By Bus — Five buses a day leave for Pai from Chiang Mai (trip time: 4 hr.; 60B/$1.50). Five buses daily connect Pai and Mae Hong Son (trip time: 4 hr.; 60B/$1.50). The Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Terminal is on Kaew Narawat Road, northeast of the old city across the Ping River (tel. 05324-2664). The bus terminal in Mae Hong Son is on Khunlumprapas Road (the main street) 2 blocks north of the main intersection. All buses drop off and pick up at this “bus terminal” (more like a vacant lot).
By Minivan — Frequent minivans (called “Rot Too”) make connections between Chiang Mai, Pai and Mae Hong Son for 150B ($3.65) for each leg. Contact any storefront travel agent for details.
By Car — The scenic route is long, with steep, winding roads that make for some very pretty rural scenery: Take Rte. 107 north from Chiang Mai, then Rte. 1095 northwest to Pai.
From Mae Hong Son, buses are 53 (fan) and 74 (air-con) baht one-way, and vans are 120 baht. A journey by hired motorbike is also good fun provided you are careful, the roads are windy and steep and demand at least a 125cc bike (per person) - Not recommended for novice riders.
Orientation & Getting Around
You won’t find a tourist information booth in Pai, but restaurateurs, bungalow owners, and fellow travelers aplenty are usually happy to share their knowledge and experience. Most guesthouses and restaurants offer photocopy maps of town and the surrounding areas. Tiny Pai consists of four streets. Route 1095, or the Pai-Mae Hong Son Highway (colloquially known as Khetkelang Rd.), runs parallel to Rangsiyanon Road, which is the main commercial street. Chaisongkram and Raddamrang roads run perpendicular and many guesthouses and restaurants are in or around this central grid (with many more guesthouses in the surrounding countryside).
You can walk the town in 5 minutes. Mountain bikes and motorcycles are available at guesthouses or shops along the main streets for about 50B ($1.10) and 200B ($4.55) respectively.
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