November 2018
While I was traveling in the south of Asia i decided to spend a few days in Pai, a small village in the north of Thailand, I spent there 10 days that I had in Thailand because i knew that i will continue after that to Burma by the border
Pai until a few years ago was a lost diamond in north of Thailand, small and quiet town, today Pai is one of the most touristic places in Thailand, Pai offers you a few days of peaceful, day trips in the jungles around the village, waterfalls, hot springs and of course the awsome night market.
A few days in Pai , and i fall in love again in Thailand, the spacial landscapes and the great food.
I’m sure that if you are visiting Thailand Pai is one of the musts!
How do I get to Pai?
From Bangkok, the capital there is an option to take a train to Chiang Mai and from chaing mai you can take a minivan to pai.
The duration of the train depends and changes between the hours, it can be between 5-13 hours. I took the night train it was very long and not easy at all because i left with the basic class, the price of the tickets also changes between the kind of the trains and the hours, the most basic class start from 270 bats.
Pay attention –
There is an option to take the train not only from the central station of Bangkok but also from the train station of the old airport (DMK).
When you in Chaing Mai you need to take a minivan of AYA company – one ticket costs 150 bats by AYA company, AYA company located in the central station of Chiang mai in terminal 2. This terminal pretty far from the main area of Chiang mai, so some agencies and hotels suggest tickets in 180-200 bat that includes pick up from the hotel. the trip from Chiang mai to pai takes around 3 hours and they will drop you in AYA office in the center of Pai.
in the same street at night the great night market wakes up
What to do in Pai?
- Pai canyon – one of the most special and surprising attractions around pai, some of the Thai says that this is the answer of the country to the grand canyon of USA, if you asking me they exaggerated a little about it, but for real you have to visit there, the canyon located 15 minutes from the center and you can spend there few hours, I recommend to be there at sunset or sunrise time.
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- Mae yen Waterfall – hidden waterfall in the deep jungles around pai. if you want to reach that point you have to walk around 2 hours in the jungles and it’s really confusing, you will have to cross the springs few times side to side to follow the trail, belive me sometimes the way more beautiful from the waterfall, so even if it’s too long for you don’t hesitate to go back before you reaching the waterfall. Its a deep jungle with lovely spring next to you, so peaceful.
View this post on Instagram - Hot springs – there are a few hot springs around Pai, I would like to recommend a specific one, great hot springs with a few pools and the price also fair. One entry will cost you 220 bats and it’s including also the park around.
- Night market– as i said before the night market of pai is a big party of food, from the late afternoon until 10/11 pm you will find there a great dishes, local food, pad thai, sticky rice mango, great salads, smoothies and more.
- Lod cave – karst cave 40 kilometers from Pai, a huge and impressive cave with small spring inside, there is an option to rent small boats inside the cave in 300 bats, the entry to the cave is free.
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- White buddha – a huge statue of Buddha, with a great point of view.
Transportation in pai –
Motorbike rental – the most common option to move around in pai, it is to rent a bike and to go around, the price for 24 hours is between 100-200 bat depends on the quilty and the power if the motorbike.
gas price is around 110 bat for a full tank, for us it was enough for 48 hours.
Bike rental – another option, 50-100 bat for 24 hours.
Day trips of the agencies around – there are a few agencies around Pai and they offer some packages for the close and the far attractions around pai.
the long day trip that takes you to the most attractions around pai costs around 500 bat.
Recommended Coffe shops and restaurants –
Om cafe garden – a cool coffee place with unique design and great breakfasts, highly recommended
The river bar & cafe – a small restaurant a few kilometers from Pai, that sweet restaurant located above a nice river and they also offer you to rent tubes and enjoy the river.
Where to sleep?
Blue house – a small hostel in the heart of Pai, perfect location and the perfect is the price.
one night for a couple will cost around 350 bats.
How to cross the border from Thailand to Maynmar? (Mae sot border)
If you don’t want to take a flight from Thailand to Myanmar and you are budget backers there is an option to cross the border by foot.
Today there are 4 borders that connect Thailand to Myanmar, Mae sot is the main border today and its located between Bangkok to Chiang Mai. You can take the bus to the border from these cities.
I took the bus from Chiang Mai to the border, about the process:
There is 2 buses from Chiang Mai to Mae sot every day, one at 08:30 am and the other on at 2 pm (14:00), the buses leaves from Chiang mai central station from terminal 3.
the price for 1 ticket is 290 bat and the duration of the trip is 7 hours long.
after you will reach the bus station in Mae sot some toktok will wait for you there and will offer you a ride to the border and its will cost more 50 bats.
After you reach the border its will take around 30 minutes if you got luck until you will be in the Myanmar side, the city of Myanmar in the other side of the border called “Myawaddy”
How do purchase a bus ticket from Chiang Mai to Mae sot?
- You can go to terminal 3 and buy a ticket from the Green bus stand.
- Download green bus app and purchase from there – pay attention if you chose this option you have to go to 7/11 store up 2 hours after purchase.
From Myawaddy you can take a taxi or a van to some cities in Myanmar, some of them are to the capital Yangon or hpa an, i went to hpa an and it took 5 hours ride, the price is between 8000-10,000 chat (Burmese money)
All the locations marked in maps me app.