Pai

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When I was in Bangkok a fellow traveller told me that the best thing about the Chang Mai region is Pai...a small town in the far north. He didn't tell me why, he just said that I had to go and find out. So I did.

The 3 1/2 hour bus journey is constant winding to and fro around the 700 plus bends of the mountain road into the highlands.

Pai is how I imagined that the now sprawling, busy, polluted city of Chang Mai would be like.

Small, traveller dominated, hippy style, laid back and friendly. Many chilled out cafes, bars and market stalls...east to sit back and relax.

The best thing about Pai, however, is its location. Next to a river, surrounded by paddy fields and ringed by stunning green hills and mountains...a short walk out of Pai and you are into paradise.

On my first night I made the mistake of staying in the town and promptly moved the next morning after a somewhat irritating sexual escapade next door between 1.30-4am. Bamboo walls are not suitable for terraced rooms!

However, the couple in question (or should I say random pull) did me a favour, since I relocated out of the town to one of the many bamboo hut guesthouses that line the river and paddy fields. Lying in a hammock, reading a book and looking up onto the most stunning, sun drenched view...it was paradise.

Olivier and Greet also travelled to Pai at the same time so I got to hang out with them some more. I must say more about this couple, since they are some of the best people you will ever meet. Happy, warm and delightfully sociable; these are the lesser of their qualities in my mind. What impressed me most was their love of life and intense delight to be in Thailand. They were loving every minute of their holiday, celebrating their recent engagement (Olivier proposed on the night train from Bangkok to Chang Mai!) and were simply wonderful company. I wish more people were so outwardly happy and welcoming.

We were lucky enough to unknowingly arrive the day before a major music festival in the town...apparently many travellers had flocked to Pai simply for it. The festival merged Thai music, on the main stage with a large Thai audience, with reggae music on a smaller stage with a predominantly traveller audience. It was fun, but did not quite live up to the hyped expectations.

I did not want to leave Pai...I loved it. The only downside was that the hot days turned into bitterly cold nights (relative for Asia!), which saw me putting on trousers, several tops, jumper, buying a scarf and wearing my trainers for the first time in about 3 months!

The one thing missing in Pai was the sea...I was craving a return to island and beach life so I could snorkle, dive and relax before the upcoming crazy hecticness of India...so I sadly packed my bags and returned to Chang Mai...next stop, tropical island paradise in Ko Phi Phi.

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Comments

[Annie]

Pai sounds and looks incrediable - im very jealous! well done for arriving just before the music festival, great timing and a chance to see what they get up to!