PAI – Thailand Travel | Part 3: Yun Lai, Tham Lod Cave and Kiew Lom View Point

This is the last post of our PAI – THAILAND travel series. We’ve had an amazing time so far and wished it didn’t end at all!

In this Part 3 travel video we started our day very early watching the sun rise above sea of fog in Yun Lai (a Chinese Yunan village). Yun Lai is about 1.6km from Pai only. Visitors used to be able to drive up to the top of the hill, but due to a lot of accidents on steep roads visitors are now required to park their cars at the bottom. There is a shuttle service to the sunset viewing spot which runs quite frequently. There are also Chinese tea, steam buns and very delicious congee (porridge) sold at a very reasonable price at the viewing spot as well.

After Yun Lai we made our way to Tham Lod cave–a majestic “cave system” with a length of 1.67km. As the Nam Lang river flows through the cave, our detour inside was an alternation of walking and going on raft rides. The cave is filled with stalactites, stalagmites, bats … and ancient teakwood coffins! We spent nearly 3 hours in total in Tham Lod area and it was quite an experience!

Our day ended beautifully. We made a stop at Kiew Lom viewpoint for an incredible sunset with a panoramic scenery. We highly recommend visitors to combine Tham Lod cave trip with Kiew Lom view point as the view point is on the way back to Pai town. The locals told us the sunrise here was also terrific, but it would have taken us about an hour to get there so we decided to stick to sunrise at Yun Lai.

We hope our posts in our PAI – THAILAND travel series have been entertaining and useful! If you haven’t viewed our previous posts, here are the links:

Part 1 LOL GO | PAI – Thailand | Part 1: Getting There & Getting Advice from the Locals

Part 2 LOL GO | PAI – Thailand | Part 2: Moh Paeng Waterfall, Sai Ngarm Hot Spring, White Buddha Temple and Sunset at Pai Canyon.

Additional links and information about transportation, accommodation, the locals and more are available below.

ENJOY AND RIDE ALONG WITH LOL!

GALLERY: PAI PART 3

GETTING THERE

We took a 1-hour flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and rented a car straight from the airport. After driving out of town for about an hour, we got on the famous scenic Route 1095 which is known as the 6th windiest route in Asia. It is 135km long with 762 curve up and down steep hills.

Our total journey took a little over 3 hours with 1 coffee break at Orange Box Coffee, and 1 break to stop the coffee from coming back up from our guts again. This route will be the route which make you realised that, even though you had never ever been carsick, seasick or camelsick before in your life, you will feel carsick on this route.

For those who aren’t driving (or aren’t capable of driving well), there are van shuttles by various companies. They leave from Chiang Mai airport multiple times per day and cost on average of 5 USD per person. We recommend AYA Service, and strongly suggest everyone to take motion-sickness pills…unless you like the wonderful sensation of throwing up.

Alternatively travellers can fly from Chiang Mai airport to Pai, though this option is less common.

Propeller planes scare us.

WHERE DID WE STAY?

YOUR RESORT

Your Resort, Pai, Thailand

Set amongst beautiful nature, Your Resort offers cozy Individual small Thai wooded houses or clay huts a private bathrooms with the usual basic amenities—TV’s, fridges, kettles and wifi. It is quiet, clean and comfortable—an ideal place for couples to wind down and enjoy their peaceful escape.

The resort is not within walking distance from town. it is located about 5-10 mins drive up hill from the centre of Pai. Visitors need to have their own transportation…unless they are Batmans.

Find Out More

Visit “LOL STAY | PAI THAILAND | Your Resort” for a blog post with detailed information, links, photos and videos on this resort

WHERE DID WE GO?

Stay tuned for our next blog posts with dedicated videos on these cool places we checked out in Pai! Below are places we went to based on recommendations by the locals, friends, Captain Jack Sparrow, as well as from our researches on the internet.

Pai Walking Street – Plenty of shops, cafes and bars. Great vibes and a great place to meet other travellers
Night Market – It is on every night!
Moh Pang waterfall – Only 20 mins ride away from Pai centre and the drive there is beautiful. Make sure you stop at Cafe Ong Pai near the entrance for some great coffee!
Sai Ngarm hot spring – A hidden, small clearing with lukewarm water. The water is very shallow and so is suitable for families with small children. There is no proper place to get changed so make you you’ve got your bikinis on already!
White Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Thad Mae Yen) for an sunset with a great view of Pai town. There are a few steps up the hill and it’s a little too hot during the day.
Pai Canyon (Kong Laen) for a beautiful sunset in the mountains away from town.
Yun Lai (Chinese Yunnan Village) for a fantastic sunrise and some surreal sea of fog!
Tham Lod Cave – A really cool cave with various forms of stone formation. It is about 2 hours drive away from Pai town towards Mae Hong Son. The detour of the cave involves getting a few rafts and many stairs. This cave is not recommended for elders or people with knee problems.
Kiew Lom View Point – Our most favourite place for sunset of the trip. It is on the way to Tham Lod Cave from Pai and we recommend you stop by on the way back from the cave.

WHERE DID WE EAT & DRINK?

Stay tuned for a our future blog post with a dedicated video on restaurants, cafes and bars we went to in Pai!

WHO ARE THE LOCALS?

GOD OF DEATH (MR. SHERIFF)

Years lived in Pai: Forever (born there, dressed like this)

Occupation: Looking fantastic while selling Pai’s most famous herbal drink in cool cups made of bamboo tree trunks

Where to find him: At his “Nam Krabog Muang Pai” vendor at the main 3-way junction in Pai Night Market

Recommended for LOL:

Sunrise at Yun Lai
Sai Ngarm Hot Spring
Pai Walking Street — “Come try some of my herbal drink!”

MR. GOLF

Years lived in Pai: 13

Occupation: Owner of Your Resort & Sushi Hill

Where to find him: At Sushi Hill in the evening

Recommended for LOL:

Wat Sri Dong Chai
Pai Walking Street — “Great for taking photos”
Moh Pang Waterfall & Cafe Ong Pai for coffee

MR. DAM

Years lived in Pai: 4

Occupation: Owner of Toast Office cafe which offers a variety of Thai-style toasts (with chocolate sauce, dried pork floss, etc.) and great Pai coffee.

Where to find him: All day at Toast Office in Gaad Pud area

Recommended for LOL:

Gard Put area–lots of *chill chill* cafes and restaurants
Taan Jed Ton splash point–for a fun swim in a natural stream
Wieng Neua–stunning ladder rice field crop

MS. NA

Years lived in Pai: 16

Occupation: Owner of “Na’s Kitchen”, a really authentic family-run Thai restaurant.

Where to find him: At Na’s Kitchen from lunch time until late

Recommended for LOL:

Wat Thung Pong Temple–Make a wish at the Buddha shrine there!
Sunrise at Yun Lai
Pai Canyon for Sunset

CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW

Years lived in Pai: 12 (Age 748)

Occupation: Retired Pirate & Owner of a bar in Pai Centre. He also produces and sells his own Pai wine (as opposed to rum!)

Where to find him: At his bar “Nueng Nai Pai” (“1 Nai Pai”) every evening

Recommended for LOL:

Sunrise at Yun Lai
Memorial Bridge
Pai Walking Street — “Come to my Bar! Savvy? Hoohooooooo!”

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PAI – Thailand Travel | Part 3: Yun Lai, Tham Lod Cave and Kiew Lom View Point