Mae Surin National Park

The Mae Surin Falls after which the park is named is certainly one of the most beautiful in the country, with a long plume of spray tumbling down a cliff-face. Another attraction in November each year are the fields of Mexican sunflowers that cover the hillsides with a blanket of gold.

The park headquarters are a few kilometers northeast of Mae Hong Son off Highway 1095, but this section of the park is for staff only. Mae Surin Waterfall and the sunflower fields are accessed via Highway 1263 from the town of Khun Yuam on Highway 108 south of Mae Hong Son. Covering an area of nearly 400 square kilometers, the park is home to an abundance of wildlife and also features trekking trails.

The park was set up way back in 1981 and has many huge peaks, including that of the 1,700 meter Doi Pui, which is part of the Thanon Tongchai range. The peak of Doi Pui is not usually accessible, but if you’re interested in a rigorous hike, contact park staff and they may be able to help you get there.

Mae Surin Waterfall is the main sight within Mae Surin National Park that most tourists come to see, though if you time your visit to arrive in November to early December, you can pass through the sunflower fields on the way to the falls as well. The falls are very dramatic when viewed from the cliff top opposite, and if you’re feeling energetic you can clamber down to the foot of the falls and get drenched in its spray. The single-tier falls feature a plummeting jet of water that drops about 100 meters and the flow is most powerful toward the end of the rainy season in October and November.

Also of note in Mae Surin National Park are the Huai Mae Sakid Nature Trail and the Nam Hu Hai Jai Cave. In addition, there is an abundance of lush foliage in the park, including forests and wildflowers, as well as a variety of animals like the sun bear, the golden cat, gibbons, pythons and cobras. There are also hundreds of species of birdlife in the park. The best time to visit Mae Surin National Park is early November through February.