Tak is a long, mountainous province on the Myanmar border, and it feels like two places in one. The provincial town on the Ping River is quiet and proud of its link to King Taksin, while Mae Sot, over the hills to the west, is a lively border town with Burmese tea shops, markets and a mix of cultures. Further south, the remote Umphang district hides Thi Lo Su, often called Thailand’s largest waterfall. Tak suits travellers who like road trips, nature and places off the main tourist trail.<\/p>\n
Border note:<\/strong> the Mae Sot\u2013Myawaddy crossing and the border area are affected by the situation in Myanmar, and crossings can close at short notice. Check the latest official advice before planning to cross or travel close to the border.<\/p>\n Buses from Bangkok’s Mo Chit terminal run to Tak and on to Mae Sot. Mae Sot Airport has had scheduled flights from Bangkok, but routes change, so check current schedules. The mountain road from Tak to Mae Sot (Highway 12) is scenic, and from Mae Sot a winding road of more than 160 km leads south to Umphang; many visitors join a local tour for Thi Lo Su, which also requires a rough ride or a walk from the road and sometimes a raft trip. Landslides occasionally affect the Umphang road in heavy rain.<\/p>\n Inside the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, Thi Lo Su drops in tiers across a wide limestone face deep in the forest. It is a true adventure destination: overnight trips with camping, river rafting and jungle walks are common. The sanctuary closes the falls during parts of the rainy season and controls visitor numbers, so check opening dates with the sanctuary before you go.<\/p>\n The small mountain town of Umphang is a base for Thi Lo Su and for sunrise at Doi Hua Mot, a ridge with sea-of-mist views in the cool season.<\/p>\n A busy market by the Moei River near the Friendship Bridge, selling Burmese goods, gems, teak items, snacks and dried foods. Opening and trade can depend on the border situation.<\/p>\n A Burmese-style temple on the edge of Mae Sot with a large reclining Buddha and Shan-Burmese architecture; a good place to see the cultural mix of the borderland.<\/p>\n On Highway 12 between Tak and Mae Sot, roadside stalls run by hill-tribe communities sell fresh vegetables, fruit and crafts. A good stop with cool air.<\/p>\n Easy to reach from the highway, this park is known for its giant krabak tree, one of the largest trees in Thailand, plus waterfalls and forest walks.<\/p>\n Close to Tak town, with a series of waterfalls along a forest stream and short nature trails.<\/p>\n The province is closely associated with King Taksin, who served as governor of Tak before rising to save the kingdom after 1767. His shrine in town is a place of respect for locals, and an annual event honours him.<\/p>\n In Sam Ngao district, this tall concrete arch dam holds back a large reservoir on the Ping River. There are viewpoints, boat trips on the lake and a calm atmosphere.<\/p>\n An old temple with a golden stupa and Lanna-style buildings in Ban Tak district, north of the town, with peaceful grounds by the river.<\/p>\n Tak town’s riverside is pleasant for an evening walk, with a pedestrian suspension bridge and views over the Ping.<\/p>\n Day 1 \u2013 Tak town and the mountain road:<\/strong> morning at the King Taksin Shrine and riverside, then drive Highway 12 with stops at Taksin Maharat National Park and Doi Musoe market, arriving in Mae Sot for a Burmese dinner. Day 2 \u2013 Mae Sot:<\/strong> breakfast at a tea shop, visit Wat Thai Wattanaram and, if open, Rim Moei Market. With more time, add two or three days for Umphang and Thi Lo Su on an organised trip.<\/p>\n Loy Krathong Sai<\/strong> is Tak’s signature festival, held on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month (usually November). On the Ping River in Tak town, communities release thousands of small coconut-shell lamps in a continuous line so that they drift downstream like a glowing chain, with processions and competitions. Songkran<\/strong> in April is celebrated with merit-making and water play, and Mae Sot adds a Burmese flavour to its celebrations. Dates change each year; check with TAT. If you’re joining Songkran, read our Songkran etiquette and survival guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the 1593 campaign that ended with the famous elephant duel, Thai sources say two Hanthawaddy armies entered Siam through the Mae Lamao pass, in today’s Tak province. Read the full route with maps: The Elephant Duel War at Nong Sarai, 1593<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n King Taksin’s campaigns passed through this province: the Chiang Mai campaign<\/a> \u00b7 Azae Wungyi’s siege of Phitsanulok<\/a>. The full story with maps is on our King Taksin trail site (in Thai).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n No. The waterfall is closed during parts of the rainy season and access is managed by the wildlife sanctuary. Check before you go.<\/p>\n Mae Sot town is visited by many travellers, but the border area can be affected by events in Myanmar. Follow official advice and avoid restricted zones.<\/p>\n On the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, usually in November.<\/p>\n Burmese dishes in Mae Sot and northern Thai food in Tak town. See our Tak food guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cover photo: Thi Lo Su Waterfall, Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, Tak Province, Thailand.jpg<\/a> \u00b7 Snobbird \u00b7 CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a> \u00b7 Wikimedia Commons<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tak guide: Thi Lo Su waterfall, Umphang, Mae Sot markets and temples, national parks, Loy Krathong Sai and a 2-day route, with border notes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5620,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[172],"tags":[],"province":[224],"class_list":["post-5619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attractions-en","province-tak-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5619"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5654,"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5619\/revisions\/5654"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5619"},{"taxonomy":"province","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/songkran.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/province?post=5619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Getting there and around<\/h2>\n
Top things to do in Tak<\/h2>\n
Thi Lo Su Waterfall Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Umphang town and Doi Hua Mot Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Rim Moei Market, Mae Sot Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Wat Thai Wattanaram Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Doi Musoe hill-tribe market Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Taksin Maharat National Park Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Lan Sang National Park Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
King Taksin Shrine, Tak town Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Bhumibol Dam Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Wat Phra Borommathat, Ban Tak Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Ping River promenade and the suspension bridge Map<\/a><\/h3>\n
Suggested 2-day itinerary<\/h2>\n
Festivals and events<\/h2>\n
On King Naresuan’s trail<\/h3>\n
On King Taksin’s trail<\/h3>\n
Travel tips<\/h2>\n
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FAQ<\/h2>\n
Can I visit Thi Lo Su all year?<\/h3>\n
Is Mae Sot safe to visit?<\/h3>\n
When is Loy Krathong Sai?<\/h3>\n
What should I eat in Tak?<\/h3>\n
More from songkran.com<\/h2>\n
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