Pai — a Hidden Gem in Thailand’s North

A town high up in the mountains

I’ve had so much joy scrolling through the publication. Traveling around the world while reading stories I went to Pakistan, India, Canada, New England, and many more. In times when traveling couldn’t be harder, I am enjoying this kind of getting to know the world by reading through other writer’s stories.

After writing my first article about a town I stayed in for six months this year I came upon a tiny village located in Thailand’s north which I fell in love with when visiting the place back in 2018.

The town and its location

Pai is a mountain village located in the north-west of Thailand, close to the border of Myanmar. Due to its location high in the mountains somewhere in the countryside, it is not so easily accessible as many other popular destinations in the country’s south.

The town itself is not what makes it special. It’s the nature surrounding it. Of course, it is a lovely village to walk through in the evenings, exploring markets and local bars.

But what I loved about this place was its location. The mountains, the rain forest, rivers, and canyons all around. Too much to explore for our stay of a few days.

When we visited this place during our two-week trip we didn’t have much time. But I could easily have spent a month only staying here.

Road to Pai

There is a small airport in Pai and apparently, it’s open for commercial flights, but I don’t know anyone who flew there. The obvious connection to a mountain village is a road.

But not any road. This road to Pai is a famous one. 762 turns and twists bringing you over a drive of three hours from Chiang Mai into the forest country.

I didn’t take many pictures during the drive since I am one of those who get nauseous when only thinking about a road like that. I survived it though. Even twice. Remember, you’re taking the same road there and back.

The road to Pai is that famous that you’ll find the number 762 with all its turns on every tourist shirt and postcard.

The mountains

The mountains surrounding this lovely place invite you to several hikes across hills and forests as far as the eye can see. Being elevated It isn’t as hot as in the country’s south and you even want your sweater during the cool evening hours.

Wherever you are whenever you walk around Pai the mountains are always to be seen. Being located in a valley surrounded by peaks and endless mountain ranges it is the landmark of the region.

Waterfalls

I do see I did not take a photograph of a spectacular waterfall, but there are plenty of them hidden in the endless forests. And even if you’ve seen better ones. It’s not for the Instagram shot.

It’s for the experience. The hike in nature. The sounds that surround you walking in the forest. The smells reaching your nose while the sweat is running down your face.

Rivers

Where one can find waterfalls, rivers aren’t far. Sometimes we just got off the scooter, walked off the road into nature, and cooled ourselves down sitting next to a river.

Life in Pai is a laid back one. It’s slow. It’s peaceful. It’s meditating. It’s a lot of things. But mostly it is far from the city’s hustle and bustle.

Hot springs

When thinking about Thailand you think about heat, humidity, and beach life. But this country has way more to offer than that. And up here in the north you might even be in a mood to explore some hot springs.

As mentioned before the temperatures are lower than in the coastal places and a bath in one of Pai’s hot springs turned out to be the highlight of our trip.

Getting there was already an experience by itself. With a simple map and signs not saying much, we followed instructions given to us. Driving up and down through the forest over abandoned roads we got there eventually.

Leaving us speechless once spotted the hot spring. Hidden in the forest, surrounded by bushes and tall trees it is a true gem of this place.

The canyon

Pai has a big canyon hidden behind a hill located in the valley that is worth exploring. A small entrance fee is charged since it is a popular tourist destination.

Locals and foreigners explore the canyon by foot. Slip and sliding across the clay consisting paths. During the afternoon it gets busier up here, but the crowds distribute themselves across several walls of the canyon.

The land split

An earthquake in 2008 created a huge land split in the farmers' land on the hills surrounding Pai. Having a loss of income but always staying optimistic the locals turned the place into a popular tourist destination.

Several paths leading around and into the land split offering stunning views across the valley. Local farmers selling fruits, teas, and other products and the entrance to the land split.

While in other places further south in the country people get harassed by street vendors there’s a different vibe up here. The farmers share their knowledge and products with the foreigners not asking for money. Anyone who wants can leave them a tip. But there’s no entrance fee or other kind of toll to be paid.

Sunsets of Pai

Being a country of countless tropical sunsets there are those to capture up here as well. Pai has more than one popular spot for a sundowner.

The one I enjoyed the most was when I was sitting in the canyon, letting my feet dangle in the air and watching the sun disappear behind the mountains while sipping on a glass of wine.

Strawberry fields

Almost forgotten but another activity worth experiencing when up here is picking strawberries. Around Pai are several strawberry farms where locals let you pick (and eat) strawberries from the fields.

For those who are too lazy to climb up the steep fields, you can buy boxes of freshly picked strawberries and other products made of this delicious fruit.

I’m telling you these strawberries give you an explosion of flavors in your mouth. So juicy. So tasty. So refreshing.

The White Buddha

Being a country with diverse religions Buddhism is widely spread in Thailand. Especially the north is known for lots of temples and statues.

Despite not being a religious person I am very much interested in different cultures and their traditions. Visiting several religious sites in the south, we also went to explore the famous White Buddha of Pai.

First, you have to hike up a million stairs (that’s at least how it felt like) before you get to reach the impressive temple. Respecting the rules of the religion I did not capture the Buddha statue itself but rather the views from up here.

Hidden cafes

It wouldn’t be a town in Thailand if there wouldn’t be a million bars, cafés, and other places to stop for a quick lunch, a coffee, or a delicious smoothie. But especially in this town stretched across the valley I’ve seen so many cute cafés. We didn’t have enough meals to try them all out.

Where to stay

Like anywhere else in the country it’s not difficult to find a place to stay. You might struggle to choose due to too many lovely accommodation options.

Just pick one. We often just booked a one night stay wherever we went to and when we enjoyed it we extended the stay. If not, we could still move to somewhere else.

We never moved though. Maybe we don’t have high expectations. Or we are just too lazy to move. Anyhow. This was the view from our bungalow. Not bad?

Rent a scooter

If you were wondering how you get around in this town and its surroundings the answer is rather simple. Like in any other place in Thailand you just rent a scooter.

There’s nothing more freeing than having a mode of transport to get around. Driving up these winding roads with the wind blowing through your hair is part of the experience of visiting Pai.

“Hope is like a path in the countryside. Originally, there is nothing — but as people walk this way again and again, a path appears.” — Lu Xun

Collection of photographs of Pai

There are many more photographs I could share, but these will do. I hope you got an impression of this town in the middle of nowhere. Or in the center of everything? It always depends on your point of view on things.

However, in case you should travel to this lovely place one day, please send my greetings. And take me with on the journey of memories by writing down your experience. I would love to read it.

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Anne Bonfert is a traveler. Photographer. Writer. Teacher. Skydiving instructor. Adventure enthusiast. Nature lover. And fell in love with the African continent.