Looking for some insight on Pai (Mae Hong Son)

[cloudhopper]

I don't really care much for the usual tourist traps, bars or entertainment..

I just want to find a peaceful yet not TOO lonely place to live..

There are actually lots of places in and close to Chiang Mai that fit that description then, without you ever having to venture out over the mountains.

[islandguy]

Think you would like Mae Hong Son. Very peaceful, nice people. Sure to be cheaper.

[northernjohn]

It has gotten very touristy; and not for the better I think. It is, though an improvement on Mae Hong Son, which in

my view is a dump.

Everyone has said the same about the road. Bendy..to put it mildly!

I would sort out visas etc before you go

It is hardly the backwoods any more. Plane to CM! Plenty of minibuses from CM

Why don't you send your bike through the post office?

Can't really imagine why anyone would want to live there!! Cha Am it is not!

However hope it works out for you

meh! I guess my sources were not very forward with that information, I expected it to be a little bit touristy but apparently almost everyone on here seems see it as quite a bit more touristy than I had hoped.

well that's a shame, I was hoping for something calmer than Cha-am.. not that it's THAT bad here.. I just get tired of the beach after about 1.5 month and want to explore a little bit. happens every time.

I did look up some videos and such a little more on youtube yesterday and saw a site that listed Pai as one of the most over rated place in SEA

now, I have roughly two weeks to decide what I am up to, I will definitely travel "somewhere" but I am not much of a tourist, I don't really care much for the usual tourist traps, bars or entertainment..

I just want to find a peaceful yet not TOO lonely place to live.. I might go there one month, not like it and move on.

but i feel like Pai would be one hell of a Honda Wave drive to be disappointed of

It is very touristy in the high season lots of back packers. In the low season not bad at all. There are many places to rent out of town far cheaper than in town. High season not so cheap. There is still a lot of rain happening up there. My friend just called and said that it was raining and had been for four hours. When the rainy season ends the prices will go up. He recons for 3,000 baht a month you should be able to get a bare bones home with a fan out of town. He says if you tell them you are looking for a 6 month lease they may go cheaper.

At any rate hope you enjoy it. The town has grown there is now five 7/11's in it.

[yannyoun]

i like PAI and i go every year

i rent a motorbike to Chiang Mai ,honda phantom 250cc;

3 hours chiang mai to pai

good road but take care if its rainning

[anto]

IF i were you i would put yourself ,dog and bike on the train from BKK to C.M. In C.M you could hire a pick up to take you to Pai .

Pai also gets a lot of Thai tourists from Bangkok etc .You can look for accommodation on the Pai group in Facebook..

[silverhawk_usa]

IF i were you i would put yourself ,dog and bike on the train from BKK to C.M. In C.M you could hire a pick up to take you to Pai .

Pai also gets a lot of Thai tourists from Bangkok etc .You can look for accommodation on the Pai group in Facebook..

I read through the whole post to see if anyone had suggested this yet. i haven't done it myself, but I have a number of friends who have shipped all sizes of bikes on the train without a problem. As Anto says, that seems like the best way to do for the OP.

[femi fan]

I'd like to second what bredbury blue is saying.

And, just what does 'touristy' mean anyway?? It's just a word with a million meanings.

Pai is an outstanding place, a true heaven on earth. The only time i can imagine it should be called 'touristy' is right bang slap in the middle of the town, and even then only on two sides of the four sided 'square' that forms the main core of the town, and even then only at night time as everybody descends on those two streets for the shopping and some dinner. But there are so many other places to eat, and remember tourists hardly stray from the tourist places! Which is only two roads.

The whole point about going to pai is for the unbeatable mountain and valley scenery, eating fabulous thai food or fabulous farang food, and chilling out. Lots of funky eating places, great walks, magical cycling/motorbiking around the valley.

It's so easy for people to reduce a place to one word, 'touristy'. I wonder how many people have been turned off going to places by listening too much to other people's recommdendations?!

Pai always gets it in the neck for being 'touristy'. I've been going there about three times a year for a dozen years. Yes, it gets more tourists where before it just got travellers, but it's a very big valley, and tourists are sheep who just go to one or two places.

You'll love it.

I think you'd do well to get there first and check into somewhere to stay. Then spend a day or two biking around to see what signs there are for houses for rent. I often see signs for this, but have no idea how much they might cost. Also this way you can see the place before committing to it.

