Voices from the Journey:
At Mae Hong Son Holidays, we believe that travel is more than just visiting new places—it’s about feeling welcomed, discovering meaning, and creating moments that linger long after the journey ends. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of guiding travelers from all walks of life through the serene landscapes and cultural treasures of northern Thailand. This page is dedicated to the voices of those who’ve journeyed with us—families, solo explorers, travel bloggers, and adventure seekers—who have generously shared their experiences. Their words reflect not only the beauty of the destinations, but also the warmth of the people, the care in our service, and the unforgettable stories that unfolded along the way. Below are some of their heartfelt reflections, shared with the world on platforms such as Trustpilot, TripAdvisor, and Google Maps—some of which we’ve thoughtfully compiled here.
Do it …book these guys you will have the best time. / Lynette B, Australia
What can I say but absolutely fantastic. Poontkei and Pat our tour guide and driver were the best. Professional, safe and full of information. They took us to the best restaurants and places to view on the Mae Hong Son Loop. One of the best tours we’ve done in Thailand.
Explore Northern Thailand 9 Days 8 Nights / Thomas K, Switzerland
We booked the “Explore Northern Thailand 9 Days 8 Nights Tour” for two people with Mae Hong Son Holidays. We deliberately chose to book this trip with a regional tour operator. Communication in English worked excellently from the start. The only irritating thing was that the advance payment had to be transferred to the company owner’s private account, which leaves a certain amount of uncertainty these days. We were picked up at the airport as promised in the itinerary and dropped off again after nine fantastic days. We were able to complete the entire trip as planned. Our tour guide, “Ponki” (Madam Poong Kee), was able to provide us with helpful information about all the attractions. We often made spontaneous stops to visit local markets or simply to buy regional delicacies, which we then enjoyed during the trip. Our driver, Mr. Sombat, drove us safely to even the most remote places in his nine-seater Toyota bus for nine days. We felt in excellent hands with them and couldn’t imagine better travel companions. The only downside was the accommodations in Chiang Mai and Phrae, which we found unsatisfactory and didn’t meet our standards. However, since you don’t spend much time in your room, this is manageable and shouldn’t spoil our wonderful nine days. We definitely recommend this tour and the tour operator!
Fantastic Trip / Elizabeth, Matemwe, Tanzania
Our 9 day tour of northern Thailand with Mae Hong Son Holidays was fantastic. Not knowing anything about the tour company, we were a bit apprehensive on what we would end up getting. However, we were more than delighted and satisfied with our tour guide, Ms. Poong Kee, and our driver Mr. Sombat. Our various destinations were as planned, but Ms. Poong Kee and Mr. Sombat went out of there way to offer us an enlightening visit to the tour’s various sites. Ms. Poong Kee had an awesome talent in engaging with the villagers, which allowed us to learn about their culture and crafts. I would highly recommend Mae Hong Son Holidays tour company if you want to see Thailand. They know all the ‘in’s’ and ‘outs’ and made our trip awesome. Mr. Sombat was a stellar driver through all the city traffic as well as the winding mountain roads. We absolutely loved our trip to Thailand and Mae Hong Son Holidays made it more than we ever expected. Thank you Mae Hong Son Holidays and especially Ms. Poong Kee and Mr. Sombat. Your company and employees are highly regarded and will be recommended to any friends interested in your lovely country.
Good Memories at Mae Hong Son / Awcheng, Bangkok, Thailand
We have recently joined a 4D3N holiday to Mae Hong Son organised by Mae Hong Son Holidays. The services provided by this company are excellent from the tour operations (Ms Atchara) to the tour guide (Ms. Poongkee) and the driver (Pi Pad). We are very impressed by the prompt response of Ms. Atchara to my enquiries. We very much appreciate Poongkee’s effort in making our trips smooth and full of fun. She is a very experienced tour guide paying attention to every details to accommodate our preferences throughout the journey. For example, she knows that we are coffee lovers that she arranged stops at some very special coffee shops during the long journey from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son and vice versa. And we love to listen to her stories about the places and cultures. Finally, we have to thank the driver, Pi Pad who is a very experienced driver who gave us a safe and comfortable loop tour. All of the above provided us with a very enjoyable and pleasant holiday. We will definitely join future tours organized by Mae Hong Son Holidays and we strongly recommend this company to any tourists who are looking for a reliable and good-serviced tour operator.
