My earlier submit was all about Pai, so this one could be all about attending to Pai from Chiangmai. Pai isn’t that removed from Chiangmai at round 146 km away. But the journey there takes virtually 2.5 to three hours because it entails driving by means of a whole lot of twists and turns with typically steep gradients of as much as 30°.
Route 1095 is a part of the route often known as the Mae Hong Son Loop. This is a round route of round 612 km that begins from Chiangmai, goes by means of Pai, Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang earlier than ending again at Chiangmai. For this submit, it is going to be nearly getting from Chiangmai to Pai.
For myself, I rented a SUV because it was my first time going to Pai and I wasn’t positive in regards to the highway situations. However, a traditional sedan automotive would just do high-quality for the journey. Plenty of vacationers additionally hire scooters and motorbikes for the journey. The highway situations are literally fairly good with correct asphalt roads and lane markings. However, Thailand has the infamous popularity of getting one of many world’s highest fatalities in visitors accidents (second place after South Africa). The important risks could be motorists rushing/overtaking on the twisting roads and chopping head on into your lane when going spherical a number of the hairpin turns.
If you don’t wish to danger driving/using by your self, there are common bus providers that ply the route between Chiangmai and Pai. These bus providers are literally minivans which squeeze as many passengers as they will after which pace by means of the quite a few bends at vomit inducing speeds. If multiple passenger begins throwing up within the cramped confines of a packed minivan, its going to be fairly insufferable.
If these activates the map makes your abdomen churn, then be warned there are 762 turns all through the entire journey (Yeah, somebody really counted). You might fly to Pai from Chiangmai at one time, however the airport in Pai has been shutdown for years, so your solely possibility is to go by land.
Besides the a whole lot of twists and turns, there are a few fascinating stops alongside this part of the Mae Hong Son Loop which makes the journey a bit extra fascinating.
The Witch Cafe
If you’re a Halloween fan or like spooky stuff then that is the place for you. Its a espresso place and pit cease with a witch’s theme and decor.
This Witch Cafe kind of marks the midway level the place the curves within the highway change into extra like hairpin turns and the beginning of the steep climb up the mountains. To me it was a great place to cease to relaxation and recharge my focus for the drive forward.
The Jet Plane Cafe
I got here throughout this place accidentally as I used to be doing a Google Map survey of the path to Pai. What is a jet airplane doing in the midst of nowhere at a highway intersection?
Its known as the Air Diamond Café and its working out of a decommissioned Thai Airways Airbus A330. You can discover this place simply as its situated on the intersection the place you flip west from Highway 107 into Route 1095. It appears to be newly opened in 2021 and should have been well-liked then when no one might journey and in case you wanted to scratch your journey itch, you possibly can come right here to relive the texture of air journey.
Although, this weblog submit solely covers a small part of the Mae Hong Son Loop, the whole route is likely one of the highway journeys you must do you probably have the time in Thailand. It ought to take you roughly per week to finish the loop, taking your time to benefit from the sights of every city alongside the route. Driving or using sluggish and regular is the important thing right here, and don’t rush.