Mae Sai is a typical small Thai town and would normally be completely unremarkable. Nevertheless, it is one of the most exciting places in the kingdom being the most northern spot of the country as well as a border town making it diverse center of trade. Across a small river lies the Burmese town of Tachilek. Every day, a steady stream of commuters crosses the bridge that marks the border and the movement of Thai consumer goods into Northern Burma. The focal point of this town is its shopping and the merchandise available which can range from sports shoes to Chinese medicine.

Take a glimpse into Burma by travelling across the border into Tachiliek where you can browse through the markets and experience the atmosphere of a border town. A day visa for Tachilek can be obtained if you have brought your passport; the cost is 500 Baht (this may be subject to change). Get the visa at the border checkpoint and after just a short walk across the bridge you are in Myanmar.

It is a matter of just 2 minutes but in these 2 minutes you enter an entirely different world. The atmosphere is remarkably different from the one in Thailand. Hire a Burmese rickshaw driver to take you around Tachilek and inspect the temples and markets. Clothes, electrical goods, jewellery and much more can be purchased in this area. There are a lot of shops that offer Burmese specialties like longyis (sarong-like skirts), Cheroots (Burmese cigars) or lacquer ware, along with other things like tiger claws and other illegal animal products. Don't buy these as you will get into trouble with the custom's office in your home country if you try to import them. Once you return from Tachilek to Mae Sai you can continue your souvenir shopping. Try to avoid, in particular, coloured glass that is being sold as gemstones. Mae Sai is also a center of jade trading and if you are interested you can visit some of the workshops to see the jade in its raw state and the methods that are used to process it.

Outside of Mae Sai attractions include the temple Wat Phra That Wai Dao from the top of which a stunning view over Mae Sai and towards Myanmar can be seen. In addition to this a giant scorpion statue is also positioned at the temple. Also nearby is the Golden Triangle region where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet.