The Pai Hole, a name that rings true. Party town, hippy hotbed, and a nature lovers; paradise all wrapped into one.

It can be hard to sort through the many different sides to this Thai mountain town. Hopefully, this simple guide can help you figure out how to spend your time in Pai.

---

1. How Long to Spend in Pai
2. When to visit Pai
3. Getting Around
4. Things to Do
5. Best Hostels
6. Where to Eat
7. Nightlife
8. Download my Free Google Map

---

---

How Long to Spend in Pai

Pai is the perfect place to go without a plan or time limits. It’s a very spontaneous place that will reward you for matching its vibe. That being said, not everyone can, or likes, to travel like that.

I’d recommend spending at least four days in Pai, more ideally five or six. Remember, one of the actual things to do in Pai… is to do nothing. I highly recommend it!

---

When to visit Pai

Pai has the same seasonal weather to Chiang Mai just consistently a bit colder since it’s at a much higher altitude. From November to early February, the weather is pleasant and dry. These are definitely the best months to visit, and because of that they’re predictably the busiest. I’d still say this is the best time to come, it was late January when I spent nine days in Pai and though some of the most popular spots (such as the walking street, two huts, and Pai Canyon) were visibly busy, for the most part the town felt quite relaxed and not too packed. From late February to early April is burning season, which is even more felt here than in Chiang Mai. April and June will be very hot but if you can bare that, this a decent time to come to Pai. July to early October make up the monsoon season, where heavy rains and even flooding are likely. In a place like Pai where most of what you’ll be doing is nature related, this can be a massive dampener on your trip. October is the shoulder season, and though you will probably still have to deal with a rainy day or two, weather is mostly pleasant, and what’s more, crowds are low.

---

Getting Around

Getting around Pai is very limited but equally simple:

Scooter/Bike Rental – The more independent way to get around, countless rentals are available in Pai. The main roads are quite smooth, but some smaller roads leading to hidden spots and viewpoints can be gravelly or sometimes dirt roads. For the most part, if you’re going to learn to drive a motorbike in SEAsia, Pai is one of the best places to do it, as it’s considered one of the safest cities for biking in Thailand. That said: Please be careful to never drive after drinking alcohol! That’s how most accidents in Pai happen. Don’t drive your bike to or from tipsy/jungle tubing. Use your bike to get around during the day, but the town is more than walkable at night, so please don’t take unnecessary risks.

Shared transport – Songthaews (shared cabs which look like trucks with two benches) are a more than viable option to use to get around Pai. There are an endless number of tours which transport you from place to place for a great price. I’m not talking about some expensive tour with a guide, rather paying 300 THB to be taken to three or four spots on a full day trip with a solid amount of time in each , or 100 THB for an evening trip to say, Two Huts. You can book these day trips from any hostel, many small stores and stalls on the street, and sometimes even from cafes/restaurants. You can also find many Songthaews around walking street (the main traveller hub of Pai).

Walking – Pai town itself is easily walkable. Most of the cafes, restaurants, bars, stores, and music venues are located on and around walking street 📌

---

Things to Do

Clamber around Pai Canyon (Mae Hong Son):

One of the most popular things to do in Pai and perhaps Norther Thailand as a whole, is to take on the dusty trails of the geologically stunning Pai Canyon. Just a few km south of the main town and right off the main motorway, the canyon is somewhere you can spend a couple hours trekking in, or just stop by for sunset.

Though sunset is quite nice, the main highlights here are the narrow ridges spreading like tentacles from the hills. Along these, there are a few hikes you can take, including a full 6km loop. The views are stunning, but be careful not to get too transfixed while walking, the ridges end abruptly and get very dusty on the edges.

Entry to the canyon is free.

---

Take a bamboo raft through Tham Lod Cave

Getting hot and sweaty lazing around on cafe terraces? Freshen up in Tham Lod Cave, a massive cave (well, actually three caves) with a river running through. No, you cant swim in the river, but you can go through it on a bamboo raft, and the air in the cave is a breath of fresh air. Literally.

