Pai

[HansBlinkers]

I was thinking of heading up to Pai for a few days? What's it like up there? In terms of daytime, nightlife, food, women ect ect?

[whiterussian]

daytime, very pretty outside of town. Last went a year and a half ago.

Town in ok.. sleepy, lots of dazed 'expats' wandering around, probably from the night before.

Nightlife, good, some nice music bars in one section away from the tourist street, great bands. No go go's etc...

Food is great, all sorts.

No visible hookers or at least I didnt see any. I think the hill tribe women are into that game.

Worth a visit for sure.

If bored, pop over the mountain range to www.cavelodge.com (no affiliation, but the place is great!)

Edited March 23, 2010 by whiterussian

[NancyL]

Spent a very nice couple of days in Pai last August. Used a special offer from SGA airlines for airflight and two nights at a resort. The flight was spectacular; fairly early in the day with clear skies. Great sightseeing. (Probably pretty bad now until the rains start). The resort was nearly empty, but nice, since August is "low" season. We spent much time right in downtown Pai, enjoying the great food and cheap beer, watching the dazed young westerns wandering around. Noticed they had river rafting and motorcross available, but didn't try them. Overall it was a pleasant two days that would have gotten stale after three days.

Don't know about the "night scene". We're older and tend to fall asleep after 10 pm.

[millwall_fan]

Now might be a good time to visit as the bad air quality will provide a counter balance to the smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers who frequent the place!

In reality Pai has moved on from that image...well a little bit! There are some decent hotels and resorts, beautiful scenery - though back to the air quality issues, you might not see much at the moment.

The food scene is not great, for a Western Breakfast try Eds Diner. Ed is an American Vietnam war vet with a surprisingly modern view of life! Great guy.

[Chaimai]

I am there as we speak.

It is said to be quiet at this time and also that it has lost it's original charm.

I found it to be a mix between Chiang Mai and a Cornish or Devon town with a bit of Khao San road thrown in. Plenty of arty things and a varied selection of bars and restaurants. Prices are generally at the lower end of expectations.

Unless you are staying in town you will need a motorbike. We are 4km out which is fine - we are also paying 2,000 baht a night for a deluxe room in a very nice resort with small pool.

Personally, I think it is quaint with an interesting mix of architecture and business estabishments i.e. a temple next to a bar, and an old Thai building next to a modern coffee shop (loads of those). Also a mix of Thais/Falangs, Hiso's and back-packers + a few hippies.

Have not been but there is a 3.00 DISCO advertised.

have not seen any girlie bars, soapy massage parours or even a hint of any barfines. The missus says it is a controlled area and there is no sex tourism.

Relaxed attitude to crash helmets around town.

I would recommend it and it was a great experience flying in from CM on a 12 seater plane.

[gotlost]

As for entertainment take it with you just make sure its legal. There is a serious check point about 20 km out of Pai.

[up-country_sinclair]

I've been to Pai a couple of times, most recently in 2007.

I stayed at a 'resort' just outside of town with it's own hot springs. For the life of me I can't remember the name, but it should be easily found via a search engine.

Very good advice above about not bringing illegal substances out of Pai.

Don't do it.

[gotlost]

I've been to Pai a couple of times, most recently in 2007.

I stayed at a 'resort' just outside of town with it's own hot springs. For the life of me I can't remember the name, but it should be easily found via a search engine.

Very good advice above about not bringing illegal substances out of Pai.

Don't do it.

In or out they Id both ways.

[IanForbes]

For me it was the drive in that made it worthwhile. I liked all the switch backs up to the ridge along the top of the mountain. At certain places you could look down into both valleys from the same spot. It was a sleepy little town with mostly tourists hanging around the river. I didn't see any sign of a bar scene night life. If any sex is happening it's between the back packers themselves. Different strokes for different folks.

[NancyL]

We stayed at a resort with a great pool and wonderful views a couple kilometers out of town. Didn't rent a scooter because the resort package included transport into the city -- one round trip per day with additional trips reasonably priced. They also had free bicycles and electric bicycles at the resort for day travel into Pai. I wouldn't use one after dark, of course, but the van service was reliable.

