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What to do and see in Pai, Mae Hong Son Province: The Best Hidden Gems Things to do
The community of Pai is located four hours north of Chiang Mai and is absolutely worth a visit. The town is incredibly laid back and tourists can visit nearby waterfalls as well as a popular market on Wednesdays.
Restaurants in Pai
1. Pai Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 149 reviews
Pai Adventures is a family owned business that specializes in white water rafting, jungle trekking, jungle survival, and caving. We are adventurers that created eco adventures for those that love the outdoors. All our equipment is brand new and meets all international standards. Our guides are local hill tribesmen that are masters of their environment. We are one of the only companies offering tours all year although rafting and caving are seasonal.
2. Pai Muay Thai - Wisarut
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 26 reviews
Wisarut/ Pai Muay Thai is a Muay Thai Gym located in Pai, North Thailand. Classes are Monday to Saturday 0800 - 1000 & 1600 - 1800. We welcome beginners and professional fighters so if you would like a real Thai experience with training delivered by a professional Muay Thai fighter, then Pai is the place to be.
3. Nam Yang Kung Fu Retreat Day Courses
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 152 reviews
5 minutes from Pai, we are a Kung Fu training centre with first-class facilities, a peaceful jungle location and great mountain views. Learn Kung Fu, Chi Kung, self-defense and meditation from two-time World Champion Iain Armstrong and his team of friendly instructors. We also grow and serve fresh organic food and provide comfortable accommodation. Whether you're an experienced martial artist or a beginner, a stay with us will boost your confidence, fitness, mental clarity and general well-being. If you have ever dreamed of learning the ancient art of kung fu amongst remote, forested mountains in the wilds of Asia, this is your chance! What is your kung fu dream? What is stopping you?
Reviewed By jonQ4331GQ
Spending a month at Nam Yang was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I came because I wanted to explore meditation further after recently trying it, but knew I wouldn't enjoy a meditation retreat. The physical aspects of Nam Yang made it ideal, as you're able to learn about what both your body and mind are capable of. It'll be more than you think. I thought going would be 'good' for me, but had no idea if I'd actually enjoy it. It turns out that learning Kung Fu at Nam Yang is really really fun. It's tough at times, but how hard you push yourself is your decision. Basically everyone seemed to have achieved something that was important to them, whether that was touching their toes or learning a sword routine with 30+ moves. The schedule has the perfect balance of breaks and training. 35 hours a week sounded like a lot before arriving, but with two rest days and two days when there's no classes after breakfast for over five hours, a lot of us trained during the breaks (/recommended free training periods) and days off. The whole place has an incredible atmosphere. It's set back enough to feel isolated and surrounded by nature, and you can mostly see rolling hills and hear wildlife. The people are what make it so special though. The instructors are truly fantastic, their skill, dedication and patience is incredible. They really embody how Kung Fu is a life long learning process, as they know so much but have so much to learn compared to their seniors. They're also good people, and a lot of fun to be around. The other students made my experience what it was. Nam Yang attracts a lot of people who you'll be better for having met. There's a constant flow of people in and out, so there's often new and interesting people to talk to. You won't click with absolutely everyone, but the atmosphere and ethos means that interactions are always friendly. The food is good, and healthy. If you're not a vegetarian, you'll get meat in one meal each week. It's very different from typical western diets, but even if you normally eat very differently, nourishing your body with healthy food feels like part of the whole experience. You should know that lunch isn't included, and while Pai has an insane amount of incredible food, it's a 5 minute moped trip and a 40+ min walk away. Most people don't find they need the big lunch they'd normally have. Training after a big meal isn't comfortable, and after the big breakfast, a smoothie or small snacks at midday are often enough. Waking up at 6am was not easy for the first week, and I'd collapse into a nap straight after breakfast most days. But you soon adjust, and learning Chi Kung while the sky gradually grows lighter above hills on the horizon, before the sun eventually burst forth, is magical. I'd really recommend staying at least a few weeks to a month. It takes time for your mind and body to adjust, and to really feel the benefits of what you're doing. The people who stayed for 2-3+ months seemed to have learnt a huge amount. However, students who came for a week or even a day always seemed happy they'd done it. The workaway scheme also seems good, there's a lot of gardening involved but it seems fair for what you get in return. The Shaolin Warrior schedule was perfect for me, with a brilliant balance of stretching, meditation, moving meditation, high intensity warm ups, Kung Fu techniques, 'sparring'*, and discussions/lessons on the ethos and history of Kung Fu. There's two other options available that include more meditation and less physical activity, so something for everyone. While I was there the students included both a family with two young children and a man in his 80s. The experience is what you make it, and Pai presents many opportunities for fun outside of Kung Fu if you're interested. *You don't spar as with boxing, partly because it would be too dangerous. The 'sticking hands' and 'pushing hands' fighting practice sessions are perfect though. Even that can get quite intense, but everyone respects each other's comfort levels. You may be tapping one partner, then going at each other while still pulling your punches with the next. You should be in control the whole time though. Learning to calm my mind in that situation was one of the most powerful things I took away from the trip. That and the 'Shuang Yuang', an interesting and powerful moving meditation that takes a lifetime to master. I came away with exactly what I'd wanted, and so much more. If you're considering going to Nam Yang, just do it. You won't regret it. Thank you !
4. Conserve Natural Forests
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 266 reviews
Conserve Natural Forests (CNF) is a NonProfit charity foundation focused on forest restoration and wildlife conservation located outside of Pai, Northern Thailand. CNF has dedicated itself to restoring and enriching natural ecosystems through reforestation efforts as well as reproducing, rehabilitating and reintroducing endangered indigenous species populations to their native environment. A tour of our site maintains a balance between intimate time spent with endangered species on-site, the elephant(s) we are rehabilitating for release back into the wild, and education on the evolution of ecosystems and forest habitats in Thailand. Individuals who visit our site will leave with an intricate understanding of how elephants contribute to maintaining a healthy, bio-diverse ecosystem and how important it is to restore them to their natural environment to have successful reforestation efforts. Our organization maintains a focus on honesty and integrity in conjunction with our mission.
Reviewed By Barw50
This was such a beautiful experience. Their main focus is planting trees to save our forests and environment. Jason was incredibly knowledgeable about the project and was able to answer any questions about reforestation and taking care of the pregnant elephant, Cami. The land is breathtaking, we crossed a river to watch the elephant eat tons and tons of trees in her natural habitat. My favorite part was planting a tree. It feels like a family, we were able to relax with some delicious passionfruit mojitos and home-cooked Northern Thai food :) I would definitely go back and recommend it to anyone looking for a genuine experience.
5. Pai Cookery School
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 49 reviews
Learn how to cook authentic thai cuisine ( we welcome vegetarians) with 16 years experience. We have 3 courses, Red, Green and Yellow course. We offer compact morning classes and extended afternoon classes. Contact one day in advance!
Reviewed By gilly1878 - London, United Kingdom
We can't recomend Gaew's cookery class highly enough, she was very friendly and we had a great time not only cooking delicious food but also getting to know her and hear some of her stories! We could pick virtually anything we wanted to make and it was completely customizable to what we wanted to cook. We had been looking at doing a class for awhile in Thailand and glad we waited until Pai, not only are the prices extremely cheap compared to other areas of the country the quality local ingredients were delicious and being able to walk round the local market with her asking questions and being given tips on what to look out for when buying ingredients was great! All in all brilliant 4 hours spent at Pai Cookery School and we were absolutely stuffed when we left! Thanks Gaew :)
6. Thai Adventure Rafting - Day Tours
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 136 reviews
