Pai

Pai town

Pai is a pretty small place with a very simple layout. Nothing is far away. Chanasongkram Rd is the main strip but there is plenty of accommodation on the nearby crossroads. Many opt to stay on the edges of town -- especially near the river, but there is plenty of good options in town as well.

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
90%
1 vote
 

Rim-Pai Cottage - Classy in a lush, riverside garden
99/1 Moo 3, Pai
T: (053) 699 133; F: (053) 699 234
This is three-star accommodation at budget prices and a cracking deal during low season. Beautifully decorated wooden chalets are set in a lush riverside garden where shaded paths wind through ... Rim-Pai Cottage complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
82%
9 votes
 

Breeze of Pai - Nice bargain rooms
Between Chiasongkram Rd and the Pai river, Pai
T: (081) 998 4597;
Breeze of Pai offers clean, decent-sized rooms with a little design flair yet without being too expensive. There's row houses or detached bungalows to choose from, all with fan and hot water. The ... Breeze of Pai complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
80%
1 vote
 

Li Lu - Classy mid-range mini-hotel
Rungsiyanon Rd, Pai
T: (053) 064 351-2; F: (053) 064 353
Li Lu is another spot that falls into the great deal in low season but forget it during high season category. This brand new mini-hotel just near the junction of Rungsiyanon and Raddamrong Roads by ... Li Lu complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
80%
4 votes
 

The Palm House - One of the best in the budget range
3 Rungsiyanon Rd, Pai,
T: (053) 699 074;
Five concrete rowhouse rooms make up this gem. For a budget guesthouse, Palm House is great value with clean, generous-sized rooms and bathrooms with hot showers for once not directly above the ... The Palm House complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
80%
1 vote
 

Unicorn Guesthouse and Resort - Upmarket at mid-range price
98 Moo 4, Pai
T: (053) 698 068;
A stay at a nicely decorated wooden chalet at this relatively new guesthouse boasting a well-cared for garden includes swimming pool, WiFi and free sauna. It's quite a small setting but good use of ... Unicorn Guesthouse and Resort complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
80%
1 vote
 

Ban Sangheuan - Small and sweet
35/3 Moo 3, Chaisongkran Rd, Pai
T: (053) 699 859;
Baan Sangheaun is a nice quiet spot set a bit back from the main road in a peaceful garden, at approximately the halfway mark on Chaisongkran Road right next to Wat Pha Kham. Friendly, cosy and ... Ban Sangheuan complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
76%
5 votes
 

Mr Jan's Guesthouse - Great, quiet garden setting
68/6 Tesaban Rd, Pai
T: (053) 699 554;
A little bit hard to find lying as it does down a side street off Chaisongkran Road, Mr Jan's is well worth the effort. Chalets are dotted around a delightful garden which is decorative as well as ... Mr Jan's Guesthouse complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
72%
2 votes
 

Pravee's House - Popular and central
95 Chaisongkram Rd, Pai
T: (053) 699 368;
Popular Pravee has a great garden and is in a good location as well. The owners also run the nearby Palm House (basic but okay if all else is full), and the similarly okay-but-nothing-special Taiyai ... Pravee's House complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Vieng Pai Hotel - Simple but charming in teak
68/6 Rungsiyanon Rd. Pai
T: (053) 699 554;
ieng Pai is simple and cheap but has tasteful decor that belies its price range. (It does belong to the same guys who own the upmarket Phu Pai Resort, so they can afford it.) The small teak hotel ... Vieng Pai Hotel complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Golden Hut - Great choice if you can snare a river view chalet
107 Moo 3, Pai
T: (053) 699 949;
Golden Hut, a walk down Chaisongkran to the river and a left along the dirt track, has two great river view chalets then a few more average ones set in the garden behind. The garden is okay and the ... Golden Hut complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Family House Guesthouse - Simple, good value but avoid during peak
Chaisongkram Rd, Pai
T: (053) 064 377;
Just off Chaisongkran Road -- go to the end by the footbridge and bear left to find it -- this pleasant spot is close to the river though not quite on it, which could be an advantage during a heavy ... Family House Guesthouse complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
70%
1 vote
 

Wang Chang Phuek Pai - Great low season option
123, Moo3, WiangT Tai, Pai
T: (053) 699 796;
Another opportunity to stay in an upscale resort at budget prices, so long as you're there in low season. (This starting to sound familiar?) High season probably best to forget it since if it's not ... Wang Chang Phuek Pai complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
65%
1 vote
 

Duang Guesthouse - Popular and longstanding
5 Rungsiyanon Rd, Pai
T: (053) 699 101; F: (053) 699 581
One of the oldest guesthouses in town, Duang House has had a slight facelift but could maybe do with another. It is a good deal though and the better rooms are fine, plus they do have a commendable ... Duang Guesthouse complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
65%
1 vote
 

