Getting There
By Air -- The only air link to Pai is from Chiang Mai on SGA (tel. 02664-6099; www.sga.co.th), who fly light aircraft here; check the Web for current prices and schedules.
By Bus -- Five public buses a day leave for Pai from Chiang Mai (trip time: 3-4 hr.; 80B/US$2.30/£1.25). Six buses daily connect Pai and Mae Hong Son (trip time: 3 hr.; 74B/US$2.10/£1.15). The area's numerous but more expensive minivan services make better sense on such gut-wrenchingly winding roads. The Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Terminal is off Kaew Nawarat 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" (it's more like a vacant lot than a terminal).
By Minivan -- Frequent minivans (called rot too) make connections between Chiang Mai, Pai, and Mae Hong Son for 180B (US$5.15/£2.75) 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 Route 107 north from Chiang Mai, and then Route 1095 northwest to Pai.
Orientation & Getting Around
You won't find a formal tourist information booth in Pai, but restaurateurs, bungalow owners, and fellow travelers are usually happy to share their knowledge and experience. Most guesthouses and restaurants offer photocopied 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. Chaisongkhram and Ratchadamnoen 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 (US$1.45/75p) and 200B (US$4.90/£3.10), respectively. Rent a motorcycle, the best choice to go exploring the hills around Pai, at Aya Service (22/1 Moo 3, Chaisongkhram Rd.; tel. 05369-9940); 100cc scooters start at just 80B (US$2.26/£1.25) for 24 hours, and 250cc motocross numbers go for as low as 500B (US$14/£7.60).
Fast Facts
There is one ATM in Pai, at the Krung Thai Bank on Rangsiyanon Road, which offers money-changing services. There are Internet cafes along central Chaisongkhram Road.
