Pai, Thailand🍜
You have to go to Pai, which is the next stop after Chiang Mai and my favourite place out of all of Thailand. It is a small town in the North, known for its chill, hippy vibe, where backpackers go to seek a little break from the busy cities. The town is so fun and welcoming, that loads of people end up staying there for multiple days. It has the perfect balance of nature walks, exploring waterfalls with the fun scene of backpacker bar crawls, events and nightlife. If you visit, you will be in no rush to leave! I was there for eleven days, and this was mainly due to a moped accident that I had but even without it I would have been there for a week!
I think our time in 2022 was a very unique experience, Covid-19 was still around, but the borders had just opened, letting tourists in. So everyone who was in Thailand all naturally travelled in the same direction, meaning we bumped into the same people everywhere, creating really good friendships. However, to avoid over crowding, they had an alcohol ban in Pai meaning no bars were open or alcohol being served. This meant there were small, secret raves in the middle of nowhere creating a very memorable and fun time for us! Sadly, from what I have heard, Thailand, especially Pai is currently very overcrowded with tourists, many of whom do not treat the locals with respect. In addition, the legalisation of marijuana has seen many cute local spots taken over by weed dispensaries, which for me kind of ruins the vibe a bit.
Anyway, there is so much to do in Pai and the best way to explore is through hiring a moped and driving around to the different sights. You can hire mopeds from your hostel or a local business and it is so cheap!
Pai Canyon
Pai Canyon is a popular free spot in Pai where you can watch the sunset! To get to the Canyon it is about a fifteen minute drive from the centre of town. It is a natural geological formation of narrow, red sandstone paths that you can climb and walk along. Some trails are only between thirty to fifty centimetres wide, with steep drop offs on both sides, so be really careful and watch your step! To get to the main viewpoint at the top, you will need to walk up a couple sets of stairs. Here you will be able to see the top of the canyon and panoramic views of the surrounding forests and mountains. There are different paths to follow, some which involve rock scrambling and climbing, so make sure to wear appropriate shoes. My crocs were not the grippiest, so at some spots I did slip!
Tipsy Tubing
Pai is known as the famous place for backpacker tipsy tubing, which involves floating down Pai River on inflatable rubber rings. It is so popular it happens practically everyday, drawing in a lot of tourists solely for this activity. You will meet so many backpackers and will make a complete day of it. The whole tour can take around two hours if not longer and is broken up with different stops, such as jumps and rope swings and different jungle bars along the riverbank. The last stop is the main event with a mini-festival featuring a DJ, beer pong, foam party and the chance to have a boogie with loads of travellers. After the party you can get the shuttle back, which takes you to the middle of town.
TwoHuts Pai
Two Huts Pai is a rustic café and bar, known for its panoramic views of the Pai Valley and surrounding mountains. It is also another popular spot to watch the sunset, offering a very relaxed alternative compared to Pai Canyon. It is about a twenty minute drive from the town and sits on a hillside overlooking the valley. It has lots of different seating options, benches, hammocks and a grassy area where you can watch the sun begin to set. There is also a pool that you can use during the day and offers all kinds of food and drinks, making it the perfect place to spend the day at.
Pam-Bok Waterfall
Pam Bok Waterfall is a natural attraction, hidden away inside a narrow canyon with high surrounding rock walls. The cascades fall into a deep, natural pool, creating a perfect swimming spot. A majority of the time it is deep enough for swimming in, however, when we went there was a huge drought period, causing the natural pool to not be as big as it normally can be. You could still go in but it was more like a paddling pool.
Bamboo Bridge Garden
The Bamboo Bridge is a scenic walkway made completely of Bamboo, which allows you to walk through a local village and the beautiful valley of green rice paddies. It was originally built to connect Pam Bok village to a temple, before being turned into a tourist attraction. You can walk the whole length of the bridge, stopping at all kinds of viewpoints and tourist seating arrangements.
White Buddha Pai
The White Buddha is a massive white statue on the top of a hill, which overlooks Pai Valley. It is a prominent spiritual site for both locals and tourists, which also offers a stunning panoramic view of Pai, rice paddies and the surrounding mountains. You can drive a majority of the way before walking up a few flights of stairs to the top. It is another spot to watch the sunset at.
Pai Memorial Bridge
The Memorial Bridge is a historical steel bridge, famous for its World War II heritage and scenic river views. It was built by the Japanese military to transport supplies to British-controlled Burma. We drove past the bridge on the way to another sight, so made a quick pit stop on the way back.
Yun Lai Viewpoint
The Yun Lai Viewpoint is a stunning hilltop, which overlooks the Pai Valley. It is famous for its panoramic views of layered mountains and endless green valleys. When we went, we saw some people camping there so do your research before if that is still possible as the view would be incredible to wake up to. We also went prime spring time, so the flowers at the viewpoint were all in bloom making it an incredible photo spot. If the weather is good, you can also spot the nearby Chinese Culture Santichon Village and Pai River.
Sai Ngam Hot Springs
Sai Ngam Hot Springs are a secret, natural geothermal spring, famous for their crystal clear, emerald green pools surrounded by jungle. It is the perfect place to relax in for an hour, enjoying the peacefulness. The springs are divided into different pools, which cascade down through the forest.
There are also Tha Pai Hot Springs, which are more well known, however, I don’t think they are as big as Sai Ngam as pretty.
Pai Night Market
Pai Walking Street is the main attraction of the town, it happens every night, closing the main road transforming it into a vibrant, bohemian night market full of street food stalls, local handicrafts, and bars. We grabbed street food every evening and not only was it delicious, it was so cheap and backpacker friendly. It also has numerous bars offering happy hours and live music.
Morpaeng Waterfall
Morpaeng Waterfall is a popular three tiered waterfall, famous for its smooth, slippery rock surfaces, natural jungle water slide and a refreshing swimming spot for locals and travellers. The top layer of the waterfall features slick rocks that you can slide down directly into the natural pools below. You can spend the day here swimming in the natural pools and lounging on the surrounding rocks or seating areas.
Food:
- Lemon Thyme Cafe
A lovely cafe in the heart of town, it serves the most incredible, generous dishes, mix of European and traditional thai breakfasts.
- Coffee in Love
A lovely spot to break up your exploring, you can order any drinks or food whilst overlooking the surrounding valleys.
- Pai Night Market
- Pai Siam Bar and Bistro
- Time Cafe and Bistro
Overall, Pai was a huge highlight of my Thailand trip! I had the best time there, met so many people, some of whom I am still really close friends with, even after four years. There is also a lot to do here so spend at least four days, making most of the small town.