[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"site":3,"article-blog-the-mae-hong-son-loop-in-8-days":238,"footer-latest":325},{"chrome":4,"settings":149,"website":236},{"siteHeader":5,"siteMenu":47,"siteFooter":68,"pageTransition":126,"notFoundScreen":129},{"key":6,"section_template":6,"values":7,"source":46},"siteHeader",{"logo":8,"name":10,"tagline":12,"brandAriaLabel":13,"navAriaLabel":14,"navItems":15,"showStatus":40,"statusText":41,"ctaButton":42,"menuOpenLabel":45,"showProgress":40},{"url":9,"alt":10,"width":11,"height":11},"\u002Fbrand\u002Fa-mark-current.svg","Jesther Bas",120,"Digital · Photo · Code · Road","Jesther Bas, home","Primary",[16,20,24,28,32,36],{"label":17,"url":18,"number":19},"Home","\u002F","01",{"label":21,"url":22,"number":23},"About","\u002Fabout","02",{"label":25,"url":26,"number":27},"Creative Writings","\u002Fjournal","03",{"label":29,"url":30,"number":31},"Editorial","\u002Fnews","04",{"label":33,"url":34,"number":35},"Digital Services","\u002Fwork","05",{"label":37,"url":38,"number":39},"Contact Us","\u002Fcontact","06",true,"Open for projects",{"label":43,"url":38,"newTab":44},"Let's talk",false,"Open menu","template",{"key":48,"section_template":48,"values":49,"source":46},"siteMenu",{"dialogLabel":50,"closeLabel":51,"navAriaLabel":52,"navItems":53,"showEmail":40,"showSocials":40},"Site menu","Close menu","Mobile",[54,56,58,61,63,65,66],{"label":17,"url":18,"number":55},"00",{"label":57,"url":34,"number":19},"Work",{"label":59,"url":60,"number":23},"Photos","\u002Fphotos",{"label":62,"url":26,"number":27},"Journal",{"label":64,"url":30,"number":31},"News",{"label":21,"url":22,"number":35},{"label":67,"url":38,"number":39},"Contact",{"key":69,"section_template":69,"values":70,"source":46},"siteFooter",{"ctaIndexLabel":71,"ctaEyebrow":72,"ctaTitle":73,"ctaUrl":38,"copyLabel":74,"copyMessage":75,"blurb":76,"clockLabel":77,"clockTimezone":78,"clockOffsetLabel":79,"exploreTitle":80,"exploreLinks":81,"latestTitle":94,"latestSource":95,"latestFallback":99,"socialsTitle":112,"copyright":113,"legalAriaLabel":114,"legalLinks":115,"backToTopLabel":124,"wordmark":125},"(Next)","Have an idea, a trip or a system in mind?","Let's build something worth remembering.","Copy","Email copied","Full-stack engineer, photographer and slow traveler. Building systems by day, chasing light the rest of the time.","Local time","Asia\u002FManila","· GMT+8","Explore",[82,84,86,88,90,92],{"link":83},{"label":57,"url":34,"newTab":44},{"link":85},{"label":59,"url":60,"newTab":44},{"link":87},{"label":62,"url":26,"newTab":44},{"link":89},{"label":64,"url":30,"newTab":44},{"link":91},{"label":21,"url":22,"newTab":44},{"link":93},{"label":67,"url":38,"newTab":44},"Latest stories",{"source":96,"category":97,"limit":98},"blog","",3,[100,104,108],{"link":101},{"label":102,"url":103,"newTab":44},"Mae Hong Son Loop, 8 days","\u002Fjournal\u002Fthe-mae-hong-son-loop-in-8-days",{"link":105},{"label":106,"url":107,"newTab":44},"Slow boat on the Mekong","\u002Fjournal\u002Fthe-taste-of-the-mekong-slow-life-slow-time-on-a-slow-boat-in-laos",{"link":109},{"label":110,"url":111,"newTab":44},"Egypt visa guide","\u002Fjournal\u002Fpharaohs-permit-your-essential-guide-to-the-egypt-visa","Elsewhere","Jesther Digital. All rights reserved.","Legal",[116,120],{"link":117},{"label":118,"url":119,"newTab":44},"Privacy policy","\u002Fprivacy",{"link":121},{"label":122,"url":123,"newTab":44},"Terms","\u002Fterms","Back to top ↑","Jesther",{"key":127,"section_template":127,"values":128,"source":46},"pageTransition",{"enabled":40},{"key":130,"section_template":130,"values":131,"source":46},"notFoundScreen",{"backgroundImage":132,"indexLabel":137,"eyebrow":138,"title":139,"lead":140,"primaryButton":141,"secondaryButton":143,"errorIndexLabel":145,"errorEyebrow":146,"errorTitle":147,"errorLead":148,"hideFooter":40},{"url":133,"alt":134,"width":135,"height":136},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Ffeatured\u002F15\u002F90412a611b4846de90c771b21e418dd0_20260112_012224.jpg","Flags