IS PAI WORTH VISITING?

Let me put this straight: I don’t think I got the best first impression of Pai. I spent two weeks there, not because it was so much fun, but because I was in no rush and hoped the rain would stop and I could do some adventures. Well, August is right in the middle of the rainy and low tourist season, and the weather mostly stayed wet, so instead of traversing the region, I mostly explored the cafés and restaurants in town.

I’m sure Pai can be better, more lively and colourful. And I don’t want to be too judgy about this hippie and backpacker paradise, but one thing’s for sure: this place calls for those looking for Ubud in Thailand and Koh Phangan in the mountains. And for some weird reason, Dutch (basically the only nation I run into).

THE BASICS

Pai is located ca. 130 km northwest of Chiang Mai. It even has a small airport, and I imagine bush flying here can be gorg, but the cheapest and easiest way is to approach it by land. It’s about a 2 hours drive on a pretty winding (with the infamous 762 curves) mountain road.

So many people complain about the minivans and motion sickness, and honestly, I don’t understand why they take a van instead of riding a bike?! The road is amazing, breathtaking, and curvy indeed, but this setting is made for a two-wheel heaven. So, if you want to enjoy yourself instead of complaining afterward, get a bike – you will need one to get around anyway.

There are plenty of accommodations in and out of town, it all depends on your budget and needs. The famous Circus Hostel is the hotspot, but that’s far from my vibe. I prefer private bedrooms, but luxury prices and resorts only make sense when I have company. I stayed at Pril Pai Guesthouse and loved it: quiet, cozy, green, and affordable.

THE SIGHTS

You can choose classic backpacker activities like tubing, group tours, and social drinking or classic hippie activities like yoga, smoothie bowls, and retreats. If you’re travelling in a group or staying in a hostel, you will be taken care of. But if you’re alone, I think that’s a bigger “struggle” from a social perspective. During my stay, everyone was either a couple, a 20-ish letsgraba~~weed~~beer backpacker, or a manifesting spiritual yogi (damn, I tried so hard not to be judgemental), so I didn’t have many chats.

Now that Covid times are slowly passing, I notice that travellers’ behaviour has changed. They are not as open and easygoing as before. Somehow, it feels like everyone is more reserved and distant, less interested and less interesting. Is it just me, or did people really get socially wounded this much?

Pai is a 100% outdoor destination, so it sucks when it’s constantly raining – we even had floods during those weeks. However, the wet roads, steamy air, rainbows, lush nature, and gosh, the sunsets after the showers have their own charm. You can find sights like hot springs, waterfalls, caves, and trekking spots in every direction, but it’s also fun just to ride for the sake of driving. You’re basically ping-ponging between lookout points anyway, and sometimes it’s more about the journey, not the destination, right?!

I should come back at a more weather-friendly time because my exploration was at its lowest possible, but based on what I’ve seen so far: dip in the Sai Ngam Natural Spring (an amazing road leads up north, and the layered warm water flow is pretty cool), then go to Pai Canyon at the golden hour (the colours look extremely intense and beautiful at that time), sunset at Two Huts (no words needed), and finally back into town for the night market and some live music.

THE PLACES

The good thing about Pai is the extended vegetarian food options and the coffee. While other parts of Thailand are heavily meat-based, thanks to the new-age conscious community up here, they’ve created a little vegan heaven. I had plenty of time to test all the popular and less popular places, and so here are my favourites:

BREAKFAST

Bom Bowls, Fat Cat, and Rainny Cafe are the tops. Delish smoothie bowls and egg dishes, good coffee, and my daily fix of butterfly pea.

WORKSTATION

I can work anywhere, but some places are just better. Time Cafe & Bistro or The Pedlar are the go-tos with your laptop. The food and coffee are alright, and they let you do your thing – just don’t be a jerk and sit there for 6 hours with a single cup of coffee (that’s so rude, people).

BEST COFFEE

The most important question. Puripai has the best cappuccino, and I love the design and waffles too. The second best is at Lemon Thyme Café, but they have the worst service in the entire town.

LUNCH

Carrot On The Moon is like a hidden garden with fluffy cats, amazing pasta, and cakes. Ganita Cafe has gado-gado and tempeh. I love tempeh, and it’s so much of an Indonesian but not really a Thai thing, so I was super happy to finally get some.