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It's possible you've never heard of Pai. This small
town lies tucked away in the Thai landscape, a stomach-churning
bus ride through the mountains west of Chiang Mai.
While those who have passed through become fierce
fans, it's a town left off most travel routes. If
you do make the journey and want to draw smiles here,
tell fellow travelers that you only plan to stay a
night or two. Every response is the same, a friendly
caution. "You say that now, but waitÂ…"
But no one in Pai is doing much waiting. Instead,
they occupy their days bathing in nearby hotsprings
and waterfalls, or eating and drinking in offbeat
cafes. Visitors will find themselves getting Thai
cooking classes, massage lessons, bamboo tattoos,
and chatting the hours away with Pai's eclectic population
of passing backpackers and fun, friendly locals. After
one or two nights, most travelers will gladly postpone
their outbound tickets another few days, weeks, or
indefinitely.
So what makes this town so exceptional? It doesn't
hurt to point out that Pai is undeniably beautiful,
situated in the northern mountainscape. An easy motorbike
rental allows access to the town's nearby sites; waterfalls,
hotsprings, elephant camps and explorer-friendly caves.
Intrepid backpackers can use Pai as the base for jungle
treks, hill tribe tours, and rafting trips.
But beyond the landscape, Pai's charming small-town
friendliness seems to be infectious, as strangers
smile and say hello to one another on the street.
It's the town's warm and relaxed atmosphere which
makes it feel more homey than transient. Any traveler
who has tired of busting cities and long tuk-tuk rides
will delight in Pai's walkable downtown. Here, travelers
have drinks and chat leisurely at streetside cafes.
On the main street, by the bus station, movie booths
and art galleries line the road, among Khmer handicrafts
and homemade jewelry stalls.
To a visitor, it feels that Pai has reached a happy
medium of offering traveler-friendliness without being
suffocated by tourism. Schoolchildren bustle home
along the main streets, local artists sell their wares,
a nightmarket on the eastern side of the town comes
alive in the late afternoon. Though small in size,
Pai's active daily culture keeps it vibrant for local
and tourist alike.
At the end of a long day, the town doesn't quiet
down. Fubar, a hilltop bar just across the bridge
from the centre of town, is arguably the best nightspot
in Pai. Here, you can catch the spectacular mountain
sunset, as well as delicious local food. Even at nightfall,
the town remains laid-back and social. After dark,
Pai ignites as one traveler community, with people
chatting and strolling around the foodstalls of the
main street, off to sample the local Burmese-influenced
cuisine, then to catch the live music at nearby BeBop.
Not a bad way to spend a night, or two, or most likely
more.
Anne Merritt
is Canadian and has an English Literature degree.
She has worked as a journalist for a university newspaper.
She is currently living in Ayutthaya as an ESL teacher
and is sharing her experience of Thailand with KhaoSanRoad.com.
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