Thinking of Going to Pai? Read this first!
Pai, Thailand: Where Time Stands Still and So Does Personal Hygiene Because nothing says enlightenment like flip-flops, fermented tea, and a mild scooter injury. Ah, Pai. That tiny, overhyped hippie outpost tucked into the hills of northern Thailand. If Koh Phangan is where your dignity goes to die in a bucket of booze, Pai is where it floats away on a cloud of incense, banana pancakes, and acoustic guitar covers of “Wonderwall.” Everyone talks about how “magical” Pai is, but let’s be honest, it’s basically the place where backpackers go to do nothing and pretend it’s spiritual. To get to Pai, you have to survive the infamous drive from Chiang Mai: 762 stomach-churning curves through the mountains, usually in a minivan with no suspension and a driver who thinks he’s auditioning for Fast & Furious: Northern Thailand Drift . If you’re lucky, you’ll only vomit once. If not, welcome to the communal barf bag club. Once you arrive, dazed and slightly concussed, you’ll immediately be gree...