Pai has been a city I've wanted to visit for a long time. In my mind, it's a city in the mist, chill, chill, slow life, light. Carrying a backpack with another person I know would be fun to watch. But in reality, a single person like me can't avoid having to go alone as usual. It's probably time for me to go for real. Start collecting information about travel, accommodation, going alone, the information must be solid. When all the information is ready and settled, this trip to the city I've been dreaming of for a long time begins....

This trip of mine lasted 3 nights and 4 days, from June 19th to 22nd, 2016, which was during the rainy season. Before I arrived in the northern region, it had been raining every day. I started to feel discouraged, haha. And it wasn't the peak tourist season in Pai. Usually, it's better to visit during the winter when there are more activities to do. But I chose to come during this time because there were fewer people and the room rates were very cheap. This was the main reason for this trip. Let's get going... If you're going to Pai, follow me!

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**June 19, 2016, the first day of the journey** I took a van from the Arcade Transport in Chiang Mai, Prem Pracha Company, Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son route. It took 3 hours to travel. I got on the 6:30 am bus and arrived at Pai Bus Station at 9:30 am. But what did I have to go through in the past 3 hours and what should I prepare before getting on the bus? Let me tell you, it's really important. It's a bag, a bag, a bag. What do you use it for? To vomit, of course. I vomited and vomited again. The Pai route is really as brutal as its reputation. **762 extreme curves** Rocking back and forth, left and right all the way. Until halfway there, there will be a stop for the car to rest. Get off and go to the bathroom to rinse your throat. The car will only rest for 20 minutes.

We continued our journey, and after a while, we encountered a checkpoint where we had to show our ID cards to the officers to confirm that we were not foreigners. I don't know what the scenery was like along the way because I had my eyes closed tightly (I wasn't asleep, but I could still feel the swaying). And then we arrived in Pai. I got off the bus and looked around, wondering what to do next. Where should we go? What should we do? I was feeling a bit dazed and confused. I opened the information I had prepared, and it was very detailed.

The first thing to do is to rent a motorbike. From the Pai bus station, walk about 100 meters to the left and you will find many rental shops. Choose the one that suits you best. The price varies depending on the brand and model. I got a Honda Click for 140 baht per day, with a 1000 baht deposit and 40 baht per day for insurance in case of an accident or loss. With the bike ready, but not yet able to check into my accommodation, I decided to take a ride. I opened my GPS and let it guide me throughout the trip. This trip, I had to rely on it.

The first stop, Wat Phra That Mae Yen , is a temple with a huge white Buddha statue located on top of a hill. From the road, there are stairs leading up to the statue. Behind the statue is a breathtaking view of the mountains and the village. It's time to take some pictures and check in on social media. I told you it was beautiful, but see for yourself...

Aerial view of Pai town from Wat Phra That Mae Yen

The second point, after driving along the map, you will find this point. Pai Historical Bridge It is a steel bridge that spans the river. The history and information of this bridge, please study it. And when you walk to the end of the bridge, there will be a souvenir shop. And as usual, take pictures and check in on social media to let the world know. Something like that.

The next point, Pai Canyon, is another great spot for watching the sunset. The surrounding hills are all cliffs, with a walking path around them. This area gets crowded in the evenings, so when I went at noon, the sun was scorching, so I only stopped by this spot for a few minutes.

After driving for a while, you will come across a spot that you may have seen in the movie Coffee In Love. This cafe boasts a fantastic atmosphere and offers numerous photo opportunities, including a giant coffee cup, stylish houses, and an open-air interior with a balcony overlooking the mountains. The ambiance is simply amazing, and I highly recommend visiting this cafe if you're in Pai. (I'm not getting paid to advertise, haha!) Enjoy a cup of coffee and a slice of cake, and you'll be in heaven.


After a satisfying meal, we're ready to hit the road again. Our next stop is a bit of a drive, but it's well worth it: the Yunnan Chinese Cultural Center, also known as Santichon Village. This village is home to Thai people of Chinese descent and features traditional Chinese architecture, restaurants, and souvenir shops.

While driving on the way to Santichon Village, I looked up at the top of the mountain and saw a large red heart on the top of the mountain. It was not in the information I had prepared, so I asked the people in the area and found out that it was the Yunlai Sea of Mist Viewpoint. The way to get there is to continue driving into the village and then up to the top of the mountain. The road up is a bit steep, so if you are driving, it is recommended to park your car at the bottom of the hill and walk up. This spot is similar to other viewpoints, but the best time to visit is in the morning during sunrise when you can see the sea of mist and the entire view of Pai town. There is an entrance fee of 20 baht per person to go up, and you also get to taste free tea. It's definitely worth the climb. Here's how beautiful it is.

This is for couples. Singles like me probably wouldn't fit. Just saying. Tree of Love

And don't miss this spot, swinging, you have to try it at least once.

It's time to check in to the accommodation. Today is enough, I want to rest, lie down, and take a nap. The accommodation I booked is about 2 kilometers from the walking street. The name is cute, so I tried it. Baan Kati Sot is a cool name, but it was almost bad to get there. The atmosphere is much better than I expected. It's worth the price. But this place is probably suitable for backpacker tourists like us who don't emphasize luxury and comfort. The price is average. Let's go to the accommodation. I'm tired and want to take a shower. I'll sleep for a while and see you tonight. Pai Walking Street, the famous one

It's time to get dressed and take a shower. My stomach is growling and I'm hoping to fill it at the Walking Street. It's a regular event on this street, but there are more vendors on Saturdays, Sundays, and during the tourist season in Pai. There are still some things to see and do during this time, including Thai food, local food, souvenir shops, bars, and much more.

