Welcome to MAE HONG SON, the city of three mists.
It's highly recommended to come here in the morning.
Get up a little early to come and watch the fog over the water.
And also the reflections of the trees in water.
It's really nice.
You have to come here to experience by yourself.
'Pang Ung' or 'The Royal Forest Project at Pang Tong 2' is located about 1.5 hours from MAE HONG SON's Meung District.
It has a forest of pine trees surrounding a large water reservoir.
Winter time is the best time to visit as you could witness morning's light and mist over the water.
We left our hotel about 5:30am this morning,
and then it took only 15 minutes to here.
Then, we took a local bus from 5:45am only 5 minutes, and we arrived here at the top of Yun Lai Peak.
You can see the sea of fog in the morning.
It is really beautiful.
Yun Lai Viewpoint is in Yunnan Chinese Village in Pai District.
People come here to witness the first light of the day.
I think it's the place that you must come in the morning if you are here in MAE HONG SON.
The longest bamboo bridge in Thailand,
Su Tong Pae, streches for 500 meters across rice fields and Mae Sa Nga river.
The name is in TAI language, meaning 'successful prayer'.
as local people believe if they pray upon the bridge, they'll get what they wish for.
So, that is the temple at the other end.
And this end is the village.
Yes.
Called?
Gung Mai Sak Village.
You told me that this is the reason why they built this wooden bridge...bamboo bridge.
because the monks can come from the temple.
From the temple to the village for almsgiving in the morning.
So, that's kind of faith of local people.
Yes. In the morning, every person from Baan Gung Mai Sak comes here to offer food to the monks.
OK. Right.
I can see that the materials are quite unique. It's interwoven bridge.
They use bamboo.
And then, they weaved the bamboo together.
Wow!
Mae Hong Son is a small town near Chiangmai.
Yeah.
When you travel by plane, it's about 30 minutes from Chiangmai.
OK.
It's really near. You can see the mountain overthere. It's Chiangmai.
Very beautiful. Especially this time of the day, before sunset.
You should make sure to come here around 5PM.
Before 5PM.
To see the view of the town and the sunset, after 5:30PM.
So, what is it called actually behind us?
Wiharn Luang Por Tun Jai.
And this one?
Phra That Doi Kong Mu.
Does it have a meaning?
'Kong Mu' is Chedi.
Chedi...in local language?...OK
So, why this place...that you have to come?
Because this place is the centre of Mae Hong Son.
Um...right. And the most respected? The most popular?
Yeah.
Famous for its two large white Chedis, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu offers a spectacular view of Mae Hong Son's Valley.
The structures date back to 1860 and have a strong Burmese Influence.
(Bell's Sound)
Now, we've arrived at Wat Jong Klang (Jong Klang Temple).
This is Wat Jong Klang?
Yes. Wat Jong Klang.
I think I've seen in postcard before.
Ah-huh.
This is kind of a symbol in Mae Hong Son, right?
Yes.
It's just next to ....this is.....
The front of Jong Kham Lake.
OK. Lake...you call it lake...ok.
Beautiful at night time.
Yeah.
What Jong Kham is the oldest temple of Mae Hong Son.
It was built on the bank of Jong Kham Lake in 1827
by 'Tai' or 'Thai Yai' artisans who gilded pillars with golden flakes.
The main hall houses a large Buddha Statue cast by Burmese craftsmen.
The adjacent 'Wat Jong Klang' is where a replica of Phra Buddha Sihing is installed.
Both temples are beautiful lit by night and are considered a landmark of Mae Hong Son.
Ah....the air is so fresh. And, here I stand on the ground of over 1,100 metres above sea level
On Hod-Mae Sarieng Road.
This place is 'Suan Son Bor Kaew' or 'Bor Kaew Botanic Research Station'.
This place plants pine trees and eucalyptus trees on a land of over 2,000 Rais.
It has a very nice climate all year round.
A lot of Thai people said that this place is a very romantic place
If you come in the morning or in the evening time, the light is very beautiful.
And, some even said that it is really similar to 'Nami Island' in Korea.
Do you think so?
Here I am at the Thai- Japan Friendship Memorial Hall in Khun Yuam District, Mae Hong Son.
This place is a historical site showing the friendship among the two countries.
Back in around 1942-1945 A.D., when Japanese soldiers came here,
they co-worked with local people here from Mae Hong Son and some nearby provinces like Chiangmai and Lamphun.
to build a road to Myanmar at the time differential started
At that time, the friendship started because some of the local people got sick,
and the military doctors from Japan...they helped the people.
And at the end of the war,, around 1945, some of the soldiers passed away and were buried in a nearby temple.
So, this area eventually became a Memorial Hall.
And, we have built this statue showing local people with Flamingo, representing peace and health.
Fly to Mae Hong Son from Chiangmai with Bangkok Airways.
Stay tuned for the next episode.
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