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Mae Hong Son Information |
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Mae Hong Son is a
picturesque, mountainous northern province bordering Myanmar to the
west and the north. Hill tribes, Burmese-style temples, rugged
mountains, waterfalls, caves and pristine forests lend the province
much of its unspoiled charm. Mae Hong Son province covers an area of
14,244 sq, km, and is administratively divided into 6 districts, and 1
subdistrict namely: Muang, Mae Sa Riang, Mae La Noi, Pai, Khun Yuam,
Sop Moei and Pang Ma Pa Subdistrict.
CITY ATTRACTIONS
Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu
located at the hilltop dominates the provincial city.
Constructed by Phaya Singhanatracha, the first King of Mae Hong Son,
the hilltop temple affords a wonderful view of the city and
surrounding mountains and valleys.
Wat Hua Wiang
contains the image of Phra Chao Pha Ra La Khaeng, a replica of
one in Myanmar.
Wat Chong Klang, Wat Chong
Khum
houses glass, paintings and woodcarvings brought from Myanmar
some 100 years ago.
Wat Phra Non
contains a huge Burmese-style Reclining Buddha image some 12
metres long. The temple also houses ashes of Mae Hong Son Kings. Two
massive stone lions guard the temple staircase.
Wat Kam Ko
Another name of this wat is Wat Dok Bun Nag. It is shady and
pleasant, having scriptures written in the ancient local dialect,
describing the history of Thai Yai people.
Pha Bong Dam
about 12 kilometers outside Mae Hong Son, has been constructed
across the Mae Ra Mat River for generating electrical power. Nearby is
the Pha Bong Spring.
Pong Daeng Royal Residence
is located within the Pong Daeng culture. Architecture,
costumes and the character of the hill tribes here are different from
other hill tribes in Thailand. The attraction of this village is its
hilltop location with beautiful view. Visitors can easily go to the
village as it is only about 32 kilometers from the district.
Ban Nam Phiang Din
is a destination in Tambon Pha Bong reached by a 2-hour motor
boat trip or 1-day rafting along Pai River vai Ban Huai Dua, a scenic
route with marvelous terraced cataracts. Not too far beyond Ban Nam
Phiang Din, within Myanmar territory, lies another well frequented
tourist destination known as Pha Hom Nam.
Pha Sua Waterfall
is located in the Forest Park of the same name. At Km.18, a
loose-surface road branches off to take you about 10 kilometers to the
park. The 7-level cataract is huge and picturesque. The best time to
visit the falls is between early August and late September.
About 35 kilometers further up the track to Pha Sua Waterfall lies
Pang Tong Palace and a peaceful Meo tribal village near the border of
Thailand and Myanmar.
Tham Pla Forest Park
is situated at Ban Huai Pha, 17 kms. from Mae Hong Son township
on Highway No.1095 to Amphoe Pai. The area is dotted with reservoirs
stocked with many fish and the surroundings are naturally beautiful.
Tham Lot Forest Park
some 60 kilometers from Mae Hong Son town, a loose-surface road
to the left runs a further 8 kilometers. It is a place where antiques
and pre-historic remains have been found. This huge cave is
beautifully decorated with colourful stalagmites and stalactites.
Lisu Tribal Village Pang
Paek
is another tribal village worth visiting, located some 30
kilometers before Amphoe Pai. Normally this section of Pai River is
best enjoyed from a long-tailed motor boat, which takes only 2-3 hours
return trip. An alternative is to trek on elephant back as the scenery
on both sides is fascinating and beautiful. For boat cruising,
accommodation and trekking, contact major hotels and resorts or travel
agents in Mae Hong Son. |
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OUT OF CITY
ATTRACTIONS
Amphoe Khun Yuam
Wat To Phae
is located 7 km from Khun Yuam Market and has a large, beautiful
Burmese style vihara. According to legend, teak raft builders
used to congregate in this area prior to delivering rafts to
their customers. They combined their efforts to build the Wat
and called it Wat To Phae... 'Raft Assembling Monastery'.
Wat Muai To
in Ban Khun Yuam houses a huge and beautiful northern-style
pagoda.
Mae Surin Waterfall
is located in Nam Tok Surin National Park at km. 220 on
Highway No.108, 30 kilometers from Amphoe Khun Yuam. It is
believed to be the highest waterfall in Thailand.
