Pe Nong and team surprises us all by becoming the dancer of "Hula Hula" with K. Pichate as a singer.

Very lively and colorful fancy dress from Risk Management Team.
One of the three winner Teams.

Another of Korean mini series - "Dae-Jung-Khum"(แดจังกึม)effect

Some of the Candidate Teams

Treasury, OCC, and Appraisal Team

Internal Control and Compliance Team

Human Resources & Organization Develoopment Team with the Miss Universe Theme.
One of the three winner teams.

Khun Metha with Treasury & Investment Team, one of the three winner teams.

Treasury Team on TISCO's Starry Night

A belated birthday party for Khun Rojana at Kum-Long Restaurant.

Khun Noo Ring at Doi Mae U-Kho.

We are so glad that we already have a lot of beautiful pictures from the 5-Baht-flower field since the Bua Tong blooming season has already gone for this year leaving the valley to the brown color. So instead of taking any pictures of them, a clear sky is preferable.

Then we go straight back to Bangkok reaching it almost in the morning.

A long day is waiting for us, so we say good bye to Mae Hong Son with a promise from some of us that a re-visit to this province is a must to do thing in her traveling calendar.

Another famous attraction of Mae Hong Son on the other route back to Chieng Mai is the “Dok Bua Tong” bloom festival. The Dok Bua Tong (may be classified as wild sunflowers) blooms during November painting the entire hilly area of Doi Mae U-kho in brilliant yellow draw flocks of visitors to Khun Yuam district. Though, it’s kind of late for us, we still hope to see some.

And again the twist road is waiting for us, a nightmare for me!! All kinds of motion sickness relieving are used, but it doesn’t help much. Considering to take a medicine bought before this trip, we pass by a flower field. Entrance is Baht 5 per person. We spend at least half an hour in those beautiful field taking pictures of ourselves and flowers. A perfect nature cure powers because motion sickness is effectively relieved. :-)

Noo Da, our friend who moves to this province a year ago, also visit Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu with us.


Erected by the first governor of Mae Hong Son, this temple reflects the strong influence of the Burmese. The highlights of this attraction are the two lavishly decorated pagodas. Also, this hilltop temple affords an exceptional aerial view of the city and surrounding mountains and valleys.

We visit the morning market near Wat Hua Wiang on Sihanatbamrung Road, this lively market is crowded from early morning till 9 am. It is where visitors can see people lifestyle and buy various local food and produces.

Around the Nong Chong Kham Swamp at the back of the guesthouse.

Mist in the morning at Mae Hong Son.

MAE HONG SON is nestled in a deep valley hemmed in by high mountain ranges, Mae Hong Son has long been isolated from the outside world. Virtually covered with mist throughout the year, the name refers to the fact that is terrain is highly suitable for the training of elephants.

This is an old temple on the bank of the swamp Nong Chong Kham.

Reach Mae Hong Son in the evening and stay overnight at “PRINCES GUEST HOUSE". There are several types of rooms available: air-condition or fan, approximately Baht 150 - 350 per room per night.

PRIENCESGUESTHOUSE@GMAIL.COM or Tel: 053 - 611 136

Back to the 1095 route heading to Mae Hong Son, our first visit is at Tham Lot.

Tham Lot is a huge cave system once a dwelling place of pre-historic man. Archaeologists have discovered ancient clay pottery and a number of carved wooden coffins inside the rooms of the cave. Tham Lot is located some 77 kilometres from town. Between Km.138 and Km.139 of Route 1095, a small roads lead to the cave after a 9-kilometre drive. Here nature has created an exotic subterranean wonder of darkness and mystery.

A brook runs from the cave mouth through to the other side of the mountain. It is a route where visitors may travel by raft or by foot to explore the 1-kilometre-long cave full of stalactites and stalagmites. There are services provided by villagers to guide visitors in their exploration at 100 baht per group. Accommodation as well as camping site is available near the Tham Lot Nature Study Centre in front of the cave mouth.

Khun Nat with the view at Cafe Del Doi

Stop by to have small breakfast and coffee at Café Del Doi.

With a little bit chill, we are hoping to test the “Tha Pai” hot springs.

This is another attraction in the area of Huai Nam Dang National Park. The hot spring is two kilometres off Route 1095 at Km. 87. It has an average temperature of 80 celcius. Steam from the spring permeates the site in the morning creating fascinating sights. The area is also rich in teakwoods and suitable for overnight camping.

Morning mist.


Waking up with the sound of mist falling to roof.

Small art gallery selling photographs and painting are available for shoppers.

Amphoe Pai is a very small district. Many shops are opened and lighted in the evening. Food and local product stalls are set up along the road. Foreigners might be main tourists here, several shops like internet, adventure tour, washing-drying machine are cater for long-term tourists.

A small creek flows before reaching our guesthouse. Some of our friends have a good time playing in the canal in the evening while the others take some photographs, or survey the guesthouse for her next year trip in Pai.

The small house for 2-3 persons costs Baht 500 per night. A tent cost Baht 100 per person per night.

We finally get a place at John Bamboo Hut. The Big House for 4-6 persons costs Baht 800 per night.

The Eden Guesthouse. Aptly for its name since each hut is built among the beautiful garden with quiet environment.

Unfinished Picture. A painter is painting it on a panel of the new hut.

One of the beautiful guesthouses, the Sun Hut.

We reach Amphoe Pai in the afternoon, having lunch at the very crowded but delicious restaurant, Nong Beer. For this long weekend, Pai is crowded with tourists, including of our group :-). We walk in to many resorts and guesthouses, but most of them are full.

Our ladies on walking trail to the Geyser.

I have only half of my usual breakfast amount preparing myself for the numerous twist roads ahead. 1864 twists of 245 kilometers from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son are waiting for a traveller. Thank goodness that there are some attractions along the 1095 route. The first one is “Pong Doeat”.

Unlike other hot springs that are the hot pool type, "Pong Dueat" is a geyser that is usually of a very high temperature and pressure. Usually, it springs higher than the earth’s surface either occasionally or all the time, but the highest spring will always occur at a steady period. A geyser originates from the accumulation of gas in hot water so that the pressure is higher than usual whereas a hot pool originates from the flows of hot water from under the ground onto the surface and becomes shallow pools. The surface temperature of a geyser is between 90-99 degrees Celsius while that of the underground water is between 170-203 degrees Celsius.

We have breakfast at this congee restaurant. Other dishes are also available here.

All 11 of us stay overnight at Khun Noi’s house in Chieng Mai. Khun Noi and Khun Moo are Mer’s friends. She has a lovely country style interior house and pays attention to every corner of her house.

Dinner at a beautiful garden restaurant.

A golden Chedi containing a Holy Relic.

From Bangkok our first stop of this trip for sightseeing is at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, a paradigm of temple building of Lanna.

My last picture for this trip.
Apart from the blazing maple leaves - a highlight of this trip, there are still some flowers blooming in this month.

Let's guess what they are??? :-)

Shoppers will be delighted with variety of things to choose from.

My collection of Lanterns.

Charms

Omamori, good-luck charms are sold at shrines across Japan, its themes relate to fertility, luck in examinations, general health or safty while driving.