Exploring new trails around Mae Hong Son

[KTMphil]

Exploring new trails around Mae Hong Son with Pounce & Mac

Pounce was back from Laos unscathed & had a couple of days left in LOS, so we decided to go exploring in very north west Thailand, looking for unmapped trails for Auke in the Mae Hong Son region.


Easiest way was to load the bikes in the pick-up to save the tedious ride there on nobbly tires. It was a beautiful bright day through the mountains passed Mae Chaem.

The beautiful R 1263 west of Mae Chaem

Switch-back through the mountains on R 1263

 

[KTMphil]

There was a colorful Hmong new years celebration under way in a medium sized village on R 1263, great to see

 

[KTMphil]

In Mae Hong Son, we tried to Stay at the Pana Huts, owned by Mac & See-Tai, but they were full

Mac from the Pana Huts, Mae Hong Son

So we ended up 200m down the road at the Mae Hong Son GH



600 bht for fan and hot shower, not bad for MHS

Dinner at the Crossroads Pub, Mae Hong Son, then off to bed for a 0630 start the next morning

 

[KTMphil]

Met up with Mac at 0700am, then off we went exploring. Below is our tracks from day 1


Map Copyright ©www.RideAsia.net - Permission to copy required




North of MHS up R 5001 to the Royal Gardens

Early morning looking over Ban Na Pa Paek on R 5001

Ban Na Pa Paek

Fuel is available in Ban Na Pa Paek - Good to be full when off exploring

 

[KTMphil]

Then off onto the trails around R 5001 near the Shan, Myanmar border

It looked like this trail went further to the NE towards the Myanmar border. It looked a little nasty as we pressed on, but another time, with a few people together it would be interesting to push on through

Lots of evidence of the Chinese KMT ancestry in the region

The old & the new

Then off to Mac's friends tea plantation east of R 5001

Nearly there

Fish trap in the river close to the tea plantation

 

[KTMphil]

Trail into the tea plantation

The tea plantation

The house was mud wattle & daub construction with a tin roof

& up the hill they have developed a home-stay, a pretty remote tranquil place to get away from it all

Mac's friend made us all some hot delicious tea from his plantation

Then off north up R 5001 to the Myanmar border at Ban Rak Tai

Ban Rak Tai at the Myanmar border, has become very popular with Thai tourists. There's a lot of the Chinese KMT Army history here & the tea business is thriving.

A quick spot of lunch in Ban Rak Tai, in a mud wattle & daub restaurant

 

[KTMphil]

Lunch was Chinese pork with pickled very spicy vegetables

There are bungalows available in Ban Rak Thai, at the very north end of R 5001, north of MHS right at the Myanmar border. These could make a great base for exploring the area.

Fuel is available there too, look for 1.25L Pepsi bottles

 

[KTMphil]

The main border at Ban Rak Thai into Shan State, Myanmar

We then poked around a little to the west of Ban Rak Thai & found another border checkpoint

Pounce "in" Myanmar

Then off exploring, more Chinese memorials

Great views from the trails

 

[KTMphil]

Cabbages in the hills

Then into a small village to see Mac's trecking guide friend Ben

Ben runs a school in the village funded by donations

Some of his students
'

Dinner, bamboo filled with coconut milk, pork and rice, then steamed over a wood fire

Waypoints from the days riding

 

[KTMphil]

We then pushed on exploring & found this pick-up having a few problems

Good to have 4WD - they managed to carefully work their way out

Back into the jungle with huge bamboo around us

Some shallow river crossings

Pounce approaching a small bamboo bridge

Higher up the trails were pretty dusty

Lower down there was still some greasy clay around

 

[KTMphil]

A beautiful rice farm on the trails west of R 5001

A small Red Karen village out in the sticks

The lump on this ladies thought is caused by an iodine deficiency, in the western world we tend to get our iodine fix from iodine salt

Pounding the rice to remove the husk

Having a smoke

This was as far NW we could get, probably about 1km from the border, up that trail would lead to Myanmar

 

[KTMphil]

The old suspension bridge to the NW of MHS

Pounce went to try walk on it and said it didn't look safe

Beautiful views west of MHS from Ban Sop Pong

A house Mac used to rent in the Ban Sop Pong area

Back to the GH and shower, then out for the night in MHS town - a beautiful still night

 

[KTMphil]

Dinner at the Salween Restaurant in MHS, probably the best restaurant in MHS

Great Pizza's

I'm told their Chicken Kiev is to die for - I'll try this next time for sure

This is supposed to be one of the best value, cheap, clean places to stay in MHS - Friend House. It's almost opposite the Salween restaurant near the lake

 

[KTMphil]

Day 2 , 7am start again & off SW of MHS this time - Mac playing on the MHS motocross track

These were our tracks for the day

 

[KTMphil]

The sad long neck "refugee" village of Ban Nim Pang Ding west of MHS town. These people in reality aren't refugees, but people with no legal status. The village draws huge sums of money as a tourist spectacle, kind of a people zoo. Some say the police and army make a fortune and that's why nothing is done about it.

