Mist and Mountains: A Northern Odyssey
- Warren Parrot
- May 21
- 8 min read
Discover Northern Thailand’s breathtaking Mae Hong Son Loop — a misty mountain fly-drive adventure from Chiang Mai featuring winding roads, luxury stays, local culture, incredible food and unforgettable experiences.
Thailand’s Mae Hong Son Loop Delivers One of the World’s Great Driving Holidays
There’s a moment, somewhere north of Chiang Mai, when the chaos of Thailand finally fades in the rear-view mirror. The traffic thins out. The humidity drops. The road begins to twist and climb into the clouds. Tiny roadside coffee huts appear beside mountain lookouts. Monks in orange robes wander sleepy villages at sunrise. Scooters buzz past carrying entire families, crates of fruit and occasionally what appears to be a full-sized ladder balanced sideways across the seat.
And suddenly you realise this isn’t just another holiday. This is a proper driving adventure.
For Australians chasing something different — beyond Bali beach clubs or overcrowded tourist hotspots — Northern Thailand’s famous Mae Hong Son Loop is one of the best fly-drive holidays you’ve probably never seriously considered.
And honestly? It deserves to be right near the top of your list.
The Drive Begins: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Your journey starts in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand’s cultural capital and the closest major airport to the loop.
Direct flights from Australia usually connect through Bangkok, with plenty of domestic flights running daily north into Chiang Mai.
Now, before you hit the road, a couple of things Aussies need to know:
Thailand drives on the LEFT side of the road like Australia
Road rules are more “creative suggestions” than strict law
Indicators appear optional
Overtaking on blind corners somehow seems culturally accepted – but I wouldn’t try it!
Yet bizarrely… it all kind of works
Driving in Thailand initially feels like organised chaos. But once you leave Chiang Mai behind, the roads become spectacular.
The Mae Hong Son Loop is famous for having more than 1,800 bends across roughly 600 kilometres of mountain roads. Yep. Eighteen hundred bends. This is not a road-trip for people who hate corners or easily get a queasy stomach, you know, like the Pirate Ship ride at Sea World used to do!
Stop One: Pai
Our first overnight stop was the quirky mountain town of Pai.
The road from Chiang Mai to Pai alone is legendary — a winding ribbon of mountain asphalt weaving through jungle valleys and misty hillsides.
About halfway up the drive we stopped at the โป่งเดือดป่าแป๋ Hot Springs (the translation on this one is tough but its something like ‘Boiling Spring Forest’ or if you prefer ‘The Bubbling Hot Springs of Pa Pae Forest’) for a quick leg stretch and coffee.
Steam rose through the forest while travellers soaked in mineral pools surrounded by jungle. Very different from pulling into a servo on the Hume Highway for a dim sim and burnt pie. Pai itself feels like Byron Bay collided with Thailand after a few cocktails.
There are:
hippie cafés
live music bars
smoothie bowls
weed shops everywhere
yoga retreats
backpackers riding scooters wearing elephant pants and questionable sunburns
It was an incredibly charming place and we loved it. We grabbed dinner at Na’s Kitchen — a tiny local favourite famous for authentic Northern Thai food at prices that make Australians question their entire cost-of-living reality.
Dinner for two with drinks: about AUD $18. You’ll cry when you compare that to prices at home.
Stop Two: Pang Ung
Leaving Pai behind, we headed deeper into the mountains toward Pang Ung.
Nicknamed “Thailand’s Switzerland,” this hidden alpine lake sits near the Myanmar border and honestly feels unlike anywhere else in Thailand.Pine forests surround the lake. Mist rolls across the water at sunrise. Bamboo rafts drift quietly through the fog.
If you showed someone photos without context, they’d probably guess Europe.
Along the drive we stopped at several tiny roadside coffee huts run by local hill tribe families.
One thing you quickly notice in Northern Thailand is the incredible warmth of the locals. Even with language barriers, there’s always smiles, laughter and somebody trying to feed you something.
Australians are pretty laid-back, but Thai hospitality is next level.
