Thailand - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 757

DIRECTORY
Banks There are a few banks dotted along Th Chaisong-
khram and Th Rungsiyanon with ATM and exchange
facilities.
Bicycles These can be rented from PT House on Th Khetka-
lang (B50/day).
Internet There are several shops near the intersection of
Th Rungsiyanon and Th Ratchadamrong.
Local info The free, monthly, English-language Pai Events
Planner has news about what's on.
Motorbikes These can be rented from Aya Service on
Th Chaisongkhram ( T 053 699940; B100/day).
Post o ce At the southern end of Th Khetkalang.
Tourist police South end of town on the road to Chiang
Mai ( T 1155).

simple, thatched, bamboo A-frames sharing hot showers
in the scrappy garden at the back (you'll have to for k out
B900 for an A-frame on the riverbank). Double B200
★

Spicypai Around 700m east of the bridge; keep
right at the junctions you pass along the way and then
follow the signs to the hostel T 085 715 9627, W spicy
hostels.com. Ultra-cheap and ultra-sociable dorm beds
with mosquito nets in a series of lofty, thatched, bamboo
huts surrounded by vivid green pa ddy fie lds. Breakfast, hot
showers and wi-fi included. Dorm B150

10

EATING AND DRINKING
Because of the thriving international expat community in
Pai it's easy to get food from all over the world, including
Mexican, German and French. Pai is no Khao San Rd,
however; its nightlife scene is more laidback and music-
oriented, so don't expect too much drunken revelry.
All About Coffee Th Chaisongkhram. A tantalizing array
of coffee (from B45) and cakes in an atmospheric art
gallery/café. Daily 8am-5pm.
Baan Benjarong Th Rungsiyanon, to the south of town.
An understandably popular restaurant that serves some of
the best Thai food in town, on a varied and imaginative
menu (dishes around B100). Daily 11am-1.30pm & from
5pm until they get “tired”, about 7.30pm.
Be-Bop Th Rungsiyanon, at the south end of town. A
popular travellers' bar that hosts live jazz, funk, blues and
rock in the evenings (from about 10pm). Open mike Wed.
Daily 8pm-1am.
Burger House Th Rungsiyanon. Tasty burgers using
imported beef, plus breakfasts and other Western dishes.
For something different, try the delicious chicken and
avocado burger (B89). Daily 8.30am-9pm.
★

THA TON AND THE KOK RIVER
Leafy THA TON , 176km north of Chiang
Mai, sits clustered either side of the
Kok River , which flows out of Myanmar,
4km upstream. he main attractions here
are boat and raft rides, which offer a
novel way of getting to Chiang Rai. here
are also magnificent panoramic views of
the river and the surrounding landscape
from the top of the hill on the west bank
where you'll find Wat Tha Ton , with its
over-the-top ornamental gardens and
colossal Buddha statue.
Travelling down the 100km stretch of
the Kok River to Chiang Rai gives you
the chance to soak up a rich diversity of
typical northern landscapes, through rice
fields and orchards, past riverside wats
and over rapids. Noisy, canopied longtail
boats leave from the south side of the
bridge in ha Ton every day at 12.30pm
for the four-hour trip (B350). Return
boats from Chiang Rai leave at 10.30am
( T 053 750009). If you have more time,
choose the peaceful bamboo rafts, which
glide downriver to Chiang Rai in two or
three days. hese can be organized via
Garden Home Nature Resort (B7000/raft
for 2 days, B8500 for 3 days, for 2
people, including food and soft drinks),
visiting hill-tribe villages and the hot
springs on the way.

Edible Jazz Just off Th Chaisongkhram near Wat Pa
Kham. This ramshackle and laid-way-back garden café-bar
on a quiet, leafy lane is a mellow spot for a cheap beer
(B50). It offers an acoustic set roughly 8.30-10.30pm and
an open mike night on Sun. Daily roughly noon-midnight.
Nong Beer Cnr Chaisongkhram and Khetkalang. One of
Pai's longest-standing and most popular places for cheap
eats, dishing up great khao soi (northern curry noodle
soup; B40), pork satay and a wide array of buffet stir-fries
and curries. Daily 8am-10pm.
Nong Best Th Khetkalang, just south of Pai Flora Resort .
Bare-bones restaurant with an open streetside kitchen
that's very popular with locals, and you can taste why -
excellent pork with basil and chillies (B50) and crispy pork
with snow peas (B60). Daily 9am-9pm.
Som Tam Na Amphoe Th Ratchadamrong T 053
698087. The papaya salad here (B30) is a must-eat for
Thai visitors to Pai, served with grilled chicken (B70), or
available in the Khorat version, tam sua , with rice noodles
and crab (B60). The sign's in Thai, but includes the phone
number. Daily 10am-4.30pm.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus Regular buses (roughly every 2hr) between
Chiang Mai's Chang Phuak bus station and Tha Ton take
about four hours. Otherwise, take one of the more