Pai is a delightful town in Mae Hong Son province with a good balance of natural beauty and traveller convenience. Pai is the gateway to Mae Hong Son province and has many great sight-seeing, dining, and accommodation options.
Pai Town Center
Pai is famous for the night markets in the walking street district, but there is plenty to see and do during the day within walking or cycling distance.
Pai Central Valley
If you drive just a short distance from the town center, you can explore the picturesque countryside.
To the west of Pai is the Yunnanese Village of Santichon with some points of interest open to visitors.
Southern Approach to Pai
Travelling from Chiang Mai to Pai takes around 3 hours, with a solid 1.5 hours of mountain road. As you descend to the Pai Valley you are met with sights of open farmland and the mountains beyond. There are multiple cafes along the main road where you may enjoy your surroundings and take a welcome break from the road.
Pai Canyon and Pai Memorial Bridge are also popular attractions directly along the main road.
South-West Outskirts
If you head 10 minutes south of Pai Village, and turn off the main driving another 15-20 minutes west there are some less-visited attractions in this corner of the Pai Valley.
North-West from Pai
Taking the main road to the north from Pai you can view some rice fields along the river and then turning north-west you start the climb into the next mountain range on the way towards Pang Mapha District, and Mae Hong Son City beyond.
There are hot springs on the way to the mountains, and the attractions of Pang Mapha are also accessible on a day trip from Pai.
Multi-Day Itineraries to Pai
If you would like to travel to Pai as part of a multi-day private tour itinerary, we have several standard tour options to choose from. As always, we are happy to customize these itineraries for you.
![Mae Hong Son Loop [5D4N]](https://olsentours.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/mae-hong-son-loop-itinerary.jpg)
![Mae Hong Son Explorer [4D3N]](https://olsentours.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mae-hong-son-explorer-itinerary.jpg)
![Pai Highlights [2D1N]](https://olsentours.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/pai-highlights-itinerary.jpg)
![Pai Explorer [3D2N]](https://olsentours.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/pai-explorer-itinerary.jpg)
Accommodation in Pai
Most visitors want to enjoy the walking street / night markets in the evening. It is most convenient to stay within the walking street district, or a short walking distance from the markets.
Hotels that are further from the center generally provide a shuttle service to/from the night markets with on-demand transfers into town and scheduled pickup times & locations.
Pai Bus Service
If you plan to travel independently to Pai, there is a bus service available. See the timetable below for information regarding the bus service from Chiang Mai to Pai, and return journeys.
| Bus Chiang Mai - Pai ฿ 240 4h 20m | |
|
| Bus Pai - Chiang Mai ฿ 240 3h 55m | |
|
Pai FAQ
Halal food is easy to find in Pai due to the large local Muslim community. The Al-Israa Masjid Mosque is located in the center of town, so you will see many restaurants and street-food vendors advertising Halal food in this area.
For one of the best vegan restaurants in Northern Thailand, Earth Tone is at least on par with the very best vegan food in Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai. It is located a little out of town on the way to Mae Yen Temple – but close enough to walk and well worth the trip.
There are some vegan street food vendors in the walking street district, and many restaurants in this part of Pai have vegan options on the menu.
Charlie & Lek restaurant is worth mentioning – not vegan but they have many great vegan options on their menu and have a good understanding of allergies and other dietary requirements. Good food, good value, and in the center of town.