The small mountain city of Pai is sort of well-known within the backpacker group and has been an everyday cease over for hippie vacationers plying Thailand’s north. I made a decision to make a visit to Pai once I visited Chiangmai this yr to see what the fuss was about it.
Pai is round 146 km from Chiangmai and requires nearly 3 hours of driving up winding and steep roads. The highway to Pai is worthy of it’s personal weblog publish and I shall publish it up later. For this publish, I’ll simply contact on the points of interest that yow will discover in Pai and it’s environment.
The Town
Pai lies on the banks of the Pai River and appears to get its title from it. The city itself is unfold out over a valley and surrounded by mountains. With a small inhabitants of two,284 (2006 knowledge) primarily descended from Shan tribes out of Myanmar, the tradition right here is sort of completely different from what you will see that in Chiangmai. From its former farming group days, Pai now depends primarily on tourism with a lot of the city’s inhabitants serving the vacationer greenback (or baht).
The Pai River from which Pai will get its title I suppose. There is a small bamboo bridge which connects some visitor homes to the principle strolling road space in order that guests don’t should make a giant detour.Despite its flimsy look, this bamboo bridge has a metal body beneath so it’s really fairly robust and a everlasting construction.Yes, you possibly can go tubing within the Pai River, though I don’t know the place these 2 ended up at.A waterwheel made for vacationers. On the left are visitor homes. One of the tubers acquired caught on the waterwheel and began screaming up a ruckus.Upstream of the Pai River which comes from the upper mountain vary.The streets in Pai are often quiet and empty throughout the day because of the warmth. You will discover many small retailers, eating places, guesthouses and boutique accommodations alongside the streets.The most important attraction on the town is the strolling road or evening market which comes alive very night. You will discover every kind of stalls promoting road meals and knick knacks. My go to occurred to coincide with the Loy Krathong Festival, and the city’s people really had a grand parade on my first evening. For a small mountain city, the parade was actually grand. I suppose everybody was glad that Covid was roughly over and vacationers have been again.An ethnic dance carried out by the Shan folks. I’m undecided what animal that is purported to symbolize however folks have been providing cash to it.Besides the Shan folks, I additionally seen a sizeable Muslim group who have been behind most of the road stalls.
They even had a small mosque for the Muslims alongside the principle strolling road.
I might say this was my favorite road meals stall, and I ended up shopping for supper from them throughout my 2 nights keep.Pai additionally has its seedy aspect. From its hippie beginnings and now with the legalization of medical hashish in Thailand, weed joints are fairly frequent regardless of it being unlawful.
White Buddha on the Hill (Wat Phra That Mae Yen)
First of all, I ought to level out that you will want some type of motorized transport to go to the varied points of interest round Pai effectively. I did see some vacationers mountain climbing or biking alongside the roads. Although I wouldn’t suggest it as mid day temperatures can go as much as greater than 30°C, and you will want to be a Tour de France champ to cycle a few of the steep slopes and unpaved roads.
One of the closest points of interest to Pai is the massive white Buddha on a hill simply exterior city. You may stroll or cycle there, however most vacationers lease motorbikes or automobiles, or get a taxi service from the city heart.
To get to the white Buddha, you will want to return to the bottom of the hill the place yow will discover this enormous stairs and the ticket workplace. I don’t keep in mind paying any payment, however the folks on the workplace would examine in case you are dressed appropriately to go to the Buddha.Nagas guard the doorway on each side. Its a brief climb to the highest the place the white Buddha sits.At the highest is the massive white Buddha statue. Its seen higher days with components of the concrete cracked and fallen off. Enjoying some solitude earlier than the vacationer crowd is available in to observe sundown.The white Buddha is a good place to observe sundown because it faces west and overlooks Pai city.
The subsequent 3 locations are alongside the highway that results in Pai from Chiangmai. You would most likely move them alongside the best way when coming into Pai. Due to their proximity to one another, you may attempt to see them on the identical time.
Memorial Bridge
This is a metal bridge that crosses the Pai River exterior of city. It dates again to World War 2 when the Japanese military needed to ascertain a route from Thailand to assault Burma which was beneath British colonial rule then. The bridge was inbuilt 1941 with the assistance of elephants dragging bushes and villagers compelled to work on it. The authentic bridge was fabricated from wooden and was burnt down by the Japanese after they left after the warfare. The villagers rebuilt the wood bridge nevertheless it was washed away throughout a flood and a metal bridge was erected in 1976. This is the one which we see at present.
The Memorial metal truss bridge beside the extra trendy concrete bridge which is utilized by vehicular site visitors. The Memorial Bridge is principally utilized by vacationers to view the Pai River.
Tha Pai Hot Spring
Despite it being a non volcanic area, there are a number of scorching springs positioned round Pai. Not removed from the Memorial Bridge is Tha Pai Hot Spring. This is among the largest scorching springs in Pai. The entrance payment is 300 baht for foreigners however you possibly can keep for so long as you want.
There are a lot of scorching spring swimming pools the place you possibly can soak your self. The swimming pools increased up are hotter than these on the decrease stage. The supply of the new spring comes from these pure springs the place scorching water bubbles up from the bottom.At the supply, the water temperature is round 80°C. I ponder how the grass continues to be rising across the scorching water.
Even the bushes and their roots are surviving the new water with out being cooked.
Pai Canyon
This might be the preferred attraction in Pai, drawing hordes of vacationers each night to catch sundown right here. Although its referred to as a canyon, its extra like sandstone cliffs which were eroded away.