Amazing Northern Thailand Road Trip / Kchuek, Singapore
The 5D4N Mae Hong Son Special loop tour was a fantastic experience for me and my elderly father. Atchara was fast in responding to our emails and gave us precise information regarding the tour including her recommendations and reassuring updates on the flooding situation. Poongkie our guide and Vitaya our driver treated us like family and we learnt so much about the culture and history of the many places we visited. Highly recommend the team at Mae Hong Son Holidays! The landscape was lush, green and vibrant during the this time of the year and it didn’t rain at all during our time there. Wonderful time to visit. Thanks for the hospitality and great memories.
Amazing Way to See Northern Thailand / AirdrieRob, Airdrie, Canada
First off the customer service from our English speaking guide – Poongkie, and our great driver, Vit, was second to none as was dealing with the booking agent through email to reserve and plan out the trip. The whole team made sure everything was taken care of, knew the best places to visit, and the most delicious places to eat. I went with my 18 year old son and we had a blast – from temples, to caves, to Tiger Kingdom, to Elephants, to vistas, waterfalls, tribal villages and towns. Would highly recommend this trip.
Stunning mountain scenery, with a dash of culture, great food and company / Anne N, Australia
We did the 5 Day 4 Night Special Loop Tour. Everything went smoothly from the booking process through to our final drop off. We found the company professional, efficient and accommodating. The itinerary was varied and our guide Poongkie was very knowledgeable offering interesting insights into the places and people visited. Nothing was too much trouble and she and the driver Wit were great company. Wit’s driving around the many mountain bends was faultless. We felt very well cared for by both of them. Coffee and lunch stops were well chosen. Not only was the food delicious but it often came with a great view. The Imperial Mae Hong Son Hotel was a bit tired and a bit out of town. However Poongkie and Wit were happy to provide transfer in the evening. We had many great experiences that we may have missed had we traveled independently, such as visits to various Hill Tribe villages. The highlight of the trip was the stunning mountain scenery and the easy companionship of Poongkie and Wit. Thank you for a stress free and memorable time.
An enjoyable and memorable private tour of the Mae Hong Son loop with guide and driver / Karielou, Zurich, Switzerland
We cannot thank Mae Hong Son Holidays enough for making our driving tour of the loop so enjoyable and memorable. Both Poongkie, the tour guide, and Vitaya, our driver, cared for us as if we were members of their own family. They really went out of their way to help us in every way they could. We very much enjoyed their company and missed them after they dropped us off in Chaing Rai. The advanced planning by Mr Moon of our private tour was excellent and he gave us some very valuable advice. Poongkie took us to places that we would never have gone on our own and she had great knowledge of the area (coffee shops and restaurants with beautiful views being her fortait!). We felt very safe with Vitaya at all times. His driving skills were excellent and he drove slowly and carefully.
Amazing!! Mae Hong Son 5 Day/4 night Special Loop / Belle B, Australia
Such an amazing and well thought out tour. We did the 5 day 4 night Mae Hong Son Special Loop and it was perfect to see all the attractions and hidden gems. Definitely one of our favourite things we did in our trip to Thailand! This tour was made even more special by our fantastic guide and driver, Poongkie and Vitaya. They were such caring people who made us feel comfortable, safe and cared for at every moment of the trip. We loved how flexible the trip was and it didn’t feel rushed considering the amount of things planned. The food and accomodation were fantastic! We were able to try lots of local dishes and snacks. The car was extremely comfortable and clean made even better by the safe driving. We highly recommend this trip as it was the perfect amount of time to see everything. We are very thankful for the amazing time and will miss Poongkie and Vitaya very much!
