Mae Sot
From Halal Explorer
Mae Sot (แม่สอด) is in Tak Province, Thailand at an elevation of around 210 m.
Contents
Mae Sot Halal Explorer
It will become the main gateway by land between Thailand and Myanmar due to the Trilateral Highway aka Asian Superhighway between Moreh, India and Mae Sot, passing by Mandalay.
Get in
By car
Be aware that there are two bus stations in Mae Sot and the city bus station 16.718, 98.568 right south of the market with lower frequency and the western bus station 16.704993, 98.546044 and the main hub. From the western bus station there are motor bikes and tuk tuk taxis. It is best to have a map and your destination on it. The typical fare for a shared ride into town and guest houses is not more than 20 Baht - negotiate prior to embarking. For direct taxis the fare can be between 50 and 100 Baht. Or you can just walk the 2.5 km.
Tak
Access from Tak is 86 kilometers along Highway 105 via Doi Musoe (870 m) and Doi Son (784 m). Tak is on the regular bus route between Chiang Mai and Bangkok.
Frequent mini buses connect Mae Sot directly with Tak bus station, starting at 05:30 and ending around 19:00, and should depart every 30 minutes from the southern end of Burmese market. 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 roughly 78 Baht/person. The extra charge for putting a bicycle on the roof rack is 50 Baht.
Bangkok
The travel duration between Mae Sot and Bangkok is about 7-8 hours. There are buses in the early morning and late evening (8/9/10 p.m.) from Mor Chit Bus Station in Bangkok - but arrive at least 2 hours before your intended journey if have not booked ahead. A single ticket for the VIP buses cost roughly 613 Baht per person. Try to get a spot on the top level of the VIP bus away from the toilets at the bottom level. There are also cheaper 1st and 2nd class buses, 450 Baht and 540 Baht respectively. Towards Bangkok the buses leave Mae Sot early in the morning and throughout the evening (6/7/8/9 p.m.).
From Bangkok you will most likely arrive at the western bus station, but you can try to get off when the bus passes the downtown. Most buses from the city bus station towards Bangkok will also stop at the western bus station.
Chiang Mai
Green Buses from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot depart daily at 08:30 and 13:10 (1st class).
Myanmar
You can walk across the friendship bridge - GPS: 16.690717, 98.516426 directly from Myawaddy to Mae Sot. The bridge is 700 m long and the walk takes 10 min or so, but is completely exposed to the elements (no shelter/shade). You pass through immigration on the Burmese side and then again to enter Thailand where free visa-on-arrival (valid for 30 days) is available for many nationalities. Both sides of the bridge have "foreigner" booths which generally provide a fast service versus the crowds of local residents crossing back and forth. Remember to have an address of your destined stay promptly available, as the (Thai) immigration staff may be a bit less nicer than the Burmese one demanding this information.
Buses leave twice daily from Yangon to Myawaddy directly, morning and evening, with several different companies to choose from. 9,000-15,000 kyat, often including transfer from Yangon city to the appropriate bus terminal. Depending on the departure they may be arrive to late to cross the border in time, so check ahead.
Buses (5,000 kyat) and various shared taxis (10,000 kyat) also go directly from Hpa-An and Mawlamyine throughout the day. Nobody wants to buy Myanmar kyat in Thailand, so best to exchange or spend all of it before you cross the border into Thailand.
Once arriving on the (Thai) side, you can catch a Songthaew to town for 30 Baht, motorcycle taxi for 80 Baht or attempt to hitchhike, which is generally fairly easy as all traffic is passing alongside Mae Sot, and often includes large pickups and trucks.
However, you may even cross back to Myanmar on the same day.
By air
Get around
Getting around town is best achieved by foot. If you are planning to explore the surrounding area, bicycles and motorbikes can be rented at many guest houses for roughly 50 and 150 Baht per day respectively. A helmet is supplied as the police fine people not wearing one. You have to leave your passport for bond and fill up with petrol when you return it. Cars and 4 wheel drives can be hired from several places around town (e.g., Well Driving, close to Casa Mia).
Taxis come in the form of motorbike or tuk-tuk, usually found near the Burmese market and outside Tesco. The drivers have special licence number jackets. Prices depend on distance, number of passengers and your negotiation skills, but as a rough guide, 50-100 Baht for most places around the town.
What to see in Mae Sot
In the city
- Wat Mani Herbal Sauna - This is a must do when in Mae Sot. Bring your own towel and water bottle. Women should wear a sarong or loose wrap. There are separate sections for men and women. The steam room is just 3x2 m but gives a good opportunity to mix with the local residents. Don't be fooled by the shady surrounding and there is fresh water in the back near the fire and some workout equipment.