Abodaya Guesthouse - Centrally located and friendly
16/1 Chaisongkran Rd, Pai
T: (053) 699 041;
Abodaya has a very central location, just down the road from Duang House and very close to the bus station. Service is efficient and friendly (at least in low season), and their restaurant is one of ... Abodaya Guesthouse complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
63%
1 vote
 

Baan Pai Village - Great deal in town centre
88 Tesaban Road, Pai
T: (053) 698 152; F: (053) 699 057
Located at the Chaisongkran end of the street -- just opposite Cafe Paille -- Baan Pai Village is an excellent spot and within its range one of the best deals in the centre of town. It's central but ... Baan Pai Village complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
62%
3 votes
 

Baan Tawan Guesthouse - Simple but clean and comfortable
117 Moo 4, Pai
T: (053) 698 116;
Set down a quiet lane off Raddamrong Road, Ban Tawan is well signposted and easy to find -- just walk past the school on the way to the bridge and take the first right. Service gets mixed reports. ... Baan Tawan Guesthouse complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
62%
3 votes
 

Charlie's House - Another popular longtimer
9 Rungsiyanon Rd, Pai
T: (053) 699 039;
Being one of the oldest and best known guesthouses in town, renowned Charlie's is another guesthouse that's seen better times but remains very popular. It does have a very central location, if that's ... Charlie's House complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
37%
3 votes
 

The Blue Lagoon Hotel - Functional looking but welcome pool
227 Rungsiyanon Rd, Pai
T: (081) 904 5341;
Not a bad option for downtown, though it has its drawbacks, with its room no more than functional and slightly noisy due to their location just in front of the pool/bar area and a rather scruffy, ... The Blue Lagoon Hotel complete profile

West of Pai

This is the area just on the edge of town along the National 1095 road leading out of Pai to the northwest. The road leads to the airport, Soppong and Mae Hong Son. Further out lies Nam Hoo -- in the foothills to the northwest of town, past the airport and on the way to the popular Mae Paeng Falls. A few villages plus a few guesthouses and several vast Thai 'country resorts' scatter the mostly bare hills. We've left aside most of the latter since many are not particularly attractive and most cater mainly to Thai tourists. (All are pretty much in the middle of nowhere too and most conform to the unfortunate Thai garden creation technique, whereby you begin by stripping the land bare for miles around of any and all natural vegetation, then plant some new trees from the Chiang Mai flower market instead and wait for them to grow!) A couple of the more farang orientated guesthouses aren't bad though if you want to get away from it all in the sticks.

Backpacker
Under 600B
84%
1 vote
 

Ban Nam Hoo - Quiet country hideaway
Ban Nam Hoo, Pai
T: (053) 698 172;
Tucked away on the edge of Ban Nam Hoo, this isn't the sort of place you'd come across by accident but if you are looking for it and have your own transport then it is well signposted. Otherwise give ... Ban Nam Hoo complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
80%
1 vote
 

Belle Villa Resort - Worth a splash out
113 Moo 6 Huay Poo Rd, Pai
T: (053) 698 226-7; F: (053) 698 228
Another slightly out of the way spot which only just creeps into the outskirts of town category located, as it is, down the right hand turn off immediately before the airport. Belle Villa isn't ... Belle Villa Resort complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
70%
1 vote
 

Baan Mai Konmuang - Good setting in a great river view garden
117 Moo 3, Pai
T: (053) 699 499;
Very friendly staff and a delightful location overlooking the valley from a pleasant garden setting make this a good address to remember. Baan Mai Konmuang is far enough off the main road to keep the ... Baan Mai Konmuang complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
70%
1 vote
 

Brookview - Great chalets on the town's edge
132 Moo 1, Pai
T: (053) 699 366;
Brookview is just on the edge of town, past the traffic lights on the right hand side of the road leading out to the airport. It's a mere 5 minutes' or so from the bus station and downtown though, so ... Brookview complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
70%
1 vote
 

Shiwadoi Resort - Great for hobbits
121 Huay Poo Rd, Pai
T: (053) 699 536;
A big effort has been made on decor at Shiwadoi and the result is quite cute considering the limited space. Very nice wooden chalets are squeezed into a lush garden with pathways winding in and out ... Shiwadoi Resort complete profile

