Built by the local community, the Su Thong Pae Bridge is 500 meters long and spans rice paddies and the Mae Sa Nga River. It connects the village of Kung May Sak with the Wat Tham Poo Sa Ma temple, situated on a small hill. This charming little bamboo bridge is located eight kilometers from Mae Hong Son. The owners of the adjacent fields donated land, and the villagers built the bridge together. They used bamboo strips for the deck and wooden piles to raise it over the rice paddies and the river. The bridge, which isn't very high, leads through a beautiful valley. Several times a year, Buddhist ceremonies with processions and offerings for the monks take place here. However, caution is advised: In October 2015, part of the bridge collapsed under the weight of the crowd.

Every morning at 6 a.m., the usual offerings for the monks of the temple take place on the bridge. There aren't many monks—I was told about seven—but if you get up early, your visit and your photos will be especially interesting.

Currently, there is no public transport from Mae Hong Son to the temple at the foot of which the bridge is located. The most convenient way to reach the temple is by rented scooter (approximately 150 THB per day). Head towards Pai. Seven kilometers outside of Mae Hong Son, shortly after the turnoff to Baan Rak Thai, you will see a sign on the left indicating the small road to Wat Su Thong Pae (there is also a large picture of the bridge there). The temple is then about 2 kilometers further on. Allow 15–20 minutes for the journey from Mae Hong Son town center.

The bamboo bridge of Su Thong Pae leads to a temple. When visiting a temple in Thailand, there are a few rules to observe: appropriate clothing (knees and shoulders should be covered), remove shoes upon entering the building, be quiet, no hugging or kissing, do not point your feet at the Buddha statue, and no smoking.

How to get there

How do you get to the Su Thong Pae Bamboo Bridge? Currently, there is no public transport from Mae Hong Son to the temple at the foot of which the bridge is located. The most convenient way to reach the temple is by rented scooter (approximately 150 THB per day). Head towards Pai. Seven kilometers outside of Mae Hong Son, shortly after the turnoff to Baan Rak Thai, you will see a sign on the left indicating the small road to Wat Su Thong Pae (there is also a large picture of the bridge there). The temple is then about 2 kilometers further on. Allow 15–20 minutes for the journey from Mae Hong Son town center.