all old though..


MAE CHAEM
Mae Chaem is tipped to be the next Pai, a few years down the road, but I sincerely don’t hope so. The valley has tremendous charm, character & strong cultural traditions. It would be an absolute shame to see it raped & over developed as has happened in Pai, losing it traditional values, culture & charm in the process. The local land office claim that 80% of the available land is now in the hands of the city slickers from Bangkok. Mae Chaem is one of the last remaining strongholds of traditional culture & buildings in the North. Not yet spoilt by shop houses, bars etc..
Check it out while you can!


WAT YANG LUANG
Wat Yang Luang is another very old temple in Mae Chaem.








Old temple murals



These a story / legend about the above items, & I have to dig the info out....later.

You might think that Mae Chaem is small, & indeed the city is, but you can do 100 kms pottering round the rolling hills & through the gorgeous villages in the immediate vicinity of the town.








A hard worker

returning home after catching crabs in the rice fields.

This old gnarled tree caught my attention

I wonder how I will compare when I get as ancient.

WAT THAP DUA








another new beauty


The Wat Thap Dua view of Doi Inthanon


Pa Tim used to run & cook at the Krua Lai Hin

she now sells food outside 7-11. A wonderful & popular personality in Mae Chaem.

A nameless Durian vendor




ROUTE 1088: leaving Mae Chaem




Up on the “Hmong cabbage plateau”




fleeing the rain


Didn’t quite escape

I took shelter & put my rain gear on & 10 minutes later down the road it was dry.

More coming

[2wheels]

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Really enjoying this report.

[TonyBKK]

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Awesome! Wow- some amazing pictures- is it just me or have David's photography skills improved recently? Happy Trails! Tony

[backdoorphil]

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Fantastic pictures David, thankyou

[Davidfl]

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But the rain gear never came off, as there were enough threatening rain clouds around for the remaining 100 kms to Mae Sarieng to warrant leaving them on.
Rain gear is a nuisance getting on & off when you are fully kitted up, & like to be sure when I’m putting them on it for a reason – lots of rain.
I don’t mind riding through showers & drying out; but once my wet weather goes on it stays on, unless I’m riding in bright sunshine & sweltering inside.

Final departure time from Mae Chaem was 3.15Pm
Arrival time in Mae Sarieng was 5.45PM

It was a quiet night in Mae Sarieng.
Happy hour drinks were at
1. The Riverhouse Resort while I read the papers
2. Sawadee –Sabai Dee with Beng.
Then it was time to east & drink at the Krua Gan Eng. Mae Sarieng’s popular pub & restaurant,

but by 10PM we were the only customers! The word in MS is that the Hi Class Karaoke (run by the police) across the river & downstream, is now the # 1 night spot in town, with a new “café” & pole dancing. Hi Class is open till the wee hours, but I never made it that far.

DAY 3 MAE SARIENG – MAE HONG SON

NO RAIN!

ROUTE 108 & fantastic lush green forest cover….



Some roadside characters to wake you up..






and these guys are a few hundred metres south of the Mae La Noi viewpoint


The Mae La Noi Viewpoint Coffeeshop



The view


Back on the road




Muang Pon - Khun Yuam – Mae Hong Son is the best riding section of R108 (& the whole MHS Loop?)


Wat Mae Surin beckoned




A group of local ladies were spending 3-4 days at the temple meditating






R108 Northwards again


The Pha Bong viewpoint

(that's not much of a view)



now that's a view!

There’s now a small coffee shop - Pha Bong Souvenir - there, run by Salween Restaurant from downtown Mae Hong Son.


Mae Hong Son city arrival time was 5.15PM & just in town to catch the monks at Wat Chong Klang dusting down the temple




The Crossroads Pub has been a regular favourite of many bikers for a long time.
Miss Nok being one of the star attractions. Nok has since moved on & now has her own little bar the Gu Long Do




The lovely Miss Nok

Nok likes big motorbikes & riding them. So when you’re in MHS don’t hesitate to pop in, have a drink or two & say hello (from Lung David).

[Davidfl]

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DAY 4 MAE HONG SON

Arh yes the sun comes out & I got sunburned this day.

First stop # 1: Pha Bong Waterfall

and not worth it for the waterfall. This was my 4th or 5th trip to Pha Bong waterfall to see some water & now I give up. Not even anything significant mid wet season!

Next stop # 2
Wat Pha Bong Tai.





This is Wat Pha Bong Tai, & Wat Pha Bong Nua awaits me next trip...



