You can reach Mae Hong Son without driving yourself: EZY Airlines flies there twice a day from Chiang Mai in about 50 minutes (October 2026 schedule), and Prempracha Transport runs vans via Pai and a night coach via Mae Sariang. There is no direct flight from Bangkok, so everyone connects in Chiang Mai.
Mae Hong Son is a small provincial capital in a valley close to the Myanmar border, in the far northwest of Thailand. It has a strong Shan (Tai Yai) character, with Burmese-style temples, a lake in the middle of town and mountains on every side. Most foreigners pass through on a motorbike or car loop from Chiang Mai, but the town works just as well as a destination of its own for three or four quiet days.
This page is for travelers who want to fly or take the bus, then see the town and its surroundings with local transport or a hired driver. If you are planning to ride or drive the full circuit, our sister site describes the route in detail in its guide to the Mae Hong Son Loop.
Mae Hong Son: getting there in brief
- Airport
- Mae Hong Son (HGN), close to the town center
- Flights
- EZY Airlines, Chiang Mai–Mae Hong Son, 2 a day (October 2026)
- Vans via Pai
- Prempracha, 6 departures a day from Chiang Mai, 350–390 baht
- Coach via Mae Sariang
- Prempracha, one night departure at 20:00, 500 baht
- From Bangkok
- No direct flight; fly or take the train to Chiang Mai first
- Best season
- November to February (cool and dry)
Flying from Chiang Mai with EZY Airlines
The plane is the easiest way in, and it skips the mountain road entirely. In October 2026 the route is flown by EZY Airlines, a small regional carrier. Older guides and booking sites still name Nok Air or Bangkok Airways, but neither flies to Mae Hong Son now. The schedule for October 2026, as announced by the airline and reported by Chiang Mai CityLife, is:
| Flight | Route | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZT601 | Chiang Mai – Mae Hong Son | 09:30 | 10:20 |
| EZT605 | Chiang Mai – Mae Hong Son | 14:40 | 15:30 |
| EZT602 | Mae Hong Son – Chiang Mai | 10:50 | 11:45 |
| EZT606 | Mae Hong Son – Chiang Mai | 16:00 | 16:50 |
We could not check fares, the aircraft type or the baggage allowance on an official page, so look at these on the airline's own booking site before you buy. Small regional planes often have lower weight limits than the big low-cost airlines, which matters if you travel with a large suitcase. Timetables on thin routes like this one change by season, so check the current schedule if you travel after October 2026.
From Bangkok, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, the practical plan is to fly to Chiang Mai first. Thai AirAsia flies Bangkok–Chiang Mai from both Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi, so check which airport is on your ticket. An early arrival in Chiang Mai lets you connect to the afternoon flight on the same day; with separate tickets, leave a generous gap in case the first flight is late. Our overview of domestic flights in Thailand covers airlines and baggage rules.
By van via Pai: the northern road
Prempracha Transport runs the scheduled service from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son over Route 1095, through Pai and Pang Mapha. Its online booking system listed these departures from Chiang Mai for Thursday 8 October 2026: a minibus at 08:30 (390 baht) and vans at 09:30, 10:30, 12:30, 13:30 and 14:30 (350 baht each). In the other direction, vans leave Mae Hong Son at 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00 and 17:00 (350 baht), with a minibus at 11:00 (390 baht).
The operator's site gives departure times but no journey time. A monastery near Mae Hong Son that advises its visitors on the trip quotes about six to eight hours for the through service. Pay online by card or at a Counter Service desk, using the company's real website, premprachatransports.com; the similar-looking prempracha.com belongs to a ceramics firm.
The first half of this ride is the famously winding road to Pai. What it is like, and how to cope with motion sickness, is explained in our guide to getting from Chiang Mai to Pai. The second half, from Pai to Mae Hong Son, is just as twisty and climbs over higher passes. Many travelers break the trip with a few nights in Pai. On the date we checked, the online system showed no separate Pai–Mae Hong Son service, so ask at the Prempracha counter in Pai whether you can join a through van there.
By night coach via Mae Sariang: the southern road
The other road to Mae Hong Son runs south and west from Chiang Mai on Highway 108, through Mae Sariang and Khun Yuam. It is the longer way round. For 8 October 2026, Prempracha's booking system showed one coach a day each way on this route, leaving at 20:00 and costing 500 baht, so you travel overnight and arrive early in the morning.
The night coach suits travelers who want to save a hotel night and who sleep well on buses. It is the wrong choice if you want to see the scenery. Daytime services on this road may exist at the Chiang Mai bus station counter, but they were not bookable online when we checked. For general advice on coach classes and terminals, see our guide to long-distance buses in Thailand.
Why fly
- About 50 minutes instead of a full day on the road
- No motion sickness
- Lands close to town
Why take the bus
- Cheaper and easier to book at short notice
- Lets you stop in Pai or Pang Mapha on the way
- The mountain views, if you travel by day
The town: the lake, Wat Chong Kham and Doi Kong Mu
Mae Hong Son is small enough to explore on foot. Its center is Nong Chong Kham, a small lake with Wat Chong Kham and its neighbor Wat Chong Klang on the shore. At night the lit chedi of Wat Chong Kham reflects in the water, the classic picture of the town. In the evening a small walking street market sets up along the lake, which TAT describes as one of the most charming in Thailand. Ask locally which nights it runs.
