Backchat from the Travelfish community
Why Pai?
I've been visiting Pai regularly (at least a month each year) ever since my first encounter with the town and a teacher from the local junior school in 2003 (I ended up marrying the teacher), and going in to the school to help with English lessons is always a joy.
The town has changed enormously since my first visit - 7-11 stores, more banks, ATMs everywhere, resorts being built . . . there's even a car hire office now!!
Thankfully most of the people have managed to stay just the same, and it is they who make my visits a joy. I don't frequent the tourist bars and cafes, so I can offer no opinion on them, but if you are willing to get seriously into the local life and live like the permanent population then this is a community that offers a wonderful return on your investment.
Oh - a measure of Thai, a smattering of Shan and a few words of Lisu, Lahu and Karen help a lot.
The town has changed enormously since my first visit - 7-11 stores, more banks, ATMs everywhere, resorts being built . . . there's even a car hire office now!!
Thankfully most of the people have managed to stay just the same, and it is they who make my visits a joy. I don't frequent the tourist bars and cafes, so I can offer no opinion on them, but if you are willing to get seriously into the local life and live like the permanent population then this is a community that offers a wonderful return on your investment.
Oh - a measure of Thai, a smattering of Shan and a few words of Lisu, Lahu and Karen help a lot.
- Sights & activities
- History & culture
- Scenery & environment
- Eat & drink
- Traveller's scene
- Romance
- Value for money
- I'll be back (or not)
The Right Place for the Right Person
I have been to Pai a few times now, and though I was at first intoxicated with infatuation for the place, my enthusiasm has become more tempered each time I visit. I am still a vocal advocate of Pai, but only for the right people.
To me, it is the perfect destination in The North for a first-time traveler, whether you’re the type that demands a Full English Breakfast every morning or someone who wants to see “the real Thailand.” It can satisfy both of those desires, while also catering to any travel convenience you might want. The town has excellent food, cheap ACCOMMODATION
, and endless beauty extending in every direction.
Unfortunately, if you’ve been around the block so to speak, the town can feel all too manufactured, and the backpackers that fancy themselves New Age Nomad-Hippies, smelling as if they haven’t seen a bar of soap in 3 months (but have actually only been away from home for 3 weeks) will undoubtedly get a bit irritating. It can, however, be entertaining to hear the monologues on how they’ve come out to travel around for 2 months, hoping to “find themselves..”
I still rate it as a must-see in Northern Thailand, especially for newbies, but for those more experienced travelers or Thailand dwellers, a day or two will probably be enough before needing to move on to greener, more remote pastures, even if that just means staying further out of town.
To me, it is the perfect destination in The North for a first-time traveler, whether you’re the type that demands a Full English Breakfast every morning or someone who wants to see “the real Thailand.” It can satisfy both of those desires, while also catering to any travel convenience you might want. The town has excellent food, cheap ACCOMMODATION
, and endless beauty extending in every direction.Unfortunately, if you’ve been around the block so to speak, the town can feel all too manufactured, and the backpackers that fancy themselves New Age Nomad-Hippies, smelling as if they haven’t seen a bar of soap in 3 months (but have actually only been away from home for 3 weeks) will undoubtedly get a bit irritating. It can, however, be entertaining to hear the monologues on how they’ve come out to travel around for 2 months, hoping to “find themselves..”
I still rate it as a must-see in Northern Thailand, especially for newbies, but for those more experienced travelers or Thailand dwellers, a day or two will probably be enough before needing to move on to greener, more remote pastures, even if that just means staying further out of town.
- Sights & activities
- History & culture
- Scenery & environment
- Eat & drink
- Traveller's scene
- Romance
- Value for money
- I'll be back (or not)
Pai - more than meets the eye.
Pai has incurred some unjustified flack over recent years. Maybe it's time to reconsider Pai as the great destination that it is.
As is widely known, Pai was a hippie hang out. But, no more. As described above, the days of hippie's and other off the wall stuff have long gone. As the dialogue above describes, the town has developed well into an arts locale and new age 'scene' (or is it culture?). Faced with the full-on commercialism of Chiang Mai Pai, this less-commercial relaxedness is a major part of the reason why Pai has appeal.
Unlike Mae Hong Song (or similar towns), Pai is not a town primarily servicing the surrounding villages, and somewhat catering to tourists. Rather, Pai is much more focussed on tourist needs (and somewhat caters to surrounding locals). And, the charming locals of Pai do a good job of servicing tourist needs in a way that is laid back. I found touts selling whatever to be nicely absent.
