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From
Mae Sot to the north via
Mae Hong Son, Pai and Mae Sariang,
the road
begins to climb and to wind. The mountain jungle towards Mae
Hong Son is
slowly closing in linked with thinly flowering creepers.
Over hills and through valleys with abundant vegetation,
filled with the odor of the jungle.
The road became steeper, up the hill-sides, or down
on them. In the forests along the road bird-life became
visible. Small birds, bigger ones and maybe some vulture
–due to the distance it was not clearly visible- wheeled in
the sky, shrill, bird-like whistling came out from the bush,
maybe made by colonies of squirrels.
A stop in one of the small villages lining the road
to take some lunch. In the
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dim interior of
the small, open restaurant -a model of most remote oriental
eating-houses -we were awaited by the owner and cook who was
naked to the waist.
Tattooed dragons writhed among the cabalistic figures
on his chest and arms. A snippet of intestine was clinging
to a finger, which, shaken off, was caught in mid-air by an
attendant cat. I pointed to some chickens’ limbs swimming in red
curry and also ordered some rice.
A few minutes later I was
neatly stripping the meat from those saffron bones. Some pickled
cabbage, with garlic and chili-pepper was served.. It
had a sharp, sour flavor, for which a taste was easily
acquired. Crossing small rivers, from time to time bright red
earth plunging down the hill-side into deep, green water,
it’s a feast for the eyes, we slowly drive into the valley
where the city is.
Mae Hong Son is a good hub
to explore this part
of the "Golden
Triangle" as the area
is called. Hotels offer the comfort you need when you go on some
hiking,
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trekking or other outdoor
activities. There are interesting hill tribe villages
from
Shan, Lahu, Lisu, Karen, Akha
people and other. The same as
Myanmar people on the other
side of the border
Myanmar Thailand border.
Border trade with Myanmar
is the main income source
together with the tourist business.
The usual tourist related activities are some
rafting, visiting hill tribe villages and exploring
the fabulous hill jungle area around. Mae Hong Son Pai
is a usual tourist routing, the road to Pai passes
Soppong with the "Coffin Cave" a must to have a look for,
its really interesting.
The road follows a small river with a couple of very
pretty river resorts offering kayak - canoe tours. Driving
is through valleys with tropical jungle and at the flat area
women working in the daddy field and from time to time a
monastery plus pagoda is visible behind the lush tropical
vegetation. Chiang Mai to
Mae Hong Son Pai
and Soppong.
Mae Sariang
is to
the north. At Mae Hong Son is a Kayan or Padaung village, with
the famous “Long Neck Women”. The Kayan - Padaung
came to Thailand
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Mae Hong Son Working in the Paddy Field,
Mae
Hong Son,
Mae Hong Son
Pai,
brass ring women,
great outdoor,
more
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during
the refuge flood some years ago
from the western parts of Kayah State
in Myanmar, south of
Inle Lake.
Most Kayan or Padaung women wear brass rings
around their necks, arms and legs. The legend
is, Kayan Padaung wear this brass rings to remind them of
their ancestry to the nagas (mythical dragon /
snake). They fled Myanmar a few years ago because of
the continuous fighting between Myanmar government
troops and rebel groups at that time, actually the
fighting has calmed down.
Great
outdoors are around Soppong
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