Mae Hong Son sits at the end of one of the best-known motorcycle journeys in Thailand, in a bowl of hills right up against the Myanmar border. The town is small, with about nine thousand residents, and its southern and western streets are overlooked by mountains that trap fog in the cool season. Locals call it the city of three mists, and on a December morning you can ride out of town into a world where the lake and temples float on white cloud.
The best known road here is the loop from Chiang Mai through Pai, the route that is advertised as having close to two thousand curves. Most riders take it by way of Highway 1095, which twists over forested ridges from Pai, climbing and falling constantly. Surfaces are good, but corners come fast, with gravel, wet leaves and the odd stray dog or truck on the wrong side. Take your time. The reward is views of layered hills that fade into blue haze, and the pleasure of rolling into town as the afternoon light turns gold.
The town shows its Shan heritage, the people known as Tai Yai in Thailand, who came from across the border. Two temples beside Chong Kham lake, Wat Chong Kham and Wat Chong Klang, have the white and gold stupas and tiered roofs of Burmese style, and in the evening they are reflected in the water. On a hill above town, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu looks over the valley, and it is a favourite place to watch the sunrise breaking above the mist. In the morning the market sells Shan noodles and sticky rice snacks.
Fuel is easy in town, but the mountain roads between Pai and Mae Hong Son are long, so top up before the climb. The cool season from November to February is the best time, with clear skies and crisp air. In the hot months from March to April, farmers burn their fields and smoke settles in the valleys, and in the rainy season from June to October, landslides and mud can close sections of road, although the hills turn intensely green. Hotels and guesthouses are plentiful, so the rider's evening is usually decided by how tired the arms are.