Excellent trip Mae Hong Son Holidays and the guide Mme Poongkee / Fabienne D, France
Would like to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to our tour guide Mdm PoongKee and the perfect driver. For the third time, we hired Mae Hong Son Holidays and Mdr Poongkee for a 5 days tour in the north of Thailand. our guide is very experienced, made the perfect choice for the trip and visits, she was also very attentive to our desires and needs and did not know how to please us. It made our holiday an unforgettable one and made many precious memories-all of them. we are planning a 4th trip next year, and for sure with Mae Hong Son Holidays and Mme Poongkee.
Excellent Road Trip / Simon l, United Kingdom
Wonderful three day, four night trip on Mae Hong Loop. Our guide Bok and driver Pat were excellent. The first day was in national park and to one of highest peaks in Thailand, followed by waterfall and first nights accommodation in Mae Sariang was pleasant but beds were not great. Next day was a real treat and we felt we saw real Thailand including stick boat ride along Myanmar border, we saw real villages and people. The roads are very windy and my only criticism of this day was it was very long and only got to second hotel at 19.30. But what a treat the Fern Eco resort was excellent and we are delighted we decided to delay our next day and depart at 12.00, allowing our driver, guide and us to rest. The next day we went to Pai via two interesting Chinese villages. Pai was a lively place and our hotel in the middle was well placed. We changed the itinerary again and decided not to stay second night and headed back to Chaing Mae via a few villages. Bok our guide was exceptional and happy to change/alter itinerary and even guided us back in Chaing Mae on last night out. Highly recommend this company but roads are long and windy!
Wonderful Guide / driver makes Mae Hong Son trip more enjoyable / Bluewaterz, Singapore
My family of 5 (with 3 young children from 7 to 12) had a wonderful 4 day 3 night holiday doing the Mae Hong Son Loop & Pai with Mdm PoongKee and driver Mr Chad. Mdm PoongKee is a very patient guide who shared with us the background and history of the various sights. She is also very good with young kids, helping me to soothe my 7 yo gal who throws tantrums at times, especially when she gets a little unwell due to the long windy roads. It was not an easy road trip due to the long windy roads (1,864 curves). Thankfully, we are in the safe hands of driver Mr Chad, who’s an experienced driver in the Mae Hong Son district. PoongKee also added a small detour to a small animal sanctuary during the trip as she observed the kids loved animals, which made the young ones very happy! Overall, the Mae Hong Soon Loop with Pai was a wonderful trip with lots of nature, flowers and the company of our guide. One of the highlights of the trip for the kids was PoongKee as they enjoyed her company a lot =) Thanks to Poong Kee and Mr Chad for making the trip all the more wonderful and safe for us. Will highly recommend to travel with Mae Hong Son tour, especially when going to Mae Hong Son region, cos it’s important to have a good guide/driver in the long windy road trip.
Wonderful Experience with Mae Hong Son Holidays / Noraiani, Singapore
Would like to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to our tour guide Mdm PoongKee for the generous hospitality and the wonderful and great service rendered during our holidays in Chiang Mai. She is so experienced and a gem for Mae Hong Son Holidays. It made our holiday an unforgettable one and made many precious memories-all of them. We had a great time! Thank you too to Mr Chad -for driving us around safely and patiently. He is also an asset to Mae Hong Son holidays. Both mdm Poongkee & Mr Chad make a good team. Will definitely book Mae Hong Son holidays given another chance and highly recommend it for others to experience the tour as well! Well done and keep up the good service!
Excellent Tour / Extraordinary313235 / Sydney, Australia
My wife and I completed the Mae Hong Son classic day tour. Booking was easy and our guide Sak was both informative and entertainment. A thoroughly enjoyable day and an insightful experience.