Final Destination: Mae Hong Son
Eventually we rolled into Mae Hong Son City itself — a small mountain town tucked into a misty valley near the Myanmar border. And this place genuinely feels like old Thailand.
No giant shopping centres. No overdeveloped tourist strips. No endless chain stores.
Just mountain scenery, temples, markets, lakes and winding roads disappearing into the jungle. It’s peaceful. Authentic. Relaxed. And for Drive Tourism enthusiasts, it’s absolute gold.
A Little History (With Some Quirky Bits)
Mae Hong Son’s history is fascinating. Originally settled by the Shan people from Myanmar in the 1800s, the area became famous for elephant training camps used to transport teak logs through the mountains. In fact, “Mae Hong Son” roughly translates to: “The town of the three mists.” Which is pretty bloody perfect for this article.
The province remained incredibly isolated for decades due to its mountainous terrain. Until relatively recently, many roads were little more than dirt tracks winding through jungle valleys.
That isolation helped preserve the region’s unique blend of: Thai culture, Shan Burmese influence. hill tribe traditions, Buddhist heritage. Even today, the pace feels wonderfully old-school.
You’ll regularly see monks walking barefoot at sunrise, local markets trading fresh produce, roadside noodle stalls using recipes generations old, dogs asleep in the middle of the road completely unbothered by traffic!
Our Luxury Base: Fern Resort Mae Hong Son
For our stay, we based ourselves at the stunning Fern Resort. While Mae Hong Son doesn’t really do flashy ultra-luxury international chains, Fern Resort absolutely nails the boutique tropical luxury vibe.
What you get are private villas, rice field views, mountain backdrops, lush tropical gardens, infinity-style pool and open-air dining. And the best part? It costs a fraction of what you’d pay in Australia for something remotely comparable.
What We Loved About the Hotel
One of the things we genuinely loved about Fern Resort was that it didn’t feel like a typical polished city hotel. Instead, it felt like a tropical mountain retreat tucked away amongst rice paddies and jungle gardens.
The rooms lean heavily into Northern Thai style with timber finishes, open airy layouts, natural surroundings and gives out peaceful “slow travel” vibes
Our Room Choice: Deluxe Villa
The hotel has a range of options including the Superior Rooms, Family style options, particularly handy if you have smaller kids, along with Premium Villas if you are looking to be a little more secluded for your stay. We stayed in one of the resort’s standalone Deluxe Villas, and honestly, it was a cracker and the right choice for us.
The villas are spread throughout the gardens, giving you privacy and a much more immersive “mountain escape” feel than a standard hotel block.
Inside the villa:
large king-sized beds
polished timber floors
traditional Thai décor touches
air conditioning (if you don’t have aircon in Thailand you will die from the heat – check for this at any hotel you stay at!)
spacious bathroom
outdoor sitting area / verandah (perfect for the morning coffee)
floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking greenery (loved this…)
The bed itself was super comfortable — important after spending all day wrestling 1,800 mountain bends. And unlike many city hotels, the whole atmosphere felt quiet and calming.
You wake up to birds, mist and distant mountain views instead of traffic noise and sirens.
Bathroom Experience
The bathrooms were surprisingly spacious and had:
rainfall shower
quality toiletries
natural stone styling
excellent water pressure (always appreciated in Thailand)
One funny Aussie observation - Thai hotels LOVE providing slippers for absolutely everything. Walk five metres? Slippers. Go to breakfast? Different slippers. Honestly, by day three we were half expecting ceremonial pool slippers!
The hotel itself became part of the experience. Sunrise over the rice fields. Waking early and watching fog drift across the paddies with a coffee in hand was magic. The on-site Traditional Thai Massage treatments are an absolute must, something the wife and daughters indulged in every day. And yes — unlike Australia — a proper one-hour massage here costs less than parking at Melbourne Airport.
It’s always a win when your hotel provides Poolside Cocktails and after tackling mountain roads all day, sinking into the pool with a cold Chang beer and a few cocktails felt very well deserved.
