Pai, Backpacker's Sky Or Hell?

The modest town of Pai, inwards north-western Thailand, is real pop amid backpackers who see Thailand. Lured past times their ravishing tales, I decided to plough over it a go.

There is nix special most Pai itself. There are no amazing temples, the nutrient is mediocre in addition to every bit inwards the infamous Khao San Road inwards Bangkok, the house lost its authenticity long ago. There are to a greater extent than guesthouses, souvenir shops in addition to trekking agencies than individual houses, non to rear to a greater extent than Western nutrient that inwards whatsoever other parts of northern Thailand. On transcend of the that, the 4-hour minibus drive from Chiang Mai is a nightmare of 700 turns where you'd amend non await out of the window.

Relaxing inwards Pai

Yet tourists proceed flocking to Pai for the laid-back atmosphere: hippies, yoga enthusiasts in addition to 20-somethings devoted to smoke weed, but also some hiking enthusiasts attain upwards one's involve heed to see this relatively remote corner of Thailand unopen to the edge amongst Burma. Oh, in addition to tons of Chinese tourists, to the signal that some of the accommodation specially caters for them.

The existent attraction is non Pai itself but its countryside: the rice fields, the lush vegetation in addition to the mountains inwards the background cast the perfect instance of a relaxing interruption from to a greater extent than chaotic Asian cities. You tin flame explore the surface area past times hiring a motorbike or a bicycle, or past times joining a guided tour that volition drive you lot approximately for most of a day. This is what I did, every bit I don't trust myself driving a motorcycle.

A rice plain approximately Pai

One of the places that I enjoyed the most - truly photogenic in addition to picturesque - is the WWII Memorial Bridge. Like the to a greater extent than famous distich over the river Kwai inwards Kanchanaburi, Pai's Memorial Bridge was built during the Second World War past times Japanese soldiers to build a transportation route betwixt Thailand in addition to Burma. In spite of the fact that it is a reconstruction, it is considered ane of Pai's most of import tourist attractions in addition to many people accept pictures side past times side to it or read amongst involvement the panels that explicate its history.

Bridge over the river Pai

While our tour included a few unimpressive sites, similar the treehouse inwards the garden of a guesthouse (?), ane house that sort of impressed me was the Pai canyon. It is non the Grand Canyon of course, but it is a pleasant place, amongst narrow paths of reddish the world in addition to steep valleys. In some points it is non clear if a path is ideal in addition to safe, but the see is breathtaking. Unfortunately, our driver did non plough over explanations in addition to I suspect that he did non utter English linguistic communication either, so nosotros had to figure out things past times ourselves. The geological beginning of this canyon, for instance, remained unknown.

View of the Pai canyon

One of the most surprising things inwards this tour was to encounter how good Pai caters for Chinese tourists (after all, southern mainland People's Republic of China is entirely a three-hour flying away). I noticed so many Asian girls wearing perfect urban pith outfits, taking ane selfie later the other, in addition to looking ane hundred per cent glamour inwards a province of unpaved roads where locals in addition to western backpackers article of apparel flip-flops in addition to t-shirts all the time.

Posing inwards the garden of a guesthouse

Around Pai in that location are guesthouses, cafés in addition to tourist attractions that are made specially for the tastes of urban in addition to stylish Chinese tourists. We stopped for instance at Love Pai Strawberry Café, where nosotros were offered strawberry cake or strawberry smoothie in addition to the possibility to accept photograph ops amongst cartoon-like characters inwards the gardens. Asian girls loved this place! It's only my personal persuasion but it's non the sort of house you lot wing to the other side of the public to see.

The garden of Love Pai Strawberry Café

Another interesting halt was at the Chinese hamlet of Santichon. If you lot don't know the flush you lot may intend it's a Chinese-themed amusement park, because the house looks totally fake: in that location is a imitation Chinese wall, some amusement for children, Chinese products of dubious beginning for sale in addition to cheesy photo-ops. The hamlet was truly founded past times Yunnanese soldiers who escaped the Chinese communist authorities over l years ago. Their uniforms in addition to their stories are on display inwards the uncomplicated traditional houses built amongst mud in addition to straw. Aside from that, it is quite lamentable to encounter a business office of Chinese history turned into a inexpensive tourist attraction.

View of the chinese village

In other words, our tour, similar Pai itself, was the sort of affair where you lot lead keep to respect the juicy bits past times yourself in addition to discard the parts that you lot similar less.

Have you lot been to Pai? What did you lot intend most it?

Share this post