[gotlost]

For me it was the drive in that made it worthwhile. I liked all the switch backs up to the ridge along the top of the mountain. At certain places you could look down into both valleys from the same spot. It was a sleepy little town with mostly tourists hanging around the river. I didn't see any sign of a bar scene night life. If any sex is happening it's between the back packers themselves. Different strokes for different folks.

It is definitely a place where you need to take your own entertainment.

[femi fan]

Now might be a good time to visit as the bad air quality will provide a counter balance to the smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers who frequent the place!

I doubt you'd even know about pai if it weren't for these people who it seems you look down on (i say seems because of the ! you use).

Same goes for most of thailand, and probably most of the world: westerner tourists pretty much only go where those smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers first went.

Furthermore the smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers spend their money at the local end of thailand, spreading their money about with locals and the bottom end of the economy. They stay longer and take care of the environment.

Meanwhile, due to the clean richer suitcase sorts, places like pai are getting their natural charms submerged by rich bangkok sorts who come along and buy up the land from locals with their apparently good offers, and then rip down the old style teak buildings and swamp the town with concrete places, and faux-natural resorts that charge the earth for visitors. The building continues apace with all manner of non-locals trying to get their grubby profits from this unbelievably beautiful environment, causing any number of garbage, sewage, and over-crowding problems. An airport gets built for the richer non-adventurous sorts who can't be bothered with the three hour drives. Stunning views get ripped to pieces by ugly monstrous 'resorts', and so it goes on.

And don't dare anyone have a smoke of dope, that's just for the unwashed backpackers, and if they get caught, serves em right, bang em up. Meanwhile mine's three cocktails for the price of two at happy hour, and then i'll stumble home later on pissed out of my mind.

[femi fan]

I've been to Pai a couple of times, most recently in 2007.

I stayed at a 'resort' just outside of town with it's own hot springs. For the life of me I can't remember the name, but it should be easily found via a search engine.

Very good advice above about not bringing illegal substances out of Pai.

Don't do it.

nah, just get smashed out of your mind with the booze there.

Anyway, no need to bring any in or out, there's still plenty available everywhere for the great unwashed and uncouth hippies who dare to tread the world.

And for those that might choose to use the dope, i really don't think they'll see your advice as 'good'. They know what they're doing mostly, they've had to dodge the law for most of their adult lives.

And that checkpoint is military, not police.

[Chaimai]

Now might be a good time to visit as the bad air quality will provide a counter balance to the smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers who frequent the place!

I doubt you'd even know about pai if it weren't for these people who it seems you look down on (i say seems because of the ! you use).

Same goes for most of thailand, and probably most of the world: westerner tourists pretty much only go where those smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers first went.

Furthermore the smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers spend their money at the local end of thailand, spreading their money about with locals and the bottom end of the economy. They stay longer and take care of the environment.

Meanwhile, due to the clean richer suitcase sorts, places like pai are getting their natural charms submerged by rich bangkok sorts who come along and buy up the land from locals with their apparently good offers, and then rip down the old style teak buildings and swamp the town with concrete places, and faux-natural resorts that charge the earth for visitors. The building continues apace with all manner of non-locals trying to get their grubby profits from this unbelievably beautiful environment, causing any number of garbage, sewage, and over-crowding problems. An airport gets built for the richer non-adventurous sorts who can't be bothered with the three hour drives. Stunning views get ripped to pieces by ugly monstrous 'resorts', and so it goes on.

And don't dare anyone have a smoke of dope, that's just for the unwashed backpackers, and if they get caught, serves em right, bang em up. Meanwhile mine's three cocktails for the price of two at happy hour, and then i'll stumble home later on pissed out of my mind.

Now I know what inverted snobbery looks like.

[millwall_fan]

Now might be a good time to visit as the bad air quality will provide a counter balance to the smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers who frequent the place!

I doubt you'd even know about pai if it weren't for these people who it seems you look down on (i say seems because of the ! you use).

Same goes for most of thailand, and probably most of the world: westerner tourists pretty much only go where those smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers first went.

Furthermore the smelly hippies and unwashed backpackers spend their money at the local end of thailand, spreading their money about with locals and the bottom end of the economy. They stay longer and take care of the environment.

