Mae Hong Son’s bamboo bridge—known in the Shan language as Su Tong Pae—is another of those sites that, while perhaps not worth travelling far out of your way to see, definitely merits a stop if you’re passing by.
Travel better, travel smarter
Save money, receive our latest updates and get the most out of your travels.
Fortunately, with a strategic location at the junction of Highway 1095 and the route to Ban Rak Thai, it does conveniently slot in beside other out of town destinations. Right by the main highway, the bridge makes for a great stop if you’re travelling under your own steam between Mae Hong Son and Soppong or Pai. The eastern end of the bridge is signposted in English to the right of the road as you arrive from Soppong. Along with a stop at the nearby mud spa and a peek at the seasonally impressive Pha Sua Waterfall the bridge also adds to the various sites between Mae Hong Son and Ban Rak Thai for a day tour. Access to the Shan village of Kung Mai Sak and the western end of the bridge is just off this route.
Take a wander. Photo: Mark Ord
The bridge itself resembles something of a mini-U Bein bridge with a raised but low, bamboo platform attached to teak piles and stretches some 500 metres across paddy-fields and the Mae Sa Nga Stream. It was built in 2012 purportedly to link a hill-top temple aside 1095 to the village itself.
The small Shan style temple on the low hill, known as Phu Sama, provides fine overviews of the bridge. A sealed road also connects the two and the bamboo bridge is only suitable for pedestrians so, aside from allowing monks direct access to the village (and vice versa), the main users are principally tourists. We did see plenty of atmospheric shots in town travel agents of early morning monks seeking alms from sarong-clad villagers on the bridge but we’d reckon you’d have to be lucky with your timing and there were certainly none about on the morning ... Travelfish members only (Around 400 more words) ... please log in to read the rest of this story.
Don’t miss the boat!
Please subscribe to Travelfish.org to read the rest of this article, or log in here.
Subscribing to Travelfish costs A$35 per year and it gets you access to more than 200 downloadable guides to specific destinations, fabulous discount coupons and 50% off our personalised travel planning service. Sign up here.
By
Mark Ord.
Last updated on 14th January, 2018.
Popular hotels in Mae Hong Son on Agoda
(23 reviews)
(209 reviews)
(248 reviews)
(397 reviews)
(578 reviews)
Location map for The Bamboo Bridge, Su Tong Pae
Popular attractions in Mae Hong Son
A selection of some of our favourite sights and activities around Mae Hong Son.
Best places to stay in Mae Hong Son
A selection of some of our favourite places to stay in Mae Hong Son.
What next?
Browse our independent reviews of places to stay in and around Mae Hong Son.
Check prices, availability & reviews on Agoda or Booking
Read up on where to eat on Mae Hong Son.
Check out our listings of things to do in and around Mae Hong Son.
Read up on how to get to Mae Hong Son, or book your transport online with 12Go Asia.
Do you have travel insurance yet? If not, find out why you need it.
Planning on riding a scooter in Mae Hong Son? Please read this.
Buy a SIM card for Thailand—pick it up at the airport when you arrive.
Browse the web securely while travelling with TunnelBear. Try with a 7–day free trial.
