Mae Sariang Sights, POI and Things to Do
Apart from watching the sunset over the river sipping an ice cold beer (the activity which never gets boring) on terrace of your guesthouse there’s not a lot to do and to see in the town itself.
Temples in Mae Sariang
The biggest pride of Mae Sariang is four temples located at the four corners of town and collectively known as Phra That Sii Chom. Not exactly as impressive as Ayutthaya’s temples, they are still worth a visit for their architecture with a distinct Mon influence. Quite interesting are the murals that local artist painted inside Wat Phra That Chom Mon.
Trekking
Trekking is the most common activity in all the Mae Hong Son province, but if you want a special place to do it, Mae Sariang has you covered. During the whole trekking route you’re more than likely going to meet nobody else apart from your guide and the local villagers.
The usual program of a 2/3 days trek includes a visit to the national parks of Salween and Mae Ngao, elephant encounters, bamboo rafting and a homestay in mountain villages. The bad news is that trekking here will be definitely more expensive than in places like Pai or Chiang Mai. The good news is that the experience will be much more genuine and chances are that, if you know where you want to go and what you want to do, any of few trekking agencies in town will be able to customize a program based on your requirements. Expect to pay THB2000 per person for a 1-day trek.
Visiting a Karen hill tribe village
Even if you’re not into trekking try to find a couple of hours and visit one of the Karen hill tribe villages (some of them can be reached by car). The Karens are an ethnic group originating from Myanmar where they’ve been fighting for independence for the last 60 years. Hundreds of thousands of Karen have escaped to Thailand and roughly 130,000 still live in refugee camps on the border with Myanmar.
The Mae Hong Son province has a high concentration of Karen people and some of them are still leading the same life they always did in mountain villages back in their motherland. These people are very proud of their traditions, their culture, their language and a visit to their villages combined with a stay in their home and probably buying their handicrafts or simply showing interest in their life and their history is a very welcome financial help for many of them. It also encourages them to maintain their identity and keep their tradition alive.
Tour agencies in town offer 1 or 2 day visits with homestays. Don’t expect too much luxury but a great experience with beautiful, honest and welcoming people is guaranteed.
Mae Um Long Luang Hot Springs
Located on a hill some 30 km from town these springs are never crowded. Well, in fact, we were the only visitors in December, and were really happy we made it till there. The owner of the place did not speak any English but he was more than happy to fill the hot bath for us. The scenery around is picturesque and has something to the ‘end of the world’ feeling. Do bring your own towels and bathing suits. There are several simple but nice A-frame bungalows with personal hot spring bath each (!) – Samu (the owner) told us he was renting them out for THB250. Snacks and drinks are available on site.
Activities on the river
A number of different activities are available if you want some fun on the water. For a relaxing experience with your family and kids, choose a half-day kayak trip along the river Yuam with its easy and calm water. A more exciting version of this activity is bamboo rafting. Local guides will take you to the rapids of some of the smaller rivers around Mae Sariang and in the middle of a breathtaking jungle scenery will teach you how to ride a bamboo raft.
