Pai

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

Pai (Population about 3,000) is a small town about 80 km north of Chiang Mai, as the crow flies, and about 140 km when you ride the snake, on the road to Mae Hon Son. The journey takes about 3 hours by minibus because of the 762 curves in the road. Bring your air sickness bag, as the Chinese woman sitting next to me was throwing-up all the way. We passed a spot where a motorbike rider had just gotten nailed by an SUV, and our driver stopped to lend assistance until the ambulance arrived. It's not the road to Hana, but still quite scenic.

 

 

There aren't many attractions in Pai, just a few waterfalls and hot springs outside town. So why go there? It's all about the vibe: serene, tranquil, relaxed.

 

 

I rented a bamboo hut along the river for 400 baht. Temps were hot during the day but dropped to 18 degrees at night.

 

 

The main street in town is Walking Street. There are no GoGos or freelancers but you may be able to score a teenybopper.

 

 

See my Chiang Mai trip report here:

http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/topic/63643-a-week-in-chaing-mai/

Edited March 26, 2015 by RhinoTusk

[Parkwahn 61]

looks worth a trip, thanks for posting

[rnine 75]

Cheers Rhino,

Great pics as usual.

I often wonder if some of the spelling mistakes are done on porpoise ...:-)

[veill 195]

Loved Pai when i was there , thanks for the memmories.

Frank

[LBJ 533]

Great pics, looks like a great place to get away if desired. Thanks for posting.

[jacko 8,822]

I stayed a few days there some years ago, it seemed to have a bit of a backpacker/hippy element to it.

I ended up in a small village a little further North called Pang Mapha, Found a wonderful guest house and stayed in a little house in a tree, over the Lang river valley. I still remember the great coffee in the mornings.

 

Its a great area to tour. Thanks for the memories.

 

 

[spike 236]

Great photos...thanks for posting. Neat to see birch trees in photo #2...beautiful country up that way...thanks again.

[Hub 203]

Nice pics. I thought the same thing as Spike...the trees reminded me of New Hampshire for a sec. I was south of Chang Rai and never knew that was there.

[MM 6,562]

Looks like an exciting journey getting there and a picturesque village when you arrive.

 

Clearly it's on the backpacker trail.

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

On the Banana Pancake Trail. Everything is gray and smoggy now, I'd like to return in a few months when everything is green. Was inquiring about renting a 650cc in Chiang Mai for 1500/day but they wanted passport. Now that I've seen what the roads look like I would love to go cycling the area. I'm thinking about taking my Honda Phantom up on the train.

Edited March 27, 2015 by RhinoTusk

[Fireman Sam 336]

Great photos of real Thailand.

 

I just cancelled a cycling trip in the same area because of the burning in the region, will go later on in the year sometime. Loads of companies doing cycling tours if that is your thing, they take care of everything off the bike you just need to do the cycling.

 

 

Thanks again.

 

Regards

[keyman 1,417]

On the Banana Pancake Trail. Everything is gray and smoggy now, I'd like to return in a few months when everything is green. Was inquiring about renting a 650cc in Chiang Mai for 1500/day but they wanted passport. Now that I've seen what the roads look like I would love to go cycling the area. I'm thinking about taking my Honda Phantom up on the train.

 

 

Rhino, I hired a m/bike in Chiang Mai in November and they gave me an option of leaving a cash deposit instead of my passport. The roads up into the mountains are good for proper biking. Good wide sweeping bends and the road surface pretty good until you get to the top, but even that isn't too bad.

Their helmets were shit though!!

 

KM

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

Pai Canyon, mercury dropped to 12 degrees one night.

 

 

Hot Springs

 

 

Lod Cave. You don't see the bats but you can hear them.

 

 

Coffee in Love

 

 

Healthy restaurants, bean burger, homemade lasagna

 

 

I had a few passion fruit daiquiris at the Witching Well

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by RhinoTusk

[Gary 4,119]

Looks like too many farangs to suit me. Beautiful but too touristy.

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

Looks like too many farangs to suit me. Beautiful but too touristy.

Pai is overridden with backpackers, they're just young people enjoying life in a budget. You can get a dorm room with WiFi for 160 baht and rent a bicycle.

 

 

Watch for my next pictorial trip report: Mae Hong Son

Edited March 8, 2017 by RhinoTusk

[jacko 8,822]

Pai is overridden with backpackers.

 

Watch for my next pictorial trip report: Mae Hong Son

I hope you stop for a minute at the place I have visited twice...earlier in this thread.

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

I hope you stop for a minute at the place I have visited twice...earlier in this thread.

That's near the Lod Cave, halfway between Pai & Mae Hong Son. I didn't have my own transportation.

 

I brought home a few bags of these

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by RhinoTusk

[cbrib 354]

Thanks for the report and pics Rhino. The missus has been wanting to go up there for camping. We'll definitely need to fly in as she'll never survive the curves of the road

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

Heres a bloggers take on Pai

 

https://whatsonsukhumvit.com/complete-guide-to-pai-thailand/