The cave has no artificial lighting to protect its wildlife, so each guide carries a gas lamp for visibility. Though you can choose to pay 350THB per group and only visit the first two caves, known as the Column Cave and the Doll Cave, I highly recommend paying 600THB per group for the full three-cave tour, as the two-cave tour doesn’t include taking the bamboo rafts down the river. The third cave is called the Coffin Cave, as in it you’ll see a few wooden coffins from many centuries ago. The raft ride is definitely the highlight here, as you’ll float peacefully through the dark, the gaslight illuminating water teaming with fish.

The caves are open from 8 am to 5 pm, and you can reach them either on your own bike or with a tour from town. Tours for the caves are usually transport only and include a few other shorter stops, often ending with sunset at either Two Huts or Pai Canyon. These tours tend to be 300-400 THB for the day, but don’t include the tour price for the caves themselves.

You can also book a full tour, guide included, online. These tours are usually far pricier than buying in town, and since you can book tours in Pai up to an hour (sometimes even less) from their starting time, I’d highly recommend doing that.

---

Sit back and watch sunset at Two Huts

My personal favourite sunset spot in Pai, Two Huts is a cafe overlooking an area of flat rice paddies, behind which is a cluster of small mountains which silhouette magnificently against the setting sun, resulting in a scene straight out of the Louvre.

It can get quite busy at sunset, but the seats, hammocks, and hanging decks are set up on the edge of a slight hill, so, a bit like in an amphitheatre or stadium, you’ll have a view above all the heads.

You can visit Two Huts at any time, but sunset here is special. You may even be lucky and come when there’s a live klezmer band sound-tracking the end of another glorious day.

---

Let loose with Tipsy Tubing

Pai definitely has a reputation for being a party town, and tipsy tubing is probably the main reason for that. Every Tuesday and Friday, hundreds of young travellers float down the river on inflated tubes, stopping by riverside bars and hostels in a wet’n’wild extravaganza.

There are two companies that organise the tubing, each with their own route and stops; Jungle Tubing and Tipsy Tubing. I went with Jungle tubing, which has a slightly larger crowd and is further out of the city (you start at the very edge). At each of the three stops there are tons of fun activities including a slip’n’slide, foam party, DJs, football pitch, ping pong tables, boxing on a plank (with inflatable gloves and in the river), and much more. Tipsy Tubing has its own stops with their own fun activities and everyone I met who went with them also had a great time, so perhaps book whichever one the people at your hostel are going with.

Obviously, this is a party and isn’t for everyone. There can be over 300 people during the busier times of the year! That being said, I’m not much of a party guy myself and I only went to get out of my comfort zone early in my trip. I expected to just be awkwardly floating in the midst of a couple hundred raucous party animals. But, as I found out so many times while trying out new things; when backpacking; tons of other people are in the same boat as you!

If you want to float down the river without the party part, you can rent your own tubes from the town. Just please don’t go alone, and make sure to speak to the shop you rent the tubes from to find out where to safely get off and what to look out for.

Notes:

• You can book online, at your hostel, or through a tourist kiosk. Tickets are 250 THB.
• You’ll be floating down a river, and by the end probably hammered, so whatever you do, don‘t bring your phone unless you have mega trust in yourself and it’s waterproof (even then, don’t risk it).
• Though there are some free shots, drinks at the stops cost. If you’re bringing money, put it in a ziplock/sandwhich bag and make sure it’s sealed tight. Keep it in a pocket with a zip, a dry bag (good if you have other things with you such as a GoPro), or if you don’t have either, ask someone else to hold onto it for you.
• The go-to, money-saving, liver-destroying, method for inter-tubing intoxication¹, is to bring along a massive mixed drink in a bottle. I mixed some rum into a bottle of coke and added some lemon juice; I highly recommend this over the Sangsom (Thai Whiskey) filled drinks everyone will be drinking… I am not a Sangsom fan. You can get drinks from a 7/11 or Lotus store.
• Drink Water! As you can tell, I’m not mr sober myself, but in between the Pai heat and the active nature of tubing, you should be certain to stay hydrated.
• DON’T LEAVE YOUR BOTTLES AND CUPS LYING AROUND!!

