ilovePai: Mae Sariang -MaeSamLaep-ChiangMai 190kms

Lazy days in a hammock are a favorite in Pai....

.."Lazy days in a hammock are a favorite in Pai, along with just staring at the mountains and rivers... "
pronounced as "bai" or "bye"

The sleepy hippy town of Pai is situated 135kms northwest of ChiangMai, halfway to MaeHongSon. As you enter Pai area, the mountain road makes a meandering decline into a large green valley of padi fields and fruit groves. Pai is a tiny place with 4 main roads but offers a rich bohemian atmosphere where you can collect your thoughts and commune with nature. Trendy cafes and boutique B&B, slow pace of life and lots of cyclists and motorcyclists..

A decade ago, Pai was virtually unknown and today it has developed into a thriving, multi cultural town. Fortunately it has retained its down-to-earth feel and prices are still reasonable, making it especially popular with backpackers and free-spirits...who sometimes stay for months. Recent consciousness of health and environment has largely reduced the open consumption of opium or marijuana and even normal cigarettes are a rare scene !

Pai can be reached by bus, 3 - 4 hrs from ChiangMai and less from MaeHongSon. We rented a little car (we would recomend a 4wheeldrive) and it takes less than 2 hrs fr ChiangMai ..very good roads on highway. However off highway, watch out for the thousands of pot holes. Contrary to the many write-ups in the Net regarding the weather & road conditions on this "MaeHongSon loop" , we assure you it is totally safe even in our normal city wheeler ! thanks to our Asian upbringing, we are much "toughened up" and can eat practically everything!

so Peterpatterpot takes to the road ... 1180km road trip, 1864 curves or even more..

ROAD TO MAE SAM LAEP (not for the Faint-Hearted?)

Solar heating ! Yes it is..

Road to Mae Sam Laep fr Mae Sariang, 46 kms but take 3 hrs. Road is very very bad condition with pot holes, and landslides even on one side and road tar/cement collapsed on other cliff side !

Dangerous..yes...but we did it ! Our angels working overtime !!

Our little Yaris manage to squeeze thru all this (surprisingly said one local to us) and land us safely after 3 hrs of mud and sweat at the Harbour of Salawin River. River color siilar to milk chocolate ! one side is Thai villages and other side is Myanmar ! We were worn out by the road journey & worried for our return if we depart too late for MaeSaring, so we opt for an hour boat ride only. Seems if you take the 2 hr boat trip, you will find villages with handicrafts and white sand beaches along the Salawin National Park (Thai side). And the more important worry is our petrol tank is on "E" ! red light blinking! and we have to make 40km way back to town b4 dark !! aiyo ...Miracle & Angels all worked together and got us back in one piece...straight to North West Cafe for Chang Beer & Sherbet.

friendly border guards on duty !

"that's Myanmar on my left"

"right leg in and your left leg out ...."

Back to MaeSariang by 3pm. Straight to cool orange sherbet at

North West Cafe

then on the road agin , off to Doi Ithanon...

Doi Ithanon, Thailand's highest Peak at 2565m. From MaeSariang, we took H108 , about 30km turn left winding & uphill roads (again) H1088 towards Mae Chaem 45kms. Took us an easy drive of about 3hrs. Arrived late, checked in Resort Pongsara on the right (350baht per d/b room, no aircon but clean) . Drove around small settlement looking for Handicraft and tribal artworks, to our disappointment, either closed or its so commercialised and expensive ! Could have got in ChiangMai - better choices too.

As we walked across the road for local cooked food, the whole town went into total darkness ! power failure that lasted an hour !! So our dinner guests - candlelight & moon & stars above !

Next morning checked out and headed to Doi Ithanon, again winding narrow uphill road, passing Mae Pan waterfalls and National Park area before we reached the Peak ! abt 90min drive. This Park also runs a homestay ecotourism programne.

DOI ITHANON