at a border checkpoint",4000,2252,"(404)","Wrong turn","Off the map.","This page doesn't exist, or it moved. Even good travelers get lost sometimes.",{"label":142,"url":18,"newTab":44},"Back home",{"label":144,"url":26,"newTab":44},"Read the journal","({code})","Something broke","Not your fault.","This page ran into a problem on my side. Try again in a moment, or head back home.",{"profile":150,"seo":169,"ui":179,"articleSettings":185},{"email":151,"socials":152},"hello@jestherbas.com",[153,157,161,165],{"network":154,"url":155,"icon":156},"Facebook","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Fjestherdigital\u002F","facebook",{"network":158,"url":159,"icon":160},"Instagram","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fjestherthen","instagram",{"network":162,"url":163,"icon":164},"LinkedIn","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Fjesther-bas","linkedin",{"network":166,"url":167,"icon":168},"X (Twitter)","https:\u002F\u002Fx.com\u002Fjestherthen","x",{"siteName":10,"titleTemplate":170,"defaultDescription":171,"defaultOgImage":172,"twitterHandle":174,"personName":10,"jobTitle":175,"organizationName":176,"locale":177,"themeColor":178},"%s — Jesther Bas","Professional web developer and designer offering remote, high-quality digital solutions worldwide. Reliable, efficient, and location-independent services.",{"url":173,"alt":97},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fwebsite-og-images\u002F1\u002Ff5a0117217dd4268952c1306a25edb4c_20251221_144724.jpg","@jestherthen","Full-stack engineer","Jesther Digital","en","#0a0a0a",{"skipLinkLabel":180,"breadcrumbAriaLabel":181,"copiedMessage":182,"copyFailedMessage":183,"emailCopiedMessage":75,"linkCopiedMessage":184},"Skip to content","Breadcrumb","Copied to clipboard","Press Ctrl+C to copy","Link copied",{"breadcrumbHomeLabel":17,"breadcrumbJournalLabel":62,"breadcrumbNewsLabel":64,"breadcrumbAriaLabel":181,"authorName":10,"publishedLabel":186,"byLabel":187,"showReadingTime":44,"readingTimeLabel":188,"progressLabel":189,"tocTitle":190,"shareLabel":191,"shareFacebookLabel":192,"shareXLabel":193,"shareLinkedinLabel":194,"copyLinkLabel":195,"copyLinkToast":184,"factboxIcon":196,"authorCardLabel":197,"authorCardTitle":198,"authorBio":199,"authorAvatar":200,"authorLink":202,"postNavLabel":204,"previousLabel":205,"nextLabel":206,"commentsTitle":207,"commentsIntro":208,"commentNameLabel":209,"commentNameError":210,"commentEmailLabel":211,"commentEmailHint":212,"commentEmailError":213,"commentBodyLabel":214,"commentBodyError":215,"commentButton":216,"commentSendingLabel":217,"commentSuccess":218,"commentErrorMessage":219,"relatedIndexLabel":220,"relatedEyebrow":221,"relatedTitle":222,"relatedLink":223,"inShortTitle":225,"sourcesTitle":226,"staleNotice":227,"staleAfterDays":228,"newsNavLabel":229,"olderLabel":230,"newerLabel":231,"moreNewsIndexLabel":220,"moreNewsEyebrow":232,"moreNewsTitle":233,"moreNewsLink":234},"Published","By","{minutes} min read","Reading progress","On this page","Share","Share on Facebook","Share on X","Share on LinkedIn","Copy link","map","About the author","Written by Jesther Bas","Full-stack engineer and photographer who works from wherever the Wi-Fi holds up. Writes about slow travel, visas and building things.",{"url":97,"alt":97,"width":201,"height":201},0,{"label":203,"url":22,"newTab":44},"More about me","More stories","Previous","Next","Comments","Have a tip or a question? Leave a comment.","Name","Please enter your name.","Email","Never shown publicly.","Enter a valid email address.","Comment","Please write a comment.","Post comment","Sending…","Thanks! Your comment is awaiting approval.","Something went wrong. Please try again.","(More)","Keep reading","More from {location}.",{"label":224,"url":26,"newTab":44},"All stories","In short","Sources","This update is from {date}. Details may have changed since.",90,"More news","Older","Newer","Other updates","Recent news.",{"label":235,"url":30,"newTab":44},"All