4 Days Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son & Pai Soft Adventure
This immersive four-day tour ticks all the boxes for travellers seeking to make deep cultural connections with the people they meet along the way. The jam-packed itinerary showcases the pristine countryside Chiang Mai is famous for, while forging unforgettable memories with the hill tribe communities that dot the area along the way. Throughout the four days, we will spend time with the Hmong tribes people who call this rugged rural landscape home, learning about their traditions, customs, cultures and way of life in this rural part of northern Thailand. The Hmong have their own language and wear colourful traditional costumes. We will trek through breath-taking landscapes, visit dainty Hmong villages that are nestled among the lush greenery that hugs the rolling hills, cycle along tracks that snake through the tropical greenery and visit hot springs discovered during World War Two.
Day-to-Day Itinerary
This four-day immersive trip into Hmong hill tribe life starts with a drive in an off-road truck to Ban Pang Hai, a simple village perched 850 metres above sea level. We continue on our drive to the picturesque village of Ban Teen Doi and take a short stroll to Ban Mae Pa along tracks that cut through sprawling emerald paddies and rolling hills that dominate Chiang Mai’s landscapes. We get active and jump on two wheels for a mountain bike adventure to the remote Hmong village of Ban Palan to visit the reservoir before heading to Ban Pong Kwaw, home to an ancient temple with delicately-painted murals. After a picnic lunch, we drive along mountainous roads to the villages of Ban Pok, Ban Pang Kwai and Ban Nong Hoi Mai. The action again continues with a trek or cycle to Mae Khi village, where we visit a Hmong family home. We check-in at our accommodation and enjoy a barbecue accompanied by performances from Hmong villagers.
After breakfast, we set off on this full-day excursion to Mae Hong Son via Ban Wat Chan. The drive takes us through breath-taking scenery of rolling terrains and countless steep hills. Along the way, we will pass through small villages and locals working the land. We make a brief stop at Luang Mae Saab Cave, which is home to a spectacular collection of stalagmites and stalactites. When we reach Wat Chan, we break for lunch at a local restaurant before exploring the Burmese-style temples of Wat Jong Kham and Wat Jong Klang, which are set on a dainty pond in the southern part of town. Afterwards, we drive uphill to visit Wat Phra Thad Doi Kong Moo, which on clear days boasts stunning views across Mae Hong Son, a remote town hugged by rolling hills. We then check-in to your overnight accommodation and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
We start the day early with a trip to the local market, watching locals offer food to the line of monks carrying their alms as part of their morning ritual. After breakfast, we take a tour of Mae Hong Son, a compact town flanked by lush hills. We then board a long-tail boat for a scenic journey along the Pai River and visit a local village. We then visit Phu Kloann Country Club, which is famous for its range of health treatments and therapeutic remedies. After lunch at a local restaurant, we drive to Pang Mapha and visit Lod Cave. This impressive feat of nature serves as a passage-way for the gushing river to cut through the mountain. We then check-in to our accommodation and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
After breakfast, we take a tour of the small picturesque town of Pai before visiting Wat Nam Hoo, a sacred site and popular pilgrimage spot with locals as it is home to a Buddha image believed to have emitted holy water from its head and Wat Hua Na, a quaint Burmese-style chedi nestled among manicured gardens. Our next stop is Baan Santichon, a Yunnan cultural village that immerses visitors into rich Chinese culture. The village features reproductions of traditional Chinese clay houses and small mud and clay shops selling tea by the bag or by the pot. They also run tea-tasting sessions. We then visit delve into the area’s World War Two history with visits to Mor Pang Waterfall, Tha Pai Hot Springs and an iron bridge built during World War Two by Japanese troops stationed in Pai. After lunch at a local restaurant, we leave Pai and head to Chiang Mai where we transfer to the hotel, airport or train station.
Route
- We reserve the right to make necessary changes to the tour in case of unfavourable weather conditions or situations where we are forced to make alterations to guarantee the safety of our guests.
- Natural elements of any kind have a destructive effect on electronic equipment. It the customer’s own responsibility to ensure that any camera, mobile telephone or other device is properly wrapped and protected against these elements. We cannot be held responsible in any way for negligence and/or not following suggestions for any damage related to this.
- Tours and excursions often include obstacles of various kinds that may not make this excursion suitable for wheelchair users or guests with limited mobility.
- The protection of the country’s flora, fauna and its historical and cultural treasures is of immense importance for us. We will not pursue any activities that are not in line with our animal, wildlife and environment protection principles.
- Please ensure that you bring sunglasses, a hat /cap and sunblock with a high SPF factor when traveling with us. Even when it is cloudy, the sun still has an immense power.
- All mentioned times, durations and stops are based on approximations and may change due to unforeseen circumstances, weather and traffic conditions beyond our control.
- Tours and transfers with licenced English-speaking guiding services / assistance;
- Accommodation in sharing twin / double air-conditioning room at Fern Resort & Baan Krating Resort Pai and in a sharing twin / double non-air conditioned room at Hmong Hilltribe Lodge;
- Transportation for tour and transfers by off-road vehicle or similar, unless otherwise stated;
- All entrance fees for visits as mentioned in the programme;
- All applicable taxes and service charges;
- All meals as indicated in the programme (food only).
- Voluntary Carbon Offset Compensation: THB 50 per person per day;
- Personal expenses such as other meals, drinks, tips and gratuities, shopping, portage fees and optional tours/ visits, unless otherwise stated;
- Hotel accommodation in the destination of commencement;
- Any domestic / international airline tickets, airport taxes, visa fees, specific camera / video fees, additional transportation cost from and to the general pick-up / drop-off regions (such as airports, out-of-town resorts, ports, harbours and accommodation in surrounding towns);
- Any accommodation expenses of a personal nature. This includes (compulsory festive) meals and drinks, mini-bar consumption, laundry, room service, any telephone or other communication cost not mentioned in the programme;
- International travel and medical insurance coverage for customers.
