All in all, the Mae Hong Son tour was an unforgettable experience, as you can read in my subsequent essay. Honestly, one of my best trips to Thailand ever.

At the same time, not all travel destinations are the same. After arriving in Pai (my first stop on the tour) from Chiang Mai, I seriously wondered if I had made a mistake.

I don't want to reveal too much about the outcome of my comparison between Pai and Mae Hong Son just yet. But let me say this: these two cities are incredibly different, even though they are only a few dozen kilometers apart as the crow flies.

Why the Mae Hong Son Loop is worth driving

This article aims to help you decide whether to visit Pai or Mae Hong Son. If you're doing the Mae Hong Son tour, you'll pass through both places anyway. You'll likely spend at least one night in each. While it's theoretically possible to travel from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Mai in a single day, you'd miss many fantastic sights.

And the sights are breathtaking. In my opinion, it starts right after Pai if you're traveling counter-clockwise. More precisely: the Doi Kiew Lum viewpoint and the nearby Tham Lot cave. The next major stop (the village of Ban Rak Thai) is rather unspectacular, but the Pha Suea waterfall is absolutely worth seeing. Likewise, the many attractions between Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang, the next larger town. But I'm getting ahead of myself!

Ways to compare Pai and Mae Hong Son

Mood

Mae Hong Son is exactly what it is: a small town in a remote corner of Thailand, just a few kilometers from the Myanmar border. The few tourists there respect this and seem to appreciate and enjoy it. Pai, on the other hand, is reminiscent of Bangkok's Khao San Road, only in a rural setting; the locals seem mainly occupied with serving tourist couples dressed as hippies.

Cityscape

While the wooden houses along Pai's main streets are charming, the town lacks a distinct urban character – unless, of course, you count the Big Buddha (which is so far out that it's barely visible from there). In Mae Hong Son, on the other hand, local landmarks like Wat Chong Kham Shan temple and Chong Kham Lake make it impossible to get lost in Thailand.

Activities

Aside from Pai Walking Street, Pai's main attractions are all located outside the town, with Pai Canyon being the most famous. Along the road to Mae Hong Son is Tham Lot Cave; in Mae Hong Son itself, the hilltop temple Wat Prathat Doi Kongmu is arguably the main attraction, although the village of Ban Rak Thai (to the north) and the sunflower fields of Thung Bua Thong (to the south) are also worthwhile day trips.

Accommodation

Whether in Mae Hong Son or Pai, don't expect five-star accommodations. While there are certainly charming places to stay in Mae Hong Son (I'm thinking, for example, of the five-star Fern Resort, where I recently stayed and where Brangelina stayed 20 years ago), the accommodations in Pai are generally rather run-down and quickly forgotten.

Arrival and getting around

Pai is realistically only accessible by car or bus from Chiang Mai. Mae Hong Son, on the other hand, has an airport (right in the city center), but it is only rarely served by Bangkok Airways with turboprop aircraft via Lampang. In both locations, having your own vehicle, whether a car or a motorcycle, is highly recommended.

How many days should one spend on the Mae Hong Son tour?

When I planned my trip along Mae Hong Son Road, I originally intended to allocate about a week for it. This would have meant spending one night in Pai and two nights each in Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang before continuing south into Tak Province. However, as time passed (and I had to postpone the originally planned trip not once, but twice), I decided that one night in each major town – Pai, Mae Hong Son, and Mae Sariang – would be perfectly sufficient.

This has a downside, of course: you can't properly explore the Mae Hong Son tour if you only spend one night in each place. On the other hand, it saves you the decision between Mae Hong Son and Pai. And if you really dislike a place, like I didn't like Pai, it means you don't have to stay there long enough to ruin the trip.

Other frequently asked questions about Pai and Mae Hong Son

How do I get from Pai to Mae Hong Son?

The easiest way to get from Pai to Mae Hong Son is by car. The journey can take between three and seven hours, depending on the number of stops (the range is considerable). Visiting Tham Lot Cave and Ban Rak Thai will extend the travel time to approximately seven hours, while a direct route guarantees a journey time of around three hours.

Is Mae Hong Son safe?

The city of Mae Hong Son is perfectly safe. However, traveling in the province does involve some risks, especially those associated with driving in Thailand. Therefore, exercise extra caution and vigilance when renting a car (or especially a motorbike) in Mae Hong Son.

Is there malaria in Mae Hong Son?

Mae Hong Son is officially one of the Thai provinces with the highest mosquito population in Malaysia. In practice, however, the likelihood of infection is low unless there is an active outbreak. You can protect yourself from this risk by using a DEET-based mosquito repellent every time you go outside after dark.

Conclusion

For me, comparing Pai and Mae Hong Son isn't really a challenge. While I understand why some travelers love Pai, for me it's by far the weakest place in Mae Hong Son province. The town itself is rather unremarkable, and the kind of travelers who go there (and especially those who think it's so great) are... just not my cup of tea. Mae Hong Son, on the other hand, was a revelation and is definitely a place I'll visit again. No matter which town you end up liking best, I'm sure you'll enjoy the Mae Hong Son tour overall. And if you entrust me with planning your Thailand trip, you can see for yourself.