North of Pai -- Mae Khong and Wiang Nur

This covers the loop north of town from the airport round through Mae Khong village and over the river to Wiang Nur, and the collection of small Shan villages to the northeast of Pai. You're never very far from Pai on this loop and the Shan villages are mostly quiet and cute and there is some good accommodation in this area. It's quite a nice area for hiking as well, since you're close to the hills to the north of the valley. As with many outlying areas though there's no public transport to speak of so if you haven't hired any transport you would be a bit stuck. Though there are some very nice places to stay, unfortunately the best ones such as Ubud Guesthouse and Amy's Earth House are a fair way from town -- especially late at night on a motorbike after a couple of beers, so bear that in mind. If you want to hang out, party and meet people then maybe stick to town, one of the riverside spots or one of the excellent places just over the bridge within walking distance of Pai. If you want peace and quiet and to avoid the party scene however, then do go for one of these further flung satellite villages. On the basis that it needs to be good to get you all the way out there we have been a bit more ruthless with our recommendations.

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
80%
1 vote
 

Pura Vida - Classy yet cosy
65 Moo 3, Tambon Vieng Nour, Pai
T: (089) 635 7556;
Situated past Vieng Nur Village on the road going south back towards the bridge, Pura Vida is more east of Pai than north but since it's situated on its own a bit in the middle of nowhere, we plumped ... Pura Vida complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
80%
1 vote
 

Ubud Guesthouse - Charming, friendly and peaceful
63 Moo 3, Ban Tarn Jet Ton, Pai
T: (081) 021 1362;
This delightful little guesthouse is located in a small Shan village, some 5 or 6km out of Pai town. It boasts a very nice teak restaurant and immaculately kept garden with just four well-designed ... Ubud Guesthouse complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
80%
1 vote
 

Amy's Earth House - Chilled out Adobe huts in an outlying village
Baan Mae Khong (follow the signs!)
T: (053) 699 899;
A few kilometres out of Pai is the small village of Baan Mae Khong, just behind the airport runway. Follow the signs through the village and you'll find yourself at Amy's Earth House, a small cluster ... Amy's Earth House complete profile

South of Pai - Hot springs and Tha Pai Village

You're getting pretty out of the way by the time you get down here -- a 10- or 15-minute motorbike ride from town, and you can forget about walking. There's not really much in the way of attractions to keep you down here either, apart from a hot spring and a row of low-key elephant camps, which are probably better done as a half-day trip. This means your accommodation's going to have to be something really special to make the stay worthwhile. (Though Pai Canyon is worth a trip -- see activities section.) A string of mostly mid- to upper-range resorts runs along the ridge to the right of the road as you go down from Mae Yen. These have good views over the valley, but cater to mostly Thai weekenders. Then there's a bunch of mostly new and large resorts, again mostly catering to the Thai trade, by the river as you cross back over the bridge on the main Chiang Mai - Pai road. Lastly is an eclectic collection of resorts situated around Tha Pai village and the springs themselves. Hot springs are ten a penny in northern Thailand, and these are no more than average ones, though a couple of the resorts have constructed hot bath facilities. Same goes for the elephant camps (also see activities section), which are not the most exciting ones in the region either. The majority of the resorts aren't very exciting either so we don't even need to be ruthless to prune the accommodation list down. If you want budget options, go back to the river or try Sun Hut or Eden in Mae Yen.

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
80%
1 vote
 

Pai Tree House - Treehouses
103 Moo 3, Wiengtai, Pai
T: (053) 6893 271; F: (053) 065 729
Pai Tree House, located along the road between Mae Yen and the hot springs is in a good location with a well kept garden and a very wide spread of accommodation types to suit all but the most meagre ... Pai Tree House complete profile

East of Pai - Over the bridge, by the river

Crossing over the bridge at the end of Raddamrong Road and turning left along the river bank will bring you to a string of mostly simple bamboo hut guesthouses lined up one after the other, with a second row behind jostling in vain for a river side position. (Some of these are more easily reached by crossing the footbridge at the end of Chaisongkran Road). Most of the bamboo hut locations -- squarely in the backpacker range -- have been around for a while and while they are all fairly similar in layout, design and price, a couple do stand out mainly by virtue of better maintenance and service. If our suggestions are full or you don't quite agree, just toddle along the riverbank footpath to the next one. This is certainly a good location, with easy access to the town and plenty of splash-about-in-the-river spots around, but at worst it can get very crowded with a lot of huts, and backpackers, crammed into a relatively small area. Being convenient and riverside they are also the first to fill up.

If you follow the road rather than turn left, follow it for 200m or so to a low ridge that separates the river valley from a raised plateau of farmland that stretches off to the foot of the hills. This is traditionally farmland -- mostly rice -- but is now dotted with resorts and guesthouses. The sealed road, upon running into the ridge, makes a T-junction with the right fork, parallel to the river, leading to Mae Yen village and on to the hot springs, while the right turn also runs parallel to the river in a northerly direction towards Wiang Nur village. Both eventually swing round to meet up with the Chiang Mai - Mae Hong Son highway on either side of Pai. Take any of the several dirt tracks leading across the farmland from the T-junction and you'll hit a whole range of guesthouses that don't stop until the foothills are reached. Sticking a few chalets in the midst of flat bare paddy can produce desolate results, so the best ones up here are the ones where more effort has been made with their gardens. There are a couple of excellent spots up here.