---

Trek to Mae Yeng, a hidden waterfall

There’s no better way to get out of your post-tubing hangover than to sweat it out on a serene jungle trek before washing it away in the refreshing waters of a stunning jungle waterfall. Starting from a couple KMs out of town, the trek to Mae Yeng takes around two hours each way, most of which is relatively flat. This isn’t to say it’s an easy hike though, as you’ll have to cross a river around 40 times!! Usually the water is between ankle and knee height, though a couple of crossings will get your upper legs wet. There’s also one section which is quite steep and a little slippery.

Being a longer hike and so deep into the jungle, the path is not busy whatsoever. In fact, when me and four friends I’d met at my hostel trekked it, we only passed one group of people coming back and met three girls at the falls themselves. Besides that, it was just us and Mother Nature. The jungle is thick and immersive, with colourful butterflies darting every which way, and the sound of the flowing river the only thing you’ll hear. The waterfall itself is quite impressive, though the main reward is getting in the cold water after sweating in the jungle.

The hike begins here: 📌, but the walk from the town to the starting point is beautiful and relaxing by itself, as it takes you past the peaceful fields with their uncaring water buffalo. Don’t start the hike less than four hours before sunset or you’ll risk coming back in the dark. Be sure to take shoes that can get wet, or hiking sandals.

The path and waterfall are free.

---

Slide into natural pools at Mo Pang

If you don’t fancy four plus hours of trekking through the jungle, fear not! Mo Pang waterfall doesn’t require any hiking to get to, and unlike Mae Yeng (or nearly every waterfall in the world), you can actually slide down parts of this waterfall! The rock is so smooth and slippery that it’s become a natural water slide. Of course, being easier to access means that the waterfall is far more popular, specifically in the afternoon when many tour groups stop off here. Come in the morning and you’ll be rewarded with a bit more space and peace.

The waterfall is open from 8:30 am-6 pm and costs 100THB for foreigners.

---

Relax in a natural hot spring

If you want to refresh without trekking into the jungle, look no further than Pai’s two hot springs; Tha Pai, and Sai Ngam.

Tha Pai is south of Pai, and is a bit more built up. Each pool has a different temperature, with the hottest being able to boil an egg! Tha Pai is the most popular hot springs in the area, probably because of how close to town they are. Tha Pai is open from 8 am-6 pm.

16 km North and you’ll find Sai Ngam springs. Sai Ngam is less busy with tourists, though it’s popular with locals. Come here early and you may even have yourself a private bath. Sai Ngam is halfway between Pai and Tham Lod Cave, making the two a great combination if you’re getting around by bike. Sai Ngam is open from 8 am-5 pm.

Both springs charge 300 TBH entry for foreigners.

---

Visit the picture perfect bamboo bridge 📌

The Bamboo Bridge site is a raised bamboo walkway over vibrant green rice fields with views that look like they could only be painted. Like Two Huts, sunset is especially beautiful, but the views are worthwhile any time.

There’s a 30TBH entry fee.

---

Get active at a yoga or Muay Thai class

A lot of people come to Pai for its earthy vibe, and there’s no better way to connect with that then through a yoga class². There are countless classes offered around town by hostels, cafes, and retreats. Some of the most popular are Pai Yoga Shala, Re-Wild House, Sawasdee Pai Yoga, Circus Hostel, and Bam Bowls Cafe and Yoga.

I’m really not a yoga guy myself (or anything that looks like I need to be flexible), so I can’t vouch for any of these personally. But they all seemed quite nice when I passed by or heard about them from other travellers.

---

Have a swim at Fluid Pool

If you’re looking for somewhere to cool down without leaving town, Fluid Swimming Pool is your best bet. There is food and drinks available, so you can sip a cocktail in the cool of the pool if you feel like it.

Sundays are Sunday Funday at Fluid; with music and drinks.

