Mae Hong Son Loop Day 5: A Buddha, A Canyon, and A Waterfall in Pai
June 13–15, 2026 — Pai to Chiang Mai
After four days of winding mountain roads, caves, bamboo bridges, and endless curves, we slowed things down with two nights in Pai before completing the final leg of the Mae Hong Son Loop back to Chiang Mai.
Pai has changed over the years, but traces of its old hippie-trail roots are still very much alive. Walking through town, you can still find tie-dye clothing, reggae bars, live music, and backpackers lounging in cafés discussing their next adventure. The town attracts a younger crowd looking for adrenaline during the day and parties at night.
Many travelers come to Pai for outdoor adventures. Whitewater tubing down the river, jungle trekking, waterfall rappelling, and zip lining are all popular activities. By sunset, everyone seems to migrate toward Walking Street, where food stalls, bars, and live music keep the energy going well into the evening.
One of our first stops was Wat Phra That Mae Yen, perched on a hillside overlooking Pai. The temple is best known for its massive white Buddha that watches over the valley below. Climbing the staircase was rewarded with sweeping views across Pai’s patchwork of fields, mountains, and rooftops. It was a peaceful place to sit for a while and appreciate just how far we’d traveled around the loop.
Another highlight was Pai Canyon, located a short drive south of town. The canyon is a striking natural formation of narrow sandstone ridges carved by erosion over thousands of years. Some sections are only a few feet wide, with steep drop-offs on either side. We admired the dramatic landscape but left the more adventurous ridge-walking to younger travelers with better balance and less concern about falling off cliffs.
Eventually, it was time to leave Pai and begin the final drive back to Chiang Mai. Along the way, we made one last stop at Mok Fa Waterfall, located within Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.
Reaching the falls required only a pleasant ten-minute walk through a shaded forest trail. The sound of rushing water grew louder with every step until the waterfall finally appeared, plunging dramatically into a large natural pool below. A small sandy beach at the base created the perfect spot to relax and cool off after days of riding and driving mountain roads.
As we pulled back into Chiang Mai, the Mae Hong Son Loop officially came to an end.
Over five days, we experienced mountain villages, remote roads, caves, temples, viewpoints, bamboo bridges, and countless hairpin turns. We discovered that English disappears surprisingly quickly once you leave Chiang Mai, met friendly locals everywhere we went, and gained a deeper appreciation for life in Thailand’s far northern provinces.
The Mae Hong Son Loop is often described as one of Southeast Asia’s great road trips. After 600-plus kilometers (~400 miles) of twists, turns, and unforgettable scenery, it’s hard to disagree.
