I have just finished the Mae Hong Son Loop and I can say it was amazing!

After asking advice on a forum about the loop, I received some negative comments about not being an experienced driver, not having a license and not being insured.
This is why I am posting my JBR, my experience of the Mae Hong Son Loop done solo.

I got my 155cc scooter from Mango Bikes Rent.
They have a lot of positive reviews and you don't need to leave your passport as a deposit.
I started the loop from my hotel in Chiang Mai, the Raming Lodge Hotel & Spa.
It was 6AM. I decided to start driving early morning, so I would have enough time to rest later on the day and I wouldn't be driving at night.
On the way to Doi Inthanon National Park it started to rain quite hard. It was a smart idea that I wore my raincoat from the start. The road to Doi Inthanon National Park is not special, until you reach the entrance of the park. Here is where it starts to get beautiful. A few km's from the entrance is a very beautiful waterfall, worth a visit.
I continued my trip to the two pagoda's. It was 14 degrees there, and sadly for me, the visibility was almost none. Everything was covered by clouds. There should be a beautiful view from up there, but all i could see was grey of clouds.
I continued the road to Mae Sariang through Op Luang National Park.
The further you get from Chiang Mai, the better the roads become. From busy roads to quiet roads surrounded by beautiful landscapes.

After 286KM I finally arrived in Mae Sariang, totally drenched. Above the Sea Guesthouse was my place for the night. Except my hotel in Chiang Mai, I didn't book any hotels for the loop. I got a very nice welcome from the staff. After such a long ride in the rain I was starving and I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. After my meal I went to my room, took a shower and slept the rest of the day and coming night.

The next morning I woke up and enjoyed my breakfast in my hotel which was included in my rate, 800 baht.
At 9AM I moved on to Mae Hong Son.
The road from Mae Sariang to Mae Hong Son was amazing. There was no rain today, so i could enjoy the clear sky and views.
This is what it's about I thought. Just me and my bike on the road, from left to right all beautiful landscape with beautiful mountains. This road is almost a "straight" road. Just straight ahead to Mae Hong Son.
After 163KM I arrived in Mae Hong Son.
This is where I got the certificate for the Mae Hong Son Loop. The shop where you can get the certificate is opposite from the post office. On the other side of the post office was my hotel, the Ngamta Hotel.
This hotel is located near the Mae Hong Son Lake.
Very kind staff, but the rooms are in serious need of renovation. The room was 800 baht including breakfast.

The next morning after my breakfast I left the hotel at 8AM. I went up the hill to the Wat Doi Kong Mu. There is a nice view over the city from this temple.
Moving on to Pai. This is where the curves start showing, both uphill and downhill.
I wouldn't call the road dangerous, but driving with caution is a must. It's smart to get yourself at least a 155cc scooter for these kind of roads. There was a short unpaved piece of road, covered in mud because of some short rainfall this morning.
This is the only part where I drove quite slow to get uphill.
After 110KM I arrived in Pai. Pai is a very nice city, but in my opinion loaded with too much tourists.
My hotel for the night was Ai Pai Hotel. This was the best hotel of the city, and it was 1500 baht including breakfast. The room was great, and a shower was welcome after driving for a while.

When I woke up the next morning I skipped my breakfast. At 7.15AM I left the hotel and went to the Big Buddha on the hill. Getting up the stairs was quite a workout.
Finally being up there, you'll be rewarded with a nice view of Pai.
It was time to head back to Chiang Mai. As I have been reading, this part of the loop would be the most challenging part. The road was not bad and/or difficult at all. Easy to drive in my opinion. Time, for the last time, to enjoy the green landscapes, beautiful mountains, curvy roads, tiny towns and viewpoints.
It started to get more crowded on the road, tourists on bikes and once in a while a few vans and pickups. This was the moment that I realized the loop was almost done.
After 130KM I arrived in my hotel in Chiang Mai again. Back at where I started, but with an amazing experience in my backpack!
I have driven 689KM in total.
When I planned the loop, i created a map with many places of interests, but the main attraction is simply the road.
Just go with the flow, let the road guide you, and on the way you'll see enough signs of places to visit.
The Mae Hong Son Loop was amazing!

Amazing really? That review mentions riding and little else. You missed Tham Lot? Hot springs? It sounds like you hardly did much apart from ride a bike. A cheese sandwich sounded like the highlight.

I have just finished the Mae Hong Son Loop and I can say it was amazing!

After asking advice on a forum about the loop, I received some negative comments about not being an experienced driver, not having a license and not being insured.
This is why I am posting my JBR, my experience of the Mae Hong Son Loop done solo.

I got my 155cc scooter from Mango Bikes Rent.
They have a lot of positive reviews and you don't need to leave your passport as a deposit.
I started the loop from my hotel in Chiang Mai, the Raming Lodge Hotel & Spa.
It was 6AM. I decided to start driving early morning, so I would have enough time to rest later on the day and I wouldn't be driving at night.
On the way to Doi Inthanon National Park it started to rain quite hard. It was a smart idea that I wore my raincoat from the start. The road to Doi Inthanon National Park is not special, until you reach the entrance of the park. Here is where it starts to get beautiful. A few km's from the entrance is a very beautiful waterfall, worth a visit.
I continued my trip to the two pagoda's. It was 14 degrees there, and sadly for me, the visibility was almost none. Everything was covered by clouds. There should be a beautiful view from up there, but all i could see was grey of clouds.
I continued the road to Mae Sariang through Op Luang National Park.
The further you get from Chiang Mai, the better the roads become. From busy roads to quiet roads surrounded by beautiful landscapes.