Off exploring along the Mae Nam Pai river to see what we can find.

End of the road here, this would be scary at night

Fantastic bamboo bridge on the Mae Nam Pai river west of MHS, these get washed away in rainy season and rebuilt in November each year

Then more west to a suspension bridge leading to a Thai Army base

Pounce checking the bridge out

Mac riding it

 

[KTMphil]

Tai Yai lady near the suspension bridge adding hot charcoal to ash, so that it burns slower having less oxygen supply, but still enough heat to keep a kettle of water hot

The beautiful Nam Ping River with the suspension bridge in the background

Then off exploring to the border to the SW

It does go right to the border and these Thai soldiers are pretty surprised to see us

The road up to this border had a few nasty sections

Then off south

 

[KTMphil]

Day 2's waypoints







More to come tomorrow

 

[Lone Rider]

Beautiful pictures - must have been an awesome ride on all these un-explored trails out in the sticks.

 

[MastaMax]

Loads of great pictures wow.
Do you know if there is a place to rent proper bikes over there? Would be very convenient to fly there and get a rental bike over there.

 

[KTMphil]

Loads of great pictures wow.
Do you know if there is a place to rent proper bikes over there? Would be very convenient to fly there and get a rental bike over there.

Max -- i don't think there is but I have an idea that I'll tell you about.

 

[KTMphil]

Interesting rock formations on R 5001

Then some fun river crossings

Pounce

We poked around west as far as we could and came across this make shift Army camp

Quite a bit of single track around out there

Near the border'

Following river beds

Quick Khow Soi lunch near Ban Hai Humg

 

[KTMphil]

Further down the trail, a water wheel used for crushing rice

Mac taking a look

Lots of unusual bridge crossing out there

We had to use river beds to get around tree obstructions

Then some elaborate buffalo gates

Just enough room to get the bikes around the side

Then down by the river looking for a shallow path across

A quick break in the shade after some pushing and pulling

Finally out of the sticks and back onto R 108 south of Mae Hong Son

A really fun couple of days exploring areas not currently on any maps, this new data should keep Auke pretty busy.

 

[johnnysneds]

wow, MHS looks great. Need to get across there sometime.

 

[KTMphil]

Some local government maps of very north west Thailand which are pretty useful

Local map showing the various hill tribes in the area

 

[KTMphil]

Beautiful pictures - must have been an awesome ride on all these un-explored trails out in the sticks.

Really was fun Auke, nothing like doing new trails not knowing how far they'll go and what you will stumble upon, will be great to get these on your map.

 

[mikehohman]

Brililant stuff. Some much adventure right in our own back yard.

 

[Stokes70]

Fantastic stuff Phil, great pictures and great riding. there must be uncharted trails a plenty of in that neck of the woods, thanks for writing it up, I think its fair to say you are fast becoming THE leading authority on riding in North Thailand!!

 

[Pounce]

First of all, thanks Phil for letting me tag along. It was a great 2 days riding. I love the exploring aspect of trailbikes.
Second, thanks to Mac. Without his guidance I reckon we would have stumbled around & not found anything like he showed us.
Guys, if you like sweating it out on single trail, riding around, through & along creeks/rivers, dismantling then rebuilding gates & basically having a ball, best you be heading up MHS way.
I'll get my pics & video up as soon as I can once back in Aus.

 

[johnnysneds]

First of all, thanks Phil for letting me tag along. It was a great 2 days riding. I love the exploring aspect of trailbikes.
Second, thanks to Mac. Without his guidance I reckon we would have stumbled around & not found anything like he showed us.
Guys, if you like sweating it out on single trail, riding around, through & along creeks/rivers, dismantling then rebuilding gates & basically having a ball, best you be heading up MHS way.
I'll get my pics & video up as soon as I can once back in Aus.

Was it more fun than last man standing Pounce?

 

[Captain_Slash]

Yes some great photos and new tracks found, well done.