news",{"customScripts":97,"primaryColor":237},"#921709",{"source":239,"article":240,"previous":285,"next":288,"related":291,"commentCount":201},"fixtures",{"type":96,"slug":241,"url":103,"title":242,"excerpt":243,"category":244,"categorySlug":245,"date":246,"image":247,"teaserImageAlt":251,"featured":44,"id":252,"lead":253,"location":254,"author":10,"authorAvatar":97,"coverImage":255,"coverCaption":258,"toc":259,"body":275,"tags":276,"commentsIntro":281,"relatedTitle":282,"staleNotice":97,"seoTitle":283,"seoDescription":284,"canonical":97,"ogImage":248,"updated":246,"allowComments":40},"the-mae-hong-son-loop-in-8-days","The Mae Hong Son Loop in 8 days","800+ km of northern Thailand on a scooter, from Chiang Mai through Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son and Pai.","Travel guide","guides","2024-02-03",{"url":248,"alt":242,"width":249,"height":250},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Ffeatured\u002F13\u002F776dcf8248c6440c9452ba6a68f28a4d_20260112_001649.jpg",6000,3561,"Hillside village at dusk",null,"800+ kilometers of northern Thailand on a scooter, from Chiang Mai through Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son and Pai, with zero crashes and one very tired Yamaha.","Thailand",{"url":256,"alt":257,"width":249,"height":250},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Fbanners\u002F13\u002F1d7cdd3f00e446d8bc474cbe075588ef_20260112_001837.jpg","Hillside village at sunset along the Mae Hong Son Loop","Golden hour over a hillside village on the loop.",[260,263,266,269,272],{"id":261,"label":262},"how-it-started","How it started",{"id":264,"label":265},"the-route","The route",{"id":267,"label":268},"renting-a-bike","Renting a bike",{"id":270,"label":271},"day-1","Day 1 — Doi Inthanon",{"id":273,"label":274},"tips","Before you go","\u003Ch2 id=\"how-it-started\" class=\"sr-only\">How it started\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>A small conversation with Xiuzhi about where to go next ended with one line that stuck: \u003Cem>\"I want to try the Mae Hong Son Loop.\"\u003C\u002Fem> I caught the vibe and decided to push for it. After New Year, back in Chiang Mai, we started plotting the stops, how long to stay at each and what to ride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We ended up on a Yamaha Aerox 155cc to have enough power for the whole trip, because you \u003Cstrong>will\u003C\u002Fstrong> meet some strange slopes and properly steep climbs. Luckily it survived with zero crashes and zero damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>Each town on the loop has something different to offer. Driving it straight through misses the point.\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"the-route\">The route\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The Mae Hong Son Loop sits in the hills of northern Thailand: a stunning, lesser-known ride through hillside communities and serious scenery. It's a must for anyone into adventure or culture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most common route starts in Chiang Mai and runs through Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son and Pai before closing back in Chiang Mai. Most people do it in three to four days. Some take eight or nine so they can actually enjoy each stop instead of just riding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For something more spiritual, the loop is dotted with old temples. \u003Cstrong>Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu\u003C\u002Fstrong> in Mae Hong Son and \u003Cstrong>Wat Phra That Mae Yen\u003C\u002Fstrong> in Pai are two quiet places to stop and breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wide\">\n\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fuploads\u002Fmedia\u002Farticle\u002F1706954374_20240114_093527.jpg\" alt=\"Lunch laid out on a mat with a view over green mountains\" width=\"4000\" height=\"2252\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\u003Cfigcaption>Lunch with a view, somewhere past Doi Inthanon.