Next stop # 3
Pha Bong Hot Springs







Whilst checking the water temp I looked across the rice paddies & spotted what seemed to be some new bungalows.

Next stop # 4
Pitchaporn House

The bungalows

The rooms


The bathroom

a bit basic, but the tub’s deep & the water is straight off the HOT springs = O-U-C-H.

The address – behind the Pha Bong drinking water company (same owner)

Prices quoted 700 – 1,500 baht. 700 is low season = now & 1,500 is high “cold” season for lovers.
IMHO the bungalows are smart, clean & airy, but small & for 1,500 baht I’d pass.
GPS Waypoint: N19 12.482 E97 58.774
Check it out for yourself.

Next stop # 5
Wat Doi Khong Mou

beautiful blue sky & A VIEW






I don’t think I’ve ever seen MHS so clearly from Doi Kong Mou.

A couple of now “obligatory’ Buddha photos




Mae Hong Son airport on the ground


Next stop # 6
Wat Hua Wiang




And the day was done. I was hot ‘n sunburned.

[Davidfl]

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DAY 5: MAE HONG SON- RAK THAI - PAI

A lazy morning with departure ex Mae Hong Son 12.15PM

I was hoping for clear weather to zip up to Rak Thai on the border & then move onto Pai for the night.

Rak Thai is high up in the mountains


Mok Chom Pae en route, looking good



I could not believe my luck.

Then straight up into the hills, approaching Na Pa Paek




Entering Rak Thai




Chinese tea shop






The power was coming to town




Coffee Camp in Na Pa Paek

and I needed a nice cup of coffee

but unbelievably there was no one around or to be found to get any service.
However, how beautiful – a delightful shop totally open & unguarded, for anyone to walk in. Such incredible honesty & respect amongst the local community!

Entering the bamboo forest before the descent to Pha Sua falls






Pha Sua waterfall








Soppong – Pai



Pai
Wang Chang Puek Resort on the Pai River


http://www.wangchangpuek.com/

The delightful Miss Patchy, hotel reception at the Wang Chang Puek


Rooms at the Wang Chang Puek






The Pai River looking downstream

it looks kinda tame too doesn’t it?

Another day chugging around the MHS Loop is done.

Departure from Mae Hong Son was 12.15PM
Arrival time in Pai was 6.30PM

[Davidfl]

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DAY 6: PAI – CHIANG MAI
Homeward bound...

First stop # 1
Breakfast at the Pai Countrty, opposite Baan Pai

Baan Pai is my fave restaurant in Pai, but is currently closed for renovation. It will re-open before high season, with a daily buffet, including a Japanese sushi section!

Stormy weather ahead


and so it was




The big new power lines are a photographic attraction in Mae Sae?


I hung out in Mae Sae for a snack & drink with some young Thai guys on their way to Pai for a couple of nights

they were going to Pai now while it was quiet & they could get a room for 200 baht!
I liked their riding kit, especially the footwear. (Just get out & ride.)

Into the mist & fog & rain



A greasy road of bends

but I’m glad I was on a bike & not using public transport

Despite the wet 'n greasy conditions I really enjoyed the ride with the new Pirelli Scorpion on the rear.
I had fun, & have never ridden so hard in the wet.
The tyre did not seem to want to let go & I found myself pushing harder & harder, until I decided no need. The tyre is outstanding in the wet!
Highly recommended = the Pirelli MT90 Scorpion.

Departure time from Pai was 1.15PM
Arrival time in Chiang Mai was 4.15PM

[Fishenough]

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Wow, the difference a week can make. Just returned from a father son pottering around the MHS loop and found truly wet season weather. Everyday was overcast, with rain showers every day, from Doi Inthanon to CM the rain was torrential until Lamphun. I also like the 1192, even in heavy mist and fog today, it was without doubt the cleanest road the entire loop this week.

Great Photos!

This stretch pictured below had heavy flooding and road damage on Wednesday morning or night; some massive pieces of asphalt even relocated to the fields and the other side of the river. Not to mention plenty of mud and debris on the road needing heavy equipment for the cleanup. Sorry no new pictures.

[2wheels]

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Thanks David for another superb report, full of info and great pics.
What camera did you use?

[Davidfl]

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Awesome! Wow- some amazing pictures- is it just me or have David's photography skills improved recently? Happy Trails! Tony

Thanks David for another superb report, full of info and great pics.
What camera did you use?

The camera is a Canon G11 "with the right settings."
I've had it for awhile now but not been too happy with the finished product.
However during this trip I was just pottering along, taking my time with the photos & discovered a couple of wrong settings on the camera (user error.)
I'm now a hell of a lot happier with the output.

