Mae Hong Son Travel Package Tours, Thailand Tour Information Hotel Guide

MAE HONG SON OVERVIEW

The remote North Western town and provincial capital of the same name is little more than a large village. The town is know as city of the three mists as the low-laying clouds envelope the sleepy municipality.
The city itself has numerous temples and exquisite Burmese style pagodas which blend perfectly into the slow moving capital. Nearby settlement of various mixed tribal groups adorn the hill sand valley and the venerable cave where giant catfish swim freely with the blessing of the local spirits. The morning markets are especially interesting where you can buy, apart from the usual household items and foodstuffs, an array of insect food such as crickets, worms and ant eggs.
In peak season, Mae Hong Son is one of the main tourist magnets in northern Thailand. Thanks to the short flight from Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son attracts large tour groups often comprised of retirees. If hordes of travellers are something you prefer to avoid, then Mae Hong Son is best visited in the low season.

History
The exact origins of the city are not known. In fact, archaeological digs in a cave north of town suggests that the area has been occupied by humans for thousands of years. What is known is that by the mid 19th century Mae Hong Son was still a small village, but well-known for its teak and wild elephants that could be captured and used in war.
In 1855, a man named Chan Ka Lay emigrated from the Shan state in Burma to the village of Pang Moo, north of Mae Hong Son. In 1866 he moved to Mae Hong Son and eventually became village headman. His rise was no doubt helped along by a couple of strategic marriages to the daughters of powerful men. In 1872, the King of Chiang Mai (King Indhawijaonon), hearing of this capable man, called Chan Ka Lay to Chiang Mai.
In 1874, the King of Chiang Mai saw the strategic importance of Mae Hong Son and upgraded the village of Mae Hong Son to a city. Chan Ka Lay was appointed as the city's first govenor, and awarded the title and name 'Phaya Singhanat Racha'. Most of the old temples and other buildings that you see in Mae Hong Son today date from the time just after the elevation of the village to a city.
Historically, Mae Hong Son has been controlled by various ethnic groups and this is reflected in the cosmopolitan make-up of the people living here today. The town is predominantly Shan, and you'll notice many of the signs are written in Shan, which uses a circular script like Burmese, in addition to Thai. Many of the locals speak Shan or northern Thai dialect.
In March or April, Shan villages in the province celebrate Poi Sang Long, when boys are ordained in an elaborate ceremony involving them being dressed in brightly-colored clothes and make-up, and being paraded through their village on the shoulders of male relatives.