The Art of Doing Nothing in Pai

Our time in Thailand had already been a whirlwind, as we flew straight from Darwin, Australia to Chiang Mai in the midst of Songkran, the New Years celebration known for massive water fights in the street and all around chaos. We wanted a few days to relax before spending a week volunteering at the Elephant Nature Park and had heard that Pai, a town three hours north, was the ideal place to do so.

But first we had to get there. The road to Pai is famously treacherous, with hundreds of hairpin turns that make victims of motorbike drivers and turn those riding in minibuses, as we did, ill. Once we arrived in Pai, I wasn’t sure I would like it.

The town has a reputation for being a “hippie town,” but the idea of dreadlocked backpackers getting high all day didn’t sound too appealing. Thankfully, there’s much more to Pai than meets the eye.

Sammi and I checked into a Hakka Guesthouse right off the main street, which was a nice respite from the stifling afternoon heat. Our days in the town became quite a routine, starting with breakfast and a walk around town before spending the hottest part of the day reading inside.

One day we rented a scooter, which is not recommended if you’ve never ridden before. You can’t walk down the street without seeing a Westerner with a bloody bandage covering a gruesome road rash.

There may not be much to “see” in Pai in the traditional sense, but it’s a nice place to relax, shop for local crafts and eat well. You can splurge on a nice hotel room or save money on a shabby bungalow in the forest, as well as eat in the best restaurants or subsist on the plentiful street eats.

Have you been to Pai, Thailand?