Pai - the cool chill out town of North Thailand

DavidFL

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Pai has had an amazing transformation the last few years & is one of the number one tourist destinations in North Thailand.

Some people don't like the radical transforamtion & for awhile I thought like that too, but I too have changed & I still really like Pai - or at least in the off season.

What makes Pai so special?

The valley.
The fresh air.
The Pai River.
The rolling hills & roads.
The easy going lovely Shan people.
The meandering rural back roads through the valley connecting the vikllages & their hill top temples.
The easy slow pace & general lack of fast noisy traffic.
Pai is a great place to relax & hang out in.

In town there are scores of delightful little cafes & shops.
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And at dusk with the right light it is a wonderful place to stroll around & take photos.

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Here are a few I've snapped the last few weeks endeavouring to re-map Pai city & environs.
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Almost Famous Bar
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Enjoy, take your time & chill out in Pai. It's cool.
 
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DavidFL

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Pai Attractions - Highlights

Cruising the Pai valley surrounds
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Santichum - the "Chinese tea village."
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Wat Muang Soi

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Wat Mae Yen

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View from Wat Mae Yen

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DavidFL

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Pai Attractions - Highlights

Wat Nam Hu is probably the most important temple in Pai, & is located 3kms out of town on the way to Santichum the Chinese village.

Built in the time of King Naresuan the Great, the legend goes that King Naresuan resting in Pai for a night after returning from a battle Burma with the ashes of his elder sister, Princess Supankalaya , dreamt that his elder sister was crying that she belonged in both Myanmar & Thailand for her son was in Myanmar but she was Thai.

(Years before when young Naresuan was held hostage for many years by the Burmese, his release was gained by his elder sister who offered herself in exchange for Naresuan.)

In the morning when the King awoke he remembered the dream & ordered a pagoda, containing his sister's ashes & hair, be built.

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The pagoda containing the ashes & hair of Princess Supankalaya is behind the viharn

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There is also a new sala by the pond with statues of King Naresuan & his sister

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A Buddha statue dedicated to the princess, was also built & it is this statue installed at Wat Nam Hu
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Apart from the legend that the Buddha image in Wat Nam Hu was ordered built by King Naresuan, it also has another story.
Once upon a time there was a attempt to move the Buddha image to another temple, but the palanquin that was being used to carry the image broke.
This was regarded as an omen that the Buddha image should stay where it is. This Buddha also has a topknot that opens & has water permeating from inside; this water is regarded as sacred.

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blackb15

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David
I have rode thought Pai the last few times but will stop this time and have a good look round as it looks good . I hope to meet up with you again in November
Safe riding
Paul
 

DavidFL

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The Legendary Diu, ex wife of John Spies - Cave Lodge.

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Diu set up the original Cave Lodge at Ban Tham with John many years ago.
They divorced, John remarried & still lives at Cave LOdge.
Diu ran the Hilltribe Hemp Cafe on Kotchasarn Road by Thapae gate in Chiang mai for several years.
She is now resettled back in Pai, with a new cafe & selling organic food

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Still a cool lady.
 
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