Wild-Sunflower Field,
Doi Mae U-Kho
is located in Ban Mae Surin, Tambon Mae Yuam Noi, and
takes in an area of 1,000 rai covered with wild sunflowers. They
are all in full bloom during November, which make the hills and
surrounding areas look like plates of gold.
Nong Haeng Hot Spring
is in the area of Ban Nong Haeng, Tambon Muang Pon, about
15 kilometers from the district.
Amphoe Phoe Mae La
Noi
Two About caves along Highway 108 are Mae Hu Cave at Km.
108, and Mae La Ka Cave between Amphoe Khun Yuam and Amphoe Mae
La Noi. In the vicinity are Mae Hu and Mae La Ka Hot Springs.
Both have water hot enough to boil eggs.
Mae La-up Lawa
Village
in Tambon Huai Hom is situated in the area where three
districts meet: Mae Chaem, Mae La Noi and Mae Sariang (Chiang
Mai Province). The culture, architecture, costumes and character
of the hilltribes here are different from other hill tribes in
Thailand. The attraction of this village is its hilltop location
with beautiful views. Visitors can easily go to the village as
it is about 32 kilometers from the district.
Huai Hom Karen
Village
is about 4 kilometers from Ban La-up. Its village adhere
to their religion and have gentle and polite manners. As the
hill tribe community development center is established in the
village, the villagers have learned to make clothes from wool
and how to grow fruits and other temperate plants. This village
is thus a good model for other hill tribes.
Mae Sa-kua Karen
Village
in Tambon Tha Pha Phum is about 13 kilometers from the
district. Houses here are built in a dramatic style along the
slopes of the mountains. During the dry season, visitors can
appreciate the beautiful scenery when wild flowers and foliage
turn to orange color. Near the village, there are waterfalls
which are good for relaxation. The villagers still live in a
traditional way and not many changes over the years are
apparent.
Amphoe Mae Sariang
Wat Kitti Wong
is another temple worth visiting. It houses Lord Buddha
relics brought from Chiang Mai. and manuscripts discovered in
Phra Daeng Cave. They recount the history of relations between
Myanmar and the Lanna Kingdom.
Wat Uttayanrom
is called Wat Chong Sung by local people and was built in
Burmese artistic style. It has two white pagodas in Mon style
architecture and one Burmese style Vihara which is very
beautiful.
Wat Sri Bun Ruang
located near Wat Chong Sung, is one of many attractive
monasteries. This has a Burmese-styled main temple decorated
with 'ginger bread' design.
Wat Saen Thong
is situated in Amphoe Mae Sariang. An important
attraction is an old and beautiful bronze image of the Buddha
Subduing Mara of the Chiang Saen period. Phra Buddha Si-Hing,
known as Phra Phet or Phra Sing Nung, is another image of Buddha
to which the people have paid respect since the old days.
Pha Ma Lo Karen
Village
is a large Karen village, locate 3 km from the market
place, where hand woven fabric are produced for sale at cheap
prices. The single virgins of this village wear white dresses.
The Tribal
Development & Assistance Centre
at Km. 84 on Doi Mae Ho is administered by the Public
Welfare Department. Most of the hill tribe people in this center
are of Karen ancestry. The scenic area is noted for colorful
flower plantations. Bua Tong - or wild sunflowers - bloom and
cover the entire valley during November every year.
Amphoe Pai
Wat Nam Hu
about 3 kilometers from Pai Market, contains a sacred
Chiang Saen Buddha image, 24 inches wide at the base and 30
inches high. The image's topknot can be opened. Inside is holy
water, revered by local folk.
Wat Klang
is in Tambon Wiang Tai. In the precincts of this temple,
a main Chedi of Thai Yai style stands in the center of the
temple yard. It is surrounded by Mon Chedies, below which Buddha
images of the seven days the a week can be seen in niches. A
finial-topped Mandapa was built on the base of the main Chedi.
Wat Ping Karen
Village
is located in Mu 4, Tambon Mae Hi. The Karens here have
their own alphabets and are highly civilized. Traveling is easy
by car.
Chedi Phra That Mae
Yen
in Ban Mae Yen. Tambon Mae Hi, from where visitors can
overlook the whole Amphoe Pai after paying tribute to the
shrine. Travelers by air use this chedi as a marker of Pai
district area.
Mae Yen Waterfall
is situated in Ban Mae Yen, Tambon Mae Hi, about 7
kilometers from Amphoe Pai. It is a three-tiered waterfall and
one of the most beautiful in the district. It takes visitors 3-5
hours to reach this waterfall on foot.