Soooo hungry ^^ Easy as always

And another important purpose of coming to the walking street is to buy a trip. As planned, the trip is to Mae Hong Son, but... I was very disappointed because there will be no trip during this time because there are no tourists. If you want to go, you have to go by private car. From Pai to Mae Hong Son is hundreds of kilometers. I can't drive myself (it's okay, I'll come back in the winter). During this trip, there will be 2 trips to choose from: a trip around Pai and a trip to Tham Lod Cave. I have already been to all the places on the Pai city tour today, so I have to agree to the Tham Lod Cave trip. This trip will include a visit to the Doi Giw Lom viewpoint, bamboo rafting at Tham Lod Cave, Sai Ngam Hot Spring, Mor Paeng Waterfall, and watching the sunset at Pai Canyon. The trip costs 500 baht per person, including entrance fees and lunch (try stopping by this shop, the staff are very helpful and friendly: A-Ping Tour).

A postcard sent to myself as a memory of Pai

Today, I've been traveling around Pai town. I've been to many places, almost all of them. Let's go back to the accommodation to save energy for tomorrow's trip...

June 20, 2016 Day 2 of the trip Today, there is a trip to Tham Lod Cave. Start the journey at 09.50-18.00. This trip uses the service of A Phing Tour from the walking street last night. This brother is very kind and gives a lot of information. And today, he is a guide for a trip with 5 foreign friends who joined the trip today. Speak English until your tongue is tired, lol. We are ready to go.

We started our journey along the winding path from the normal ground level, following the route to our first destination, which was on the highest point or the top of the mountain itself. The journey took about 30 minutes. We could feel the altitude because our ears were blocked all the time. Chewing gum or swallowing saliva frequently helped. The first point of our trip today was the **Doi Kiew Lom Viewpoint**, located on the highest point of the mountain. Today we were lucky to see the fog. The mountain range and forest were very beautiful. Let's see the pictures...

Before going to the next point, I met the mascot of Pai, the Long-Neck Karen.

Let's move on to the next point. This is the Tham Nam Lod Natural Education and Wildlife Center, where you can explore the cave and take a bamboo raft ride. Inside the cave, there are various stalactites and stalagmites that will spark your imagination, as well as thousands of bats and ancient cave paintings. According to the information I received from the local guide who took us into the cave, this cave is estimated to be 2,000-2,500 years old and has been open to visitors for about 30 years. That's all the information I can remember for now, haha.

"Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories."

Cute mountain children ^^

After leaving the cave, I had lunch and continued my journey. Along the way, I encountered the beautiful sight of a rainbow after the rain. The vibrant colors of the rainbow against the clouds were truly breathtaking. I couldn't capture its full beauty in a photo, but it was an unforgettable experience.

Let's continue our journey. The next stop is Sai Ngam Hot Spring, a natural hot spring with a comfortable temperature for soaking. It's like a natural spa in the middle of the forest. Well, I'm going to take my leave now.

From this point, the body began to get tired. The next point was to drive back to Pai town. Even though I was traveling alone on this trip, I didn't feel lonely at all. The guide talked to me all the way. The next point was Mor Paeng Waterfall. I got off to take some pictures.

The last stop of this trip is to watch the sunset at Pai Canyon or Kong Lan. This is my second time here and I think it's beautiful and strange. But the sun is too hot, I want to walk around but I can't. I sit and wait for the sunset to take pictures and then go back to the hotel.

After checking into the accommodation, I took a shower and went for another walk around the walking street. It was my last night here, so I bought some souvenirs to take home.

Today's meal is simple as usual, with the addition of cheese roti

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Full and ready to sleep. Tomorrow I have to go back. I booked a bus from Pai to Chiang Mai at 12.00 pm. Tonight I have to sleep and prepare myself for another 762 brutal curves.

June 21, 2016 Day 3 of the trip Today I went to Chiang Mai. I originally booked a bus for noon, but I arrived early so I changed my ticket to 10.30 am to get to Chiang Mai faster. The journey took 3 hours and ended at the Arcade Bus Station. On the way back, I took motion sickness medication and slept all the way. Tonight I will stay near Nimmanhaemin at Nimmanha Resort. From the Arcade Bus Station, I took a red car for 50 baht. If you want to charter a car, it will cost around 150 baht. I arrived just in time to check in. Let's see how the accommodation is.

After checking in and leaving our luggage at the accommodation, we set off to explore the Nimmanhaemin area according to our plan. We had to try the ice cream at Iberry, owned by Note Udom. Checking the location, it turned out to be very close to our accommodation, so we decided to walk there. It only took a few minutes to reach Iberry. It's a cool place to hang out with lots of photogenic corners. I was already impressed. I was craving ice cream, so let's go!

My first solo trip was filled with new experiences. I was able to solve problems and face challenges on my own, and I've fallen in love with solo travel. This trip isn't over yet, though. Since I visited so many places, I'm splitting the review into two parts. Stay tuned for the next part, where I'll share another dream destination.

That's right, **Mon Cham. Let's ride together!**

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#chiang mai#pai
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