Thank you for all your help regarding a driving trip to Mae Hong Son. Because of your suggestions I have just booked flights and will be there mid. Sept.

We will fly into Chaing Mai spend a few days visiting the major temples, The Elephant Nature Park & have a massage or 2 (we have been to C.M. many years ago). Our 12 day plans include:

drive to Mae Sariang for a few days,
North to Mae Hong Son for a couple more days
Soppong
then back to Chaing Mai.

1. The weather records show 80 degree average but somewhere I thought I read to prepare for rain???
2. Any suggestions to our plans are appreciated and welcomed.

I would consider a stop in Pai on the way to MHS. Pai is a very laid back kind of town with lots of things to do. Perhaps an overnight stay and explore the Wats around Pai. The Quarter is a good hotel and September will still be the low season so should be able to get a good rate.

For September I would expect it to be hotter than 80, more likely in the 90s during the day and yes there is always a chance of rain.

Ditto on The Quarter--we loved it. Keep in mind that Pai CAN be a bit "touristy" (mostly Thai tourists, however) but we still found it a charming stopover (1 night should be plenty.)

As for massages in Chiang Mai, DEFINITELY check out The Oasis. Beautiful grounds, reasonable prices (Western reasonable, a bit pricey for Thai standards) and to-die-for treatments. They also will pick you up and drop you off from your hotel in CM.

I agree with Hanuman's suggestion re a night in Pai (probably losing one night in Mai Sariang) we satyed at http://www.bellevillaresort.com/pai/index.php which is set out in the rice fields just out of town so you can take or leave teh touristy bit (although I did not find it touristy 5 years ago - ,my how things change!!).

Keep topped up on fuel as gas stations are few and far between on the loop.

The drive , anti clockwise from CM to Mai Sariang and onwards to MHS & Pai is more scenic than the route back from Pai to CM. So you may want to spend proportionately more time on on teh first section. the exception is is the last stretch into CM which passes teh Mae Rim valley, home to the Four Seasons.

i wuld also recommend taking a few of the diversions through teh National parks as set out in teh Budget World Class map.

Pai is now on the list and the Belle Villa looks like our kind of place.

Should I bother making reservations all all our stops? If there is a chance they will not have vacanties I will but would like to remain flexilbe with our schedule.

September is not a high season month so you could just turn up and choose or make the booking once you're in Thailand. IF the Belle Villa is full you can just go to the Quarter. On my last trip I had the booked and checked in to the Belle Villa and then I saw the Quarter and change hotel immediately.

Sounds good...Many Thansks!