\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"renting-a-bike\">Renting a bike\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>We rented from \u003Cstrong>Chiangmai Good Tour\u003C\u002Fstrong>. The owner gave us a great deal, but it depends on how well you negotiate. Other shops worth checking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmaps.app.goo.gl\u002FAG1obj6zSXGevv1j6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chiangmai Good Tour\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmaps.app.goo.gl\u002FgeWUjQ9qjghyZMBq6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cat Motors Motorbike & Scooter Rental\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmaps.app.goo.gl\u002FL5ZWXiFDuJv9LzEu9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mango Scooter Rental Chiang Mai\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Shops give a better rate for longer rentals. For the deposit, they'll ask you to leave either your passport or 3,000 THB.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cdiv class=\"factbox\">\n\u003Ch3>Trip facts\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cdl>\n\u003Cdt>Distance\u003C\u002Fdt>\u003Cdd>800+ km loop\u003C\u002Fdd>\n\u003Cdt>Time\u003C\u002Fdt>\u003Cdd>3–4 days fast, 8–9 days slow (we took 8)\u003C\u002Fdd>\n\u003Cdt>Bike\u003C\u002Fdt>\u003Cdd>Yamaha Aerox 155cc\u003C\u002Fdd>\n\u003Cdt>Rental\u003C\u002Fdt>\u003Cdd>150cc+: 400–500 THB\u002Fday · 125cc: 250–300 THB\u002Fday\u003C\u002Fdd>\n\u003Cdt>Deposit\u003C\u002Fdt>\u003Cdd>Passport or 3,000 THB\u003C\u002Fdd>\n\u003Cdt>Park fee\u003C\u002Fdt>\u003Cdd>Doi Inthanon: 300 THB foreigner, 60 THB Thai, 20 THB per motorbike\u003C\u002Fdd>\n\u003C\u002Fdl>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"day-1\">Day 1 — Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>We left Chiang Mai heading for the Doi Inthanon summit, our last stop of the day. Take Route 108 out of the city, then turn onto Route 1009 up to the national park gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As usual you pay the entrance fee before going in: 60 THB for Thais and 300 THB for foreigners, plus 20 THB per motorcycle. Charging foreigners five times the local rate stings, but what can you do. The funny part? The checkpoint guard never even looked at our tickets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second stop is \u003Cstrong>Wachirathan Waterfall\u003C\u002Fstrong>. The way down is a little off-road, so take it slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure>\n\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fuploads\u002Fmedia\u002Farticle\u002F1706953451_20240113_170632.jpg\" alt=\"Summit marker sign at Doi Inthanon\" width=\"4000\" height=\"2252\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\u003Cfigcaption>The summit marker at Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest point.\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"tips\">Before you go\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Pack for the weather on your dates. The mountains get cold at night even when Chiang Mai is hot.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Pick a bike with enough power. The climbs are real.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Give each town at least one night. The loop rewards slowing down.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>",[254,277,278,279,280],"Motorbike","Chiang Mai","Pai","Itinerary","Been on the loop, or planning to? Leave a tip for the next rider.","More from Thailand.","The Mae Hong Son Loop in 8 days — Jesther Bas","800+ km of northern Thailand on a scooter: route, bike rental, costs and day-by-day notes for the Mae Hong Son Loop.",{"title":286,"url":287},"The joyful traditions of Songkran 2023 in Thailand","\u002Fjournal\u002Fthe-joyful-traditions-of-songkran-2023-in-thailand",{"title":289,"url":290},"Hanoi coffee shops for remote