I went to cha-am about 15 years ago and loved it as seaside place to visit. I would say pai is very different in terms of set-up. The main bits of pai are outside of the two tourist roads in the town centre.

Go for it!

[Codesh]

I have friends who have lived there for years. I couldn't, I get bored after a few of waterfalls and restaurants and hot springs. But still a nice little town. The road from chiang mai is ok, but I think someone already said don't go at night, just in the daytime to be safe. About 3-4 hours depends on your type of vehicle.

Dogs seem same as anywhere else. Worse at night and in the little sois where they gang up and harass strangers.

For rent, one of my friends has a small old thai style house about 2 km from town that costs 6k per month. Maybe you should just find somewhere reasonable for a few weeks and then search around with locals. Of course much easier now to start looking, as not so many tourists putting pressure on accommodation.

The visa situation is so mixed up at present and a few long term locals panicking. Mae Sai is the border most people use. One good thing is that they have (I think still) an Immigration office in Pai that opens a few days each week. You can do 90 reports there.

Good luck!

[thairastawoman]

Can't really imagine why anyone would want to live there!

Veg out, take it easy, smoke something, hang out. If you're looking at being very the most unproductive you can ever be in your life for a couple weeks or months, it's the perfect place.

Smoking at Pai is not a bright idea anymore...

[northernjohn]

I'd like to second what bredbury blue is saying.

And, just what does 'touristy' mean anyway?? It's just a word with a million meanings.

Pai is an outstanding place, a true heaven on earth. The only time i can imagine it should be called 'touristy' is right bang slap in the middle of the town, and even then only on two sides of the four sided 'square' that forms the main core of the town, and even then only at night time as everybody descends on those two streets for the shopping and some dinner. But there are so many other places to eat, and remember tourists hardly stray from the tourist places! Which is only two roads.

The whole point about going to pai is for the unbeatable mountain and valley scenery, eating fabulous thai food or fabulous farang food, and chilling out. Lots of funky eating places, great walks, magical cycling/motorbiking around the valley.

It's so easy for people to reduce a place to one word, 'touristy'. I wonder how many people have been turned off going to places by listening too much to other people's recommdendations?!

Pai always gets it in the neck for being 'touristy'. I've been going there about three times a year for a dozen years. Yes, it gets more tourists where before it just got travellers, but it's a very big valley, and tourists are sheep who just go to one or two places.

You'll love it.

I think you'd do well to get there first and check into somewhere to stay. Then spend a day or two biking around to see what signs there are for houses for rent. I often see signs for this, but have no idea how much they might cost. Also this way you can see the place before committing to it.

I went to cha-am about 15 years ago and loved it as seaside place to visit. I would say pai is very different in terms of set-up. The main bits of pai are outside of the two tourist roads in the town centre.

Go for it!

femi fan mentioned food. My friend who lives up there is a retired chef who has studied under world class chefs. He tells me there is lots of good food and cheap.

[northernjohn]

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I have friends who have lived there for years. I couldn't, I get bored after a few of waterfalls and restaurants and hot springs. But still a nice little town. The road from chiang mai is ok, but I think someone already said don't go at night, just in the daytime to be safe. About 3-4 hours depends on your type of vehicle.

Dogs seem same as anywhere else. Worse at night and in the little sois where they gang up and harass strangers.

For rent, one of my friends has a small old thai style house about 2 km from town that costs 6k per month. Maybe you should just find somewhere reasonable for a few weeks and then search around with locals. Of course much easier now to start looking, as not so many tourists putting pressure on accommodation.

The visa situation is so mixed up at present and a few long term locals panicking. Mae Sai is the border most people use. One good thing is that they have (I think still) an Immigration office in Pai that opens a few days each week. You can do 90 reports there.

Good luck!

My friend tells me the immigration for 90 days is no longer there. He thinks it is just a high season thing. I see no reason to panic if you are obeying the laws at immigration. If you have been misusing them that can indeed be a problem.

[pgrahmm]

I have friends that live there and love it....have visited one or two times a year for a few years....could not imagine being there a month - after 3 days it's enough......postage stamp sized place......if women are something you are use to seeing around and enjoy being around it's a very small place with not much to pick from..... you will have eaten in every cafe within 1- 2 weeks......decent 2nd hand book store...backpacker/reggae dreads/60's drop out/spiritual seeking crowd like...have seen drug sales right out in plain view and that's a magnet for fringe people.....Every time I go there I marvel at the amount of motorbike accident injured I see there....very dark and curvy (roads) narrow at night.....