Most towns servicing the wider community have a city centre (of some sort or another). Pai has no city centre with the obligatory business, rather, the town is quite spread out. This also means that wheels are almost a necessity (at my stage of life, its motorised wheels!). At night, the pub scene is great and the (usual) offerings of music mean that its likely you won't stop at the one place all night (again, wheels).
In some respects, the 'centre' of Pai is not the shopped streets, but the river. For here all sorts of activities abound.
One often overlooked activity of Pai - and hardly available elsewhere - is the river stroll on an elephant. Located some clicks from town, the originator - 'Thoms' - has competition. But, all seek to take the paying passenger (rider?) bare-back into the river. There, the passenger/s are sprayed with trunk water, slid sideways into the water, and exposed to all sorts of other elephantantics. To be in the river with an elephant - where it is in enjoyment - is far more enjoyable than merely being carted across the landscape.
Perhaps the main reason why Pai is an attractive tourist town is that it does have so many activities on offer, it is a reasonable example of a rural Thai town, it does cater well to & for the tourist, and importantly, it usually does not appear like a tourist hotspot.
If you are looking for the undisturbed, untouristed Thai town, Pai isn't it! But, if you want to see an less than full-on commercial rural Thai town, but with a host of activities to entertain, and a good choice of ACCOMMODATION AND food options, then Pai will certainly attract.
- - - - -
Why I chose the numbers...
Sights & activities: while each may not be the best available in Thailand, the host of offerings puts it 'up there'.
History & culture: Not much history evident, but the art & laid back culture boosts the ranking.
Scenery & environment: Like nearly all of Thailand, the environment is largely modified. But, there is plenty of vegetated scenery and in some places, the environment is 'there'.
Eat & drink: It's not Bangkok, but as a rural town, it has pretty much everything (including a good pub & music scene).
Traveller scene: Either you like being in a tourist town, or you don't. If remoteness & lack of tourists is your thing - too bad. If entertainment is the number, then you'll be heartened.
Romance: I'm 60+, I'm afraid I've lost the measure!!!
Value for money: depends, it's touristy, so its not cheap!
I'll be back or not: After I've visited everywhere else in the world, I'll definitely be back!
As is widely known, Pai was a hippie hang out. But, no more. As described above, the days of hippie's and other off the wall stuff have long gone. As the dialogue above describes, the town has developed well into an arts locale and new age 'scene' (or is it culture?). Faced with the full-on commercialism of Chiang Mai Pai, this less-commercial relaxedness is a major part of the reason why Pai has appeal.
Most towns servicing the wider community have a city centre (of some sort or another). Pai has no city centre with the obligatory business, rather, the town is quite spread out. This also means that wheels are almost a necessity (at my stage of life, its motorised wheels!). At night, the pub scene is great and the (usual) offerings of music mean that its likely you won't stop at the one place all night (again, wheels).
In some respects, the 'centre' of Pai is not the shopped streets, but the river. For here all sorts of activities abound.
One often overlooked activity of Pai - and hardly available elsewhere - is the river stroll on an elephant. Located some clicks from town, the originator - 'Thoms' - has competition. But, all seek to take the paying passenger (rider?) bare-back into the river. There, the passenger/s are sprayed with trunk water, slid sideways into the water, and exposed to all sorts of other elephantantics. To be in the river with an elephant - where it is in enjoyment - is far more enjoyable than merely being carted across the landscape.
Perhaps the main reason why Pai is an attractive tourist town is that it does have so many activities on offer, it is a reasonable example of a rural Thai town, it does cater well to & for the tourist, and importantly, it usually does not appear like a tourist hotspot.
If you are looking for the undisturbed, untouristed Thai town, Pai isn't it! But, if you want to see an less than full-on commercial rural Thai town, but with a host of activities to entertain, and a good choice of ACCOMMODATION AND
food options, then Pai will certainly attract.- - - - -
Why I chose the numbers...
Sights & activities: while each may not be the best available in Thailand, the host of offerings puts it 'up there'.
History & culture: Not much history evident, but the art & laid back culture boosts the ranking.
Scenery & environment: Like nearly all of Thailand, the environment is largely modified. But, there is plenty of vegetated scenery and in some places, the environment is 'there'.
Eat & drink: It's not Bangkok, but as a rural town, it has pretty much everything (including a good pub & music scene).
Traveller scene: Either you like being in a tourist town, or you don't. If remoteness & lack of tourists is your thing - too bad. If entertainment is the number, then you'll be heartened.
Romance: I'm 60+, I'm afraid I've lost the measure!!!
Value for money: depends, it's touristy, so its not cheap!
I'll be back or not: After I've visited everywhere else in the world, I'll definitely be back!
- Sights & activities
- History & culture
- Scenery & environment
- Eat & drink
- Traveller's scene
- Romance
- Value for money
- I'll be back (or not)
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