The long and winding road to Pai

To be precise is actually 762 curve before you reach Pai. Pai is a small town near the Myanmar border in the Mae Hong Song Province. It’s about 80 km north of Chiang Mai. Once you are outskirt of Chiang MaiThose who can easily get car sick will be better off prepare some motion sickness pills otherwise you can just sit tight and enjoy the scenery along the way. Well it’s really not as bad as what our Thai guide told us. Along the journey you can still stopover for a coffee, which you’ll find quite a few cafes with their own theme.

Pankleh Coffee and Sheep House. We stop here for lunch after leaving Chiang Mai in the morning. The outdoor sitting is most comfortable as the weather is cooler during this time of the year and is shaded with huge umbrellas on long pole place next to the table. The cafe also serve a selection of Thai food. Beside the cafe there is a field where sheep roam in the enclosure.

We were told the wild Himalayan cherry blossom is blooming at the mountain of Khun Maeya. We paid a driver with a pick-up van to take us there. The journey is more than 30 mins over rough and bumpy road. The few of us at the back of the open top pick-up were holding on tight to the side of the pick-up as every time it went over a rough patch we were almost thrown off our seats.

When we reached Pai Canyon just before sunset there were already many other tourists all over the canyon. The canyon is about 8 Km from Pai. After stopping at the car park we have to walk a paved stairway to an elevated lookout over the high rocky cliff to see sunset over the Pai Valley. The canyon is not huge but the pathway is narrow and slippy due to the soft loos sandy surface. Some more adventurous tourists try to climb over narrow rocks to take picture and some actually slip trying to walk across the ridges.

Further away from the Yunnan Cultural village there is a private garden up the hill over looking Pai village. You have a pay a small entrance beyond the flowers patch too go into the lookout point. Take a rest and enjoy the view or buy some sell drinks and snacks at the small hut near the entrance.

The view from out hotel, The river of love resort, Pai. The exterior of the hotel and garden is nice but the rooms can do with some maintainence works. Our bathroom ceiling is mouldy with water stain. The walls could do with a new coat of paint.This guy is doing good business selling herbal drinks at the night market walking strret due to his attractive costume and innovative way to serve the drink in a cut out bamboo.

Singers performing and selling their own album at the night market.

Our lunch at a small village restaurant selling authentic Northern Thai dishes. Spicy mince pork with herbs served with sticky rice.

The memorial bridge stopover where tourists usually walk across to their transport waiting at the other side

The Witches cafe along the road to Pai. They only serve coffee when we were there as i think most of it is still not fully done up yet.

The famous Coffee in Love. Is a very popular stopover along the Chiang Mai to Pai route. Nice surrounding, with a huge garden planted with flowers  and by the look of it most people stop here to take photos. The coffee is apparently just normal.

All photos shot with Nikon D750.