Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [364]
During the height of the Thai tourist season (December to January), tents are available in abundance for about 100B.
IN TOWN
Budget
Duang Guest House (0 5369 9101; 8 Th Rangsiyanon; r & bungalows 150-500B) Apparently one of the first guesthouses in Pai, the rooms here are bare and look their age, but there’s a reliable trekking agency, a decent restaurant and a convenient central location.
Mr Jan’s Guest House (0 5369 9554; Soi Wanchaloem 18; r 200-400B) Owned by a native of Pai, the rooms here are set around a medicinal herb garden, although they can be plain and somewhat dark. Massages and herbal saunas are available in high season.
Charlie’s House (0 5369 9039; Th Rangsiyanon; r 200-600B; ) This long-standing and locally run place offers a range of options in a suburban compound. Despite a recent paint job, the rooms are still a bit musty, although there’s no more central place if that’s what you’re looking for.
Breeze of Pai Guesthouse (08 1998 4597; helendavis2@yahoo.co.uk; Soi Wat Pa Kham; r 400-800B) This well-groomed compound near the river consists of nine attractive and spacious rooms and six large A-frame bungalows fitted out in contemporary Thai style, with hot-water bathrooms and hammocks. It’s close to the action without the noise pollution, and the friendly English owner can provide good local advice.
Abodaya Guest House & Restaurant (0 5369 9041; Th Chaisongkhram; r 500-600B) The rooms at this guesthouse are behind the restaurant of the same name. They’re modern, clean and have some cosy touches and are a good deal, with cable TV, hot-water showers and a central location.
Pravee’s House (0 5369 9368; Soi Wanchaloem; r with fan/air-con 500/600B; ) Tucked in a shady corner, this compound offers basic but clean rooms with some decent furnishings and small verandas. There is a small garden out front.
Baan Tawan Guest House (0 5369 8116/7; www.baantawan-pai.com; 117 Mu 4, Th Wiang Tai; r 500-1500B; ) The older, more charming, more expensive, riverside two-storey bungalows made with salvaged teak are the reason to stay here, but there are also spacious rooms in a large two-storey building. Motorcycles and inner tubes (for floating down the river) are available for rent.
Midrange
Pai Pura (08 1891 1771; Th Ratchadamnoen; r 600-1200B; ) Although the rooms don’t follow the rather decadent external design theme of stones, fountains and bricks, they’re still a good value. A highlight is the herbal sauna and adjacent dipping pool.
Pai Nai Fun (08 9123 5042; www.painaifun.com; Ban Mae Hi; bungalows incl breakfast 800-1800B) and the adjacent Indiana Cottage (08 1952 3340; www.indiana-cottage.com; Ban Mae Hi; bungalows 1200B) offer similar accommodation just across the river. The former is a bit tidier and the more expensive bungalows have TV. A couple of other similar bungalow operations can be found along this stretch of the river.
Blue Lagoon Hotel (0 5369 9998; Th Rangsiyanon; r 900-1500B; ) This two-storey suburban-feel hotel, complete with pool and tropical plants, is more Las Vegas than Pai. It’s a good choice for those who don’t require a bungalow, and who need creature comforts such as TV and fridge. Large rooms are available for travelling families.
Baan Pai Village (0 5369 8152; www.baanpaivillage.com; Th Wiang Tai; bungalows 1000-1600B; ) This well-maintained place has a collection of wooden bungalows set among winding pathways. Beautifully designed, each bungalow has floor-to-ceiling sliding windows, large, quite plush bathrooms, rattan mats and axe cushions for relaxing, plus spacious terraces to enjoy the garden. There are also several cheaper, but simpler, riverside bungalows under the name Baan Pai Riverside.
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TROUBLE IN PAIRADISE?
In September 2005, a series of mudslides and floods devastated Pai, wiping away entire guesthouse complexes and destroying the city’s bridges. In a few short days it seemed that the town’s tourism infrastructure, which had been growing steadily since the 1980s, would suffer a major, if not permanent, setback.
It certainly didn