Chiang Mai To Pai

[jackyseymour]

Can anyone please advise on travelling from Chiang Mai to Pai. Possible to fly? Mae Hong Son and then a bus?Thankyou

[easternspark]

You can fly from Chiang Mai to Pai or Mae Hong Son on SGA Airlines.

www.sga.co.th

One way fares are about 1,600 Baht

There are also public buses and regular tourist mini buses travelling this route.

Personally i would travel overland from Chiang Mai to Pai then on to Mae Hong Son and fly back from there. It is a great road over the mountains with beautiful scenery along the way.

[meadish_sweetball]

I may be wrong, but as I remember it, it actually takes longer from Pai to Mae Hong Son by road than it does from Chiang Mai to Pai, so flying to Mae Hong Son and then taking the bus to Pai is not the fastest way to get there - if fast is indeed important.

It is fully possible to cut Mae Hong Son out of the loop I think, unless you plan to do the greater loop involving Mae Sariang, Hot and back up to Chiang Mai - a very nice drive, but not recommended for those prone to motion sickness - 'the long and windy road' could have been written about this very route.

Mae Hong Son proper is a quaint little town but apart from a few nice Shan temples and a fish cave in nice surroundings, doesn't have that much of interest.

[T_Dog]

I have taken the mini bus service to Pai several times. Go to the CM bus station about 8:30 AM, buy your ticket, and then have breakfast at one of the stands as you wait for your 9:30 or 10:00 AM departure. The ticket is a few hundred baht which is a pretty good deal. You can easily arrange van service back in Pai. Flying over and taking the bus back might be a lot of fun if you have the money. For some reason, the bus back is always faster than the bus going. (2.5 hours versus 3.5) Renting a motorbike in Pai and riding some of the loops is a lot of fun. Don't miss walking up to Pai Canyon and "Coffee in Love".

[T_Dog]

I have taken the mini bus service to Pai several times. Go to the CM bus station about 8:30 AM, buy your ticket, and then have breakfast at one of the stands as you wait for your 9:30 or 10:00 AM departure. The ticket is a few hundred baht which is a pretty good deal. You can easily arrange van service back in Pai. Flying over and taking the bus back might be a lot of fun if you have the money. For some reason, the bus back is always faster than the bus going. (2.5 hours versus 3.5) Renting a motorbike in Pai and riding some of the loops is a lot of fun. Don't miss walking up to Pai Canyon and "Coffee in Love".

[jackyseymour]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Agree the bus sounds the nicest (and probably most convenient) trip. I will be travelling up from Phuket so will be sick of airport lounges and check ins by the time I get to CM

Had toyed with the idea of taking the Air Asia flight up to Bangkok and then the overnight First Class sleeper, reason being Air Asia has a FIVE hour layover in Chiang Mai, or that was what I was told when I went to buy a ticket last year for the flora exhibition. I see from their website that they don't quote round trips Phuket/Chiang Mai anymore. Maybe they've found a way to get round this by selling you seperate tickets. Wouldn't have thought they'd have had a lot of take up if they couldn't offer something more convenient than that And if the bus from CM to Pai leaves that early, will have to revise plans and spend a night in some place near the bus terminal. Any suggestions? Thanks again everyone

[Steve2UK]

You don't have to go to the CM bus station to get a mini-bus - there's at least one service that does pick-ups from CM hotels/guesthouses (and indeed other spots like Tesco Lotus on the Superhighway). They have several CM-Pai buses a day: 08.30, 09.00, 10.00, 13.00 & 14.00. They charge 200 baht for CM to Pai and 180 baht for Pai to CM - the 20 baht difference is to cover the pick-ups around CM........ whereas the all passengers travelling Pai to CM board at their Pai office.

I just checked with them and they can also pick you up from CM Airport (the taximeter area) for an extra 50 baht - but they probably need to have your cellphone number for that. BTW, you can pay the driver - just give them a call to arrange this and to sort out your schedule/pick-up location etc (the lady there speaks good English).

Pu-Chlee Travel (Chiang Mai Office: 053 449188/9)

Problem solved?

[jackyseymour]

You don't have to go to the CM bus station to get a mini-bus - there's at least one service that does pick-ups from CM hotels/guesthouses (and indeed other spots like Tesco Lotus on the Superhighway). They have several CM-Pai buses a day: 08.30, 09.00, 10.00, 13.00 & 14.00. They charge 200 baht for CM to Pai and 180 baht for Pai to CM - the 20 baht difference is to cover the pick-ups around CM........ whereas the all passengers travelling Pai to CM board at their Pai office.

I just checked with them and they can also pick you up from CM Airport (the taximeter area) for an extra 50 baht - but they probably need to have your cellphone number for that. BTW, you can pay the driver - just give them a call to arrange this and to sort out your schedule/pick-up location etc (the lady there speaks good English).

Pu-Chlee Travel (Chiang Mai Office: 053 449188/9)

Problem solved?

Thanks Steve! Great help, although think will still need overnight stay in Chiang Mai as doubt Air Asia flies from Phuket to Chiang Mai fast enough to catch the last bus, what with having to change in Bangkok and all. Also, read somewhere that the minivans drive a tad on the reckless side. Now I'm no wuss, but heard that road's a lonnnng ways up Still, some must've lived to tell the tale as the companies are still in business Thanks again.

[T_Dog]

You don't have to go to the CM bus station to get a mini-bus - there's at least one service that does pick-ups from CM hotels/guesthouses (and indeed other spots like Tesco Lotus on the Superhighway). They have several CM-Pai buses a day: 08.30, 09.00, 10.00, 13.00 & 14.00. They charge 200 baht for CM to Pai and 180 baht for Pai to CM - the 20 baht difference is to cover the pick-ups around CM........ whereas the all passengers travelling Pai to CM board at their Pai office.

I just checked with them and they can also pick you up from CM Airport (the taximeter area) for an extra 50 baht - but they probably need to have your cellphone number for that. BTW, you can pay the driver - just give them a call to arrange this and to sort out your schedule/pick-up location etc (the lady there speaks good English).

Pu-Chlee Travel (Chiang Mai Office: 053 449188/9)

Problem solved?

Steve, Thanks for posting this! This is a lot more convenient than going to the bus station!

[Elvikingo]

Motorbike! It's a nice road and now a lot better compared to a few years back. Done it over 10 times, it's worth the curves....

Cheers! Raoul

[Steve2UK]

You don't have to go to the CM bus station to get a mini-bus - there's at least one service that does pick-ups from CM hotels/guesthouses (and indeed other spots like Tesco Lotus on the Superhighway). They have several CM-Pai buses a day: 08.30, 09.00, 10.00, 13.00 & 14.00. They charge 200 baht for CM to Pai and 180 baht for Pai to CM - the 20 baht difference is to cover the pick-ups around CM........ whereas the all passengers travelling Pai to CM board at their Pai office.

I just checked with them and they can also pick you up from CM Airport (the taximeter area) for an extra 50 baht - but they probably need to have your cellphone number for that. BTW, you can pay the driver - just give them a call to arrange this and to sort out your schedule/pick-up location etc (the lady there speaks good English).

Pu-Chlee Travel (Chiang Mai Office: 053 449188/9)

Problem solved?

Steve, Thanks for posting this! This is a lot more convenient than going to the bus station!

Glad to help. BTW, they also do the Mae Sai run on the same basis (i.e. pick-ups around CM).