Mae Sai City - how to get there, what to see, where to stay

Mae Sai

Mae Sai Town (Mae Sai, also Mae Sai) is the northernmost town Thailand and is located very close to the border crossing to Myanmar in the city Tachilake. There is nothing remarkable in the city itself, but they visit it mainly to take pictures of the "northern gate" from Thailand to Myanmar or to make a one-day "excursion trip" to a neighboring country, without staying in the city itself. And, of course, this is a transit point for those who travel from Thailand to Myanmar. There are a couple of interesting places in and around the city that are worth a visit: These are Wat Phra That Doi Wao temple and the local market (right in the city) and Khun Nam Nang Lagoon (sleeping lady Lagoon, located a few kilometers from the city).

Border crossing in May Sai — Border crossing in Mai Sai - conditional northern gate

We also will not recommend staying in Mai Sai for more than one day (or rather, even half a day will be enough), but you should not categorically refuse to include it in your itinerary. A stop in Mai Sai on the way to Golden Triangle can be very interesting.

On the other side of the border, across the bridge, is the Burmese town of Tachileik. The two cities on both sides of the border are separated only by a narrow river, a tributary of the great Mekong River. You can get to the other side without even applying for a visa to Myanmar. You can get a one-time 14-day or one-day pass at the border by leaving your passport to the border guards and paying $ 10 or 500 baht (it's more convenient to pay in dollars, but the bill must be brand new, otherwise they may refuse to accept it). Upon return, the passport is returned, and you can get a stamp to extend your visa-free stay in Thailand, if you have rights to it. The pass will allow you to stay in the cities of Tachileik and Kengtung, but does not allow you to move around the rest of Myanmar. You may ask, what can you do on the territory of Tachilake? Yes, nothing special: you can walk around the market, walk around the city, sit in restaurants. You will not feel much difference between the two border cities from Myanmar and Thailand.

Attention. Due to the frequent conflicts of the parties, sometimes (fortunately very rarely in recent years) this border crossing stops issuing passes and getting into Myanmar with a pass (without a visa) It will not succeed. It is necessary to clarify the information before planning a trip on international websites.

How to get to Mai Sai

You can get to Mae Sai by bus from Chiang Rai (40 baht from the old bus station), Chiang Mai (160-300 baht), Bangkok, Tatona, Fung. The bus from Chiang Rai departs every 15 minutes from Chiang Rai Old Bus Station from the city center, on the way from 1 hour 30 minutes. The bus station in Mai Sai is not located in the very center of the city, but near the Tesco-Lotus supermarket on highway 1, four and a half kilometers from the center (border crossing) (Mae Sai bus station on the map). From there, you can get to the center by tuk-tuk shuttle bus for 20 baht.

A fixed-route taxi to the Golden Triangle and Chiang Saen depart from Highway No. 1 in the center, a hundred meters from the border crossing. It's easy to find them, they always stand in one place (see photo below).

It's even easier to get from Chiang Rai by rented transport in Mai Sai: you just need to drive along Highway No. 1 to the north without turning anywhere, until you run into the border crossing with Myanmar. This will be Mae Sai. The road along the way will be excellent (the highway is flat and very wide). To go from Chiang Rai a little more than 70 kilometers (it will take about 1.5 hours by motorcycle). There is also another, more interesting and extreme road through the mountains along the border with Myanmar, but this road is not for everyone (read more about this section of road in the review "The road to Mai Sai").

Attractions of Mae Sai and what to see

There are not too many attractions in Mai Sai. It is worth visiting only the Wat Phra That Wai Dao temple with the famous scorpion sculpture and an observation deck overlooking Myanmar, taking pictures of the border crossing to Myanmar, and walking around the market. If possible, you can get to the Khun Nam Nang lagoon, but it is already outside the city. There's nothing else to do here.

Wat Phrathat Doi Wao Temple

Scorpio Mae Sai

Wat Phrathat Doi Wao Temple is located on the top and at the foot of a small hill right in the city, a few hundred meters from the border crossing (Wat Phra That Doi Wao temple on the map). You can climb the hill on foot by stairs, but you can also take a motorcycle/car to the very top. In the same place, upstairs, in a small Burmese temple, there is a famous statue of a scorpion, which frighteningly directed its sting towards historically unfriendly Burmese neighbors. And, of course, from the observation deck you can look at the border Myanmar, if you can not get there.

Entrance to the temple is free. Works in the daytime. The narrow road to the temple starts a few hundred meters from the border crossing directly from Highway No. 1 (the turn is marked with a sign that is almost invisible from the road, see photo below), and passes through the market.

View of Myanmar from Mae Sai
The market in Mai Sai

The market in May Sai is just waking up

Almost the entire Mai Sai is a single trading platform during the day, which is not surprising at all, because it is a border town. Here you can find not only Thai goods, but also goods from Myanmar. You don't have to look for the market, it's everywhere. The most interesting and intense is the main market on the way to Wat Phra That Wai Dao Temple (Mae Sai market on the map), but in fact the trade is conducted in shops on Highway No. 1 and other city alleys.
Khun Nam Nang Lagoon (Khun Nam-Nang Non) and caves

Not reaching about five kilometers to Mae Sai is the Khun Nam Nang lagoon (lagoon on the map). The name of this lagoon translates as "the lagoon of the sleeping lady". In fact, the lagoon has nothing to do with the sleeping lady, and the name of this place comes from the stone formations next to the lagoon, which resemble the sleeping lady in shape. This place is popular among locals because of the peace and tranquility, and they often come here for picnics or just for walks.

Near the lagoon (within a few kilometers) there are many caves that can be visited. The most famous of them are three caves: Tham Pum, Tham Pla and Tham Phayanak. They are located a couple of kilometers south of the lagoon. They are filled with stalactites and stalagmites, and streams also flow through the caves of Tham Pla and Tham Phayanak.

This is a great place to stop here for an hour or two and take a break from a long road in the shade of trees by the water.
Wat Tham Pha Chom Temple and Caves

There is another special place in Mai Sai. It is visited by a rare tourist, because few people know about it. Wat Tham Pha Chom itself is a very beautiful temple. But in addition to its beauty, there are caves near the temple that can be visited. There are Buddha statues and other shrines in the caves.

The temple is located about a kilometer from the gate to Myanmar, and it is quite possible to get to it on foot (Wat Tham Pha Chom Temple on the map). Entrance to the temple and caves is free, donations are welcome.

Hotels in Mai Sai, where to stay

Hotels in Mai Sai are located mainly near the border crossing and along Highway No. 1. It is best to choose a hotel near the border crossing. Luxury hotels can not be found here, because tourists usually stay here for one night. Basically, hotels are inexpensive, offering basic amenities at a reasonable price.

If you want to find a cheaper hotel, you should walk along the alleys away from Highway No. 1. There you can find very cheap guest houses, although you will have to look for them, because they are not found at every turn.

You can find and book accommodation in Mai Sai on these reliable, trusted sites or through the search form. All sites have a Russian interface and Russian-language support for travelers, reviews of real guests.