Meanwhile, due to the clean richer suitcase sorts, places like pai are getting their natural charms submerged by rich bangkok sorts who come along and buy up the land from locals with their apparently good offers, and then rip down the old style teak buildings and swamp the town with concrete places, and faux-natural resorts that charge the earth for visitors. The building continues apace with all manner of non-locals trying to get their grubby profits from this unbelievably beautiful environment, causing any number of garbage, sewage, and over-crowding problems. An airport gets built for the richer non-adventurous sorts who can't be bothered with the three hour drives. Stunning views get ripped to pieces by ugly monstrous 'resorts', and so it goes on.

And don't dare anyone have a smoke of dope, that's just for the unwashed backpackers, and if they get caught, serves em right, bang em up. Meanwhile mine's three cocktails for the price of two at happy hour, and then i'll stumble home later on pissed out of my mind.

My,my, my, what an angry young lady you are!

[getgoin]

Meanwhile, due to the clean richer suitcase sorts, places like pai are getting their natural charms submerged by rich bangkok sorts who come along and buy up the land from locals with their apparently good offers, and then rip down the old style teak buildings and swamp the town with concrete places, and faux-natural resorts that charge the earth for visitors. The building continues apace with all manner of non-locals trying to get their grubby profits from this unbelievably beautiful environment, causing any number of garbage, sewage, and over-crowding problems. An airport gets built for the richer non-adventurous sorts who can't be bothered with the three hour drives. Stunning views get ripped to pieces by ugly monstrous 'resorts', and so it goes on.

I have to agree. Go to Pai? The answer is right here from femi fan.

[femi fan]

My,my, my, what an angry young lady you are!

I lost my handbag.

[Pond Life]

Visability is currently terrible, with choking smoke.

Dont bother.

[meadish_sweetball]

Yes, Pai is usually much worse than CM for smoke during this time of the year.

[LJW]

I have been a Pai visitor for the last 25 years. I recently drove out to Pai, and I must say that the small town feel has gone, replaced by the HUGE desire for money from the visitors. The scene downtown was crazy, compared to the past. Too many Farangs...

And Pai and Chiang Mai are the same when i comes to smoke, because the smoke is not local for the most part. Most of it comes from Burma.

[meadish_sweetball]

And Pai and Chiang Mai are the same when i comes to smoke, because the smoke is not local for the most part. Most of it comes from Burma.

It is true the smoke is not local for the most part, and that both Pai and Chiang Mai have a smoke problem, but I do not agree that Pai and Chiang Mai are the same.

Pai is closer to Burma than Chiang Mai, and also has more local burning. Both of these factors play into it - compare the PM 10 readings from Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son to those of Chiang Mai and you will see... Whether it is the proximity to Burma or the amount of local burning within each valley that makes more of a difference I do not know, but there is no question there is a difference.

[LJW]

And Pai and Chiang Mai are the same when i comes to smoke, because the smoke is not local for the most part. Most of it comes from Burma.

It is true the smoke is not local for the most part, and that both Pai and Chiang Mai have a smoke problem, but I do not agree that Pai and Chiang Mai are the same.

Pai is closer to Burma than Chiang Mai, and also has more local burning. Both of these factors play into it - compare the PM 10 readings from Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son to those of Chiang Mai and you will see... Whether it is the proximity to Burma or the amount of local burning within each valley that makes more of a difference I do not know, but there is no question there is a difference.

Sorry, but I don't agree with you

[millwall_fan]

My,my, my, what an angry young lady you are!

I lost my handbag.

you should have a word with my wife, she's got dozen's of spare ones - mostly dodgy ones from Tachilek!!!

[cardinalblue]

I just hate hearing these generalities that more smokes comes from Burma than locally. I doubt anyone really knows what the breakdown is b/c the analysis needed is so lacking. I doubt the gov officials really knows how much is burned, what the composition is etc...

All I know is the locals burn their fields , their garbage, the roadside to clear brush, etc b/c they have no other options...

A serious env-frendly comprehensive solid waste management plan is sorely lacking..

Now if there was a local/regional no-burn program (secondary markets for organic materiel, aggressive recycling, source reduction, etc ) in which locals bought in and it is known people were not burning, then one can say the smoke is coming form elsewhere.. but that is not the case obviously...

The problem starts at home...

CB