ไทย
English
Travel Tak Province, Visit Mae Sot
http://www.hotsia.com > Travel Tak Province > Visit Mae Sot Information about traveling in Mae Sot, Umphang, Tak, local Mae Sot cuisine, recommended hotels in Mae Sot, transportation to Mae Sot, Shan Thai desserts in Mae Sot, Mae Sot ice storm for motion sickness, the sky road to Umphang, Tuka Su, accommodations in Umphang. Mae Sot has become a key city that travelers must pass through since the opening of the Mae Sot-Myawaddy international border crossing to Myanmar. I, mr.hotsia, have provided extensive travel information about Mae Sot and Myawaddy.
Travelers will find information on places to eat, stay, and visit on both the Thai and Myanmar sides. Getting to Mae Sot is easy with vans running from Tak provincial bus station regularly. The city is well-equipped, so locals call Mae Sot 'Nakhon Mae Sot'. Mae Sot lies opposite the Moei River from Myawaddy city in Karen State, Myanmar. There is a bridge connecting the two sides and a border checkpoint for travelers crossing back and forth. In the past, I had to take a boat to visit Myawaddy. In 1997, the Moei River bridge was completed, making travel easier.
Mae Sot, once a terminal town, has become a stopover city to refuel before visiting the Thi Lo Su Waterfall. It has grown into Nakhon Mae Sot, a city travelers pass through on the way to Pa-an, the capital of Karen State, and to Mon State’s Mawlamyine, or to the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (Golden Rock), which is only 2 hours from Pa-an. Traveling from Mae Sot to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (Kyaikhtiyo) takes about 6 hours by bus; by private car, I estimate about 4 hours. Tak Province, Myawaddy city, Mon State, Myanmar.
The border is open as an international checkpoint for travelers with passports and visas to cross by land to other cities and exit through other checkpoints. Mae Sot has an airport with flights from Bangkok and flights from Mae Sot to Mawlamyine and Yangon operated by Nok Air, providing another gateway to Myanmar. Traveling to Mae Sot from Tak Province is served by vans running between Tak bus station and Mae Sot town.
Vans start early and run until 7 PM, with the first trip at 5:30 AM and the last at 7:00 PM. The journey takes about 1.5 hours. Luggage can be stored on the roof rack, unlike southern vans I’ve taken which lack storage and are unsuitable for travelers. For those driving, Mae Sot has LPG gas stations just before the turn to Umphang. Cars running on LPG can save on fuel here. For accommodations in Mae Sot, I recommend staying comfortably at J2 Hotel.
If you plan to continue traveling in Myanmar, stay comfortably to save energy. Accommodations in Myanmar are generally more expensive than in Thailand. J2 Hotel is located in central Mae Sot next to the market, convenient for city walks. The hotel can arrange car rentals to Myawaddy. Breakfast is provided but limited. The staff is attentive. I stayed here three nights to explore Myawaddy before flying to Mawlamyine. The hotel is next to the motorcycle taxi stand, and opposite is a delicious but somewhat pricey fish noodle shop.
Mae Sot also has budget hotels for a few hundred baht; you can find them by walking around. For savings, that’s an option. See more hotels in Mae Sot. There are banks in Mae Sot that exchange currency. I recommend going to Lotus Mae Sot on the way to the border checkpoint. Lotus has banks for currency exchange and a Nok Air counter for ticket changes and bookings. For those traveling onward to Myanmar, exchange US dollars beforehand. Mae Sot airport has no currency exchange, no ATM, and no motorcycle taxis.
Exiting the airport requires walking to the main road to catch a ride. Coming in, you can get a ride from the city. If staying at J2 Hotel as I did, they offer shuttle service charged per vehicle, which is economical for groups. Flights from Mae Sot to Mawlamyine are about 5 minutes behind schedule due to Myanmar being 30 minutes behind Thailand time. Activities in Mae Sot include visiting the morning market, which is not very colorful but has an atmosphere similar to Myanmar’s markets, with Burmese snacks to try. A must-do activity is crossing over to visit the Myawaddy side.
In Myanmar, you can go on your own or hire a guide; I recommend going independently. Read travel information about Myawaddy here. For those needing relaxation, Mae Sot has several massage and spa shops in town. Aromatherapy massage is available opposite the hotel near J2 Hotel at 400 baht per hour. Some hotels offer in-room massage services. Mae Sot’s cuisine is a mix of Northern Thai, Shan Thai, and Burmese food. In front of Ngeaw Luang Temple, there are popular and delicious Shan Thai street food carts. Mae Sot also has many noodle and congee shops.
Mae Sot offers more grilled seafood than other towns due to its proximity to the sea, ensuring fresh seafood. Although 123 kilometers seems close, the road trip takes at least 4-6 hours by private car. I estimate this; it might be inaccurate since a bus to Mawlamyine takes 6 hours. There are many good and delicious restaurants in Mae Sot. Modern Mae Sot tourism involves staying one or two nights, then crossing to Myanmar in the morning, or returning from Myanmar to stay before continuing travel in Thailand.
You should stay at least one night in Mae Sot because continuing travel immediately can be too tiring. Prepare by exchanging money, organizing belongings, and stocking up at Lotus. Tourism in Nakhon Mae Sot will increase. I am one of those who will visit Myanmar multiple times via Mae Sot. If Myanmar visas can be issued or waived at the checkpoint, Nakhon Mae Sot will become very lively. mr.hotsia October 2013. mr.hotsia recommends J2 Hotel in Mae Sot: clean, new, fast internet, currently very popular.
Van from Tak town, J2 Hotel Mae Sot, Tak, Me Sot hotel, Shan Thai food in Mae Sot, Shan tea leaf salad in Mae Sot, Me Sot morning market, Pa Charoen Market Mae Sot, Shan, van from Tak to Mae Sot, beautiful temple in central Mae Sot, Shan Thai restaurant in front of Ngeaw Luang Temple, Pa Ni and Pa Thong’s restaurant in front of Ngeaw Luang Temple, this restaurant kindly gave me a motorcycle ride to the hotel, Mae Sot international border checkpoint, Myanmar.
Open for tourists with passports and visas to cross and exit through other checkpoints. School children in Myawaddy, Karen State, Myanmar, opposite Mae Sot. J2 Hotel where I stayed three or two nights. Van from Tak to Mae Sot. J2 Hotel where I stayed. Evening market next to my hotel. Pa Charoen morning market Mae Sot. I call the squid snack 'Hala Hwa', a Burmese Shan snack. Motorcycle ride to the checkpoint, Myawaddy city, Karen State. Food in Myawaddy city. Golden pagoda in Myawaddy city.
