Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son is Thailand's most remote province — a maze of forested mountains along the Myanmar border with 1,864 curves on the road from Chiang Mai (yes, someone counted). The provincial capital sits beside a lake reflecting Burmese-style temples, and the Shan/Tai Yai culture here gives it a flavor distinct from the rest of northern Thailand. The morning mist over Jong Kham Lake is one of the north's most photographed scenes.

Pai, in the eastern part of the province, is the main draw for most travelers — a backpacker-turned-bohemian town in a valley surrounded by hot springs, waterfalls, and rice paddies. Pai Canyon, the Memorial Bridge, and the Chinese village of Santichon are quick hits, but the best experiences are renting a scooter and exploring the surrounding countryside. Beyond Pai, the Mae Hong Son Loop — a 600 km circuit through the province — is one of Southeast Asia's great motorcycle routes, with Soppong's Tham Lot cave (massive river cave with coffin formations) and the village of Ban Rak Thai (Chinese Nationalist settlement with a tea lake) as standout stops.