Mo Paeng Waterfall
is located 9 kilometers from Amphoe Pai and can be
reached conveniently by car. The surrounding area is shady and
beautiful. Nearby there is Muang Soi Waterfall and a peaceful
Muser tribe village.
Huai Nam Dang
is the location of the Royal Forestry Department's Royal
Water Sources Development Project at Mu 7, Tambon Wiang Nua. The
area, stretching out as far as Amphoe Mae Taeng, Changwat,
Chiang Mai, is planted with 'cold climate' flowers and trees
which contribute to its scenic landscape. There are hot springs
located in Amphoe Pai area, named Muang Paeng Hot Spring in
Tambon Muang Paeng, Pong Ron Hot Spring in Tambon Mae Hi and
Pong Duat Hot Spring in Tambon Tung yao.
Amphoe Sop Moei
Mae Sam Laep
is a village on the Salawin River, located in Tambon Sop
Moei, some 62 kilometers from King Amphoe Sop Moei on the
Highway 1085. It is a renowned attraction among visitors for its
rafting along the Salawin River. The village is situated within
a deep valley facing Myanmar with white sandy beaches on some
parts of the bank. Two stretches of the river which are rafted
most often are between Mae Sam Laep and Sop Moei (the point at
which the Moei River meets the Salawin River), and from Mae Sam
Laep to Amphoe Tha Song Yang. |
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FESTIVALS AND
EVENTS
Pai Sang Long
Procession
This is the celebration of novice ordination which the
Thai Yai tribal people hold to be a highly meritorious occasion.
Traditionally, the candidate-novice, his head cleanly shaven and
wrapped with head-cloth in the Burmese style, will don a
prince-like garment, put on valuable jewels and gems and ride a
horse or be carried over the shoulders of a male relative to the
city shrine. Then he will visit Abbots of various Wats to beg
for forgiveness. On the eve of ordination, a procession of
offerings and other necessary personal belongings will be
paraded through the town streets and then placed at the next
day. It is usually held between March and May before the
Buddhist Rain Retreat period. Today the tribesmen are encouraged
to hold several processions at the same time with the result
that they have become a major tourist attraction.
Chong Para Procession
The 'Chong Para' in the Thai Yai dialect means a castle
made of wood, covered with colorful perforated papers and
decorate with fruits, flags and lamps. It is placed in the
courtyard of a house or a monastery as a gesture to welcome the
Lord Buddha on his return from giving sermons to his mother in
heaven, according to traditional belief. The rite is held during
the post-Rain Retreat season from the full moon day of the 11
the Lunar month to the waxing moon night of the same month.
Another activity to celebrate the occasion is dancing in which
the performers are dressed in animal costumes. This is based on
the belief that during those long-gone days, both humans and the
animal kingdom were equally joyful at the return of the Lord
Buddha and joined together in a jubilant performance as a
tribute to the Enlightened One.
Bua Tong Blossom
Festival
Each year in November, the hillsides of Amphoe Khun Yuam
and Amphoe Mae Sariang are filled with a host of golden Bua Tong
blooms. As fresh as daisies and almost as large as sunflowers,
the Bua Tong only blossoms for 15 days, a fine reason for Mae
Hong Son province to hold the Bua Tong Blossom Festival over
this period at Amphoe Khun Yuam. At Amphoe Khun Yuam's Doi Mae
U-Kho, the blossoms appear in profusion. Specialists previously
classified these Bua Tong as weeds and because of this, they
began to be cleared to make way for cash crops. Fortunately,
researchers have discovered the flower's insect-repellent
properties. Perhaps for this reason, rather than our enjoyment,
they are now a secure part of the annual scene? Whatever, Bua
Tong, a symbol of Mae Hong Son, is here to stay on the
hillsides.
Loi Krathong Festival
Loi Krathong Festival is held on the full moon night in
the month of November every year. Villagers make 'Krathongs' to
float in rivers. At Nong Chong Kham, various entertainments and
a contest of large krathongs are held near the central pond.
Lamps and candles are lit all around the area. At Wat Phra That
Doi Kong Mu, there is a ceremony to release candle-lit krathongs
bound to balloons (known as 'Loi Krathong Swan') to the evening
sky. |
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Information
provided by T.A.T
(Tourism Autority of Thailand) |
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