Mae Hong Son Loop I by motorcycle

Quick facts

Region

North Thailand

Start and finish

Chiang Mai

Distance

About 600 km on the classic circuit via Pai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang and Hot. About 680 km when the return is Mae Chaem and Doi Inthanon.

Riding days

Four days is the usual minimum; five or six is more comfortable. Three to four days the first time.

Surface

Paved national highways 107, 1095 and 108. Routes 1263 and 1088 are paved and winding.

Difficulty

Long rather than technical, with almost continuous corners. Route 1095 is the tightest, busiest stretch.

Best season

November to February is the cool, dry window. March and April are burning-season haze. August and September are the months associated with landslips.

Legs

1. Leg 1: Chiang Mai to Pai

   Distance. About 135 km on Highway 107 to Mae Malai, then Highway 1095.

   Riding time. 3–3.5 hours with no stops. Coffee and photos roughly double that.

   The tightest stretch on the loop. Fuel in Chiang Mai and Mae Malai. Pai is the usual first night.

2. Leg 2: Pai to Mae Hong Son

   Distance. About 107–111 km on Highway 1095 via Pang Mapha (Soppong).

   Riding time. About 3 hours Pai to Mae Hong Son with no stops, or about 1 hour plus 1.5 hours split at Soppong.

   Paved 1095. Fuel in Pai and Soppong. Soppong to Mae Hong Son is the longest northern fuel gap, about 66 km. Mae Hong Son is the usual night around the lake.

3. Leg 3: Mae Hong Son to Mae Chaem via Khun Yuam and Route 1263

   Distance. Mae Hong Son to Khun Yuam about 65–70 km on Highway 108, or 85 km. Khun Yuam to Mae Chaem about 99–100 km town to town. Route 1263 itself is 66.7 km, with the rest on 1088.

   Riding time. About 1.5 hours Mae Hong Son to Khun Yuam with no stops. 3.5 hours non-stop Mae Hong Son to Mae Chaem.

   Route 1263 is a paved mountain shortcut. Fill up in Khun Yuam or Mae Chaem. Both towns have few rooms.

4. Leg 4: Mae Chaem to Chiang Mai via Doi Inthanon or Hot

   Distance. Via Doi Inthanon: Chiang Mai to Mae Chaem about 120 km (108, then 1009, then 1192). Highway 108 about 56 km toward Chom Thong, Highway 1009 48 km to the 2,565 m summit, headquarters at km 31. Via Hot: about 150 km Chiang Mai to Mae Chaem through Ob Luang. The classic Mae Sariang to Chiang Mai return on 108 is about 190 km.

   Riding time. Classic Mae Sariang to Chiang Mai via Hot: 3.5–4 hours with no stops.

   1192 is narrow and steep. The Inthanon summit road is a long climb with no fuel. Highway 108 from Hot toward Chiang Mai is the four-lane run.

Road surface

• The classic loop is Highway 107 north from Chiang Mai to Mae Malai, Highway 1095 over the ridge through Pai and Pang Mapha to Mae Hong Son, and Highway 108 through Khun Yuam, Mae Sariang and Hot. 1095 and 108 are engineered two-lane national highways, not a dirt track.
• Routes 1088 and 1263 between Mae Chaem and Khun Yuam are paved but very winding. In December 2022, 1263 was fine. In 2025, the Mae Chaem option was rough.
• The Doi Inthanon summit road is Highway 1009, 48 km from the Chom Thong turn to the 2,565 m summit. Highway 1192 down to Mae Chaem is narrow and steep.

Fuel, food and sleep stops

• Fuel towns: Chiang Mai, Mae Malai, Pai, Soppong, Mae Hong Son, Khun Yuam, Mae La Noi, Mae Sariang, Hot and Chom Thong. Top up in every town.
• Gaps: Mae Sariang to Hot about 100 km; Soppong to Mae Hong Son about 66 km; the Doi Inthanon summit road 48 km with no fuel; branded pumps Mae Chaem to Khun Yuam about 97 km.
• Usual nights: Pai, Mae Hong Son, then Mae Chaem or Mae Sariang. Khun Yuam and Mae Chaem have few rooms. Book Pai and Mae Hong Son in November to February.

Hazards

• Continuous blind hairpins.
• Chiang Mai–Pai minibuses overtaking into bends.
• Gravel and leaf litter on the apex after rain.
• Long descents on small automatics.
• Dogs.
• Heavy trucks on Highway 108.
• Do not ride after dark.
• The Department of Highways hotline 1586 is 24 hours; ask by kilometre marker on the morning you ride.
• Highway 108 has closed in heavy rain in 2026.

Best season

• November to February is the cool, dry season. Mornings at altitude are cold. This is also the crowded season, including November sunflower weekends around Khun Yuam.
• March and April are burning-season haze. May or June through October is the wet season. August and September are the months associated with landslips on 1095 and 108.

GPX download

Shops along this route

A few of the most useful rental, tour, repair shops and brand dealers along this route.

See all 23 shops along this route · Dealers on a map

No current road reports for this route. Riding it soon? Conditions change fast in the rainy season, so let other riders know what you find.

Other variants

• Mae Hong Son Loop II — Mae Hong Son – Mae Sariang – Hot – Chiang Mai
• Mae Hong Son Loop III — Mae Hong Son – Mae Sariang – Mae Sot – Tak – Phitsanulok – Uttaradit – Chiang Mai