19° 21′ N, 98° 26′ E
Overview
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through our link.
This is a free way to support us and allows us to continue creating even more inspiring travel guides. Thank you for supporting the love we put into Coordinotes!
1. Wat Phra That Mae Yen - Big White Buddha
Practical
The entrance is free but it's 20 THB for renting a sarong.
Daily open from 06:00 am until 06:00 pm
2. Pai Walking Street & Night Market
Every evening, Pai’s main streets become a big walking street, filled with street food vendors and market stalls. It becomes a bustling night market, where you can buy everything from clothing and jewelry to souvenirs and art.
Head to Pai Night Market with an empty stomach, because you will be showered with delicious street food and you won’t know what to taste first. Everyone comes together at this market in the evening. And although it can get quite busy, there is a very pleasant atmosphere. It is certainly one of the best things to do in Pai.
No time to read now?
Save this post on Pinterest!
3. Pai Canyon
The most popular time to visit Pai Canyon is sunset. A magical glow then falls over the canyon. However, we found it so busy that the magic had completely disappeared. You even had to queue to get around over the ridges to find a spot. That is why we recommend that you come during sunrise if you want to see the canyon in beautiful light. Although wandering around during the day is also fun!
The entrance is theoretically free, but there’s an expected donation of 1 THB to keep the place clean, and safe and to fund development.
Thailand
4. Tham Lod Cave - Top Thing to Do in Pai
What makes this cave so unique is that your guide shows you around with an authentic gas lamp, to not disturb the wildlife in the cave. Another unique feature is that you can sail over the river, that runs through the cave, on a bamboo raft, surrounded by hundreds of fish. Your guide will show you with a lot of imagination which animals and other things you can recognize in the cave formations: Frogs, elephants, crocodiles… you will be amazed by how much imagination the Thais have.
It’s about a 45-minute to one-hour drive to the cave. Although it’s quite long, the cave is worth it and the drive itself through the mountains is gorgeous. On your way, you should definitely stop at the Kim Lom viewpoint.
Practical
The entrance fee for the Tham Lod Cave is 30 THB.
Daily open from 05:00 am until 09:00 pm
5. Sunrise at Yun Lai Viewpoint
During the day, you have a beautiful view of Pai and its surroundings from the Yun Lai Viewpoint. However, if you get yourself out of bed before the sun starts to rise, you can witness an incredible sunrise over Thailand’s famous ‘Sea of Mist’. The landscape is covered in a mysterious white mist, while the sky turns into a beautiful orange-red color.
If you are a bit cold so early in the morning, you can warm yourself here with a hot Chinese tea, while you watch the mist roll over the landscape. ‘The Sea of Mist’ does depend on the weather and varies every day. It is therefore never guaranteed, but there is a very good chance that there will be mist.
Unfortunately, this is a famous sunrise spot and can therefore get quite busy, but we guarantee that it is still a very unique experience. Drive up the steep mountain around one hour before sunrise, find yourself a good spot, and witness this magical spectacle.
Tip: Bring a jacket, because it can be very cold in the mountains early in the morning.
Practical
The entrance fee is 20 THB.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay in Pai and enjoy a comfortable trip.
6. Bamboo Bridge
The Kho Ku So Bamboo Bridge in Pai is, not surprisingly, a bamboo bridge that takes you through the rice fields, with the mountains as a stunning background.
Take a calming stroll over the winding bridge and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The bridge is 815 meters long and ends at a Buddhist Temple. Originally, the bridge was built so that the monks and villagers could more easily travel between the temple and the village.
Tip: On your way to the Kho Ku So Bamboo Bridge, you can make a quick stop at the Pam Bok waterfall.
Nowadays, the bridge is open to visitors with different viewpoints and photo opportunities, taking away a bit of the authenticity. It is a popular place to visit, especially when the rice fields are full of lush green grass.
Unfortunately, this place is a little less spectacular during the dry season, as the whole field is completely dried up. As you can see from the photos, we were there at the time, but we still thought it was a nice place for a stroll. The best time to visit the Bamboo Bridge is in October and November, right after the rainy season.
Fun Fact: It seems like a rickety bridge, but if you know that bamboo is 4-5 times as strong as steel, you can assume that it is definitely sturdy enough.
Practical
The entrance fee for the Bamboo bridge is 30 THB.
Daily open from 08:00 am until 06:00 pm
7. Wat Sri Don Chai
Wat Sri Don Chai, also known as Wat Luang Sari Bua Ban, was definitely one of our favorite temples in Thailand. Why? Because we had it completely to ourselves.
It was the first temple to be built in Pai and is now over 700 years old. The temple is beautifully decorated with colorful paintings and it houses the oldest Buddha image in Pai, aged over 800 years old. Even the statues guarding the entrances to the temple are impressive. Still relatively unknown among tourists, the temple is even more worth a visit.
