Introduction
Pai district is situated about halfway between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Sorn, the misty town on the Burmese border. At about 600 meters above sea level, surrounded by high mountains. Pai offers one of the most fertile and beautiful nature in the North of Thailand, clean air and no pollution. People from many different tribes live here peacefully together and still maintain their traditional way of living.

The serene Pai river runs from the northern border with Burma through Pai town and along virgin jungle to Mae Hong Sorn. Hardy adventurers use this route for exciting rafting.

How to get there?
Start from the main tourist hub: From Chiang Mai on route 1095 towards Pai it is 132 kilometer. The bus from Chiang Mai Arcade bus station takes about 4 hours.

Weather in Pai
cold season: 12º C - 28º C from November - March
hot season: 24º C - 35º C from April - June
rainy season: 24º C - 32º C from July - September

Activities in Pai

• padelling rubber boat along Pai river


• adventure rafting and canoe along Pai river


• explore caves or go mountain trekking


• elephant riding through jungle


• mountain bike cycling or motorbike-trekking (Nop's bike shop offers 2 - 3 - 4 days motorbike trekking with 250 ccm trail bikes around northern part of Mae Hong Sorn province. Guide available or on your own. Also available Honda Dream, good maps and other information.)


• jungle-treks: Pai is well known as a base camp for trekks to hill tribes.


• Walk through green jungle and spend the night in a hill tribe village to experience their traditional way of life. In Pai there are local or hill tribe guides and porters available.


• Herbal Sauna and Thai Traditional Massage as well as herbal medicine or Burmese Massage


• Reading (Nop's book shop)


• Thai cooking course at Peter's and Wandee's Hut in Mae Yen

Facilities in Pai
Pai is a small town but can offer enough facilities such as a post office, hospital, long distance call and fax service. Accommodations and food are good and cheap. Most of the guest houses are in town and the scenic most beautiful ones are along the river. Local restaurants and western style restaurants are available (e. g. Chez Swan Restaurant, Thai Yai Restaurant) with home made brown bread.

1. Universal energy healing at Wat Jedi Luang (half day)
   
2. Have a 2 hour traditional Thai massage, with or without oil
   
3. Take a 2 hour traditional herbal sauna
   
4. Learn the secrets of Thai massage. Course can be arranged locally at the Old Medicine Hospital. Courses are conducted in English and last for ten days (5 hours a day). At the end of the course there is an examination and those who pass receive a certificate.
   
5. Take a dinner cruise on the Ping River, passing by temples. In addition there is an on-board cultural show (3 hours).
   
6. Take a trek in the nearby jungles with an English speaking guide. Treks last one to three days and include meals and accommodation (either in a tent or a local village depending on the tour).
   
7. Go to see an elephant show at Chiang Dao. As well as seeing elephants at work, you can take a hours elephant ride and visit orchid and butterfly farms (half day).
   
8. Experience a jungle adventure with elephant and ox cart rides and bamboo rafting down the river at Mae Tamarn (full day)..
   
9. Learn the art of Thai cuisine. Take cooking classes or fruit and vegetable carving classes at the hotel. Courses can be a half day or full day, including a market visit and lunch).
   
10. Visit the hilltribe museum, stopping off at handicraft centres set up by local NGO's to enable the hilltribe people to benefit from selling their crafts at a fair price (half day).
    
11. Take a mountain bike ride around the city or go "off road" on one of the many jungle tracks.
    
12. Hire a motor bike and drive the popular Samoeng loop to see some of the countryside around Chiang Mai.
    
13. Vist the McKean Rehabilitation Centre which is nearly 100 years old (half day).
    
14. Take a trip to Chiang mai zoo.
    
15. Bath in the hot spring at Sankampaeng (full day).
    
16. Decorate your bag wiht hand painting in the hotel lobby.
    
17. Plant a tree in the hotel garden to celebrate your stay in Chiang Mai. Each tree has a name sign so that you can find it again when you return to visit.
    
18. Learn the art of meditation at Wat Run Pueng or Wat Umong (half day).
    
19. Get married with a traditional Thai weddings ceremony. The ceremony takes a full day and bookings need to be made 10 days in advance).
    
20. The ultimate honeymoon package in Chiang Mai
    - A welcome from the airport in our "just married tuk tuk"
    - A suite at the Amari Rincome hotel for 3 nights including breakfast
    - Sunset cocktails at Doi Suthep
    - Monk merit making
    - Tree planting in the hotel garden
    
21. Visit Mae Hong Song. The trip takes a day and includes round trip airtickets, lunch, a city tour and a visit to see the long neck Karen hilltribe by long tailed boat. This is particularly beautiful in November during the BuaTong flower season.
    
22. A full day trip to Chiang Rai taking in the sights of the Golden Traingle and Mae Sai. The tour includes a longtailed boat ride on the Mae Khong River and lunch.
    
23. Drive three hours to Doi Angkhang and visit hilltribes, follow a mountain trek, go mountain biking or mule riding! The area is also famous for bird watching. Overnight accommodation to be arranged in the Angkhang Nature Resort (2 days).
    
24. A visit to the traditional silver smiths in Wualai (half day).
    
25. Visit the "wet markets" of Chiang Mai - Ton Lam Yai market and Warorot to experience the liefestyle of the local people (half day).
    
26. Take a day trip to the Lampang Elephant Camp and Hostipal. The tour also includes stops at ceramic factories and a city temple and includes lunch (full days).
    