- Town markets | The vibrant Burmese market in the centre of town 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 while Beef, Chicken, beef, and lamb are also sold. There are numerous gem and jade shops - but they are not for amateurs. (You better be able to tell the difference between real and fake gems if you plan to buy here.) Open morning and evening is a small indoor (Thai) market at Baan Nua, on the way to Mae Sot Villas with lovely fresh vegetables, hala Meat and cooked take-away meals.
Around the city (sorted by distance)
- Reclining Buddha and Buddha Foot at Wat (Thai) Wattanaram | There is a beautiful Buddhist temple which contains a giant reclining Buddha. Continue straight on and find the Buddha's footprint.
- Rim Moei Border Market | A whole range of locally made and Chinese and Burmese imports, including bootleg Viagra, cigarettes, whiskey and designer goods, plus gems and plants. Rating at Tripadvisorː 3.5 of 5 stars.
- Mae Kasa Hot Springs | Legend has it that the Mae Kasa Hot Springs are hot enough to boil an egg. There's a nice walk around the area and it's a great place to have a picnic.
- Gibbon Sanctuary | While many other animals reside here and the gibbon sanctuary houses dozens of rescued gibbon, of the great ape group, who are often adopted as pets and then neglected by their owners when they reach adulthood. These fascinating creatures speak to you as you walk among their pens and hand feed them ripe fruit.
- Tararak Waterfall | Tararak is part of the Ti Lor Sunday waterfall group and like its cousin Phra Charoen contains a nice walking trail and plenty of places to picnic.
- Phra Charoen Waterfall | There is a well-beaten trail alongside its 97 steps, providing a beautiful stroll through the jungle. Bring a picnic with you and be prepared to get wet. There is a Burmese refugee camp at Umpiam further south of the Waterfall, in case you are into local politics and society.
Songthaews travel frequently north (Highway 105) and south (Highway 1090) in case you don't wanna rent a scooter or bicycle. They leave from the market or you can flag them down on route, but beware they are bone shakers and sometimes very full.
What to do in Mae Sot
- Gecko Garden Yoga Studio | Yoga in a peaceful setting. Mat provided. Regular classes on Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Advanced classes on Tuesday & Thursday.
- Puzzlebox Art Courses - The Puzzlebox offers courses in batik, ceramics, sandblasting and basic art. Professionals teach basic techniques, and you create your own original work. The course culminates in a product you can take home. Participate individually or schedule a group course.
- The most recommended (Thai) massages are the one on the grounds of Mae Sot Hospital, rear entrance, and the one on the Asian Highway on the left towards the river, just past the traffic lights to Mae Ramat.
- Two Wheels Bike Rental | Explore the scenic surroundings of Mae Sot on bicycle. Fully-loaded Trek 3900 with disc brakes. 216, 218 and 220 inch available.
- Youth Connect Foundation - The number of migrant labourers has grown over the past twenty years. This increase of long term migrant laborers has resulted in a rapidly growing youth population. In response to the population growth over 75 different migrant schools have been established in the Mae Sot area alone. All together Youth Connect Foundation works with apprentices for a minimum of 10 months. During this time the apprentices will go through three stages: In-School Training Program, Intensive Training Program and Apprenticeship Placement and Career Centre.
- Volunteering in an orphanage - The Center for Children in Need needs short- or long-term volunteers in their grass-roots project for abandoned Burmese children. Volunteers participate in the daily activities and there are often small construction and renovation projects. The director also takes the volunteers to the market and shows them around.
Muslim Friendly Shopping in Mae Sot
[[File:Gems in a shop in Mae Sot (Thailand).jpg|1280px|Gems in a shop in Mae Sot (Thailand)]]
- The weekend market This market is famous for its countless local food stalls to the north with a great variety. To the south cloths and local handicraft can be found.
- The main market is a great place to purchase some Burmese goods. Wandering around it is easy to see the ethnic diversity in Mae Sot. It is also a fantastic place to buy great fresh, often live, food.
- There are many gem stone and jewellery shops offering good bargains. Most of the trade is for wholesale however. As with anywhere in Thailand, although many sellers are reputable, be wary that if you look European, low quality stones might be sold for high prices. Do some research before you buy.
- For locally made ethnic handicrafts, Fair Trade / Social Enterprise, goods try the WEAVE & Borderline shops, which are almost opposite each other on Inthrakiree Road heading into town from the west. Borderline also has an artist's gallery, a Coffee shop, and free WiFi out the back.
