Introduction:
That windy three hour ride is sure to drain any traveler, luckily you’re in Pai, where being lazy and chilling out is the name of the game. If you want to explore or play, there’s waterfalls, a canyon, a curious land split, heaps of nature, and plenty of time to hang out at a local bar with some live music.
What to do:
Let’s have an adventure! There are plenty of things to do, don’t feel bad if the vibes tell you to just chill.
TIP: Grab a “PEP.” This is a white paper brochure that can be found at most cafes and maybe even your guest house. This is a monthly brochure that goes around Pai for the visitors and long-term residences to know what’s going on around the town. It’s invaluable and also have two maps. Definitely get your hands on one of these, it’s free!
OK, so now that you have your PEP, go out there and do something! What’s on the list? Well, you could get wet at one of the waterfalls, like Mor Paeng, Pombok, or Mae Yen. Pai Canyon is certainly a must. You will carefully traverse the summit of a canyon to test your skills at handling heights and also take in the good views.
Mae Yen Temple should also be on your list. Catching the sunset here is a popular experience, be ready to climb lots of stairs! If you have a motorbike, you can avoid most of the steps.
The Chinese Village has some green tea to offer you, as well as some nice views of the city. Want to try your hand at a circus skill? The Pai Circus School is one of the most popular hostels in town and during high season they offer circus lessons. Poi, hoops, contact staff and other fun toys come out to play. They also have a pool, thankfully. It’s hot!
Fluid is the community pool in the area complete with bar and restaurant, so you can splash around all day and never leave. They have a very small gym here (don’t laugh when you see it), should you want to get a quick workout in.
The hot springs are amazing during high season because Pai cools down at night during this time, a nice dip in a natural hot spring is well deserved.
There’s plenty more, like I mentioned, this is a pretty chill town, don’t feel guilty curling up with a good book and a chai at Art in Chai, just enjoy the hammock life outside your hostel.
Eat & drink:
Earth Tone is a personal favorite, she has some serious fresh food and other health products. Art in Chai for a chai tea, and the night market for some quick and cheap food.
Next:
Hurry! Head back to Chiang Mai! You have a flight to catch. It’s time to beach bum.
A flight to Krabi is necessary, if you take the train or bus, you’re looking at wasting about two days in transit. Look up flights with AirAsia, they are usually the cheapest. From Krabi Airport, you can take a local shuttle bus for 50B or a taxi for around 600B to get to Ao Nang town.