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..

DAY 2

DAY2
A very long day.Did so many things!
Woke up for breakfast at the roof top of The Small Hotel about 9am.Have to check out and start our road trip.

 The POP car rental.Pick up our car early.Drive back to hotel to pick up bags and off we go!

On the road out of Chiangmai,we saw Petronas!

Took a left turn by mistake so had to stop and check the map.

We decided to make a u-turn and discovered......

The Tiger Kingdom


We decided not to pay to cuddle the tigers and found other spots with a free view while we sip on nice coffee.



After u-turning,we went  straight on the highway and then took a side road,through padi fields and traditional thai homes.Really nice.We discovered these beautiful wats.Not a single tourist and its free entrance.



"aaa-gooong!"
okiedokiekahh
The kirin bird?


^
Rawrrr!!
v


Thought we were lost so stopped here to ask for directions.Nobody speaks English.
Luckily we were on the right track.
Decided to turn upthe side to this monestry because of attractive orange robes.But i think it turned out to be more like a rehab center.Monks had tattoos.robes are a litle too revealing.




Pong Duad Geyser
Highly recommended!Its a live geyser in the middle of the jungle!No tourist and a good discussion with the guard got us both in for the price of 1 local tourist(foreigners pay more).It wasnt even on the maps,we chanced by it.look out for the road signs.




 Its the 'kah' thing.Every one uses it.So this one here using the 'kah' to climb the vines at Pong Duad geyser.

We drove on towards Pai.On the way,we notice alot of people by the road.So we stopped and found this wonderful place.looks like England.

Bending over to capture the photograph above.Cool.

 The red mailbox in Northern Thailand!!We werent even in a town,it was just a stopover by the road.
 Off we go on the windy road to Pai.Its exactly as the sign says.



 We went up hill,90' left,90' right and downhill 90'left,90' right for more then a thousand times!Hahaha!crazy.I love Pai!


 You will come to a bridge before entering Pai.It was build by the Japanese during WW2.



 Stars shine upon us,we were welcomed by a parade when we reached Pai.So excited we joined in!We didnt even have a room for the night yet!


 Not having had any lunch,we found this place by the road.Starving!Can eat a cow or like a cow.


Hotel D Artist in Pai.Aka The Rose of Pai.
Overlooks the river.

Lovely hotel,newly opened so we got a good deal again!

And so we made it to Pai the way we liked it.Wouldnt change it any other ways.End of Day 2.
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