Su Tong Pe Bridge, Tham Phu Sama Park

Su Tong Pe is a bamboo bridge over 500 metres long, built by villagers of Ban Kung Mai Sak and opened on 5 August 2012, connecting the village to Wat Tham Phu Sa Ma across rice paddies and a stream. It sits in Pang Mu subdistrict, about 10km from Mae Hong Son town — a separate place from the Ban Rak Thai tea village further north, despite the similar-sounding names in this region. Entry is free.

What’s actually here

Villagers built the bridge by hand in just over two months, and it remains community-maintained rather than a commercial attraction — there’s no ticket booth, just a donation box near the entrance. The bamboo walkway crosses open rice paddies and a stream on its way to Wat Tham Phu Sa Ma, the temple that gives the site its full name. At the temple end there’s a small coffee shop where you can sit with a cold drink before walking back.

Experience

The bridge’s defining moment happens early: around 6:30 AM, monks from Wat Tham Phu Sa Ma walk barefoot across the bamboo planks carrying their alms bowls, and villagers and visitors line up to offer food, flowers, or incense as an act of merit-making. It’s worth timing a visit around this if you want to see the bridge used the way it’s actually used, rather than just walked as a photo backdrop. Outside that window, the walk itself takes 30-45 minutes round trip — enough time to cross, look around the temple grounds, and come back.

Insider Tip: Arrive by 6:15 AM if you want to see the monks’ alms round — it’s a genuine daily ritual, not staged for tourists, so show the same quiet respect you would at any temple.

Watch out: The bamboo planks flex and creak as you walk — fine for most visitors, but wear shoes with grip and take it slowly if you’re unsteady on uneven, springy surfaces. There’s no railing substitute for caution in wet weather.

Practical details

There’s no public transport to the bridge — reach it by motorbike or car from Mae Hong Son town along mountain roads, with free parking at the entrance. Bring a light jacket; mornings in this part of Mae Hong Son stay cool well into mid-morning, especially in the November-February cool season when mist often sits over the rice paddies. View on Google Maps.