Also last "night" in the wee hours of the morning I discovered that when I sat right back from computer monitor everything was a hell of a lot sharper & not as fuzzy as I thought = time for reading glasses! And no need for over correcting, trying to process raw images that you can't see clearly!

I've also gone back to carrying a "tripod," actually a monopod to help keep the camera still. One of the legacies of my spill in Hongsa a few years ago is a wonky left arm that does not quite enable me to hold up the left arm high enough to get two hands on the camera.

Now for a bit of a waffle…..

I think I've ridden just about all the roads I need here in North Thailand & fast as I want now, so intend to go back to focusing on the scenery / people / attractions & build up my photo collection once again.

Once upon a time in my old Library Service shop I had a big photo collection that scores of people - travelers & journos - came to see & get ideas of places to go & see in North Thailand. (I lost all that 15 years ago when I separated & divorced the ex-wife.)

I'm hoping to recreate that again with the network of GT Rider websites we are building.

Our Doi Mae Salong site is now # 1 on Google.
In the coming months we hope to get more up there to help the local communities & get more people to stay & tour in North Thailand.

Life here has been extremely good to me & I want to make sure I put something back, not just take from the locals.

[TonyBKK]

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The camera is a Canon G11 "with the right settings."
I've had it for awhile now but not been too happy with the finished product.
However during this trip I was just pottering along, taking my time with the photos & discovered a couple of wrong settings on the camera (user error.)
I'm now a hell of a lot happy with the output.

Canon G11. Very nice!


I quite like the Canon Powershot D10 I've been using for the past year or so as it's waterproof and shock resistant, but the image quality certainly doesn't compare to your G11.

Beautiful pictures David- it takes more than just a fancy camera to capture some of the special shots you've shared with us in this thread. Looking forward to more!

Happy Trails!

Tony

[Davidfl]

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PART 2. WET SEASON: POTTERING AROUND THE MAE HONG SON LOOP.

Dates. Thursday 2nd September – Sunday 5th September 2010.

THE RIDERS
Backdoorphil & David Unk

THE WAY
The short loop, Chiang Mai – Chomthong – Hot – Mae Chaem – Khun Yuam – Mae Hong Son – Pai – Chiang Mai.

THE WEATHER
The middle of the wet season & only rain
1. Pang Ung – Khun Yuam, torrential
2. Soppong, torrential while having late lunch at the Soppong River Inn
Brilliant again - nothing ventured nothing gained & it was a sweet 4 days on the Loop.

THE MASTER PLAN
Ride & photograph.
Mae Chaem: photograph a few more temples & a couple of waterfalls.
Show BDP MHS for the first time.
Then RIDE over to Fang & Chiang Rai, before heading back to Chiang Mai.

WHAT HAPPENED
1 night Mae Chaem
1 night Mae Hong Son
1 night Pai

Read & ride on.........

DAY 1 CHIANG MAI – CHOMTHONG – HOT – MAE CHAEM
Routes 108 & 1088. A lucky 8 ride?

It was a lateish 2PM getaway & I should have been forewarned, but…..

1st stop was 50 kms out at Wat Phra Tha That Chomthong




The weather was glorious & we were in luck at the temple too



2nd stop was Hot, & if you’ve never been to Hot, you aint missing much. The clock tower is the centre of attraction in this bus-stop city


Soon after Hot you’re into the fabulous R108 twisties alongside the Mae Chaem river



You should really enjoy this section of road, except this is where BDP discovered he had a dodgy valve on his front tyre

Flat tyre! (Was it going to be one of those trips?)
3rd stop then it was

Not at all a problem for a “gadget-man” like Phil

out comes the trick mini compressor, pump up the tyre & off we went in a few minutes.

R1088
It was late afternoon & the Thepannom Hot Springs site was a delight to behold in the light.


There are private bungalows for hot spa baths at the "back" of the hot springs site, but the place was deserted & no one was around to open up for us to take a look & get some happy snaps.
4th stop was Thepannom Hot Springs

R1088 views

5th stop

R1088 Ob Luang – MaeChaem is a beautiful steep & winding, hilly ride.

6th stop

Doi Inthanon view from R1088

7th stop

Mae Chaem Resort bungalows

8th stop

Departure time ex Chiang Mai was 2PM
Arrival time in Mae Chaem was 6.20PM

Happy hour at the Sawasdee Mae Chaem


and what to do at happy hour in Mae Chaem

watch TV

Plus drink & eat


Last trip I gave the Nam Neung Pub & Restaurant a plug, & it deserves yet another

good, food & service

plus that prominent flag, that the owner seems not to have an explanation for, except he likes it.

[Shawn in Oz]

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Good post David,
with lots of interesting photos other than roads.
We all need to see what is there if you stop & go in.
If you keep up posting like this you might re-take over your website from the Captain.

It was a pity you didn't take your library wall , the new owners wouldn't have noticed.
I reckon that wall would have been the feature exhibit at the Unk Museum which
we'll create after your last ride.

[backdoorphil]

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Glad you posted this photo, Dave, looks like ive got a fixing bolt missing on the fork guard!

[Davidfl]

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Glad you posted this photo, Dave, looks like ive got a fixing bolt missing on the fork guard!

Lucky eh? Great photo too then!

[Davidfl]

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DAY 2 MAE CHAEM VALLEY – MAE NA CHON – KHUN YUAM – MAE HONG SON
Routes 1263 & 108.

Twas an early morning start the next day – wake up 6.00AM & off in search of some sweet early morning photos of the monks doing their alms round. (Yep that was David Unk up at sparrows guys!) We cruised the valley south & west of town. No monks, only nice scenery & views of the mountains towards Doi Inthanon.



The only monks we found were at Wat Thap

and outside the market


Inside the market it was time for the butchers…



By 7am the local nursery is busy with mum & dads dropping off their kids before work


Miss Nui is the kindergarten teacher & she normally looks after 20+ kids on her own.

She’s a hard worker & devoted child carer.

Mae Chaem is famous for it’s Tin Tok weaving





Cross the bridge over the Mae Chaem river, turn left & go 1kms downstream & you are in Ban Thong Fai.

Ban Thong Fai is a community of weavers of the traditional sarong, a wrap-around cloth called ‘Pha Teen Jok’ in local speak. It specialises in 19 ancient patterns such as ‘Hong Dam’, ‘Kud Kun Jae’ and ‘Nok Non Kum’, all boasting colourful design and pattern at the bottom. What makes it unique is the way it’s created. It takes about 20 days to complete one sarong as progress is slow: you can only weave about 10cm in a day.

Happy Tin Tok shopkeeper


more coming...the delights of Mae Chaem

[Davidfl]

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Continued from
DAY 2: MAE CHAEM VALLEY – MAE NA CHON – KHUN YUAM – MAE HONG SON
Routes 1263 & 108.

The Mae Chaem valley is dotted with charming villages & some stunning temples. I managed to tick off 2 more splendid wats this visit
1. Wat Phra Nun "The Black & Gold Temple with chocolate-robed Buddhas"







It has some sensational murals



Wat Buddha En dated 1868.
Is unique in Thailand , with a rare wooden ubosot set on posts in a lotus pond.



Wat Kong Kan dated 1431




For those of you not bored with the temple pix, look here for our Mae Chaem Temple info & photos
http://www.mae-chaem.com/attractions

And I’ve still got a couple of Mae Chaem temples to go.

Next stop was to get out of town & head for the hills – waterfalls.

But before we got there I did run out of brakes going uphill. This shocked me & at the turn off & steep descent to Mae Pan waterfall I thought it wise to stop, check out the rear brake & see what the problem was; before descending. I got off the bike, took a step back a watched the bike starting to roll forward. It was not in gear. I did manage to grab hold of it on the way down, but I was caught in a bad position with the bike most of the way down. As it was not my bike, but BDP’s F650 I did not want to drop it. Phil was amused & could see my plight & very generously suggested I just lay it down. So I did.


1. Mae Pan waterfall
Finding Mae Pan from town is not easy & the best way is to go the direct way - back track up R1192 towards Doi Inthanon, & then follow the signs.

Mae Pan waterfall from off R1192


What you need to know


The road to Mae Pan is a very steep descent which fortunately is asphalt, so easy, but not so easy is the 500 metre + hike to the waterfall.



and is the hike worth it.

YES!

600 metres before Mae Pan waterfall (car park) is
2. Huai Sai Lueang waterfall




The good news at Huai Sai Lueang waterfall is you don’t really need to walk more than 200 metres.


It was 3.45PM by the time we got away from Mae Chaem, after a late 7-11 lunch.
The weather was closing in


but after Mae Na Chon it cleared up somewhat






However somewhere between Pang Ung & Khun Yuam we ran into what was supposed to be a passing shower; that turned into a torrential downpour that went on & on. And that was the end of my phone that I forgot about in my pocket!