Pai, Thailand
Sights and activites
Pai Cultural Centre
A little difficult to find, just past Wonderland House in Baan Mae Yen, the Pai Cultural Centre is a newish establishment which aims to aid the development of local Pai culture, in particular that of the local ethnic groups and hilltribes. On Saturdays from around 09:00 they hold a large market, and people come from the surrounding villages to sell their wares. Occasionally, the centre organises major events for tourists. At the time of our visit, a Khantoke Dinner was being promoted, where northern Thai food is served and eaten Thai style. Live northern Thai music and occasionally dancing is performed for guests. Signs for events such as these get placed in prominent spots around Pai.
Cinema Paradiso
A few restaurants around town show movies in the evenings, but Cinema Paradiso offers private movie rooms screening the movie of your choice, at any time. Choose from a wide range of DVDs, from The Incredibles to Blazing Saddles. Comfy rooms have battered old armchairs or floor mattresses and cushions, and large TV screens. Drinks and light snacks are available The cost is 150B for one person, 200B for two people, 250B for three, 300B for four and 350B for five or six people.
Opening Hours: Open midday with last showing at 10pm
Public swimming pool and gym
Just over the bridge heading out of town are a public swimming pool and gymnasium. Entrance is 50B for use of the pool and gym for a day, with multiple entries allowed. The huge green pool is quite well-looked after, in a pleasant setting with lounge chairs. Bamboo mats to lie on are also supplied. The gym is unsophisticated, housing some free weights, bicycles and a couple of cardio machines. Coke and packets of chips are sold, but no other food.
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00 daily
Elephant rides
Four major elephant camps surround Pai, of which Thom's is the largest, having four elephants, and Joy's claims to care the most about their animals. Each of these offer rides of varying lengths, which can often be done in conjunction with bamboo rafting, or as an added attraction as part of a trek or local day trip. Bear in mind that many people find that an hour and a half is plenty of time to experience an elephant, as the slow pace can get a little tedious after a while, and they're not the most comfortable ride in town.
An elephant carries two people on a wooden seat on its back, and walks at a slow pace through narrow paths in the jungle or by the river. Many animals have been trained to bathe with their passengers, can play football, pick things up and pass them to their riders, and will greet you (if you have food for them!). Some can even thank you in Thai afterwards.
Thom's Pai Elephant Camp is probably the most popular, and not un-coincidentally the most widely advertised. They recommend that you book your ride in advance from the office in town on Rangsiyanon Rd, as the elephants may be out relaxing in the jungle, and you might have a long wait if you just turn up directly at the camp.
Joy's Elephant Camp has an office in town on Chaisongkhram Rd, but it is only open in the evenings as all staff are at the camp during the day. Other camps do not have offices in town, and take bookings either in person or as part of combined day tours or bamboo rafting trips.
Tubing
The Pai River is quite pretty, and one relaxing way to travel along it is on an inner tube. A few places around town can organise tube rental, often combined with transport. Generally, a tuk tuk will take you up river by a couple of kilometres, you get in the water and float downstream back into town. Tube hire costs around 50B for half a day and combined with transport should cost from 80B upwards, depending on how far you go.
Rafting
Bamboo Rafting
A relaxing way to see the river and local countryside, bamboo rafting takes you at a slow pace downriver on rafts made of bamboo poles lashed together. Between two and four passengers travel with a guide who propels the raft along with a long pole. Guides can be cheeky, splashing water on their passengers and generally making fun. Even without splashing, it's highly likely that you will get wet up to the ankles at the very least. Luggage should be left behind, and any valuables should be securely sealed up in plastic bags. Bamboo rafting is often offered as an extra in combination with elephant riding on a trek or day tour. The cost varies from place to place, and depends on the size of the rafts, how many passengers and how long the journey lasts, among other factors. Generally you can expect to pay between 400 and 800B for a raft for an hour or two, or about 200B per person as an extra option on a trekking trip. Thom's Pai Elephant Camp has a half day trip with three hours of elephant riding and two hours bamboo rafting for 1000B. Ask in any travel or trekking agency, otherwise most guesthouses can organise a trip for you.
