Mae Hong Son Loop: Storms, Mountains, and Open Roads

When we first planned to leave Chiang Mai for the Mae Hong Son Loop, a typhoon was rolling across northern Thailand. On Sunday morning the skies still looked grim, so we waited one more day before setting off. The delay wasn’t wasted — we caught another Muay Thai class at Bear Fight Club, wandered the huge Sunday Night Market, and stocked up on street food before the road ahead.

By Monday morning, the weather cleared enough to give it a go. We fueled up at 7-Eleven (the classics: americanos, toasties, onigiri), called my grandma, and pointed our rented Honda ADV 150cc bikes toward the mountains. The first target: Doi Inthanon, the highest peak in Thailand. The ride was wet, winding, and full of waterfalls swollen from the storm. At the top, clouds hid the views around the twin royal pagodas, but we laughed at the timing — even bumping into “Mr. Mechanic,” the guy we had rented the bikes from.

As we wound down the far side of the mountain, the skies finally cleared and the roads dried. We stopped at villages, more waterfalls, and even a pine forest before an unexpected encounter: a man named Piak! (always said with emphasis). Piak was a tour guide doing the loop in a quirky sidecar rig packed with odds and ends. He shared fruit, wished us luck with dried tamarind, and invited us to visit his farm. It was one of those chance roadside moments that stays with you.

The day turned wild as darkness and heavy rain set in. With nearly 300 km behind us and just 20 km to go before Mae Sariang, we found the road blocked by fallen trees and live power lines. Drenched and exhausted, we had no choice but to turn back in the storm. After some frantic searching, we managed to find a local homestay with no power but a dry room. By 9:30 pm, we were safe.

The next morning brought sunshine — and Piak. He welcomed us to his home with coffee, sticky rice, and giant avocados, gave us a tour of his farm, and had us plant butterfly pea flowers before sending us off with more snacks. It was the kind of hospitality you can’t plan for.

The following days carried us deeper into the loop:

• Mae Sariang to Mae Hong Son – riding through villages still recovering from recent floods, crossing temporary bridges, and visiting the Karen long neck village. It was sobering and complicated, a reminder of how layered travel can be. In Mae Hong Son we earned our official Loop certificate and visited mountaintop temples.

• Ban Rak Thai – a Chinese Yunnanese village near the Myanmar border, surrounded by tea fields and a lake. It felt like stepping into another world. We sipped oolong tea, ate Chinese dinners, and even rode up to the closed border gate. Nights here came with candlelight — power outages were common.

• Pai – the last big stop before circling back to Chiang Mai. We swam at waterfalls, slid down natural rock slides, hiked Pai Canyon, and caught sunsets at the “Two Huts” viewpoint. The town had an easygoing backpacker vibe and was a perfect spot to slow down before the final push.

Finally, on Friday we wound our way back to Chiang Mai, stopping at viewpoints and a towering 60 m waterfall before dropping the bikes off. After nearly 900 km and more than 4,000 curves, sore backs, and countless memories, we both agreed: the Mae Hong Son Loop is one of the best rides of our lives. The mountain switchbacks alone made it unforgettable.

We wrapped the week with fried chicken at KFC (yes, really), a mall stop for gear, and one more Muay Thai fight night. Less dramatic than Bangkok’s bouts, but still plenty of energy. Then it was back out for street food, late-night beers, and one last Chiang Mai sendoff.

Now it’s time for the next leg: tomorrow we’ll start the journey to Laos by slow boat.