Entry is 100THB (free for children)

---

The best thing to do in Pai… Nothing

Seriously, you can’t go wrong with spending your day (or ideally, days) just sipping mango smoothies and ice coffees on a hammock overlooking the jungle. Look at my cafe recommendations for some of the best spots to waste your time at.

---

Best Hostels

Happy House Backpackers

Happy House has super laid-back vibes with a distinctively cool quirky design. The hostel is run by outgoing friendly Icelandic expat Gummy and his Thai wife. Together they make you feel at home at their hostel and help you have a great time. Though there aren’t any events (yet) they’re always travellers hanging out in the common area whether they’re watching a movie on the TV, using the many card and board games available, playing pool/ping pong, or just talking on the comfy sofas.

The rooms are comfortable with large beds and are decently spacious, though they have no curtains. The bathrooms are clean and large, though very far from bougie.

The hostel is ten minutes walk from walking street. That’s still not bad at all in Pai.

---

Cha Li Hotel and Hostel

It’s literally a hotel with a dorm. The beds are superb, and they’re lockers large enough for all your bags. The bathroom is spic spac clean, and there’s a nice pool in the back.

There is absolutely zero going on though, more of a place to recharge than anything else.

---

Nolo Hub

The hostel everyone tells you about. Nolo Hub is incredibly social with events and activities every day and evening. Though I’ve seen it classified as a party hostel online, everyone I met who stayed here (and I met a lot who did) said it wasn’t a party hostel at all, just a social one.

---

Revolution Pai

Now this one is a party hostel. Every time I passed Revolution or stopped by to buy a bottle of water or have a beer this place was pumping. They’re also the first stop on Jungle Tubing. The hostel is right on the river which makes for a scenic location that is just a few minutes from walking street. A great hostel for those looking to party away.

---

Pai Circus Hostel

A circus themed hostel, can it get any better? It can; Circus Hostel also has an infinty pool, daily activities, and traditional bamboo huts overlooking jungle scenery!

Rooms are decidedly basic though from what I’ve heard.

---

Where to Eat

---

Nightlife

It may be sleepy by day, but there’s plenty going on in Pai every night. Here are some of my favourite spots to grab a beer, rock out to some live music, or play cards ’til late.

• Pai Pub – For all live sports
• Jikko Bar – Craft Beer and local singers
• Reggae Bar – Reggae…
• Jazz House – The best live music in Thailand
• Don’t Cry – Bar open super late
• Boom Bar – Cheap drinks and a ton of Backpackers (for better or worse)

---

7/11 – My personal favourite night out in Pai; was after making some great friends (I met them the previous night in Jazz House), simply spending the evenings sipping beers from 7/11 and walking the night market. Pai isn’t an out and out party place, but it’s a perfect place for a solo traveller to find their crew. Bars are fun and all, but they’re nowhere near as memorable as trying some random Thai beers, buying a plastic mini golf set, and challenging random passerby to a game in the 7/11 parking lot. Now that’s; A core memory.

---

Jungle parties – Something I only found out about when I got to Pai, is that there seem to be a lot of raves in the jungle there; something I expected more from the southern islands. I couldn’t find much information on line, but whenever there was a jungle party, word would get ’round the hostel, and I’d spot stickers and pamphlets in cafes and notice boards around town. I didn’t end up going myself, partially due to timing (the parties when I was there were on Friday Night and Tuesday night (after I’d been tubing and exhausted.)) and partially to me getting the idea that it was quite an… experimental type of event.

If you decide to go to a jungle party, just keep your eyes and ears open for word of the next event. Getting to event will usually be by meeting somewhere near walking street and getting driven to the location in Songthaews. Bare in mind these parties go late, which I’d say is a good thing, but you may have to wait a while to get a ride back if you want to leave anytime before sunrise.

Again, this is one thing I can’t really give a solid opinion on as I didn’t go.

---

Download my Free Google Map

If you want to have get the locations and directions to everywhere listed above and even more, add my Map from Google to have everything linked directly to your Google Maps.

---

---

1. Yeah even I don’t know what I just said. Seems I may still be tubing ↩︎
2. At least I assume so. I don’t do much earthy stuff myself ↩︎