Very Professional / PCD, India
Atchara was very responsive to my emails and she gave us a phone call on the day of our departure. We liked the service so much we booked the private car for one more day. The driver was super professional and he was a very sweet guy. He knew the places around really well and when the weather went bad, he really knew how to handle those crazy turns on the hill. He took us to a popular Chinese restaurant in Ban Rak Thai and also took us to a good view point to look at the village. He stopped by Uncle Pala’s coffee shop too and talked to the staff for us to get a room.
Chiang Mai / Mae Hong Son / Pai Loop / Sue Low ST, Malaysia
Good guide & good driver, who went over and beyond their call of duty to ensure that me and my hubby had a good holiday. Thank you so much Pungkie and Noi.
Fantastic Excursion / Fdesch, Antwerp, Belgium
With Mae Hong Son Holidays we did a complete two-day excursion in Mae Hong son and the surroundings. The organisation was perfect. The driver and the guide were waiting us at arrival on the airport at 10.00AM. Than they guided us through Mae Hong Son with his temples and lake (including perfect lunch). In the afternoon we were transferred to a beautiful lodge, were we could relax and have a drink with splendid view on the sunset. The day after they visited with us the local daily market, and than we were transfered by a longtail boat to a village of the Paduang People (longnecks), where we were guided through the village and the school. After a lunch in Mae Hong son they brought us than to Fish Cave, and in the late afternoon we were in time at the airport for or flight back to Chiang Mai (05.30PM). The driver and the guide were both very professional. We had a splendid two-day excursion.
Outstanding organization of our trip / Carina B, Sweden
Meeting up at airport and organizing our 5 nights trip. Humble and very knowledge guide “Ponky” and a perfect driver “Doom” taking us all the way trough the 1864 curves on the road from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son. First day looking around in Chiang Mai. Of course the beautiful Wat and afternoon handicraft. Next day on our way to Pie. Visiting Orchid farm, looked at elephants and drafting on a small river. Then further on of course a lot of unforgettable views at 1400 m above the sea. After a night in Pia time to go to Mae Hong Son, but on the way visiting wonderful cave, drafting trough the cave with stalactites. Superb lunch everyday. In Mae Hong Son we visited the long neck village. It vas interesting to see that the women nowadays can make there own choices to wear the rings around there neck or not. The village has developed since the 15 years since we where there. Even visited Ban Rak Thai, Chinese tea village very close to the Burma boarder. Beautiful. Very good hotels Can really recommend this trip. Make your own choices and the help you with everything.
Paradise of Mae Hong Son 4 Days 3 Nights / Karthik Ramanadane, Italy
My wife and I booked a 4 days, 3 nights tour with Mae Hong Son Holidays. During the months prior to the trip, the communication with the agency was extremely easy and precise. They gave us the possibility of adapting the trip to our need but we stuck to the proposed program which took us to the Mae Hong Son region, Ban Rak Thai and Pai with stop on the way to enjoy the beauty of the region. The trip was exactly as planned with no hidden cost. Our guide, Poonkie and our driver, Witkaya, took us through the marvels of this part of Thailand and really made our stay special (with their energy, good mood and passion for teaching us all the facts about this region)! 🙂 I really cannot recommend a better agency for such a trip and I hope more people will hire their services!
4 Days 3 Nights Van Rental / Courtney De Plukker, Belgium
My boyfriend and I booked a tour of 4 days, 3 nights. The communication before the trip went very fluently. We had some ideas of what we wanted and based on that, they sent us a very detailed description of how the planning would look like. During the whole trip, Pontkee (our guide) and Pat (our driver) were very professional and helpful. Pontkee was very passionate, gave a lot of info and introduced us to the Thai culture. Pat was an excellent driver who always helped us with our luggage and was very friendly. We saw many special, local places and when we wanted to make last minute changes , they did everything to make that possible. I recommend 100% to book with them and cannot express my gratitude enough on how special they made our trip. Thank you!