Pai Canyon consists of sandstone ridgelines that are linked collectively by slender and steep paths.Some of those paths are actually slender with close to vertical drops on each side. I do assume its sort of harmful with none security boundaries to stop vacationers from falling off. The sandstone can be fairly unstable and crumbles beneath your ft. That didn’t cease most individuals from crossing anyway.If you’re courageous sufficient to cross a few of these slender and steep paths yow will discover some unimaginable surroundings all to your self.The most important attraction that everybody comes right here is to catch sundown. However, I feel its overrated due to the crowds and would suggest catching sundown on the White Buddha as an alternative.I got here right here once more within the early morning and there have been no crowds of vacationers. The morning mists additionally gave an ethereal really feel to the place.
The subsequent 2 locations are positioned on the west aspect of Pai and you may go to them at one go. However, the highway resulting in them is de facto steep and bumpy at some locations. So you need to get some good wheels to make the journey.
Pambok Waterfall
This is definitely a small waterfall, however its sort of spectacular as you must undergo a small ravine to get to it. It appears that they’ve additionally raised the entry payment to see the waterfall, which now prices 200 baht per individual.
The path that results in the ravine the place you will see that Pambok Waterfall. Its a brief stroll and you need to see the waterfall after 5 minutes.
The outflow of the waterfall as I headed additional up the path.
The waterfall flows down from round 10m above into this ravine forming a small pool of calm water the place you possibly can swim or soak your self.The mouth of the ravine the place I got here in from. The space is sort of small and its a very good factor this place shouldn’t be that accessible in any other case it might have been overcrowded.
Kho Ku So Bamboo Bridge
Now that is really a manufactured vacationer attraction, however its an attractive one. The bamboo bridge is a protracted wood walkway raised above paddy fields. It runs for nearly 1 km and has a number of pavilions for enjoyable in. You should drive additional in from Pambok Waterfall going via some steep and unpaved roads to get to it.
The entry highway to Kho Ku So Bamboo Bridge is thru this slender wood bridge and in the direction of the paddy fields.A really good welcome signal and a ticket sales space the place you acquire entry for the very reasonably priced value of 30 baht.The wood walkway is fabricated from bamboo strips, therefore the title. It splits in several instructions, some resulting in a a few cafes and video games space. But the principle path continues additional into the paddy fields.There are additionally some pavilions the place you possibly can take cowl from the mid day Sun. I discovered that the patterns of paddy fields and the bamboo walkway makes for a really attention-grabbing aerial photograph.While resting at one of many pavilions, I seen some staff threshing the stalks of rice grains.Continue alongside the walkway and also you’ll discover some spots that are made for Instagrammers.Paddy fields cowl the valley flooring across the bamboo bridge space.At the tip of the bamboo walkway is that this temple hidden within the bushes. It’s nothing spectacular however you’ll should stroll nearly 1 km one approach to get right here.Walking again to the doorway, I discovered this relatively good view of the bamboo walkway and a really good pavilion.
Santichon Village (山地村)
On the northwestern finish of Pai is Santichon Village. The historical past of this village begins from the overthrow of General Chiang KaiShek by Mao ZeDong and the communists in China. Members of the Republican military in Yunnan fled to Pai and settled right here. Over the years, they’ve inter married with the locals however nonetheless preserving their Yunnan tradition. They have since given up their struggle with communist China and traded their weapons for tourism as an alternative,
The entrance to Santichon Village is over the bridge and thru the Chinese model gate.Shops line the principle road resulting in the village. It’s beginning to look very touristy.
The signal says there’s even a church right here however I couldn’t discover it.
Part of the village appears to be transformed into some sort of theme park with mud homes changed into retailers.There’s Yun Lai Viewpoint halfway up on the hill which I’ll contact on later.They even constructed a reproduction of the Great Wall of China behind the village.I had my lunch right here, attempting out their well-known Yunnan model pig trotters and oolong tea.
Santichon Village is sort of attention-grabbing to go to if you already know the historical past of the way it acquired right here. Otherwise, it might appear to be a cheesy theme park capitalizing on historical past. The villagers nonetheless keep their Chinese tradition like their meals, and I discovered that I may converse with them in Mandarin which made communication a lot simpler when ordering my lunch and discovering out details about the village.
Yun Lai Viewpoint (云来定)
If you need to discover the very best place in Pai to catch the dawn, that is it. It’s a small hill overlooking Santichon Village and is run by the villagers. It’s very touristy however very good however.
I got here right here within the afternoon to recce the route since I might be driving right here at the hours of darkness earlier than dawn on the subsequent day. This path leads as much as the highest of the hill the place you must pay 20 baht to an outdated man to enter.They needed to make this spot a romantic one for the lovers and {couples} to take their pictures.The lone tree on the prime of the hill has even turn out to be a wishing tree. Visitors should purchase tokens primarily based on what they want for; love or cash.You can see the city of Pai within the valley beneath and the White Buddha in the gap on the mountain aspect.
To view the dawn, you would need to come right here very early within the morning. For me it was 4.30 am because the dawn was round 5.30 am. However, the villagers don’t enable outsiders to drive up the hill at the hours of darkness and through peak season because the highway is de facto slender and a method. They would ferry guests on pickup vehicles to the highest for a payment. You may e book the entire truck for a 2 means switch which price me 300 baht as I didn’t need to wait, or look forward to extra guests to fill the truck and pay on a per head foundation.
I managed to catch the “Sea of Clouds” throughout that day’s dawn. The lights of Santichon Village could be seen beneath. That purple patch of sunshine is from the lanterns alongside the entry bridge into the village.
A brand new day begins because the Sun rises over the mountains.A fowl’s eye view of Yun Lai Viewpoint. The morning mist seems like a sea of clouds masking the valley beneath. Somewhere within the mist is Pai.
You can go to Santichon Village after watching dawn at Yun Lai Viewpoint. The village opens very early within the morning to cater to vacationers catching the dawn.