White Water Rafting
White water rafting between Pai and Mae Hong Son has become very popular, and there are two alternative routes that are run by a number of specialist travel agents around town. Lasting either one full day or two days and one night, the trips go down the Khong and Pai Rivers, or the Pai River only.
The Pai River trip takes two days, and has class five rapids during the rainy season from June to the end of January. Some companies don't have appropriate equipment to handle the low water levels during the dry season, and do not run.
The Khong and Pai River trip is shorter, and can be done as either a one- or two-day journey. From mid-May to the end of February the water level is lower and the rapids are flatter. The experience involves rafting on large inflatable rubber rafts, some paddling, and a number of white water rapids of differing levels.
The trips have a guide, and start with a safety demonstration of paddling techniques and how to manage the rapids. The paddling is broken up by picnics on the side of the river, and visits to hot springs and waterfalls. The scenery is gorgeous, and takes you through the stunning Pai Gorges. Overnight accommodation varies from company to company, but will usually be either camping in private tents or a bamboo hut where everyone sleeps dormitory style on the floor with foam mattresses, sleeping bags and mosquito nets. Food is cooked by the guides, usually a couple of dishes to choose from including barbecued meat, stir-fried vegetables or a mild curry dish. Vegetarian food is available by prior request.
Both trips start in Pai and finish 15 minutes from Mae Hong Son, where transport delivers you to your place of choice, whether than be in Mae Hong Son or if you would like to return to Pai.
Thai Adventure Rafting runs their two day, 60km trip on the Pai River every day of the year. Group size is two to four people, and it costs 2,400B per person. Call or fax (053) 699 111 or see their website www.thairafting.com for more information.
Pai Adventure runs two trips, as well as a lot of combination trekking, rafting, sightseeing and elephant riding packages. They do the Pai River two-day journey (for 2,000B) as well as the Nam Khong and Pai River trip (45km) which can be either a one- or two-day trip departing from Pai or Mae Hong Son. This costs 1,200B for one day and 1,500B for two days. They do not run from March to May when the water level gets too low. Contact them by phone (053) 699 385, fax (053) 698 128 or see their website www.thailandpai.net for more information.
Pai in the Sky Rafting run the Pai guesthouse of the same name and are a relatively new addition to the scene. They run the 45km two-day trip on the Nam Khong and Pai Rivers from June to February. Contact them by phone (053) 699 090, fax (053) 698145, ask at the guesthouse or their office on Rajdamrong Rd in Pai.
Trekking in Pai
A number of registered trekking agencies in Pai offer options for seeing the local countryside on foot, and getting to hilltribe villages and scenic spots that are otherwise inaccessible. Most popular are three-day, two-night or two-day, one-night trips that take in local Lisu, Lahu and Karen villages and a waterfall or hot spring.
Generally you need a minimum of two people for a departure, but if you have enough time, most agencies will advertise for other participants. Prices vary depending on the number of people going, the distance travelled and the activities covered but as a rule expect to pay around 700B per day.
Most agencies will also offer bamboo rafting and elephant riding as an optional extra to tack on to your trek for around 200B per person per activity.
If you want to spend more time in the region, or go further than the average trekker, it is usually possible to organise your own trekking trip. There's not really so much reason to trek for more than five to seven days.
Highly recommended is Mr Chart. He is a freelance guide who has gained a steady reputation in Pai and operates out of Bamboo House. Treks with Mr Chart will not only bring you to secluded hill tribe communities, but will also educate you on jungle survival and you may find yourself eating things you never thought possible! Treks run at 800B/day, and are usually spread over two to three days, with scheduled visits to a Lisu village the first day, and a jungle camp the second. Contact Mr Chart by phone on (089) 953 3605 or see his website at http://www.trekpai.com/
Back Trax can organise treks of one to three days or longer. Everything is flexible. Their guides are very friendly and speak very good English, and some speak other local languages. At least 15% of the cost of your trip goes toward supporting and developing the villages they visit, in addition to a fee paid for your stay, and they are more than happy for you to carry in much-needed blankets, medicine, clothes, and school supplies to donate. The guides will help you distribute these responsibly to the head of the village, a school teacher or local doctor. Their office is on Chaisongkhram Road.
Pai Adventure offer a wide range of combination trekking, rafting and elephant riding packages. Contact them by phone (053) 699 385, fax (053) 698 128.
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