So I headed out by car to Mae Sam Laeb - found in the outer reaches of Mae Hong Son province.
Travelling southwest on route 108 from Chiang Mai is an ordinary drive until you turn right at Hod and follow the thundering Mae Chaem River along a rally course of half turns that leads deep into mountainous jungle.
En route, the 103-kilometre stretch from Hod to Mae Sariang offers a leisurely spin with stunning views of forests and mountaintops, or a test of driving skill when the journey can take less than two hours.
Forty-six kilometres short of Mae Sam Laeb, Mae Sariang is the last chance of a comfortable bed and a decent meal. This sleepy backwater is hardly photogenic, but its peace and tranquility more than compensate. It's a soothing place with small wooden shop fronts and dogs that sleep unhindered on the road.
Just a short drive from town, Pha Maw Yaw is a Karen village that dates back over 200 years. Originally known as Ban Pa Kluay, it was later named Ban Pa Plaw after a voodoo worker who lived there. But today it's famous for traditional dwellings and home-woven textiles in authentic designs.
A bit further on, Phra That Jom Mon looks out across the countryside from the top of a hill. There is no evidence of when this temple was built, but many believe that the Mon constructed it during the reign of King Naresuan the Great, about 400 years ago.
Food and lodging
There is no boutique or fancy accommodation in Mae Sariang, but the nearest to it is the two-year-old Riverhouse Resort, perched on the picturesque banks of the Yuam River. And the daily room rate was negotiable at around Bt1,000, including breakfast.
The rooms are of contemporary design and comfortable, with the wood-slatted bathrooms a cozy feature. A personal balcony overlooks gardens, which lead down to the river, and the trees and mountains beyond.
For cheaper lodgings, the Salawin Guest House can be thoroughly recommended. Located almost next to the Riverhouse, this chalet-style building provides double rooms with private facilities in a homely atmosphere at Bt300 per night, with free tea or coffee thrown in.
When dinnertime comes around, the Goodview is set in scenic surroundings not far from the Riverhouse, and just down the road the Corner Cuisine provides the choice of eating inside or al fresco. But I opted for the Inthira Restaurant on Wiangmai Road.
The decor at Inthira is at best basic, but the menu is interesting and the food delicious. The gaeng ped moo, ma ra pad kai and thod pla muek served with sweet sauce are all good suggestions. And to crown it all, you can have pla pad sha made with fish freshly caught from the Salween River.
The journey on
After crossing the Yuam River, I journeyed on through a plateau of green rice fields, as heavy rain clouds capped the distant black peaks where wisps of white mist swirled down to the ground.
The ride was easy for 18 kilometres until the road started climbing the mountain, and its surface deteriorated to potholes and dirt tracks, and recent landslides were in evidence. On occasion, my car could barely squeeze between the cliff wall on the one side and a drop on the other, and round one corner a felled tree almost blocked my path.
With no sign of human life for more than an hour, I descended into Mae Sam Laeb, and saw a sight that made all the risks I had taken worthwhile.
A long line of wooden and bamboo buildings - covered with leafy roofs - divide a road from the top of a forested gorge.
Dressed in tribal attire, old women sat chatting and sucking on clay pipes, while younger ladies pounded chilli and cooked. Their men folk stood in groups talking, or lay stretched out on the floor fast asleep.
I saw no televisions or telephones, and the village population of maybe 1,000 clearly relied mainly on motorbikes or walking for travel. But each day, songtaews make spontaneous journeys to and from Mae Sariang.
Like kids anywhere, those in Mae Sam Laeb play and laugh in the street, which winds down to the Salween River and its jagged rocks and raging currents that separate Thailand from Burma.
A boat into Burma costs Bt1,200 or Bt500 for shorter trips, but I felt that I'd taken enough chances for one day.
So I stayed, absorbed my isolation and watched the angry waters of the Salween River.
I had truly escaped the dust of Chiang Mai, but soon it was time to journey back.
The Nation Aug 06
