Pai tourist guide

Living among nature is the essense of Pai

Sitting beside a pretty little river in a valley of Northern Thailand's mountains is the popular bohemian layout of Pai. In less than ten years, this magical gem of a place has evolved from a virtually unknown hamlet into a thriving, multi-cultural town. It has however retained its down-to-earth, simple and cheap character, making it popular with backpackers and free-spirits who sometimes spend weeks chilling out here.

In Pai there are few signs of expensive resorts (bar one or two discreet upmarket but tastefully done places), no kitch tourist shops, no rampant tourism or go go bars, no tuk tuks and no hordes of package tourists. In fact its dressed down appearance keeps the holidaymakers at bay and a spiritual, relaxed atmosphere hangs over the place. There are yoga and meditation sessions, vegetarian restaurants, quiet afternoons and chilled evenings where friendly people gather around camp fires with guitars.

The combination of jungle-drenched mountains, friendly locals, sleepy pace of life, meandering river and an indescribable charm that goes far beyond the ordinary, makes Pai a hard place to beat. Numerous travellers find themselves sucked off their fore-planned routes and into this delightful valley for weeks. The four-hour bus trip over stunning mountain passes, through dense jungle, is breathtaking and hints at the isolation of this place, located in the Mae Hong Son province.

There is no shortage of accommodation here; options range from the budget-beating Mr Jan's (50 baht a night) in the centre of town, to top-end establishments like Belle Villa (2,000 baht a night). Of the in-between range, the long-established Golden Hut, and newer Drifters, Rimtaling and Paradise (with its own natural pond/pool) come highly recommended. Sibsongpanna, beside the river, a little way out of town, is a haven for artists and is delightfully rustic.

Pai's nightlife hums in high season, and is temperamental in low season, but if there's action to be had you're likely to find it at the legendary Bee-Bop, where there's live music most evenings. Bee-Bop's late-night counterpart is the Bamboo Bar, where merry-making continues into the wee hours.

Restaurants are found everywhere; all are reasonable and the food variable. Since most of the clientele are foreigners, they cater well to a western palate and serve good vegetarian dishes and healthy breakfasts.

'Kee kiat' (lazy) is a buzz word in Pai - but if you don't manage to drag yourself out of your hammock for anything else, the hot springs, at least, are worth the effort. In a fairytale forest setting, about seven kilometres out of town, the pools of spring water will leave you feeling better than a full day at the spa - and surprisingly, they're still free. The heat of the day tends to ruin the experience somewhat, so it's advisable to visit in the early morning, or just before closing time (18:00). There's also a pool within walking distance of town, just across the river.

Pai is as far away from the city as you can get

Just before the turn-off to the springs, you will pass the elephant camps, where you can hitch a ride on one of these stoic creatures, a good way to admire Pai's beauty and connect with the wildlife.

The waterfall and the canyon are Pai's two other major natural attractions. The waterfall itself is less than astounding, but the surrounding areas are fabulous, and it's worth taking the drive just to admire the emerald scenery. The canyon has a strange, stark beauty, most striking around sunset time, when the red, dusty earth and gaping fissure are bathed in late afternoon light.

For adventure-lovers, white-water rafting on the Pai River is available - some of the rapids are fairly hairy. For the less adrenalin-hungry, bamboo rafting and tubing on a gentler stretch of the river are more passive alternatives. Trekking in the surrounding countryside is another enticing activity option and many choose Pai as their base for trekking. In season, there are two- to three-day treks departing daily. For a more in depth and romantic look at Pai visit 'Arm' Wongtapha's ilovepai.com.

Pai is also a good stopover point on the popular Mae Hong Son loop. This is a three-day self-drive/ride excursion leaving from Chiang Mai and winding through the incredible mountain scenery of the North to the frontier town of Mae Hong Son and back via Doi Inthanon national park. Along the way you can experience the beauty of Huay Nam Dang national park (before Pai), the caves at Sappong and numerous waterfalls.

Warning!

Pai has a police problem. Over the years, as Pai has attracted more and more dope smoking hippie types, the local police have become increasingly zealous and heavy handed in keeping order. The fact that Pai is near a major drug smuggling border compounds the issue. They periodically conduct random urine tests in bars and arrest travellers for possession, or even positive tests, locking them up for a few days before releasing them upon remittance of a ‘fine’ that is usually more than 10,000 baht. Pai is actually a laidback and safe place, but over the years law enforcement in this sleepy town has earned a reputation for thuggish behaviour with business owners complaining of unfair pressure. Finally, in January 2008 a Canadian tourist was shot dead in an ‘incident’ with an off duty cop. The official police version seems inconsistent with eye-witness and victim reports, and the accused has been released without charge. When in Pai, avoid trouble and stay clear of drugs, otherwise don’t come at all if in doubt.