Pai is a quaint village in Northern Thailand. It is no longer a secret hippy hangout, and at any time, the village has more tourists than local inhabitants. However, all this rush is confined to a few blocks filled with shops. Beyond that, once you move out of the epicentre of Pai, you get to see glimpses of actual rural Thailand .

Rice farms bound by streams look amazing at sunset, and the mountains loom majestic in the distance. The Pai river flows at an unhurried pace and wild flowers cover its banks. So all in all, Pai is still a worthy stop. However, much like everything worthy in life, gaining access to Pai is not easy. The first step is relatively easy.

1. Reach Chiang Mai.

You can  fly in directly to Chiang Mai if that is within your budget. Alternatively, you can fly in to Bangkok, which is usually cheaper (from India). There are multiple trains connecting the Hua Lamphong station in Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

The Thai railway is a government enterprise, and has a network of nearly 4500Km. The network is divided into North, East, South, and North-East lines. The day train (AC seater) from Bangkok (Hua Lamphong Station) to Chiang Mai (Northern terminus), in the Northern Network leaves at 8.30 am and reaches chaing mai at 07.30 pm. It was certainly an interesting way to see the country.

The 11-12 hour ride cost around 630 TBH (approx. 1300 INR). The ‘train’ had exactly 3 bogies (Diesel multiple units). There is no separate engine. It seems to be driven by a diesel generator coupled with motors on each coach. The compartments are separated by a common space which houses the toilets. Much like the Indian railway toilets, using them requires some amount of grit and an innate sense of balance. However, if you have been trained on the Indian railway, it will be a breeze. The ticket also includes two meals. A breakfast of tea/coffee/juice and a custard bun and a lunch consisting of jasmine rice, fish curry and dry sweet chicken. Water and other refreshments were readily available, and vendors enter that train at regular intervals from the bigger stations.

Each compartment had a ticket checker and a server. All in all, the railway is much more heavily staffed when compared to its Indian counterpart. It was a wonderful way to see the countryside, starting off with the low lying areas of the south and ending in the forested mountains surrounding Chiang Mai.

Regarding booking: The train tickets can be booked online at (http://www.thailandtrainticket.com/).  It is important to carry a printed copy while entering, as they do not accept digital tickets as of now. The scenery outside alone makes up for the time spend in  the train. At Chiang Mai, it is best to rest for a day (or better, break the journey for a few days and explore Chiang Mai) before the next step, reaching Pai.

2. Reaching Pai.

There are basically three modes of reaching Pai.

i) You can hire a cab. This will cost around 4000 – 6000 TBH and it is not easy to find a willing driver. Your hotel may be able to help.  Uber, while fine for transport within the city, is not useful in this regard. The drivers typically refuse the ride as they will have to return empty. Overall this option is very difficult to materialise despite being very expensive.

ii) You can take a mini bus. This is the most used mode among travellers. They run pretty much every half an hour till it is dark. It costs 150 TBH per person, and they charge an additional 50 TBH for hotel pickup. Additionally any oversized baggage is charged 100 TBH. All in all the minivans are well driven,  and seat belts are compulsory. The road from Chiang Mai to Pai (Highway 1095)  has close to 750 curves, so be prepared some motion sickness. The scenery will make up for it though.

 

iii) You can rent a self drive car or bike.  There are lot of rental agencies available. Some services like AYA travels that run the mini vans also rent bikes. It is possible to leave your luggage with the mini van, rent a bike, and return it in Pai at an additional cost. Alternatively, you can rent the bike long term, and return it when you are back in Chiang Mai. Pai is best explored on a two wheeler, so this is a great alternative. The road (Highway 1095) is well maintained and scenic. While you can certainly rent bikes in Pai, the selection is certainly better in Chiang Mai. Usually, 100 to 125 cc automatic scooters cost around 100 to 200 TBH  per day. 150 cc scooters should be available for  around 400 TBH, and larger tourer bikes from around 500 TBH and above. They give discounts when you rent for weekly or monthly basis.

An IDP (International Driving Permit) is needed to drive in Thailand. So get one from your home country. Always carry it along while driving or the Police will fine you if you ever happen to be in a routine checking along the roadside. Most important rule : Both the rider and pillion have to wear a helmet, else you could be stopped by the Police. All renting places for bikes also rents helmets.

The rentals either ask for your passport, or a hefty safety deposit. Most places ask for an average of 5000 TBH deposit for a 125 cc bike. We would suggest to go with a rental who accepts the copy of passport and a deposit. AYA travels,  has a relatively low deposit (2000 TBH) than any other rental service. In general, they are a well established unit, and even have a workshop of their own. However, the bikes are pretty old and a bit ill maintained. But put some effort in selecting and you can find a decent one.  Vespai rentals seems to have decent bikes, and seems to have the highest rating among European customers. There are lots of options available. So it is best to walk around Pai, go to a couple of shops, test drive, and then decide. Car rentals start at around 1200 TBH per day for small sedans. You can rent upto large size SUVs.

While you are walking around, also find a place to stay. There are many alternatives, and finding something with AC and Wi-Fi at 300 TBH per night is reasonable. Alternatively, you can book online before heading this way. Tourism industry is at the heart of Pai’s economy, and the market is pretty well developed. There are stay options ranging from luxury hotels to backpacker hostels. Airbnb is also a common option, if you are planning on staying long. More on what to do in Pai coming soon.

PS: Pai does have an Airport, and it says that there are daily flights from Chiang Mai. But despite looking around a lot, there seems to be no flight details or ways to book the flight.  The alternative is to fly into Mae Hong Song airport, 2.5 hours away, and then drive to Pai. But Chiang Mai is a cheaper, more accessible option by all measures.