Else, continue to Mae Yen village. The village itself isn't much to write home about but it is within easy walking distance of Pai and it does have a good selection of accommodation plus a couple of basic cafes and grocery stores. There are some great low season deals and they would certainly fill up a bit later than riverside or in-town guesthouses during high season.

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
93%
2 votes
 

Aqua - Great chalets in a great garden plus pool
Near Mae Yen village, Pai
T: (086) 272 2016; F: (053) 699 614
A change from the proliferation of European - Thai run places around -- this one is Australian - Thai owned. And very nice too, with a delightful garden full of ginger and heliconias and very nicely ... Aqua complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
90%
1 vote
 

Pai Chan Cottage - Top spot!
191 Moo 1 Mae Hee, Pai
T: (081) 180 3064;
Pai Chan is such a good spot but with only a few chalets it means that even in low season it can be full. Set just on top of the embankment, overlooking paddy fields behind and across the valley to ... Pai Chan Cottage complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
88%
3 votes
 

The Countryside Bungalows - Well run and a good deal
90/2 Moo 1 Mae Hee, Pai,
T: (087) 172 6632;
The Country side is another Dutch - Thai run location with friendly Thai service and good food, and efficient Dutch organisation and management. It's down the dirt track running across the fields, ... The Countryside Bungalows complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
82%
3 votes
 

Pairadise - Absolutely stunning with plenty of space
98 Moo 1, Mae Hee, Pai
T: (053) 698 065;
Just a short way down the road from Pai Lanna is the rather laboriously named but actually quite nice Pairadise Resort. (It's not a typo, but rather the owner's idea of a joke!) Very nice chalets are ... Pairadise complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
81%
1 vote
 

Natural Mystic - Basic but peaceful
east of Pai
T: (085) 719 9211;
Natural Mystic is to the right of the T-junction, so you don't need to take any of the tracks leading up the plateau to get to this one. Just take the right fork then the first dirt track on the ... Natural Mystic complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
80%
1 vote
 

Pai Lanna - Good chalets and nice garden
169 Moo 1, Mae Hee, Pai
T: (089) 691 3367;
Not far down the left hand fork, Pai Lanna is a well situated five-minute walk from the bridge with a good view over the river and valley. The garden is immaculate, with lovely sitting areas and the ... Pai Lanna complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
80%
1 vote
 

Nina - Friendly budget spot
Moo 1, Mae Hee, Pai
T: (081) 2889 6408;
Follow the track heading off to Mae Yen Waterfall and turn right at the Pai Klang Na Resort to get to this excellent little guesthouse. Nina is a bit hidden away and like all the others in this part ... Nina complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Baan Pai Country Hut - Small and cosy
Near the river, Pai
T: (081) 548 2346;
Heading along the riverbank from Baan Pai Riverside is a string of cheap guesthouses, Pai Country, Family Hut, Pai Riverview and so on. The first is our favourite while among the second row of ... Baan Pai Country Hut complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Baan Pai Riverside - One of the budget spots on the river
88 Moo 3, Vieng Tai, Pai
T: (053) 698 152; F: (053) 69 9057
If you were to stop by the river instead of continuing down the track to Twin Hut you'd be at Baan Pai Riverside Resort, one of the best along this stretch of the river. It's large, with 60 huts, so ... Baan Pai Riverside complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Twin Hut - Quiet and friendly
Tambon Mae Hee, Pai
T: (086) 924 0146;
Set back from the river somewhat means Twin Hut has a quieter location, albeit without the view. If you're coming from the footbridge then continue down the track instead of turning left or right at ... Twin Hut complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
70%
1 vote
 

Pai Klang Na - Upmarket Lanna huts in a paddy field
199, Moo 1, Mae Hee, Pai
T: (083) 304 3300;
Huts at Pai Klang Na are about as expensive a bamboo hut as you will find. Set in the middle of a paddy field, literally, there's no way you could complain about lack of space. The huts may look ... Pai Klang Na complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
68%
5 votes
 

The Sun Hut - Popular and friendly
28/1 Mae Yen, Pai
T: (053) 699 730;
This friendly little guesthouse is located in a lush garden on the edge of Mae Yen village, a 10 to 15 minutes' walk from the bridge, so it's not too far and not a bad option if town is full and the ... The Sun Hut complete profile