Destination Guides - Pai Thailand

Pai Thailand Overview

For a good few years Pai has been a popular stop on the backpackers circuit around northern Thailand. Once just a backwater of a town, Pai started to attract the more adventurous travelers who wanted to getaway from the tourist crowds in Chiang Mai. Through word of mouth and enthusiastic guide book write ups of this pleasant town word has spread and now Pai is attracting greater numbers every year. Now the visitors to Pai are a melting pot of backpackers, crusty travellers, longstayers, expat residents, local Pai villages, hill tribes, bohemian young Thais, and a whole boat load of Thai Bob Marley look-alikes. Increasingly Pai is also catering to the well healed foreign and Thai tourist alike.

Pai is definitely changing, 7-11 has finally moved into town and flights have now started from Chiang Mai, but for now it still retains its charm and is well worth a visit. Some of the old wooden shop houses are being pulled down and replaced with concrete structures which is a damn shame and it is hoped the Thai authorities will be able implement or enforce laws to preserve some of Pai's charm.

Pai Attractions

	Chilling out Many people come to Pai and actually don't do a lot! The laid back riverside setting and the cozy bars at night make this a popular destination to just kick back, take it easy and chill.

	Tha Pai Hot Springs Just a short ride outside Pai you will find Tha Pai Hot springs. If you do manage to drag yourself out of your hammock this is a pleasant spot to while away a couple of hours. The hot springs here flow naturally down the slope collecting in various size pools on its way down. Many of these pools are large enough for bathing. The higher up the slope you go the hotter the pools become, near the very top the water is hot enough to boil an egg.

	Mo Paeng Waterfall This is a good spot to cool off on a hot day and take in some more of the Pai valleys wonderful scenery. Large pools have formed between two tiers of the waterfall and are ideal to take a refreshing dip. Taking the road up here you will pass through many hill tribe villages

	Mae Yen Waterfall If you are feeling energetic maybe you should take a hike to the Mae Yen waterfall. Situated about 12km from town this is quite a long trek so go prepared take some food and water. Ask around for directions. We at The Travel Hub have not yet made it so you are better off asking someone else for directions.

	Trekking rafting elephant riding climbing For those of a more energetic nature Like chiang mai all these activities are possible in Pai with many companies offering one or a combination of the above. Just like Chiang Mai the 2 and three day trekking trips are popular and many optional activities such as rafting and elephant riding can be tagged on to the trip

	Wat Phra That Mae Yen Just 2 km outside Pai town situated on a forested hillock you will find Mae Yen Temple, one of the oldest temples in Pai. Head out of town and turn left at the sign just a short drive up the hill you will arrive at the base of the old Naga staircase which leads up to the temple, if you are not quite ready for the stair climb you can carry on by motorbike to the top. The temple houses a large reclining Buddha image as well as a small white pagoda. Even if you are not a temple buff it is still worth making your way up here for the excellent view over the whole of Pai town and the valley it sits in.

Snap Shots

Simple accommodation just outside Pai

Bamboo bridge over the Pai River

The Main Street in Pai

Cozy shopping

Bamboo Bungalows

Plenty of guest houses and stuff to do

Getting to Pai from Chiang Mai

Air con minibus
There are a couple of private companies in Chiang Mai currently running air-con minibuses to Pai. The ride takes about 3 hours with a short toilet and coffee break about half way. The ticket price will include pick up from your hotel/guesthouse and you will be dropped in the center of Pai town. There are departures throughout the day. During the high season (December and January) book a couple of days in advance to make sure of a seat. Tickets can be bought at The Travel Hub office for 190 baht one way or 340 baht return

Local Bus

The cheaper but slower option is the local fan bus which departs from the main Arcade Bus Station in Chiang Mai. The ride takes 4 hours as the bus struggles with the steep winding road to Pai. The seats don't give a lot of leg room and it can get quite crowded on a busy day, but it is cheaper at around 80 baht for the trip. Some say it is safer than the minibuses simply because they cannot move as fast around the mountain hairpin roads.

Air
Yes you can now fly between Pai and Chiang Mai! Flights are operated by SGA (soon to be rebranded Nok Mini) and the fare each way is around 1,600 baht for the 35minute flight. Planes are 12 seater Cessna 208B Grand Caravan turbo prop aircraft. Currently there is one flight daily but this is likely to increase if the route turns out to be popular.

Getting to Pai from Bangkok

Bus and Air
There are no direct transport connections between Bangkok and Pai everything routes through Chiang Mai, so once you've made it to Chiang Mai see the options above.

Pai Hotels

Mae Hong Son Hotels

3 Day 2 Night Mae Hong Son Tour featuring Pai