Above the town, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu sits on a hilltop with two Burmese-style chedis. TAT calls it the oldest landmark in the province. It is a short ride up from the center, and the view takes in the whole valley and the runway. Come at dawn in the cool season, when the town lies under a blanket of mist, or before sunset.
Other temples worth a look are Wat Phra Non, with its reclining Buddha in Burmese style, and Wat Hua Wiang near the morning market, which houses a bronze copy of the Phra Mahamuni Buddha of Mandalay. In the morning, monks collect alms around the market. Dress as for any Thai temple; our page on temple etiquette explains what to wear.
Day trips: Pang Ung, Ban Rak Thai and the bamboo bridge
The best sights are outside town, and there is no regular public transport to most of them. Hire a car with a driver, join a day tour from a local agency, or rent a scooter only if you are an experienced rider. Our article on safe scooter riding explains the risks on mountain roads.
- Pang Ung, part of the Pang Tong Royal Development Project, is a reservoir surrounded by pine forest in the hills north of town. It is best known for its early-morning mist over the water in the cool season. We could not find an official page with opening hours, fees or exact directions, so ask your accommodation or a local agency.
- Ban Rak Thai, reached on Route 4001 in the hills north of town, is a village founded by Yunnanese Chinese settlers, with tea plantations around a small lake. TAT suggests it as a two- or three-day stay in its own right; local day tours often pair it with Pang Ung.
- Su Tong Pae bamboo bridge, about 8 kilometers from town, crosses rice fields and the Mae Sa Nga river for around 500 meters to a hilltop temple. According to TAT it is the longest bridge of its kind in Thailand, and monks receive alms on it at about 06:00 each morning.
- Tham Lot (Nam Lot cave) in Pang Mapha, on the van route to Pai, where local guides with lanterns lead you through the chambers and bamboo rafts carry you along the underground river.
If you want to stay longer and more quietly, Wat Pa Tam Wua, a forest monastery about 37 kilometers from Mae Hong Son on Highway 1095, takes foreign visitors for meditation without charge. Our guide to meditation retreats in Thailand compares it with other temples.
Book the Pang Ung driver the evening before. The mist at Pang Ung is best around sunrise, which means leaving Mae Hong Son in the dark. Arrange the car or tour the day before, and bring a warm layer: highland mornings in December and January are cold by Thai standards.
When to go, and when to think twice
November to February is the classic season: dry, with clear days and cold mornings in the valleys. TAT's flower calendar puts the yellow Mexican sunflower (bua tong) fields of Doi Mae U-Kho near Khun Yuam in bloom from November to early December, when Thai tourists fill the area.
March to April is hot and often hazy. Mae Hong Son holds Thailand's record temperature of 44.6 °C (28 April 2016), and this is also the north's burning season, when smoke from fires drives PM2.5 to unhealthy levels across the region. Our page on the smoky season in Chiang Mai explains the pattern, and it applies to the whole north.
The rainy season, roughly June to October, turns the valley green but brings heavy rain and landslide risk on the mountain roads. If you must be back in Chiang Mai for an international flight, leave a spare day.
Carry enough cash for remote stops. Mae Hong Son town has banks and ATMs, but villages such as Ban Rak Thai and the roadside stops in Pang Mapha may be cash only. Withdraw in town before you head out, and expect the foreign-card ATM fee of 250 baht or more per withdrawal.
Combining Mae Hong Son with the rest of the north
A simple route without driving is Chiang Mai, then Pai by van, on to Mae Hong Son by van, and back to Chiang Mai by plane. That way you see the mountains once, by day, and skip the longest ride back. Our northern Thailand itinerary shows how to fit this into seven to ten days with Chiang Rai, and the Chiang Mai guide covers the starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fly from Bangkok to Mae Hong Son?
Not directly. In October 2026 the only scheduled flights to Mae Hong Son are EZY Airlines' two daily flights from Chiang Mai. From Bangkok, fly or take the train to Chiang Mai and connect there.
How long is the bus from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son?
Prempracha does not publish journey times. A monastery near Mae Hong Son quotes about six to eight hours for the through van via Pai. The 20:00 coach via Mae Sariang runs overnight and arrives in the early morning.
Is Mae Hong Son worth visiting without a motorbike?
Yes, if you are happy to use a hired driver or local tours for the sights outside town. The lake, the temples and Doi Kong Mu are easy on foot, and the flight from Chiang Mai makes the trip short.
What is the best month to visit Mae Hong Son?
November to February brings dry weather and morning mist, and the sunflower fields bloom in November and early December. March and April are hot and smoky, and the rainy season can disrupt roads.
Sources
- Chiang Mai CityLife – EZY Airlines October 2026 flight schedule (checked October 2026)
- Prempracha Transport – Online coach booking (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Exploring Mae Hong Son mountains (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Thailand's flower blooming calendar (checked October 2026)
- Wat Pa Tam Wua – Getting here (checked October 2026)
- The Nation – PM2.5 above the safety standard in 41 provinces (checked October 2026)