Pai
3
Day Itinerary •
Thailand
Three days in Pai and Mae Hong Son reveal the most extraordinary and least visited corner of northern Thailand. The bohemian valley town of Pai with its Walking Street, hill tribe villages, geothermal springs and canyon sunset, and the misty Shan border town of Mae Hong Son with its extraordinary lake temples and Burmese Buddhist character are together unlike anywhere else in the country. This route covers the finest of the Mae Hong Son loop from Pai's extraordinary canyon and hilltop temple to the natural hot springs and Lisu hill tribe villages of the surrounding mountains, before crossing the 762-curve mountain road to the twin lake temples and hilltop chedis of the most remote provincial capital in Thailand.
Best Time To Visit
November to February
Getting There
Minivan from Chiang Mai, 3 hours
Getting Around
Hired scooter essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx 25 to 100 USD per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, mountain roads
DAY 1
PAI TOWN
MORNING
PAI WALKING STREET AND THE OLD BRIDGE, MORNING IN THE VALLEY
Pai is the finest small town in northern Thailand, a valley settlement of wooden shophouses, independent cafes and artistic guesthouses surrounded by forested hills. The morning walking street on Ratchadamnoen Road is extraordinary from 6am with the finest breakfast food in the north. The old bamboo bridge across the Pai river gives extraordinary views over the valley and the surrounding hills. Entry free. Drive/Travel: 15 min by scooter
MIDDAY
WAT PHRA THAT MAE YEN, THE TEMPLE ON THE HILL ABOVE PAI
The hilltop temple of Wat Phra That Mae Yen requires a 353-step climb through the jungle from Pai town and gives the most extraordinary panoramic view in the valley, looking out over the entire Pai basin with its rice fields, meandering river and ring of forested mountains. The white chedi at the summit is visible from across the valley. Entry free. Arrive before 11am. Drive/Travel: 20 min by scooter
AFTERNOON
PAI CANYON AND THE SUNSET VIEWPOINT, THE GRAND CANYON OF THAILAND
Pai Canyon is an extraordinary series of narrow sandstone ridges eroded into sharp knife-edged paths above steep drops on both sides, one of the most extraordinary natural formations in northern Thailand. The sunset from the canyon ridges over the Pai valley is among the finest in the country. The walk requires balance but no climbing equipment. Entry free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Memorial Bridge at Pai, a World War II Japanese wooden bridge built by POW labour in 1942, is one of the most extraordinary and least known wartime sites in Thailand outside of Kanchanaburi. The original wooden structure still stands in the jungle 6km west of Pai town on Highway 1095. Almost entirely free of visitors. The walk through the surrounding teak forest is extraordinary. Entry free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Walking Street stalls, Pai Khao tom rice porridge and fresh-pressed sugarcane juice from the extraordinary morning market. | Lunch: Na's Kitchen, Pai Outstanding northern Thai food beloved by locals. The massaman curry and khao soi are extraordinary. | Dinner: Baan Benjarong, Pai The finest dinner restaurant in Pai. Local mushrooms, river fish and house-made chilli paste.
DAY 2
PAI COUNTRYSIDE
MORNING
MO PAENG WATERFALL AND THE LISU HILL TRIBE VILLAGE
Mo Paeng is the finest waterfall near Pai, a series of natural rock slides and pools in a jungle valley 8km from town. The Lisu hill tribe village at Ban Santichon nearby is one of the most authentic accessible from Pai, with extraordinary traditional costume, silver jewellery and the finest hand-woven textiles in the north. Entry to waterfall free. Village entry approx 20 baht. Drive/Travel: 30 min by scooter
MIDDAY
PAI HOT SPRINGS AND THE THA PAI HOT SPRING JUNGLE POOL
The Tha Pai Hot Springs are the finest natural hot springs in northern Thailand, a series of geothermal pools in a jungle setting where water reaches 80 degrees. The natural stream where hot and cold water mix creates perfect bathing temperature in extraordinary jungle surroundings. Entry approx 200 baht. The egg-boiling pool is a local tradition. Drive/Travel: 25 min by scooter
AFTERNOON
COFFEE IN A CLOUD FOREST, THE MAE HONG SON MOUNTAIN ROAD
The 762 curves of Highway 1095 between Pai and Mae Hong Son is one of the most extraordinary mountain road journeys in Thailand, climbing through extraordinary cloud forest with views over multiple valleys. The hill tribe coffee stops along the road serve the finest Arabica coffee grown at altitude in northern Thailand. Entry free. Scooter or hired car essential.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The ghost town of Yunnan Chinese village at Ban Rak Thai, 44km north of Mae Hong Son near the Myanmar border, is one of the most extraordinary hidden destinations in northern Thailand. A community of Kuomintang soldiers and their descendants who fled China in 1949, they still speak Yunnan Chinese, grow Oolong tea on terraced hillsides and live in a village that feels more Yunnan than Thailand. Entry free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Pai riverside cafe Coffee and fresh pastry at one of the extraordinary river cafes before the morning scooter ride. | Lunch: Lisu village restaurant Extraordinary hill tribe food cooked over wood fire. Local vegetables and smoked pork. | Dinner: Walking Street night market, Pai The finest night market in the Mae Hong Son loop. Thai-Shan fusion street food extraordinary.
