Thailand Guide
The north
Pai
Set in a broad, gentle valley, PAI offers nothing special to see, but is hugely popular for its outdoor activities, courses and holistic therapies – even retail therapy at the art studios, bookstores, leather and jewellery shops. The guest houses, out-of-town resorts and restaurants have tailored themselves to the flood of visitors who make the journey out from Chiang Mai. Westerners settle into the town's full-on traveller culture and laid-back, New-Agey feel for weeks or even months – the local tourist maps even give handy lists of tattoo studios and non-MSG restaurants.
Several undemanding walks can be made around Pai's sloping valley. The easiest – one hour there and back – takes you across the river bridge on the east side of town and up the hill to Wat Mae Yen, which commands a great view over the whole district.
To the west of town, a three-kilometre walk brings you to Wat Nam Hu, whose Buddha image has an unusual hinged top knot containing holy water. Beyond, the road gradually climbs through comparatively developed Thai Yai, Kuomintang (with a Chinese Cultural Centre where you can taste tea), Lisu and Lahu hill-tribe villages to Mo Pang Falls, with a pool for swimming, about 10km west of Pai.
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