- There are a couple of trekking/tour companies operating out of Mae Sot, with jungle trips, elephant rides and white water rafting. SP Kitchen on Asia Highway is one option, Bai Fern in the centre on Inthrakiree Road is another. Some routes are seasonal and cannot be visited at the height of the rainy season, May-October.
Muslim Friendly Food & Restaurants in Mae Sot
- The Night Market is terrific for late Halal diners as the open air shops stay open quite late. All (Thai) Food with English menus.
Buy Muslim Friendly Condos, Houses and Villas in Mae Sot
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Muslim Friendly hotels in Mae Sot
- Irawadee Resort | Hotel décor is of old classic Thai-Myanmar style. Clean and well-maintained rooms making you feel like you're staying in a real hotel, not only overnight sleep room. Free WiFi and breakfast included in the room rate. Opposite and surrounding it are several restaurants and Coffee shops: Bor-Kung Phao, dinner only with seafood caught in Myanmar; Krua Kon Wan, lunch & dinner Thai-style food; Som Tam shop; Chansuda Shop, (Thai) traditional desserts and snacks; Yellow Green Coffee Shop, Coffee, Tea and baked goods; T Corner, Coffee and some food.
Go next
Remember and there are two bus stations in Mae Sot, so be sure you know which station your bus departs from.
Around Mae Sot
Another way to leave Mae Sot is to catch the shuttle van to Tak to connect to onward buses. These leave throughout the day around every 40 minutes from the old market area which is over the bridge from Green Guesthouse. The trip to Tak takes around 1.5 hours and costs 78 Baht.
Songthaews travel frequently to Mae Sariang (north) and Umphang (south). They leave from the market or you can flag them down on route, but beware they are bone shakers and sometimes very full.
Further east of Umphang lies Khlong Lan National Park. The park covers around 300 sq kilometers with its highest point at 1440-m-high Khun Klong Lan. Wildlife includes sambar deer, wild pig and macaques. There are also a number of waterfalls, including the Khlong Lan Waterfall which cascades over a 100-m-high rock face. The Khlong Nam Lai Waterfall is good for swimming.
North
In addition to the Mae Sot to Mor Chit (Bangkok) route, buses also travel directly to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Departure times from Mae Sot are 06:00 and 08:00 from the main bus terminal. Tickets can usually be purchased without problems at the station on the morning of departure and are 250-350 Baht or 350-500 Baht, respectively, depending on the service class. Ask your hotel to arrange an early morning tuk-tuk to the station. The ticket booth opens at 05:30. The Green Bus, direct to Chiang Mai, has moved its ticket office to a building on the Asia Highway just to the west of Highway 105 North. Total travel duration to Chiang Mai is about 6 hours and Chiang Rai about 9 hours.
Along the Myanmar border Mae Hong Son is another destination north of Mae Sot.
South
One bus line serves Laem Ngop, (Ko Chang), and Mukdahan daily. The company that runs this service is Phetprasert. The Laem Ngop bus travels south towards Bangkok, veering east before entering the city, and then travelling along the coast via Chonburi and Rayong. The travel duration from Mae Sot to the ferry departure point for Ko Chang is around 16 hours and the ticket costs 750 Baht. The Mukdahan bus makes station-only stops, including Sukhothai, Phitsanulok and Khon Kaen.
East
Famous for its ruins is the ancient city Sukhothai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is about 170 kilometers away from Mae Sot. Minibuses run regularly from the bus station in the city south of the market. The journey takes about 3 hours, passing through Tak on the way. The price is about 130 Baht.
Myanmar
Songthaews to the friendship bridge leave frequently from the far side of the Burmese market. Locals should be able to point you in the right direction. They depart throughout the day, but only when full, so wait times may be up to an hour. Best to go fairly early morning, when the local residents do. THB20 per person, and be prepared to squeeze in. Motorcycle taxis cost THB60.
Be aware that there is no visa on arrival available in Myanmar, so you will need to have obtained a visa previously. Since 2016 and the E-Visa is now also accepted at this land border. After passing through customs in Thailand, you can walk across the bridge (10-15 mins) and stroll into customs on the Myanmar side. Both customs offices have booths for foreigners, speeding up the process. From Myawaddy it is easy to catch onward transport into Myanmar (Hpa-An and Mawlamyine), although generally easier earlier in the morning before the border opens at 06:00 (Thai) expats; remember to obtain your (Thai) re-entry visa before crossing.