What I love about Thailand in general are the copious amount of Open-Air Dining experiences available and the hotel restaurant served excellent Northern Thai cuisine including, Khao Soi, spicy sausage, sticky rice and fresh grilled river fish.
Other Accommodation Options
Not everybody wants five-star luxury, and Mae Hong Son caters well for different travel styles. So if you are on a Budget you can google a full range of local guesthouses, backpacker hostels and simple mountain lodges.
In the Mid-Range the destination has boutique eco resorts, Airbnb villas and local family-run hotels.
If you are a bit more Adventurous try glamping stays, jungle bungalows, even lakeside cabins
Accommodation here is remarkably affordable compared to Australia, in fact pretty much everything is, which allowed us to travel longer and ‘harder’ on this particular holiday.
Top 10 Things To Do In Mae Hong Son
1. Visit Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu - The town’s most iconic temple sits high above the valley with incredible panoramic views. Sunset here is unreal so take your camera.
2. Explore The Morning Market - One of the best ways to experience local life is the Morning Market. You’ll find fresh fruit, Shan noodles, weird snacks you wont find at home,mountain herbs, grilled meats and things you genuinely cannot identify. Some are delicious. Some are… adventurous. Some barely make it past your teeth!
3. Bamboo Rafting On The Pai River - Gentle rafting trips through jungle scenery are hugely popular and surprisingly peaceful. Perfect for families or couples and a great way to get a real feel for the region.
4. Ride The Mae Hong Son Loop By Scooter - If you’re brave enough. Thousands of travellers tackle the loop on scooters each year. Would most Aussie mums approve? Absolutely not. Is it unforgettable? Definitely. But be safe!
5. Visit Long Neck Karen Villages - Cultural tours to local hill tribe villages provide insight into traditional mountain life and a side to Thailand you may not have seen before. Done respectfully, these experiences can be genuinely eye-opening and each village has something different to offer.
6. Explore Tham Lod Cave - Tham Lod Cave is a massive limestone cave system explored partly by bamboo raft. It’s eerie, spectacular and feels like something from an adventure movie. Indiana Jones eat your heart out!
7. Soak In Pha Bong Hot Springs - Natural thermal pools surrounded by forest. Ideal after long driving days.
8. Chase Waterfalls - Northern Thailand hides countless waterfalls through the mountains. Some require short hikes. Others are literally beside the road. Have a chat to the locals to get directions to the best ones.
9. Eat Northern Thai Food – I know, I know, be careful what you eat in Asia! This region’s cuisine is very different from other parts of the country and nothing like standard Aussie Thai takeaway. Must-try dishes include: Khao Soi, Sai Ua sausage, Nam Prik dips, sticky rice and fair warning folks - “Medium spicy” in Thailand can still melt your face!
10. Sunset Drinks By Jong Kham Lake - One of the prettiest spots in town is Jong Kham Lake. Grab a drink, watch temple reflections across the water and slow down for a while. That’s really what Mae Hong Son does best. It slows you down.
Why Australians Will Love This Destination
Northern Thailand works brilliantly for Aussie travellers because it combines:
affordability
adventure
incredible roads
great food
warm hospitality
stunning scenery
And importantly it still feels authentic. There’s a rawness and honesty to the region that many over-touristed destinations have lost. You’ll laugh at the traffic. Marvel at entire families balancing on scooters. Wonder how roadside noodle soup can taste so good. And probably question why Australians pay $17 for a beer at sporting events and debate with your partner as to why you should move the whole family over to live here!
Final Thoughts
The Mae Hong Son Loop is an incredible destination and region but it isn’t about ticking landmarks off a bucket list. It’s about the journey itself. The bends, the mist, the roadside coffees, the random temples, the mountain villages, the quirky discoveries and the unexpected moments.
It’s one of those rare driving holidays where the road becomes the attraction and is as good as the destination that it takes you to.
And for Drive Stay Play readers chasing something memorable, affordable and genuinely different — Northern Thailand might just be one of the best-kept road-trip secrets left in the world.
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