Continuing our series in Thailand, Adrie and I, Niall Mackay, spent the day exploring some of the must-see spots in Pai. If you’re wondering what to do in Pai, or just looking for the best views, chill walks, and a little adrenaline, this post will walk you through our full-on, slightly ridiculous day..
From boiling hot springs and a wartime bridge to a bamboo walkway built for Instagram and a canyon that almost gave us a heart attack — it was a full day of laughs, wobbly steps, and incredible views.
Pai’s Hot Springs – Hot Enough to Boil an Egg
One of our first stops of the day was the Pai Hot Springs, right inside the National Park. It was still early, and the steam rising from the water made the whole place feel calm and kind of magical, at first.
As we walked up to the pools, I joked with Adrie about boiling an egg. And honestly, you could. Some of the pools are 80°C, which is maybe hot enough to boil a human (don’t try that). Luckily, there are also cooler ones you can actually sit in — the one we were heading for was around 37°C, so it felt more like a natural hot tub.
Some of the pools are used just for boiling eggs, and others are for relaxing. There’s even this white algae that can survive in the hot water, which is kind of amazing. The locals use this water too, so it’s important to keep it clean. No peeing in the pool, folks. (I had to say it.)
There were signs everywhere saying no alcohol or weed, which made sense. Even though weed is legal in Thailand and it smells like it pretty much everywhere, this place felt more peaceful and sacred. It’s part of a natural Pai must see, and definitely one of the calmer things to do in Pai.
If you want something a bit cheaper and more polished, there’s a hotel up the road with its own hot spring pools. We didn’t check it out, but it’s there if you’re more into comfort than mud and moss.
One thing to watch out for: the rocks are slippery. There’s algae all over them, and they’re pretty rough on your feet. We saw a girl in sandals wipe out as soon as she stepped in. I’d recommend bringing water shoes — if they grip well, they’ll help a lot.
Overall, the springs were a great place to start the day. Hot, peaceful, and a little bit wild. Just how we like it.
A Bridge, a War – Tha Pai Memorial Bridge
After the springs, we stopped at the Tha Pai Memorial Bridge — also called the World War II Bridge. If you’re into history or just want a quick photo stop, this is one of the great things to do in Pai.
The bridge was first built by the Japanese during WWII. They used it to move troops into Burma (which was a British colony at the time). But when they left in 1941, they destroyed the bridge so no one else could use it. Bit rude, right?
The locals, who actually liked having a bridge there, decided to rebuild it. They put up a wooden version, but that one didn’t last long either. It got wiped out by floods in 1971.
Later, they brought in a completely different bridge from another place — I think it was called the Nara Bridge, and it came from Chiang Mai. They rebuilt it in the same spot where the old Japanese one used to be. Pretty cool that they managed to keep the history alive like that.
Now, there’s a modern concrete bridge right beside it for actual traffic. The old one is just for tourists. Apparently, one website said it’s a must-stop for “a selfie or three.” We’d already taken two, so obviously we had to take a third just to be official.
It’s not a long visit, but it’s one of those Pai must-sees you don’t want to skip — short, sweet, and full of history.
The Bamboo Bridge – 815 Meters of Instagram Gold
Next up was the Bamboo Bridge, and yes — it’s exactly what it sounds like: a long bridge made of bamboo that stretches right across a valley. But it’s not just bamboo — it also has some steel and wooden supports underneath, which makes sense, because this thing is 815 meters long. That’s nearly a whole kilometer!
It was built in 2016, and it’s super popular now. There were already tons of people there when we arrived. The bridge goes right through the middle of some rice fields, but since we came at the wrong time of year, everything was brown and dry instead of lush and green. Still, the view was nice in a kind of peaceful way.
The whole place is definitely designed with Instagram in mind. There were swings, love heart frames, and even a “ladder to nowhere” you could climb just to take a photo at the top. I loved that one. I joked that if you want to attract tourists in Asia, just stick a heart somewhere and people (like us) will come take pictures. It works.
We walked all the way across the bridge, and honestly, it was more tiring than I expected. The bridge isn’t super steady — not dangerous, but kind of bouncy — like walking on something in between sand and a trampoline. Adrie didn’t trust me to walk straight on it, and to be fair, I didn’t trust myself either.
We were hoping for an ice cream stand at the end, but no luck. It was hot and we were getting a bit hungry. Still, the bridge itself was a cool experience, even with the dry season views.
Pai Canyon – Beautiful, Sketchy, and Absolutely Worth It
Our last stop of the day was Pai Canyon, and we got there just in time for sunset.
At first glance, it didn’t really look like a canyon. I even asked Adrie, “Is this a canyon or a ridge?” Because honestly, I was expecting something more dramatic — like a mini Grand Canyon or something. But once we started walking around, it all started to make sense.
It’s not huge, but it’s wild. The paths are narrow, there are no handrails, and the drops on either side are pretty scary. There’s a reason they don’t sell beer or anything here — it would be way too easy to slip off the edge after one too many.
As we explored, the path kept getting thinner and more exposed. It felt like we were walking on the edge of a roof with nothing to catch us. My balance isn’t the best, and at one point, I looked down and said, “Yep… this is like the Crazy House, but if you mess up, you actually die.”
We joked, panicked a little, and kept going. There were moments where we both slipped — nothing serious, but just enough to make our hearts jump. Adrie’s usually super brave on hikes, but even she felt uneasy. I’d never seen her hesitate like that before.
Still, the views were amazing. The whole place was glowing in the evening light, and we could see for miles. Even though there were other people around, it still felt quiet and peaceful, in between the mini panic attacks.
At one point, we were literally covered in dust, helping each other climb up and down, trying not to fall, and laughing the whole time. That’s kind of what made it perfect.
I’ve never seen anything quite like Pai Canyon — not in Vietnam, not anywhere, really. It’s beautiful, unique, and just dangerous enough to feel like a little adventure.
This is exactly why we started making these videos and sharing our travels. We do a lot of cool stuff, and we want to bring people along for the ride. If you’re ever in Pai, go to the canyon at sunset — but wear good shoes and maybe skip the beer until after.
Conclusion – What To Do In Pai
Pai might be a small mountain town, but it’s packed with surprises. Whether you’re soaking in hot springs, walking through rice fields, or testing your nerves at Pai Canyon, it’s got something for every kind of traveler (especially if you’re slightly chaotic like us).