workers","\u002Fjournal\u002Fhanoi-coffee-shops-for-remote-workers",[292,305,316],{"type":96,"slug":293,"url":294,"title":295,"shortTitle":296,"excerpt":297,"category":298,"categorySlug":299,"date":300,"image":301,"teaserImageAlt":304,"cardImageAlt":304,"featured":44},"new-eta-system-for-visa-exempt-travelers-to-thailand","\u002Fjournal\u002Fnew-eta-system-for-visa-exempt-travelers-to-thailand","New ETA system for visa-exempt travelers to Thailand","Thailand's new ETA for visa-exempt travelers","Thailand's ETA starts Dec 1, 2024 for 93 visa-exempt countries: 60-day stay plus a 30-day extension.","Visa & permits","visa","2024-09-23",{"url":302,"alt":295,"width":135,"height":303},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Ffeatured\u002F17\u002Fa18b869138434a1f9205cbc280b96de7_20260112_013044.jpg",1868,"Bangkok station sign",{"type":96,"slug":306,"url":307,"title":308,"excerpt":309,"category":310,"categorySlug":311,"date":312,"image":313,"cardImageAlt":315,"featured":44},"songkran-2024-how-to-celebrate-the-thai-new-year","\u002Fjournal\u002Fsongkran-2024-how-to-celebrate-the-thai-new-year","Songkran 2024: how to celebrate the Thai New Year","What to prepare, where to go and how to survive the biggest water fight on the planet.","Festivals","festivals","2024-03-22",{"url":314,"alt":308,"width":249,"height":135},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Ffeatured\u002F14\u002Fc09344b25b034248b07127b816759d50_20260112_011734.jpg","Songkran water fight",{"type":96,"slug":317,"url":287,"title":286,"excerpt":318,"category":310,"categorySlug":311,"date":319,"image":320,"cardImageAlt":324,"featured":44},"the-joyful-traditions-of-songkran-2023-in-thailand","Thai New Year traditions, preparation tips and where to celebrate the epic water festival.","2023-07-24",{"url":321,"alt":286,"width":322,"height":323},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Ffeatured\u002F11\u002Fd9491661dd4641bda2f8f09eb231b615_20260112_000142.jpg",5536,3418,"Friends laughing at Songkran",{"source":326,"total":327,"items":328},"cms",13,[329,339,347],{"type":96,"slug":330,"url":331,"title":332,"excerpt":333,"category":334,"categorySlug":335,"date":336,"image":337,"featured":44},"the-taste-of-mekong-river-from-slow-life-slow-time-on-a-slowboat-in-laos","\u002Fjournal\u002Fthe-taste-of-mekong-river-from-slow-life-slow-time-on-a-slowboat-in-laos","The Taste of Mekong River from Slow life slow time on a slowboat in Laos","Experience slow travel on Laos' Mekong River. Discover how to take the scenic slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang with local insights and travel tips.","Travel and Guide","travel-and-guide","2025-02-08",{"url":338,"alt":332},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Ffeatured\u002F19\u002Ff6d2dbb19c6f452c8293e79283f0c748_20260112_013709.jpg",{"type":96,"slug":340,"url":111,"title":341,"excerpt":342,"category":343,"categorySlug":299,"date":344,"image":345,"featured":44},"pharaohs-permit-your-essential-guide-to-the-egypt-visa","Pharaoh Permit Your Essential Guide to the Egypt Visa","Complete guide to Egypt tourist visas: visa on arrival countries, e-visa eligibility, embassy requirements. Get your visa for the Pyramids today!","Visa","2025-02-06",{"url":346,"alt":341},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Ffeatured\u002F18\u002F3bfc22c1d2e64008b9d7343518cd7f7e_20260112_013406.jpg",{"type":96,"slug":348,"url":349,"title":350,"excerpt":351,"category":352,"categorySlug":353,"date":354,"image":355,"featured":44},"unlocking-china-what-every-traveler-should-be-aware-of","\u002Fjournal\u002Funlocking-china-what-every-traveler-should-be-aware-of","Unlocking China What Every Traveler Should Be Aware Of","Discover essential China travel tips: SIM cards, VPN access, payment apps, and regional insights. Plan your adventure with our expert guide. Start exploring!","China Travels","china-travels","2024-09-24",{"url":356,"alt":350},"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.codevast.com\u002Fnews-articles\u002F1\u002Ffeatured\u002F16\u002F35359db786d448eaa0af5dccb14871cd_20260112_012633.jpg"]