After 286KM I finally arrived in Mae Sariang, totally drenched. Above the Sea Guesthouse was my place for the night. Except my hotel in Chiang Mai, I didn't book any hotels for the loop. I got a very nice welcome from the staff. After such a long ride in the rain I was starving and I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. After my meal I went to my room, took a shower and slept the rest of the day and coming night.

The next morning I woke up and enjoyed my breakfast in my hotel which was included in my rate, 800 baht.
At 9AM I moved on to Mae Hong Son.
The road from Mae Sariang to Mae Hong Son was amazing. There was no rain today, so i could enjoy the clear sky and views.
This is what it's about I thought. Just me and my bike on the road, from left to right all beautiful landscape with beautiful mountains. This road is almost a "straight" road. Just straight ahead to Mae Hong Son.
After 163KM I arrived in Mae Hong Son.
This is where I got the certificate for the Mae Hong Son Loop. The shop where you can get the certificate is opposite from the post office. On the other side of the post office was my hotel, the Ngamta Hotel.
This hotel is located near the Mae Hong Son Lake.
Very kind staff, but the rooms are in serious need of renovation. The room was 800 baht including breakfast.

The next morning after my breakfast I left the hotel at 8AM. I went up the hill to the Wat Doi Kong Mu. There is a nice view over the city from this temple.
Moving on to Pai. This is where the curves start showing, both uphill and downhill.
I wouldn't call the road dangerous, but driving with caution is a must. It's smart to get yourself at least a 155cc scooter for these kind of roads. There was a short unpaved piece of road, covered in mud because of some short rainfall this morning.
This is the only part where I drove quite slow to get uphill.
After 110KM I arrived in Pai. Pai is a very nice city, but in my opinion loaded with too much tourists.
My hotel for the night was Ai Pai Hotel. This was the best hotel of the city, and it was 1500 baht including breakfast. The room was great, and a shower was welcome after driving for a while.

When I woke up the next morning I skipped my breakfast. At 7.15AM I left the hotel and went to the Big Buddha on the hill. Getting up the stairs was quite a workout.
Finally being up there, you'll be rewarded with a nice view of Pai.
It was time to head back to Chiang Mai. As I have been reading, this part of the loop would be the most challenging part. The road was not bad and/or difficult at all. Easy to drive in my opinion. Time, for the last time, to enjoy the green landscapes, beautiful mountains, curvy roads, tiny towns and viewpoints.
It started to get more crowded on the road, tourists on bikes and once in a while a few vans and pickups. This was the moment that I realized the loop was almost done.
After 130KM I arrived in my hotel in Chiang Mai again. Back at where I started, but with an amazing experience in my backpack!
I have driven 689KM in total.
When I planned the loop, i created a map with many places of interests, but the main attraction is simply the road.
Just go with the flow, let the road guide you, and on the way you'll see enough signs of places to visit.
The Mae Hong Son Loop was amazing!

Amazing really? That review mentions riding and little else. You missed Tham Lot? Hot springs? It sounds like you hardly did much apart from ride a bike.

I cycled into Thailand at Mae Sot at the end of Feb this year. I then spent most of March cycling around N Thailand, ending in Chiang Mai. I probably cycled about 1,000kms. I never wore a mask and rode a few big hills so exercise is possible. There was a permanent noticeable 'fog' everywhere.

However as I approached big towns like Chiang Rai, the 'fog' got denser and more unpleasant. The worst was in CM. The combination of urban pollution, the dust and the burning made a very unpleasant cocktail.

Even though you could walk a few hills in the countryside, the views will be very limited. Even in the country, visibility was limited and the sun was normally hidden behind the fog/cloud, which helped to keep the temperature down a bit.

Once I got to CM, I decided not to cycle at all because it was pretty unpleasant. Nonetheless, if you want to see some of the local sights, I think you would probably be OK with a few days gentle walking.

Obviously much better to visit at another time of year, but I don't suppose that is an option.

Title: Our favourite things to do in Luang Prabang, Laos

Destinations covered: Luang Prabang, Laos

Theme: Southeast Asia travel

Style: travel guide

Synopsis: From the natural beauty of Kuang Si Falls and watching the sunset from Mount Phousi to just enjoying the peace and serenity, this post includes our top 10 tips on what to see and do in Luang Prabang - along with some helpful tips and advice on how to stay respectful while you're there.

URL: https://www.thecommonwanderer.com/luang-prabang-things-to-do/

I've bought them at shopping malls; Central Airport plaza, Chiang Mai. Likely at others too, but you have to search for them.

You can do this either way. Transport works in all directions. Many people on this route take "slow boats" along the Mekong River between Luang Prabang and Huai Xai. Most of the people on these boats are foreign tourists. For some reason, they tend to be busier on the Huai Xai-Luang Prabang route compared to the Luang Prabang-Huai Xai route. But they run daily in most directions.

Apart from that, it doesn't really make a difference. I suppose one advantage of starting in Vientiane is that if you spend extra time in Laos, you can end up heading to Bangkok directly from Chiang Rai, without going to Chiang Mai. For me, one of the main highlights of the route you plan on traveling is Chiang Rai Province.