Pai over two days
Pai Canyon
Prices are per vehicle, per day.
Up to 7 people Hyundai H-1
From 4,500 THB
8 to 13 people Toyota Hiace Commuter
From 5,000 THB
- Driver
- Fuel
- Parking
- Drinking water
- Driver's lodging
Entry fees come to about 450 THB each: the Tha Pai hot springs 300 THB for a foreign adult, Mok Fa Waterfall 100 THB, the bamboo bridge 30 THB and the Yun Lai viewpoint 20 THB, with a cup of tea. Pai Canyon, the Memorial Bridge, Santichon and Wat Phra That Mae Yen are free. You pay for your own meals and your hotel in Pai.
The final price is agreed with me before your trip.
Ask about this tripPai over two days, with a van and a driver just for your group: the mountain road to Pai with a stop at Mok Fa Waterfall, the bamboo bridge over the rice fields, and the sunset at Pai Canyon before a night in Pai. On the second day you see the valley from Yun Lai, the Chinese village of Santichon, the white Buddha at Wat Phra That Mae Yen and the Tha Pai hot springs, then drive back to Chiang Mai.
2 days from your hotel in Chiang Mai and back, from 4,500 THB per vehicle, per day.
The day, step by step
Day 1
- About 08:00: pickup at your hotel in Chiang Mai
- About 09:00: Mok Fa Waterfall, a short walk through the forest
- About 10:45: a break halfway, before the steepest bends
- About 12:00: the Memorial Bridge over the Pai River, first built in the Second World War
- About 12:30: lunch in Pai
- About 13:45: check in at your hotel in Pai, and an hour to rest
- About 15:00: the Boon Ko Ku So bamboo bridge, 800 metres across the rice fields
- About 17:00: Pai Canyon for the sunset, then back at your hotel at about 18:30; from April to August the sun sets later, so we go later. The Walking Street runs every evening
Day 2
- About 08:30: pickup at your hotel in Pai
- About 08:45: the Yun Lai viewpoint over the valley, with a cup of Chinese tea
- About 09:45: Santichon, a village of Yunnanese Chinese families
- About 10:45: Wat Phra That Mae Yen and its big white Buddha above the town
- About 11:45: the Tha Pai hot springs, with warm pools to sit in
- About 13:00: lunch in Pai, then the drive back
- About 17:30: back at your hotel in Chiang Mai, or at the airport
Overnight stays
You book and pay for your own hotel in Pai, any hotel you like: just send me its name. I arrange your driver’s room and the driver’s meals, and they’re in the price; your own meals are not. Your driver is off duty in the evening.
What the price includes
Included
- Driver
- Fuel
- Parking
- Drinking water
- Driver's lodging
Not included
- Entry fees
- Meals
- Accommodation
Which vehicle fits your group
| People, children included | Vehicle | Large suitcases |
|---|---|---|
| 1–7 | Hyundai H-1 | 4 |
| Toyota Hiace Commuter | 6 | |
| 8–13 | Toyota Hiace Commuter | 6 |
Trip facts
- Trip type
- Multi-day hire
- Duration
- 2 days
- Pickup
- Chiang Mai
- Group size
- 1 to 13 people in one vehicle
- Vehicles
- Hyundai H-1 and Toyota Hiace Commuter
- Driver
- Your driver may be one of my network drivers.
What to bring
- An overnight bag
- Something for car sickness, taken 30 to 60 minutes before the drive
- Shoes with a good grip for Pai Canyon, where the ridges are narrow and have no railings
- Swimwear and a towel for the hot springs
- A warm layer, as early mornings in December and January can be about 10 °C
- Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, for Wat Phra That Mae Yen
- Cash: about 450 THB each for entry, plus your meals
Photos
Questions
Is 4,500 THB a day for the whole group?
Yes. The price is per vehicle and per day, for everyone in it, not per person, so the two days cost twice that. It includes driver, fuel, parking, drinking water, and driver's lodging.
Do we book our own hotel?
Yes, any hotel in Pai; send me its name. You don’t book or pay anything for the driver.
Will the road make us car sick?
It can. The road to Pai has hundreds of bends, and the tightest come in the second half. Take a tablet 30 to 60 minutes before we leave, eat a light breakfast and sit near the front. We stop on the way, and your driver stops whenever you ask.
Can we go to Pai and back in one day?
You can, but I don’t suggest it. It’s about 3 hours each way on a mountain road, so you’d spend 6 to 7 hours in the van and miss the sunset at Pai Canyon. With a night in Pai the drive is easier and you see much more.
Can we see the sunrise at Yun Lai?
Yes. Tell me when you ask, and we plan an early start on the second day. From November to February the sun rises at about 06:30 to 07:00, and the valley is often full of mist.
Can we finish in Pai, or at the airport?
Yes. You can stay on in Pai after lunch on the second day, or your driver drops you at Chiang Mai Airport at about 17:30, so book a flight after 19:30. The price is the same, as the van still drives back to Chiang Mai.
When should we go?
November to February is cool and clear, with mist in the mornings. In March and April, smoke from forest fires often hides the views. From June to October the waterfalls are full, but the road is wet, and we skip the canyon’s ridges after rain.
Do you stop at an elephant camp or a Long Neck village?
No. Some Pai tours do, but I leave them out.
Who will drive us?
Your driver may be one of my network drivers, and stays with you for both days. Every driver knows the road to Pai well, and doesn’t smoke or drink alcohol.
How do we pay?
In cash, in Thai baht. We agree the final price in chat before your trip.
