Pai Backpacker Meeting Place, Pai

Pai Backpacker Meeting Place is a gem of a hostel. While it is definitely far away from the center, you will find yourself in wonderful natural surroundings and can enjoy unparalleled hospitality. Although the dorms are a bit crammed, you will have ample common areas at your disposal and the free breakfast is a welcome bonus as well.

The Location

The hostel is located to the north of the centre of the small settlement of Pai, and as such it will be one of the first hostels you will reach if you are traveling here from the direction of Chiang Mai. You will probably be quite happy to stop here and not have to drive further after the extremely windy road you will have to take to get here. It is also in a great spot for exploring the natural wonders of the area, including Pai Canyon, which is highly recommended, and the Land Crack. Of course, this will also mean that you will have to give up on being close to everything going on in the centre, like the night market on the Walking Street, but if you have your own transportation, this should not be a problem.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The hostel boasts a huge amount of rooms, amongst which you will find both private and dorm rooms. The dorms are very small and barely fit the three bunks inside, but at least they have a little patio in front of them, where you can sit and chill. The interiors are really basic even if some pictures are hanging on the walls for decoration. The rooms are en suite, but the bathroom and toilet are all in one space, so sometimes it causes queues, especially in the mornings when everybody is getting ready.

Common Spaces

The best thing about this hostel is the amount and quality of the common areas. Firstly, there is a huge grassy area in the middle of the hostel. You have a lot of hammocks, little pagodas, and sundecks on it. There is also an open-air bar, even if at the time of the review it was out of operation. In case it rains, you can also enjoy the huge, semi-outdoor terrace, which is on the second floor of the building offering an amazing panorama over the nearby mountains. Free breakfast is served here in the mornings, even it is only rice with a few pieces of eggs inside. Moreover, you can order some fantastic Asian meals here for amazing prices!

Summary

If your idea of fun is relaxing in a natural setting, then look no further: Pai Backpackers Meeting Place is the place for you! Even if it is slightly outside of Pai and the dorms are not the most attractive, you will definitely love the hostel for all the other facilities it offers.