Thailand Guide
The north
Activities
1 Back Trax 17 Thanon Chaisongkhram 053 699739backtraxinpai@yahoo.com Reliable place to organize treks around Pai.
2 Fluid East side of town, on the way to Wat Mae Yen Large open-air swimming pool, with food and drink available, as well as fitness equipment, a steam room and yoga classes. Opening time: Daily 9am–6pmPrice: Adults B60, kids free
3 Joy Elephant Camps 5km from town, between Wat Mae Yen and the hot springs 081 881 3923 Elephant rides here include going into the river with the elephant and feeding it, as well as a free bathe in a hot spring pool. Price: B300/hour/person
4 Pai Adventure Rafting 081 028 6275 Rafting and trekking expeditions to friendly, hassle-free Karen, Lisu and Lahu hill-tribe villages to the north of Soppong near the border, taking in the caves at Tham Lot, some beautiful scenery and, in the rainy season, waterfalls. Two days cost B1600/person (minimum 4 people), three days B2300, the latter including one night in a camp you build with the guide, with a bit of jungle cooking and survival training thrown in. Their one-day treks head north of Pai (B800/person, minimum 3 people) and they can arrange one-way treks to Mae Hong Son (5–7 days).
5 Pai Hotsprings Spa Resort 1km north of the hot springs 053 065748 www.paihotspringssparesort.com Pipes hot water from the nearby springs into its two shady mineral pools (B50) and provides various massages (B300/hour).
6 Pai Traditional Thai Massage (PTTM) Thanon Tessaban 1 053 699121 www.pttm1989.com Having trained at the famous Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang Mai, the staff here have a good reputation for traditional massages (B180/hour), as well as foot, herbal and oil massages (B250–300/hour) and saunas (B80), and run government-approved, three-day massage courses (B2500).
7 Thai Adventure Rafting Thanon Rungsiyanon 053 699111 www.thairafting.com Reliable, experienced, French-run company that leads rubber-raft trips down the Pai River to Mae Hong Son, passing through gorges and sixty rapids and taking in waterfalls and hot springs. The full journey lasts two days, including a night at a comfortable jungle camp by the river, and costs B2500 per person, though one-day trips (B1500) are also available; the season normally runs from mid-June to the end of February, with the highest water from August to early September, and participants must be able to swim.
8 The Pai Cookery School Thanon Wan Chalerm 081 706 3799 Holds Thai cooking courses of one to three days, including a trip to the market to learn about ingredients, making six dishes, eating them and getting a free recipe book; vegetarians are catered for. Price: B750/day