Ultimate Pai Thailand Travel Guide: Best Things to Do & See

Should you add Pai to your Thailand itinerary? The answer is WITHOUT A DOUBT. Pai is a small laidback mountain town with river activities, hiking, temples, cool reggae bars, and delicious food.

I really wished that I was able to spend more time in Pai and I cannot wait to go back. You cannot miss Pai when backpacking through Thailand.

So let’s get into a Pai Thailand travel guide including things you must do when visiting Pai, where to stay in Pai, how to get around Pai, and the best way to get to Pai from Chiang Mai!

Things to do in Pai

1. Visit the White Buddha Temple

There is a Buddhist temple that has a Buddha at the top of a hill that overlooks Pai. It’s also called the Big Buddha Pai if you are unable to find it on Google Maps. It’s a very quick 10-minute ride from the city.

The view at the top is beautiful and worth the walk up. It definitely is a hike up to the top so bring some water. Ideally, it would be best to get there early in the morning when it’s not as hot or crowded. Or at sunset! It does close at 6 PM but with all the mountains, it is a perfect sunset spot in Pai.

Don’t forget to dress with your shoulders and knees covered. There are rentals in case you need them!

2. Pam Bok Waterfall and Bamboo Bridge

With Pai being a mountain town, there are tons of nature spots that you should see while you’re here. I put these two together because they are very close to each other so it’s easiest to go to both in one day.

Pam Bok Waterfall is a small waterfall with a short hike. I was lucky to have this area basically to myself the whole time. While the waterfall may be underwhelming in comparison to some others in Thailand — the quietness of makes it extra special.

I laid on the rocks and listened to the waterfall for a couple of hours and enjoyed every second. There was also someone who laid out a towel and was reading a book.

It’s just extremely serene and peaceful compared to some waterfalls that get very crowded. I highly recommend it. You do need to pay a small fee to have access to the waterfall. When visiting Pam Bok Waterfall, you can also visit the bamboo bridge which is just up the road. You can buy a ticket to both the waterfall and Bamboo Bridge at the waterfall.

Bamboo bridge is a man-made bridge out of bamboo — as the name says. It’s a popular tourist destination. I chose not to visit this because I wanted to spend more time at the waterfall instead.

3. Pai Canyon

This is another perfect sunset spot to add to your list! Honestly, Pai Canyon was much better than I expected it to be. I thought it would be a cool place to check out but I had so much fun here. I feel like you can’t have a Pai Thailand travel guide without this included, that’s how much I loved it.

Pai canyon is filled with very narrow hiking trails and ledges that offer beautiful views of the valley. I would wear comfortable clothes and shoes because some of the paths are extremely narrow.

I headed here just before sunset and spent a little time hiking. Then I watched the sunset. There are some benches to sit on so you can relax while you enjoy the sunset.

4. Tipsy Tubing

A popular tourist activity in Pai is Tipsy Tubing. Basically, you just float down the river and drink with tons of other backpackers. There are also little stop-off bars along the river.

I actually didn’t do this while I was here because I had such a short amount of time in Pai, and there’s so much to see. But, I heard from several people that it is extremely fun.

Tip: Apparently the best day to do this is Friday! So try to plan accordingly.

You can book with groups in the town or with a hostel that you are staying at.

5. Reggae Bars and Pai Night Life

There are a ton of awesome reggae bars in Pai. It really is a whimsical city.

One of my favorites was a little reggae bar at the bottom of the Huan Saran Guesthouse.

They had great live music with a very laid-back vibe. The owners are really awesome people as well and take the time to get to know the people at the bar.

There are tons of options for nightlife in Pai. Take a walk around the walking street of Pai and I’m sure you’ll find somewhere that fits your vibe.

6. Nam Lud Cave

Nam Lud Cave is one of the day trip options from Pai. It’s a large cave that you raft through with a guide.

Day trips are very easy to book in Pai whether you’re at a hostel or not. Check out some shops around town and you can easily book this for cheap! You’ll see signs for it all over the main city.

I was incredibly bummed that I also missed this. But again this is why you must go to Pai and make sure you have enough time! There’s too much to see here.

7. Two Huts Cafe

Two Huts Cafe takes the cake as the cutest coffee shop I’ve ever been to. I drove my scooter here and it was about 10 minutes outside of town. It felt like you were in the middle of nowhere because it is this little coffee shop with exceptional views just tucked away in the mountains.

The coffee is also great here. If you’re not into coffee, they do sell beer here! It’s a perfect spot to come and sit for a while to soak in some Northern Thailand mountain views. So come for the good vibes!

8. Pai Hot Springs

I didn’t personally visit this because I chose to visit Thailand during the hottest time of the year. So I had plenty of heat. But, typically I would LOVE a hot spring. With Pai being a mountain town, this could be a great spot to check out depending on when you visit.

9. Love Strawberry Pai

I had heard it’s extremely tourist and more of a picture spot, which is not really my vibe but is definitely others’ vibe. So if this tickles your fancy, check it out!

How do you get to Pai from Chiang Mai? 

A quick 3-hour bus that you can book either through a hostel that you stay at in Chiang Mai OR through the city bus.

The bus is a very easy ride (other than the curved mountain roads) with one stop along the way for a bathroom break. You can book a round trip if you will be heading back to Chiang Mai.

I will give you a fair warning that the bus is through very windy mountain roads, so it’s helpful to take some motion sickness medicine before if you are prone to car sickness.

For a fun and adventurous option, you could rent a motorbike and drive yourself through the mountain roads to Pai! If I were to go back, I would absolutely choose this option!

Where should you stay in Pai?

I stayed at Pai Village Boutique Resort and it was easily my favorite place I stayed at in Thailand. It’s beautiful and in the perfect location. I literally would’ve moved into this little hut, I loved it that much.

I used some rewards from my Capital One Venture X credit card to stay at this BEAUTIFUL resort, but there are decent deals on staying here from time to time. It was only $40 a night when I booked it. So still check it out if you are looking for a budget option. You can check out more on my review of this stay!

This Pai Thailand travel guide is probably just useful for a small part of your trip, if you’re looking for more help planning your time in Thailand, check out my two-weeks in Thailand guide.