Wonderful experience, highly recommended! / Alessandro Scotti, Belgium
I had a private tour with my girlfriend together with Pontkee (guide) and Pat (driver), in a spacious and modern van. We had a deep dive in the amazing nature around Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son. It was a really authentic experience, that also gave us the opportunity to know a bit better Thai culture and tribe villages. A special thanks to Pontkee and Pat, very flexible, that made the experience unforgettable, driving us to less known places, letting us try local food and giving interesting anecdotes.
Chiang Mai Pha Dok Sieo / Full Day Tour / Kamila S, Poland
I highly recommend Mae Hong Son Holidays and Poongkie as a tour guide. She is a great storyteller who shares interesting and valuable insights about Thailand and Chang Mai province. We spent 1 day together in Chang Mai at private tour during which we saw waterfalls, royal pagodas, the highest mountain, Doi Inthanon National park and went on trekking around rice fields and beautiful nature side to Karen White tribe’s village. Poongkie was a very patient guide who treated us as family’s members. She told us a lot of intresting facts about visting places, religion, Thai cuisine, mountain tribes and history of Chang Mai. Together with the driver they create a dream team. Driver was an experienced guy who provided safe driving on the mountain routes, a very comfortable bus and gave us water during the whole trip. If you are looking for an amazing trip to discover Chiang Mai province in friendly atmosphere, taste traditional Thai dishes and learn more about the members of mountain tribes, their traditions, habits and daily life, do not wait and book a trip with Mae Hong Son Holidays and Poongkie as your tour guide.
Mae Hong Son Half Day Tour / Sandy Moni Bidin, Italy
One of the best tours in Thailand! Our guide picked us up at the airport and our Half Day tour started immediately upon arrival. We visited the 3 beautiful temples in town, the had lunch with our guide at the Son & Mama local restaurant (the local kitchen was amazing 😋). After lunch we visited the long neck women’s village and then went to our resort to check in. The Half day tour was so beautiful that we booked the “one day classic tour” for the day after and it was fantastic too 🤩!!! Amazing experience and very knowledgeable guide. Ask for Mr. Boonchuay Surin to guide you! He’s brilliant and also gives you some tips on how to enjoy the town in the best way!!! We’ll definitely come back to this paradise again!!!
Mae Hong Son Loop Tour 3 Days 2 Nights / Caroline Rochford, UK
We had an incredible 4-day, 3-night guided tour of the Mae Hong Son loop. Our guide and driver were extremely polite and considerate of all our needs, very knowledgeable providing lots of information about our visits along the way, and were also very flexible with the itinerary. We would highly recommend them!
Mae Hong Son Tour 3 Days 2 Nights / Chua Kf, Malaysia
My family had a great tour in Mae Hong Son last week with Mae Hong Son Holidays arrangement. It was guided by PoongKee, a passionate guide, who fulfilled our needs to the greatest extent. Though we were from the similar tropical country yet we enjoyed the learning of different culture and lifestyle there. My three teenagers enjoyed the walk in the nature as well as ample photography spots. The food was just fantastic though the portion provided was little too big for us. For those who are fond of nature and looking forward to a peaceful and relax vacation, this is the recommended one. I am glad that I chose the right company in our trip to Mae Hong Son. Cause it did a great job in providing us a hassle-free holiday. Thank you very much.
Mae Hong Son 3 Days 2 Nights / Antonio Tricarico, Italy
TOP!! Mae Hong Son Holidays is a great tour operator. They are very professional and answered to our e.mails always very quickly. They organized for us a customized tour of 2 night and always was perfect. We lived a lot of authentic Thai experiences that we have never lived before in the other part of the Country. Our guide, a real local guide, was very careful, kind and knowledgeable. I strongly recommend this tour operator if you decide to visit the north of Thailand.
