Backpacking Pai: 4 Days Itinerary, Expenses and Travel Tips

"I am going to Thailand."
"Oh nice, where in Thailand? Phuket? Bangkok?"
"I am going to Pai."
"Pai? Where is Pai?"
"In Northern Thailand."  
"Oh, Chiang Mai?"
"No, but somewhere 3 hours away from Chiang Mai."
"Oh, Chiang Rai?"
"No, not Chiang Rai"
"Ok, have a nice vacation."

You have probably never heard of a place named Pai in Thailand and if you will try to google blogs about this place, you will get articles either expressing their extreme love for this quiet town in Northern Thailand or their hate about its hippie culture.

If you are visiting for the first time and is expecting breathtaking landscapes, I think you will be a little disappointed especially if your stay is during or right after their summer when the vegetation are all seemed to be burned down. But if it is the relaxed vibe that you are after, then Pai will not disappoint.


How to Get There

By Plane

   1. Fly to Chiang Mai, Thailand
   2. Take a taxi/tuktuk to Arcade Bus Station
   3. Go to Avia Booking, buy ticket to Pai.

Note: Minibus to Pai leaves every hour from 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM. We missed the last minibus to Pai so we had to stay a night in Chiang Mai.

Where To Stay




We stayed in a Bamboo Hut with River View (THB 400) at Baan Pai Riverside Resort. 

They have Mountain View rooms and River View rooms. We stayed in the River View room as we think it is quite dark at night in the area of the Mountain View room. Also, the former gives both the view of the river and the mountain.

In the mornings, I would zone out here in this bench while watching and listening to the river flow.

And in the evenings, we would just chill in the front porch while enjoying the food we purchased at the Pai Walking Street. Ah, the good life. :)


I highly recommend Baan Pai Riverside Resort. It is cheap, conveniently located near the Pai Walking Street and despite the country vibe in this place, they have fast WiFi and a plethora of security cameras all around the resort.

Baan Pai Riverside Resort is just walking distance away from the mini-bus terminal. Just ask the driver which direction is Baan Pai, then walk straight until you reach the wooden bridge, the resort is right exactly at the other end of the bridge.


Itinerary and Expenses

DAY 1	TIME	PRICE	NOTES
KL Sentral to KLIA2	10:30 AM	MYR 11
ETD KLIA2	2:00 PM	MYR 150
ETA Chiang Mai	4:30 PM
Chiang Mai Airport to Arcade Bus Station	5:30 PM	THB 200	missed the last van to Pai
Check in at Diamond Grand Hotel	6:00 PM	THB 590/day	beside the Arcade Bus Station
Walk around Chiang Mai, dinner	7:00 PM	THB 100
Lights Out	10:00 PM

DAY 2	TIME	PRICE	NOTES
Breakfast	6:00 AM	THB 100
Arcade Bus Station to Pai	6:30 AM	THB 150
ETA Pai	9:30 AM
Check in Baan Pai Riverside Resort	10:00 AM	THB 400 /night	Resort is walking distance from bus station
Rent motorbike for 48 hours	11:00 AM	THB 150/hours
Lunch	12:00 NN	THB 200
Go to Yun Lai View Point	1:30 PM	THB 20	This place is best for sunrise
Go to Chinese Village	2:30 PM
Go to Temple on the Hill (White Buddha)	3:00 PM
Drive around Pai and get chased by stray dogs	4:00 PM
Chill in the front porch of your room with the river view	5:00 PM
Dinner at Pai Walking Street	7:00 PM	THB 150
Lights Out	10:00 PM

DAY 3	TIME	PRICE	NOTES
Free breakfast at resort	8:30 AM
Pai Hotspring	9:00 AM	THB 300
Pai Memorial Bridge	10:00 AM
Pam Bok Waterfall	11:00AM
The Land Split	12:30 PM	THB 200 (donation)
Ice Cream at Coffee in Love	2:00PM	THB 30
Fluid Pool	2:30 PM	THB 60
Freshen up at the Resort	3:00 PM
Late Lunch	5:00 PM	THB 50
Pai Canyon	5:30 PM
Thai Massage	6:30 PM	THB 200
Dinner at Pai Walking Street	7:30 PM	THB 200
Lights Out	10:00 PM

DAY 4	TIME	PRICE	NOTES
Breakfast at Top 5 Café	8:30 AM	THB 200
Pai to Arcade Bus Station	10:00 AM	THB 150	Need to book a day before
ETA Arcade Bus Station	1:00 PM
Arcade Bus Station to Chiang Mai Airport via tuktuk	1:30 PM	THB 200
Lunch at Black Canyon Coffee in Airport	2:00 PM	THB 250
ETD Chiang Mai	5:30 PM	MYR 150
ETA KLIA2	9:30 PM
KLIA2 to KL Sentral	11:00 PM	MYR 11

TOTAL:  THB 6117 / MYR 700 / PHP 7992 per person


Travel Tips

1. The best time to visit Pai is after their rainy season and before summer which is from November to February.
2. If you are renting a motorcycle, never ever forget putting on a sunblock. Dipping on a hot spring with sun burnt skin is torture. :(
3. Yun Lai Viewpoint is for sunrise. Pai Canyon is for sunset.
4. If you are a health-freak, enroll in Kombucha and Kefir making classes. If you have limited time, try the Kombucha in Top 5 Cafe, but in whichever way, you have got to taste the Kombucha brew in Pai.
5. Baan Pai Riverside Resort is best for couples. If you want to really zone out from the outer world, The Countryside Resort is a recommended place to stay.
6. There are quite a number of muslims in Pai, so finding halal street Thai food is not a problem.
7. Things you need to do after arriving in Pai in exact order: Check in the accommodation of your choice, rent a scooter, grab a map, choose a cozy restaurant to refresh yourself in, strategize your itinerary based on the map, head on to your first destination.
8. Choose durian instead of mangosteen ice cream in Chinese Village.
9. Always wear hiking/running shoes.
10. Visit The Land Split, it is on the way to Pambok Falls.



The Pai Series:
Backpacking Pai: 4 Days Itinerary, Expenses and Travel Tips
Backpacking Pai: 10 Things To Do