Mae Sariang is a quiet river town in the far west of Thailand, with Myanmar a short ride away over the hills. It sits on the Yuam River, wedged between the Thanon Thong Chai range to the east and the mountains along the Salween to the west, and the feel is of a place at the edge of things. The people here are largely Karen, along with Shan and Thai, and the markets sell sticky rice, pickled tea leaves and bundles of fresh vegetables brought down from the hills. Burmese-style temples with tiered roofs and white stupas recall the teak trade, when Burmese and Shan timber workers came to cut the forests and left their religion and their architecture behind.
The riding is the real treat. Highway 108 runs up from Chiang Mai through Hot and Mae Chaem, climbs and falls over forested ridges, and arrives at Mae Sariang after hours of curves. It is a smooth, well-kept road with a tight rhythm of bends and gentle climbs, with long stretches of teak and bamboo forest and views across hazy valleys. The Mae Hong Son loop is famous for having nearly two thousand curves, and this section does its fair share. Mist hangs in the valleys in the cool season, and the air smells of woodsmoke and rain.
The season matters. From November to February the mornings are cool and clear and the riding is superb. From March to April the hills are covered in smoke from agricultural burning, which hides the views and is unpleasant to breathe, and the rainy season from June to October brings landslides and slick surfaces. Fuel is easy, since Mae Sariang is a proper town with petrol stations, guesthouses and a good supply of noodle shops and cafes, and a stop for the night here is common.
The river is the town's centre. Guesthouses with decks hang over the water, and a long evening with a cold drink and a bowl of noodles is a pleasant reward after a day in the saddle. Nearby, the Salween River forms the border with Myanmar at Mae Sam Laep, a day trip along a winding road, where long-tail boats shuttle up and down the wide brown water.
The Karen villages in the hills, with their wooden houses on stilts, keep elephants and tend terraced fields, and courteous visitors are generally welcome. Slow down through the settlements, because children, dogs and chickens treat the road as common ground.