Hire a van or something to take you and your stuff up - I enjoy the road and the family is not curve friendly...very slippery dark road in the rain especially for a first timer...the roads are slanted to drain not to drive so a lot of the curves are against momentum and tire traction.....

Personally there's NO way I'd trade Cha-Am for Pai.....

[pgrahmm]

Might want to take a peek at Chiang Rai.....could have everything you want either in or nearby + quick to border......

Has an airport and support facilities - I would hate to have any type of medical emergency at Pai.......

Edited September 2, 2014 by pgrahmm

[bacwan]

I went to Pai last year and liked it. Firstly, Pai is more of an adventure than a destination. There are lots of outdoor activities to be enjoyed in the area. I rented a bike in CM and had a great time riding to Pai and around the area. The town is OK if you use it as a hub to explore the various activities. The two main streets mentioned by previous posters have a carnival/country fair atmosphere with cheap eats and plenty of souvenirs . To be sure, there are a lot of backpackers, but they are cliquey and pretty much stay to themselves. I'd go again, but wouldn't stay more than 3 or 4 days. It's way too small for me.

[mynameisphil]

Pai is great for a short visit but living there would be hell.

There are more tourists than locals by a huge number, or at least it seems that way, and it's mostly full of wannabe backpacking hippies, but if that's what you're after then it's a good choice.

The drive is great fun on a bike but I imagine it's less fun in a car or bus, alot of curves. Great scenery on the way though.

Mae Hong Son imo is a far better choice. Beautiful town, barely any tourists or backpackers and a genuine laid back vibe.

Not that tourists ruin a place or that people should try and go Thai, but Pai is overrun and has lost its charm and uniqueness.

[puck2]

Is your dog able to ride on a motorbike?

Then do it like this man in the bus station of Pai

Edited September 3, 2014 by puck2

[kekalot]

hmm not quite but.. my dog is a 26kg Bull Terrier, i'd do the same if i had a little dog like this picture

he is pretty laidback tho, i made him sit on the rack (?) between my knees on my wave and his front legs on me, he's like that as far as i know and i can turn both sides.. but i need to build him something a little larger with some grip for his fat bottom and back legs so that he doesn't feel like he will fall

I will probably up and decide whats going on in the next two weeks, my rent is up for the 16th and i'm not planning on paying this month

I have a few other ideas if I don't like Pai, probably visit Mae Hong Son and "maybe" revisit Chiang Rai. i believe i know a place that rents little houses for 4 KB (kilobaht) and they were quite nice.

[femi fan]

Pai is great for a short visit but living there would be hell.

Unbelievable. Give me hell over heaven every day then.

Pai is hell to live in. I still can't believe i've read this. It gets a lot of dissing, but the poor place is really getting done in now.

However, i'm sure the whole pai valley is smiling to herself as she sits in the depths of despair in the devil's lair.

Pai is hell… oh man, how glorious hell is. I must make my proper acquaintance with that bad man there.

[mynameisphil]

Pai is great for a short visit but living there would be hell.

Unbelievable. Give me hell over heaven every day then.

Pai is hell to live in. I still can't believe i've read this. It gets a lot of dissing, but the poor place is really getting done in now.

However, i'm sure the whole pai valley is smiling to herself as she sits in the depths of despair in the devil's lair.

Pai is hell… oh man, how glorious hell is. I must make my proper acquaintance with that bad man there.

IMO of course.

Different strokes for different folks.

[femi fan]

i'm not barring you from your opinion! Of course not. But 'hell' is supposed to be a very very bad place, the worst place a human can find themselves in...

[mynameisphil]

i'm not barring you from your opinion! Of course not. But 'hell' is supposed to be a very very bad place, the worst place a human can find themselves in...

Good point, slight exaggeration on my part

[cloudhopper]

i'm not barring you from your opinion! Of course not. But 'hell' is supposed to be a very very bad place, the worst place a human can find themselves in...

Well it actually is sort of like that sometimes in Feb-Apr.

Shangri-La now tho!

[96tehtarp]

Has anyone recently compared Pai with Luang Prabang? I haven't been to either recently enough to make a useful comparison for the OP.

[stament]

My nephew and his gf are thinking about going to Pai in the next couple of days. Can anyone give some insight on how busy it is there and recommend any decent accommodation under 1000 baht per night.

I've seen the thread on the bad roads, they will be going by minibus. Lastly, is a motorbike essential there?