27. Visit Chiang Mai's famous celedon factory for an excellent choice of the blue and green ceramics at reasonable prices (half day).
    
28. Learn about traditional silk weaving at the Naen-Na Studio.
    
29. See how local sausages are made at the Naem Pa-Yon factory.
    
30. Get an insight into the Buddhist religion and attend a funeral or another religious ceremony (half day).
    
31. Have an early start and offer alms to monks "Sai Baht" at the "Ta Pae Gate" or at Wat Sri Soda, where there are 500 monks.
    
32. Share a little happiness by visiting the HIV positive children in the Wiangping Children's home (half day).
    
33. Go back to school! Visit some of the local universities, including:
    - Chiang Mai General University
    -Payap (the Baptist University)
    - Mae Jo (the agricultural University)
    - Rajabhat Institute
    The trip includes lunch (full day).
    
34. Make a visit to the schools which teach the blind and deaf.
    
35. Take a trip to Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Chiang Mai. The tour will also include a stop at a Royal Project, a waterfall and a wood carving village.
    
36. Go golfing at the following clubs:
    - Chaing Mai - Lamphun Golf Course
    - Royal Chaing Mai Golf Club
    - Green Valley Golf Club
    - Lanna Golf Club
    - Gymnkhana Golf Course which is 100 years old (9 holes)
    
37. Listen to a talk by John Shaw, the Ex Honary Consul for the UK, about how Chiang Mai was 30 years ago.
    
38. Learn about rice farming, with a lesson on how rice is grown (half day).
    
39. Make a vist to a unique holiday retreat at Mae Ngat Dam. You can have a picnic on the floating bamboo huts and enjoy bird watching or fishing (full day).
    
40. Go on a days eco adventure. A day trek through the jungle including absailing and a "bamboo cooking" lunch. You'll really get a chance to "get back to nature".

One of the main attractions of going to Thailand is therapeutic Thai Traditional Massages. There are various kind of massages (of the non-sexual kind) in Bangkok.

One of the most recommended original massage in Bangkok is at very famous Wat Pho Thai Traditional Medical School, where a lot of Traditional Thai Masseuse and Masseurs learnt their craft from.

It was really fantastic massage! After enjoying an 1 hour session of the Traditional Thai Massage with Ayurvedic Herbs, you will feel very relaxed and calm. Also, the massage will melt away most of your fatigue after a full day of tiredness.

The steamed Ayurvedic Herbs are quite hot though and after compressing your skin with it, it leaves a liquid residue that turns cold really fast due to the air-con blowing on it. (1 hour session, Baht 480)

If you think you will be uncomfortable with this, then just try the Traditional Thai Massage (without the Ayurvedic Herbs) at 350 baht.. Do note that the school has two massage centers, one within Wat Pho itself, and another air-conditioned one a short walk away in Sanamchai Road, behind the Wat Pho temple by the river. This school run by Wat Pho where you can learn the following massage courses:

- Thai Body Massage (30 hours, Baht 7,000)

- Foot Massage (30 hours, Baht 5,500)

- Oil and Aromatherapy Massage (30 hours, Baht 5,500)

- Therapeutic and Healing Massage (30 hours Baht 7,700)

On the day you wish to start, go very early around 0800AM to register. Classes are normally from 0900AM to 0400PM daily. Bring photocopy of your passport and three photographs 2" each.

You will be assigned a teacher and a massage buddy. Also, you can be in a group of 4 or 5 students per teacher. The teacher speaks English.

Directions:
Wat Po Thai Traditional Medical School
2 Sanamchai Road, Pranakorn, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Phone: +66 2-221-3686, +66 2-221-2974

Your spa experience may be more relaxing and leisurely when you're there at a less crowded time.

2. Explore the possibilities

Ask for a full description of any treatment that sounds intriguing. Be open to experimentation. That's how youl'l find new treatments to enjoy.

3. Get advice regarding scheduling

If you plan on having more than one treatment, ask if the spa has recommendations regarding the order in which you receive them. Choosing the right sequence may enhance your pleasure. Some facials are more suitable before a body treatment, and some are more appropriate afterward. Many spas will have packages that give you the treatments in the most appropriate order.

4. Share your personal health history

The spa can help you plan accordingly. If you have conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or lupus, you should get your doctors okay for any treatment youd like to try. People with high blood pressure or a heart condition may want to avoid body wraps or any treatment that involves heat or detoxification.

Those with varicose veins may want to avoid heat treatments to those areas, and people with iodine allergies should avoid marine products such as seaweed.

Pregnant women should avoid essential oils and anything that could raise body temperature, such as body wraps, saunas/steambaths and Jacuzzis.

Mention any prescription drugs you are using in order to avoid any services or products that might irritate your skin or otherwise be harmful.

5. Anticipate how the treatment will fit into your other plans

For example, if youre having a facial treatment that may leave your skin temporarily irritated or blotchy, you may not want to go to a romantic dinner afterward.

6. Allow enough time for your visit

Plan to spend a least 15 minutes sipping a beverage, relaxing, and chatting or enjoying some solitude. And try not to rush yourself at the end of your visit. This way you wont have to be concerned if your visit takes a little longer than you anticipated, and youll prolong the pleasure of relaxation.

Special notice :

The person providing treatment may not be fluent in your language. Be sure that any questions or concerns you have are communicated clearly and understood before any treatment begins.

Some spa staff, especially at the cheaper, more informal shops, may have had minimal training in massage and other techniques. If anything feels uncomfortable, painful or otherwise undesirable, ask to stop the treatment immediately.