Phil is the official border crossing in Ban Rak Thai a new one? I havent been out there for two or three years but have not seen that one before

 

[Pounce]

Was it more fun than last man standing Pounce?

Hells yeah!
I didn't have to huff & puff up a bloody mountain & had plenty of water crossings to keep cool.
This time it was me helping Phil & Mac get their bikes past obstacles.
Would do that area agin in a heartbeat.

 

[KTMphil]

Yes some great photos and new tracks found, well done.

Phil is the official border crossing in Ban Rak Thai a new one? I havent been out there for two or three years but have not seen that one before

Colin it's just a locals crossing

 

[Pounce]

As promised Phil, here's a selection of the pics I took.
I'll get some video up during the week.

Day 1

Day 2

 

[Pounce]

Videos...

Day 1.
Trail leaving the Army training camp we were told to leave.

Day 2.
Some of the trails & creeks Mac took us along.

 

[KTMphil]

An interesting idea to some some unique exploring, would be to contact Ten & Uncle Ben that are the best local guides and trekkers in the area.

They have a website:

http://www.tenandbentrekking.com/


and can be contacted on:

Next time we head up there I think we're going to use them to explore some new tracks, they know them all!

Ten and Uncle Ben Trekking Prices

Prices include: trekking guides, breakfast, lunch and dinner, all transport and accommodation. (Excluding the option of staying in Tomato Village the night before Treks 1 , 2 and 4).



Number of people


Per Person


Group cost

1 Person


1650 Baht per day


1650 Baht per day

2 people


1100 Baht per day


2200 Baht per day

3 people


900 Baht per day


2700 Baht per day

4 people


900 Baht per day


3600 Baht per day

5 people


800 Baht per day


4000 Baht per day


Please note that for Trek 5 & 6 an additional 30 Baht will be charged per person for transport from Mae Hon Son. The return journey should you wish to go back to Mae Hong Son is 150 Baht per person, or you can make your own way to Sapong or Pai if you choose.


Ten and Uncle Ben Trekking Extra

We can arrange for extra porters, boat and additional transport ( ie if you get tired and no longer wish to walk).



Porter


400 Baht

Boat trip on Pai river


900 Baht (per boat)

Car/transport


location depending

Stay 1 night in Tomato Village with dinner and breakfast.


100 Baht

Entry fee for Long Neck Village (optional)


250 Baht



How to find us

We are based in Tomato Village ( Huay Makay Soam), 30km from Mae Hong Son and 2000 metres up in the mountains, just a few kms from the border with Burma. Several of the treks start here in the village.



Whether you arrive by bus, car or plane, we can arrange tranport from Mae Hong Son to Tomato Village. The road is up through the mountains and takes about 2 hours. Once in the village the taxi will drop you at Benjamin's house.



Alternatively if you are choosing a Pai trek or one closer to Mae Hong Son then we will meet you in Mae Hong Son. Transport will be arranged as part of the trekking tour, to take us to the starting point of the route.

 

[KTMphil]

Ten and Uncle Ben Trekking Uncle Ben





Ben was born in Burma in 1948 and aged 5, he went to school at the Delasall Missionary School, in the Twente District. Ben learnt to speak English here and continued learning until the military sized power in 1962. They closed all of the missionary schools and the children had to leave. Ben continued his education in Toungoo.



By 1974 the situation was getting worse and worse and Ben left to go to the Kareni Independence Land to help the people there. For 9 years Ben worked as a school teacher, with no salary.



In 1986 the Burmese army burnt down the villagers home and destroyed their villages, so they fled to Thailand. The people were living close to the border in makeshift camps, sometimes hiding and living in the forest. By 1987 Ben was working for the IRC (International Rescue Committee) for one year as a camp committee leader at Camp 1. However Ben had no wish to remain in the Camp on a longer term basis. Often they would have to move and relocate and freedom was limited. So Ben left to live a more free lifestyle, making a home with his family ( wife and 3 children) in the Tomato Village (Huay Ma kay Soam).



CampBen worked as a trekking guide for several years, taking people around the Mae Hong Son area, and has a great deal of experience and knowledge about the area. Ben speaks 9 languages, including those of the local hill tribes.



Ben also started teaching English to a few of the village children, for a few baht. This proved to be popular and in 2004 he met Daniel and Marc from Child's Dream Foundation. Ben was able to build a classroom with their support and officially open a school to teach English. The children come each evening and there are now approx 60 students.

Find out more about Tomato Village School and volunteer opportunities.