Mae Sot
From Wikitravel
Mae Sot is in Tak Province, Thailand. It has an elevation of around 210 metres.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By road
Access from Tak is along Highway #105 via Doi Musoe (870m) and Doi Son (784m).
Frequent minibuses connect Mae Sot directly with Tak bus station, starting at 05:30 and finishing around 19:00, and in theory departing every 30 minutes - however those that are already full can be expected to leave early, and those that are not will probably go late. The journey takes about 90 minutes and costs 50 baht/person. The surcharge for putting a bicycle on the roofrack is 50 baht.
There are buses throughout the day from Moh Chit Bus Station in Bangkok. VIP buses are 700 baht as of June 2008. There are as well, 1st class buses, and other levels.
[edit] By air
Mae Sot airport is about 2km west of the edge of town, and just 1km from the border. The airport is no longer in use.
[edit] Get around
the airport is open again
[edit][add listing] See
- Myawaddy in Myanmar (overnight stays not permitted)
- The municipal market in town is quite vibrant and represents an amazing cultural mix. There are Indo-burmese textiles, food and teak; as well as Karen, Mon, Hmong and other Burmese minority shops of all kinds. Turtles, eels and frogs all available at food stalls (mostly these are live) while of course more "western" meats such as pork, chicken, beef and lamb. Beef and lamb are much harder to come by. Gem and Jade shops abound in Mae Sot as well - but they are not for amateurs, you best be able to tell the difference between real and fake gems if you plan to buy.
- The Wat (temple) on the eastern side of town (near the Tesco Lotus) has a sauna, for about 20B.
[edit][add listing] Do
[edit][add listing] Buy
[edit][add listing] Eat
It appears that most places in Mae Sot have English menus available; so if you know Thai, ask for the Thai menus, as they tend to have many more options.
Aiya is a Thai-Burmese restaurant on the western Intharakhiri road, across from Ban Thai. A favorite among westerners. An expansive menu, and the staff has decent english.
Casa Mia offers Thai as well as Italian food. The staff is friendly, and it is on a street off of the main (Intharakhiri) road. The sign should be visible from the street and it is also west of town (further west than Ban Thai guest house)
Krua Canadian Cafe is quite central down the block immediately south of the Police Station (center of Mae Sot). The menu is quite large and a hive of western info, english papers and cuisine.
The Night Market is terrific for dinner for the undecisive. With at least half a dozen different restaurants that stay open much later than the rest of Mae Sot, it's a good option for great Thai. Every shop here will have an English menu.
Hazel Cafe is just east of the Police Station and is the most "Western-looking" place in Mae Sot. It's "Ikea-sleek" decor may be out of place, but it's free wifi, Air Con, comfortable couches and delightful baked goods are hard to resist.
T Corner on the west side of town is another Anglo-friendly place, best suited for Lunch.
Countless Thai restaurants line the streets of Mae Sot. Be adventurous. You needn't ever eat at the same place twice here, so long as you don't stay for more than a year.
[edit][add listing] Drink
[edit][add listing] Sleep
There are many hotels and guest houses in Mae Sot. Centrally, you can stay at Green Guest House, a clean and affordable converted set of homes. There are private and shared bath rooms available. Television is also included. If you stay more than one night a towel and toilet paper are included. First Hotel has invested it's time and energy in its interior, leaving the exterior to be remarkable only for the difference. Air con rooms with double debs are available, as are other variations.
To the west of the city center are Bai Fern, No. 4 and Ban Thai guest houses. Bai Fern has wifi, mostly unremarkable rooms, and some have Air Con. Ban Thai is further west, down a soft gravel alley, with a very peaceful atmosphere. Rooms are clean, but Air Con does not seem available. Wifi, however, appears plentiful there, and it seems to be quite popular among the NGO-working western crowd. No. 4 guest house appears to be a haven for trekkers, and has clean comparable rooms to other places in town.
[edit] Get out
| This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow! |