8. Hotsprings in Pai
Since it can be a little cooler in Pai than in the rest of Thailand, a warm bath can be appreciated. And Pai is the right place for that! The area is full of natural hot springs, where you can immerse yourself in the hot water. Put on your swimwear and relax in the midst of calming nature. In addition, the water is also full of minerals, which means that there are many health benefits associated with a dip in a hot spring. Go as early in the morning as possible to beat the crowds and watch the steam rise in the still cool morning temperatures. Some hot springs are even so hot that you can boil eggs in them, those are not for swimming!
Thai Pai Hot Springs
The Thai Pai Hot springs is the most popular, and therefore most crowded one. The entrance fee is 300 THB, which we may find just too expensive for what it is.
Sai Ngam Hot Springs
The Sai Ngam Hot Springs used to be the less crowded, more natural and way cheaper alternative to the Thai Pai Hot Springs. Unfortunately, they recently raised the price, as it is located in a National Park. You now pay 400 THB as entrance fee for the entire national park, which also includes a number of other sights. It is said that the Tham Lod Cave is included, but this turned out to be incorrect. That's why we unfortunately thought this was too expensive for what it was.
Mueang Paeng Hot Spring
Because we cannot really recommend the two most popular hot springs mentioned above due to their high price, we have done some research to still give you a good recommendation. That's how we ended up at Mueang Paeng Hot Spring. This hot spring is located a bit further from Pai, but is completely free! We heard that it is well worth the 45 minute drive because the road itself is also very beautiful!
Unfortunately we didn't make it there, but if you do go, make sure to let us know what it was like in the comments at the bottom of this blog post!
9. Tubing
If you would like to discover Pai from a different perspective, you can float down the river on a rubber band with a drink in hand. Tubing is not only a fun and relaxing way to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Pai, you also get the chance to meet other like-minded travelers. There is no doubt that this is one of the most famous things to do in Pai.
You can rent a tube at one of the tour operators and they will drop you off at a location a few kilometers up the river. It takes about 1 to 2 hours to float back to Pai Town, depending on how fast the water flows that day. If you are more of a party person, you can also opt for Tipsy tubing. This takes place every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. During this kind of tubing, you float down the river with a large group of other travelers, including DJ and drinks.
Unfortunately, tubing is only allowed and possible during the dry season. In the rainy season, the river becomes too wild and tubing is too dangerous. As an exciting alternative, you can choose to go rafting on the swirling river!
Thailand
Travel tips for Pai
Best time to visit Pai
Generally, Thailand knows 3 seasons: wet season (May to October/November), cool season (November to February) and hot season (March to May). Pai is located in the mountains, so temperatures are slightly cooler all year round.
The best time to visit Pai is between November and January, during cool season, when the temperatures are more pleasant to explore and there’s less rain. Know that this period is also high tourist season, so you can expect bigger crowds and higher prices.
You should definitely avoid traveling to northern Thailand during the burning season, usually during February and March. This is when the local farmers burn their trash and their fields to make it fertile again, causing the air to become completely polluted and visibility to become very poor.
How to get to Pai
There is just one road heading from Chiang Mai to Pai. It is a very winding road with about 762 bends and you have three options to travel this road.
The cheapest and most popular is taking the minivan. It only costs 250-300 THB, but you have to make sure to book a few days in advance, online or at the bus station as they likely to sell out. The drivers know the road and fly through it at a brisk pace. So it’s quite a wild ride and if you get carsick, it could be a 3-hour nightmare.
Book your transport in Thailand now!
If you would like to discover more places in Thailand, it is also recommended to rent a car. The roads are generally in good condition and you can travel through the country with much more freedom.
Your last and most adventurous option is driving there by motorbike, although we do not advice this. It is a very long ride and, especially if you are not an experienced driver, it is very dangerous because of all the bends and crazy drivers on the road.
How to get around in Pai
You can easily explore Pai on foot or by bike, as it is fairly quiet and small. For places a bit further away, pretty much your only option is to rent a scooter. Prices for a motorbike rental vary from 200 – 400 THB per day, depending on the model. There are hardly any regular taxis and Grab or Gojek doesn’t run in Pai. If you don’t like to drive the scooter yourself, there are local companies that offer transport and complete tours. Your accommodation can often also arrange this for you.
Where to Stay in Pai
There are plenty of options for every budget in Pai. From budget hostels and guesthouses, to bamboo bungalows and fancy resorts, you will definitely find something you like.
Keep in mind that there are no taxis or Grab in Pai. So, if you have an accommodation that is a little further away from the center, you will have to arrange transport in some way to get to and from the center.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay in Pai and enjoy a comfortable trip.
How many days for Pai
We think 2 , max 3 days is enough for Pai. Because it is so small, there is a cozy atmosphere, but you’ve also seen everything quickly. In addition, it is no longer as laid-back as it used to be, because it is becoming quite touristy. Still, we liked the atmosphere there and we still recommend Pai. But just not for too long.
Win-Win for everyone
Did you know that, if you buy or book something through our links, we receive a small commission?
However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
Thank you for visiting our blog
We hope you find our free travel guides and tips useful. If you want, you can support us virtually by ‘buying us a coffee‘.
Every contribution, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated and will help us continue to share our passion with you and grow this blog.
Win-Win for everyone
Did you know that, if you buy or book something through our links, we receive a small commission?
However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
