Thailand Guide
The north
Mae Sariang
Apart from soaking up the atmosphere, there's nothing pressing to do in the quiet border outpost of MAE SARIANG, which is regularly visited by local hill tribes and dodgy traders from Burma. If you want something concrete to aim for, stroll around a couple of temples off the north side of the main street, whose Burmese features provide a glaring contrast to most Thai temples. You could also make an intriguing day-trip to the trading post of Mae Sam Laeb on the border with Burma and out onto the Salween River.
Of the town's main temples, Wat Si Boonruang sports a fairy-tale sanctuary with an intricate, tiered roof piled high above. Topped with lotus buds, the unusual boundary stones, which delineate the sanctuary's consecrated area, look like old-fashioned street bollards. The open assembly halls here and next door at Wat Uthayarom (aka Wat Jong Sung) are mounted on stilts, with broad teak floors that are a pleasure to get your feet onto. Both temples enshrine Burmese-style Buddhas, white and hard-faced.