4 Days 3 Nights Van Rental / Jean Teoh, Malaysia
Very satisfy with van rental for 4D3N from Chiangmai to Mae Hong Son Bak Thai village, Pai, Chiangrai and back to Chiangmai with MSH Holidays. Price very reasonable and no hidden cost, good & efficient service. Places to visit suggested by me and arranged by MSH Holiday go smoothly with their experience and familiarity. MSH holidays also provided me information on entrance fee for attractions we going to visit. Route map sent with google map with details of travelling time required. Everything arranged and replied in professional way and fast response on enquiry during my booking. As we had lot of travel with winding road, our driver Mr Chart, drove safely and help us to find restaurants on our way. He is kind and flexible. MHS holidays also sent a tour guide without request FOC for our first 2 days from Chiangmai to Mae Hong Son. We really appreciate services from Mr Pattana Moonfong, Mr Chart and Ms Punkin. Thank you very much for making our holiday very delightful and went smoothly from booking till drop off at airport. We are in group of 6 paxs from Malaysia.
Mae Hong Son 2 Days 1 Night / Frank De Schutter, Netherlands
Wij maakten met deze organisatie een tweedaagse excursie naar Mae Hong Son en omgeving (longnecks). Alles was enorm verzorgd en perfect georganiseerd. Zeker aan te raden.
Mae Hong Son Loop Special 5 Days 4 Nights / Marie D, France
De retour d’ un excellent séjour organisé par ce voyagiste en tour privé dans le Nord de la Thaïlande d’ une durée de 5 jours.Excellentes prestations : choix du programme, encadrement,suivi permanent de qualité en toutes occasions( lunch, visites découvertes……) et félicitations la guide pour l’ excellence de ses commentaires.félicitations tout particulièrement la guide et le chauffeur et recommandons très vivement cette agence.
Mae Hong Son Loop 5 Days 4 Nights / Serena Wda / Bangkok, Thailand
My friend and I had a wonderful experience on the Chiang Mai–Mae Hong Son 5 Days, 4 Nights tour organized by Mae Hong Son Holidays. Everything was thoughtfully planned, with comfortable accommodations and delicious meals provided each day. The vehicle was in excellent condition, and our driver, Sak, was truly outstanding. The journey went smoothly from start to finish. We visited a variety of attractions as outlined in the itinerary. Our guide, Poong Kee, was exceptional—she took great care of us and shared fascinating insights into the history and stories behind each place we visited. Thank you for organizing such a memorable tour. We were thoroughly impressed.
Mae Hong Son loop / Suzanne, Canada
We had a fantastic tour of the Mae Hong Son loop with our guide Mimi. She was fantastic and took very good care of us. Everything went very smoothly. The drivers were responsible and drove safely. Each day was full of activity; we particularly enjoyed the elephant camp, the cave visit, the Pai River cruise and the Myanmar border town. The drive through the beautiful mountain vistas was breathtaking. The highlight of the tour was visiting the hill tribe villages. We really felt like we got a little glimpse into their lives in large part because of Mimi. She would speak to people on the street and involve us in the conversation. We were a bit worried that the local people would be a bit resentful of tourists but everyone was very friendly and welcoming. We felt no no pressure to buy souvenirs except in the Long-necked Karen village but I was happy to buy a few pashminas to help their economy. We made memories for a lifetime.
We’ve had the pleasure of welcoming passionate travelers from around the world to explore the hidden gems of northern Thailand with us. Among them are the adventurous storytellers behind Jet Setting Duo and Sherman Family Adventures, who joined one of our immersive exploration trips through the lush landscapes and culturally rich communities of the region. During their journey, they experienced firsthand the warmth of local hospitality, the serenity of misty mountain mornings, and the vibrant traditions that make northern Thailand so unforgettable. Inspired by these moments, both travel blogs went on to publish heartfelt articles capturing the essence of their time with us—each from their unique perspective. Their stories, now featured on their respective websites, offer readers a glimpse into the magic of Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, and beyond. From family-friendly activities to off-the-beaten-path discoveries, their reflections continue to inspire future travelers to embrace the beauty and authenticity of northern Thailand. We’re honored to have been part of their journey, and we invite you to explore their articles to see how our region leaves a lasting impression on those who walk its trails and share in its stories.