Chiang Rai
The most stressful time of my life was here, no exaggeration. But, it is definitely a beautiful place I just didn't get to see much of it because of it and its a shame cos. had so many plans for here. Theres a lot to do here loads of waterfalls and temples some elephants but I don't know if they are fully ethical id like to think some are. Personally I think the outskirts are much nicer than the city because it's quite built up and I'm not a city person however, it does mean there's amazing markets.
Activites
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Hot Springs - Theres plenty of hot springs to chose from I only went to one and I met some friends there and it ended up being the worst one. It was a resort one and we didn't do our research we thought it would be nice as they also had a pool to cool off in but the hot springs weren't natural they were in a manmade space even tho the contents came from the natural hot spring in the area. Here are some of the others in the area... Tha Pai Hot Springs, Sai Ngam Hot Springs
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Yun Lai Viewpoint - An absolutely stunning view point which is best at sunrise but I wouldn't know that as I'm not a morning person. Looks amazing from what I've seen and is still beautiful in the day
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Bamboo bridge - The clue is in the name its a bamboo bridge through some rice fields, really beautiful if you go when the rice is green and growing nothing too special but it seems to be somewhere that people flock to.
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Pam Bok Waterfall - A beautiful waterfall in some kinda canyon I guess you could call it. I never went here as I chose the party lifestyle in Pai being dumb and going out listening to dnb every night but it seems fucking lush.
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Pai Canyon - Best place in Pai for sunset (I'm sure you've heard of it). Its red sand stone and gets super dusty so don't wear white although I'm sure it washes out fine none of my clothes were stained. I also went both times in flip-flops and I wouldn't recommend it I'm not scared of height and I love climbing I just ended up going bare foot as my feet were getting all sweaty and slipping everywhere.
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Jungle Party / Rave In The Rice - Theres loads of different ones that happen like every other day they are all pretty good but seem to get a lot busier and better the later it gets
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Pai Tipsy Tubing - The main party hostels organise their own on different days and then there's the one that you book in town, I honestly preferred the town one but the one I done with circus was a new route and they stopped at elephants that were clearly being mistreated. I obviously said something and we all went hon=me early apart from 5 uneducated people who stayed, they said they weren't going to do that route again.
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The Big Buddha - Also a main attraction in Pai and its beautiful. I got up hungover after tipsy tubing and done this, bumped into someone that was tubing with me the day before and sat and spoke and got to know each other it was one of my favourite days travelling cos it was so natural and genuine.
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Tham Lod Cave - I got recommend to do this by someone and broke my phone and lost my note where. wrote it down and I only found out about the name of it after I left. The reason why I got recommended it s because it is home to a large number of bats and swifts and if you go at the right time you can see them all flying in and out. I find all caves kinda the same I started to not be too bothered about seeing them after seeing so many but when if offers something like that I wouldn't miss it.
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Mo Pang Waterfall - This is a natural slide waterfall my sister went, this is another thing I missed because I wasn't ver organised here and the friends I met there had already been there for a few days and had been to all these places so I always chilled with them.
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Fluid Pool - Some hostels don't have a pool and Pai can get hot also jumping in the pool cures your hangover it was one of the reasons I stayed at circus the pool cured me everyday
Food & Drink
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Two Huts Pai - Lovely spot for sunset nice to have a chill drink and catch up. This is the other main spot that me and my friends went to other than the canyon to watch the beautiful sunsets in Pai
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Love Strawberry Pai - You drive past this on the way to the canyon, and that is all I done but I appreciated the strawberriness of it, I love strawberries the taste and the look. They remind me of my childhood
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Sunset bar - Guess what... its another really nice bar for sunset!I don't know why, maybe it was the shrooms, but sunsets really hit different in Pai. its nice to switch it up and see it from different places
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Paradise bar - Good for the shrooms this is where my sister done shrooms for the first time ever years ago when she was travelling and also a friend. Seems to be the place for the trippy people
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Boom Bar - I was here almost every night shamefully listening to the good tech music, chilling and partying with friends. its such a vibe here you have the space to chill or dance and it has a pool table for you to master your skills.
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Dont Cry Bar - This is one of the late night bars, it seems to be the one that most people head to after boom bar closes as before that its really dead. when I was there there was s guy that would do a dab set every night, he played good tunes but was so full of himself and a right twat ​
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Night Market - Amazing for some good but cheap food. Street food will always be one of my favourites, I honestly think its the best! these stalls will be your best friend when you need a sober up half way through the night
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Jazz House - I only went here one night and met some friend and it was really cool I absolutely loved it. I love live music and always wish I picked an instrument and stuck with learning it but we all make mistakes.
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Why Not Bar - Another bar down the walking street that's pretty popular I found most people from solo went here they played more of the classic RnB rather than the techno, nice for a little switch up every now and again
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Fat Cat Cafe - Another cafe great for breakfast and with amazing smoothies. I don't know about you but something in me says I can't have a Thai breakfast I always need a fried egg and some toast to start my day or something breakfasty
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Paizy Bar - For cheap drinks for you at start your night I always went with a few Changs it great for prees before the jungle parties ​
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Love U Pai Cafe - Nice little viewpoint cafe if you've Pai then you kinda have to go
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Maya Burger Queen - I never went here but I did hear about it and only good things and of course its got my name in it so its got to be good
Stay
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Circus Hostel - Circus is where I stayed for my whole time in Pai, personally I think there is way better. I know people who stayed after and they started organising things and games and social stuff at night so they say they loved it. Its One of the ones that has a pool and has a beautiful view I did really enjoy it I just think they needed to organise things a little better ​
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Revolution Hostel - I went to revolution twice at night, I went the first night to have some prees and it definitely is a vibe and then went again for Christmas dinner on Christmas Day and It was good food. I had some friends stay here and they loved it its on the river and in town so its pretty good location
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Nolo Hub Hostel - Nolo is where I wanted to stay when I was going to move, I had a friend move there from circus and she loved it and said I would prefer the vibe and the people there more. I actually ended up going there to see some friends and it was really nice. They have the cutest dogs one of them was a staff and you don't see many of them in Asia, the main thing is that they organise excursions everyday that you can sign up to many people seem to go as they are pretty good and take you to waterfalls, caves, for picnics at the canyon... They don't have a pool but sometimes they organise going to the fluid pool.
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Deejay Hostel - This is a chill hostel they have free yoga every morning and its a little further out of town. I had another friend staying here and my sister stayed here not too long ago she loved it.
Transport
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Hire a bike/scooter - You can hire a scooter and I think this is the best way to get around as you can go wherever you want in your own time. when I was in Pai the ones at the hostel were some of the cheapest but they run out really quickly, even the ones in Pai town do run out quickly so make sure you get there in the morning as I spent hours going from place to place to find one.
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TukTuk - Theres tuktuks all around Pai, I only used them when going to a jungle party, sometimes I drove but do not recommend if you're gunna get fucked up.
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Organised Tours - If you don't want to hire a bike and you don't have enough money to go to all these different places in Pai by tuktuk then you can book an organised tour.