Pai (Thailand)

Pai:

Where Have All the Deadheads Gone?

I am happy to report that I have finally uncovered the whereabouts of all the Deadheads since the passing of Jerry Garcia. A majority of them have apparently slipped very secretly into Southeast Asia, drifted into the mountains of Northern Thailand, and set up camp in Pai (pronounced Pie).

Backpackers flock to this countryside retreat to decompress from their long journeys and connect with like-minded travelers. Expats living in Chiang Mai come here to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, and many local Thais even visit for a quick weekend getaway. After running wild in Bangkok, I thought Chiang Mai was a relaxed place. But Pai? Pai is in its own world if you are seeking intensive chill immersion. Even the street dogs are in on the action—you can see them laid out, hanging on the pavement with not a care in the world.

In addition to the large swath of human and canine burnouts (the good kind), there is a massive presence of Chinese tourists here. Years ago, you couldn’t find them anywhere, but now they are en masse all over Thailand. I attribute this reversal to the current prosperous times in China; they’ve seemingly got lots of disposable moolah to spend on travel, and they are out in force. I will save my full opinions on the majority of these newly minted tourists for a later post. Let’s just say for now: they love taking selfies with their new iPhones, and selfie sticks are officially more prevalent than chopsticks.

762 Bends – The road from Chiang Mai

The road trip from Chiang Mai to Pai is legendary, featuring a mountainous road with 762 bends that is extremely scenic. You may ask how I know it’s exactly 762 bends. Well, I counted them, MF.

For the trip back, we have elected to take the 25-minute flight to Chiang Mai en route to our next destination. Not because we’re soft, mind you, but only because I heard the flight was real scenic—and hey, I already counted all 762 bends on the road on the way up.

The “Khao San Road of the North”

Pai offers a super relaxed atmosphere with a vibrant tourist and backpacker scene. It’s a tiny town nestled in a valley that evolved from a hippie enclave into a town filled with yoga studios and bohemian cafes. The permanent residents are a seemingly harmonious mix of local Thais, Western hippies, and Thai rastas, which gives the place a unique, artsy, chilled-out vibe that really appealed to us.

They sometimes refer to Pai now as the “Khao San Road of the North.” There was absolutely no backpacker scene here 20 years ago when it was just a little market village, but during high season, it is absolutely bustling—and rightfully so. It serves as a great stop for travelers rolling through Northern Thailand before heading into Myanmar and Laos.

Speaking of backpackers, I see many young female travelers on the streets of Pai lugging massive, heavy packs around town in search of the cheapest guesthouse just to preserve their almighty Baht.

As you know, us Flashpackers have wheels on our backpacks and have yet to utilize the actual straps on our backs. I jokingly told Barbie she may want to put her pack on her back and start acting and looking like a true backpacker.

She shot back, “Not if I have wheels, honey… and if those backpackers had wheels, they would be using them too.” It’s good to be a Flashpacker with moxie!

Unplugging in the Mountain Air

We are here during the beginning of peak season, though I’ve heard much of Pai gets real quiet during the off-season. Because it’s up in the northern mountains, Pai offers a sweet relief from Thailand’s brutal heat. In the cool season, it can actually get down to the low 50s at night.

For a few of our nights, the temperature dipped into the 70s. It was the first time on this entire trip that we didn’t have to turn the A/C on, opting to leave the windows wide open instead. I’ll bet this probably won’t happen again for the remainder of our time in Southeast Asia, but it was a true treat to breathe in that fresh mountain air. It made for great sleeping weather—the kind of crisp temperatures you usually only get in late August at CEL.

Unfortunately, our sleep was rudely interrupted in the morning by a truck rolling around town with a loudspeaker mounted on it. It announces shit we don’t understand, real loud, in Thai, and it’s kinda annoying. I’m choosing to believe they were simply announcing all the daily foot massage specials to get the word out to weary travelers.

As for our accommodations, the bungalows we’re staying in are real nice. They feature 400 cable channels and, can you believe it, not a single one is in English. Good thing we really don’t care to watch TV on this trip anyway. It has been a pleasure to completely unplug from the tube. Barbie and I really could not care less about the news happening back in the U.S. (especially the election); it feels like it’s freeing our minds from the stuff that really just does not matter. That being said, I have tuned in—and will continue to tune in—for select sporting events.

Exploring on Two Wheels

We pulled the trigger on a motorbike rental here, as it really is a must to properly explore the area. We absolutely loved motorbiking through the stunningly beautiful countryside surrounding Pai. It proved to be the most efficient way to see all the sights since everything is so spread out. The days we spent motorbiking around the valleys, villages, and waterfalls were just so cool and a highlight.

Now, we have been extremely selective about renting motorbikes (really mopeds, since they have no gears). You see tons of young backpackers walking around town wrapped in gauze from road rash after wiping out. We only rent these things in places where traffic is light—like beach areas and smaller country towns where they are absolutely necessary for independent exploring.

Note: If you are a fitness-minded person, Pai is an awesome place for mountain biking, and it’s great for long walks through the scenic hills and valleys to get a real good workout.

The Verdict on Pai

While Pai’s growth has been rapid, and more or less every farm in the valley seems to rent bungalows to the flood of Backpackers and Flashpackers, the green rice fields and local farms remain very much intact. It hasn’t become like the southern part of Bali, where massive resorts have completely taken over the beautiful landscape. I guess we shall see what transpires over the next 10 years of development. I just hope they don’t screw up a good thing.

Overall, Pai was a good stop and we are really going to miss this lifestyle. It’s one of my favorites, and I’ve got to give it a double thumbs up. If you are up in the Chiang Mai area, a visit further north to Pai is well worth your time.

If you want to escape the heart of the action in town and prefer quiet seclusion in a fantastic setting, I suggest staying just on the outskirts of town. Just keep in mind that if you choose that option, a motorbike is absolutely essential for the complete experience.

The Pai Breakdown

Restaurants Hit: Witching Well (probably about 6 times—we loved it), Duang Restaurant, Cafecito, Earth Tone, Pai Village Boutique, Pai Treehouse Resort, Pai Hotsprings Resort, Cafe de Pai, and the local Street Markets.
Beaches Visited: None. But Pai honestly reminds me of a Thai island getaway, just without the beach.
Loose Stools Index: 8 (Rolling along without any issues, but when will my time be up?)

Thru the Binocs

Pai has changed over the years from the days when opium was widely available, back when this northern town was heavily tied to the Golden Triangle where Laos, Burma, and Thailand all meet. The authorities have clamped down hard on the opium, but pot is still readily offered. Even though it looks like a safe haven for potheads, you would have to be crazy to take the risk. We even had a young girl try to wave us down to offer us weed while we were motorbiking through a remote village to a local waterfall. Spending any time in a Southeast Asian prison does not sound like too much fun—and a stay in one is sure to put a swift end to my streak of daily foot and back massages.