Trekking

With a veritable feast of trekking options, Pai really does qualify as one the premier starting points for trekking in South East Asia. This is due to its proximity to a vast area of rain forests, jungles, diverse flora and fauna, wildlife, mountainous terrain and some of the most extensive cave systems in the world. And let's not forget the Hill Tribe communities who can trace their Shan ancestries back to Burma and southwestern China. The area immediately surrounding Pai is mainly open farmland, and you will have to walk for quite a distance before you reach a worthwhile a setting off point for your trek. So you have little choice but to book an organised tour or hire a guide with transport. As a result, just about every guesthouse and tour agent in town will offer you a wide range of trekking options and most of them just concentrate on the nearby Pang Mapha or Mae Hong Son regions. It might well pay you to make your own way to these popular areas and book a tour when you get there. Tourists have been trekking out of Pai for more than 30 years, so there is little that has not been seen before, but if you find the right tour and guide, it is still possible to find the lesser-known trails and go to more remote spots, including isolated villages, deep in the hills. Your biggest problem will be finding the right tour and guide that will deliver the goods for you. While some tours have received excellent feedback, others have bad reputations. So it's recommended to shop around and make enquiries from other travellers who may have had good - or bad experiences. Prices for trekking adventures will vary widely, depending on the number of days, the number of people in the group, and the type of activities being undertaken. A rule of thumb is that you will probably pay around 1000B per day, assuming you have a full group. Some agents are happy to post notices inviting other people to join a proposed trek to make up the numbers. As with white water rafting, we know that Pai Adventure at www.thairafting.com, is a reliable company who will provide value for money. A reputable freelance guide is Mr Chart at www.trekpai.com, who will take you on multi-day tours, deep into the jungle and to visit secluded Hill Tribes well off the regular tourist trail. Another small tour company with excellent feedback is Pai Rapid Rangers, located in front of the District Court, on Chaisongkram Road, telephone +66 833212230. This is not a definitive list so please do look at other tour guides with good feedback.