Pai, Thailand with kids: finding the sweet spot between “off-grid” and “actually livable”

Elephant hikes in Pai, Thailand.

Pai is one of the few places where you can get a reiki healing, a Muay Thai lesson, and a contact high all before lunch. 🥊🌿✨

762 curves to get there

If you’re heading to Pai with kids, you have to pay the entrance fee. That fee is 762 hairpin turns through the mountains from Chiang Mai.

We booked a private transfer through Aya Service. It cost us $80 for the 3-hour trip. While the driver was a pro, the second half of that drive is basically a giant middle finger to your inner ear. Everyone (but the driver) got pretty sick on this drive and good luck telling the driver to slow down.. time is money for them. So… buckle up, buttercup.

Pro Tip: If you need a place to stay before or after the mountain gauntlet, we stayed at the Shangri-La Chiang Mai ($160/night). It’s the perfect "soft landing"—great perks (kids club, water slide, pool, free toys) for the family and enough luxury to make you forget the 762 turns you just survived (or are about to face).

Once you survive the mountains, you drop into a valley that immediately gives you calm. It’s a lush, green mountain village filled with rice paddies, roaming cows, restaurants, coffee shops and a welcoming community of expats, worldschoolers, and health-conscious hippies.

The vibe: from opium to organic lattes

Pai wasn’t always a worldschooling hub. Originally a quiet Shan village, it became a pitstop on the "hippie trail" in the 70s and 80s. It earned a reputation for its "wellness" culture and its botanical interests. Historically, it was a hub for the opium trade among hill tribes, and today, while it's much more family-friendly, you’ll still smell the occasional cloud of marijuana or see "happy" shakes on a menu.

For a family with young kids, the real draw is that sweet spot: it feels wild and off-grid, but still has the infrastructure and accommodations that makes it actually livable.

Timing your trip: Go in January. We had 80° days and zero rain. It felt like paradise in the hills. Avoid March and April—that’s burning season, and the smoke will make you wish you were back in a cubicle.

Where to stay

Don’t just book the first thing you see on Airbnb; you’ll pay a premium.

• Location: Stay within 10 minutes of Pai Walking Street. Especially if you have kids on a scooter, you do not want to be navigating dark mountain roads for 20 minutes at night in dense fog.

• Hunt: Join the “Pai - Expats & Locals” and “Pai - House & Land For Rent/Buy” Facebook groups. This is where the real deals happen. It’s normal to put a deposit down via bank transfer (Wise) and pay the rest in cash on arrival.

• Price: You can find a solid 2-bedroom spot for about $80/day, but prices range from $70 to $200.

Getting around

Scooters are the lifeblood of Pai. They are the best way to see the valley and cost about $5/day.

How to rent: There are plenty of rental shops in the center of town. We used Holiday Scooter. They had a good price, didn't require a damage deposit, and didn’t hold our passports. They also had helmets for the kids. If you aren’t comfortable on a bike, the roads here are chill and not too crowded, making it a decent place to learn. And, don’t forget, they drive on the left. 

Finding community

Early retirement with kids can be lonely if you don’t find your people. In Pai, the community is already built for you:

• Bliss Hub ($35/mo): Join this for the WhatsApp group alone. It’s the easiest way to find activities and meet other families. There’s a 7-day trial, so you can test it out.

• Secret Garden School ($22/day): This is the spot for kids 6+. They do yoga, karate, circus skills, and nature walks from 10 am to 3 pm. Contact Dory: +36 70 550 2278.

• Roots in Motion School ($22/day): Perfect for the under-6 crowd. They do field trips to petting zoos and nature walks from 9 am to 2 pm. Contact Mariana: +34 630 77 48 44.

  
  

Between the schools and the hub, you will meet all the people you need. And if all else fails, head to Vieng Tai Public Park (Dacha Park). 

The Pai hit list

• Vieng Tai Public Park (Dacha Park): The heartbeat of the family scene. Music, markets, and kids running wild. The Saturday market is a vibe.

• Two Huts: A must-see for sunset.

• Pai Canyon: Think of it as a mini Grand Canyon. Great views, but don’t bring little kids, they will fall off.

• Dreamscape Pai: Every Friday they host "Kidscape" ($8)—a circus venue the girls loved.They also have fire shows and other circus acts. 

• Pam Bok Bamboo Bridge ($1/pp): Worth it for the walk through the paddies.

• Big Buddha (Wat Phra That Mae Yen): Climb up 300 steps and see a great view of the valley.

• Pai Hot Springs ($10/pp): A bit pricier, but worth it.

• Muay Thai Private Lessons ($20/hr): Get a pro to teach you how to kick things.

• Elephant Sunset Tours ($120 for the fam): We used Pham Tours. You feed them, bathe them in the river, and then walk them to their night time home in the hills. Seeing these giants at golden hour is a core memory.

• Lod Caves ($100): A 2-hour drive. We skipped it because our youngest wasn't feeling the long car ride, but word is it’s worth it.

Go off the beaten path

Pai isn't on the standard "2 weeks in Thailand" itinerary. It’s too far and there isn’t much written about it. But that’s exactly why it works.

Don't be afraid to try things off the beaten path. When you’re stuck in the 9-to-5 grind, you optimize for "safe" because you can't afford to waste PTO. FI flips the script. It gives us the "risk capital" of time. We could afford to spend a month in a mountain village because if it sucked, we had another adventure around the corner. But, because we took the risk, we found a community of worldschoolers and a lifestyle that is so unique.

This post is part of our 'finding our why' series, sharing real-world stories of why families choose financial independence and early retirement with kids.