Mae Sa

Why Mae Sa is special ?

Mae Sa, just 15kms north of Chiang Mai is the wonderful outdoor playground, so often overlooked by tourists to Chiang Mai. The place offers plenty of sights and activities for visitors: the botanical gardens and lovely 10-tiered Mae Sa Waterfalls are the chief natural attractions, but there is also a fun elephant camp straddling the tumbling river, along with an orchid farm and a selection of animal shows, with monkeys, dogs and snakes. You can also work up some adrenalin by bungee jumping or riding ATVs. For visiting families it’s an ideal day trip for adventure in Chiang Mai.

There are a few fancy resorts in the area, as well as budget accommodation, while restaurants here are plentiful. They range from roadside stalls and open-air, budget Thai-style restaurants with noodle dishes and northern fare to pricier resort-style eateries. Some are also set in a jungle environment with mountain rivers nearby.

Source: http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/

What to explore at Mae Sa?

Mae Sa valley is a beautiful place if you like to spend a day outside the city of Chiang Mai in a more natural environment. When reaching Mae Sa Valley, one of the first stops would be at the Mae Sa Waterfall. The entrance to the waterfall (on the left side of the road) is clearly indicated. If it's a hot day, this is the ideal spot to cool down.

Next is a stop at the elephant camp. See elephants in action together with their mahouts. Walk around and visit the elephant nursery. You can buy some bananas and feed them to the elephants, and best of all you can make an elephant ride through the forest near the camp.

Another place worthwhile visiting is the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden. Walk the trails in the forests or visit the greenhouses to enjoy thousands of beautiful and rare plants.

Source: http://beautiful-chiangmai.com/

How to get to Mae Sa?

The old city of Chiang Mai is surrounded by a moat covering an area of about 1.6 by 1.6 kilometers. From the north side of the moat take the Changphuak road to the north. Cross the superhighway (from moat to super highway is about 2 km) and then continue north on highway number 107 for about 13 kilometers. At about 1 kilometer past Mae Rim town turn left and take road number 1096. The best way to visit Mae Sa is by renting a car or motorbike as it allows you to stop or continue wherever you are.

Source: http://beautiful-chiangmai.com/