DAY 3
MAE HONG SON
MORNING
MAE HONG SON TOWN AND THE TWIN TEMPLES OF THE LAKE
Mae Hong Son is the most remote provincial capital in Thailand, a misty valley town on the Myanmar border with an extraordinary Shan-Burmese Buddhist character entirely unlike anywhere else in the country. The twin temples of Wat Chong Kham and Wat Chong Klang reflected in the morning mist on Chong Kham Lake are among the most extraordinary images in northern Thailand. Entry approx 20 baht each. Drive/Travel: 15 min walk
MIDDAY
WAT PHRA THAT DOI KONG MU, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY HILLTOP IN MAE HONG SON
The two extraordinary white chedis of Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu on the hill above Mae Hong Son give panoramic views over the entire valley, the Myanmar mountains and the morning mist that fills the basin. The larger chedi dates from 1860 and contains the ashes of a Mon king. The climb takes 20 minutes through the jungle. Entry free. Drive/Travel: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
THAM PLA FISH CAVE AND THE FRESHWATER FISH SHRINE
The Tham Pla fish cave 17km north of Mae Hong Son contains a stream inhabited by thousands of sacred carp that have been fed and protected by local villagers for centuries. The extraordinary fish, some exceeding one metre in length, crowd the clear water of the cave entrance in an extraordinary natural spectacle. The adjacent forest trail to the second cave is fine. Entry approx 200 baht.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Shan village of Ban Huai Dua, 15km south of Mae Hong Son on the road to Khun Yuam, is one of the most extraordinary and least visited traditional Shan communities in Thailand. The villagers maintain extraordinary traditional weaving techniques on handlooms producing cotton and silk textiles of remarkable quality. A visit with advance arrangement through the Mae Hong Son guesthouse network takes half a day. Entry free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Fern Restaurant, Mae Hong Son Outstanding Shan and Thai breakfast in Mae Hong Son's finest local restaurant. | Lunch: Lakeside cafe, Chong Kham Lake Simple Thai food with extraordinary views over the lake and the twin temple reflections. | Dinner: Night market, Mae Hong Son The finest evening market in the province. Shan noodles and grilled corn are extraordinary.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Pai Town, All 3 Nights Stay in a riverside bungalow or wooden guesthouse. Spicy Pai or Charlie's House. Approx 15 to 60 USD. Mae Hong Son, Night 3 option Baiyoke Chalet or Imperial Tara Mae Hong Son. Approx 30 to 80 USD per night. Budget Option Breeze of Pai Resort or Pai Circus School guesthouses. Approx 8 to 20 USD per night.
Top Tips
1. Pai Canyon at sunset is extraordinary but the ridge paths are dangerous. Do not go after dark.
2. Scooter hire in Pai is 200 baht per day. The roads to waterfalls and hot springs are well surfaced.
3. Mae Hong Son twin temple reflection is best from 6am to 8am before the mist clears. Go early.
4. The 762-curve road between Pai and Mae Hong Son is most extraordinary in the morning before traffic.
5. Book minivan from Chiang Mai to Pai at least one day ahead in high season. They fill completely.
6. Pai Walking Street starts at 6am. The best breakfast stalls are gone by 8am.
Total Budget
24 to 95 USD/day