Pai Canyon: Breathtaking viewpoint & hiking in Pai
Pai Canyon (officially Kong Lan / กองแลน in Thai) is probably Pai’s most popular attraction – a rugged, red sandstone canyon with narrow trails and stunning sunset views. Visiting is free, straightforward, and absolutely worth your time. The Pai Canyon is sometimes compared to the Grand Canyon – but this is misleading – it’s a cool adventure, an awesome place for some photos and a little bit of vertigo, but it won’t take you more than a few hours to explore it all.
How to get there
Pai Canyon is about 8 km south of Pai town on Highway 1095 toward Chiang Mai. Look for clear signs on your right; if you reach the WWII Memorial Bridge, you’ve gone slightly too far. This is the Google Map link.
Motorbike rentals – As Pai is so heavily catered towards tourists, there are countless rental shops. Prices are 200-300 baht per day and the road out to Pai Canyon is a highway, and very straight forward to ride on.
Songthaew or taxi: Hire from Pai town for around ฿300-500 round-trip. Agree on price beforehand.
Bicycle: Possible but challenging due to hills and heat. It’s an 8 km ride each way.
Car: A note on parking, if you visit in a car in the evening, the parking does fill up quickly so you may need to park outside on the road.
Tour: A tour can be a convenient option to visit the Pai Canyon along with other activities. There are several tours visiting the Pai Canyon such as a 1 day tour to Pai from Chiang Mai (with TakeMeTour) and
Best time to go
The best time of day to visit is for sunset, around 16:00-17:00 to give a little time to explore, but it’s also the busiest time to visit. If you’re visiting Pai outside of high season (Nov-Feb) it might not be toooooo crowded, otherwise our preference would be to go at 6am, enjoy the morning light and avoid the crowds.
The main part of Pai Canyon is very easily accessible from the car park via some steps, however there’s far more to explore if you want to keep walking through the windy tracks up there, so if you want to explore a bit further, allow for up to 2.5 hours, otherwise 30-45 minutes is enough.
Cost
Completely free. There is no entrance fee, and even parking is free. Toilets cost 5 baht.
There are some drinks and snacks you can buy next to the parking lot before you head up the viewpoint.
Tours
We almost always travel independently in Thailand and try to help other people do the same. At the same time, we understand there are some circumstances when it just makes sense to book a tour. Plus, the best tours get to places you almost definitely would have missed had you been on your own.
We recommend companies like TakeMeTour which operates similar to Airbnb Experiences; a local guide creates and runs the tours, and the company handles booking and payment. The company protects you from any scams, and the guides rely on maintaining a great rating so the tours almost always go above and beyond.
For the Pai Canyon, we recommend:
1 day tour to Pai from Chiang Mai (with TakeMeTour)
A full day of sightseeing tour starting in Pai (with GetYourGuide).
What to expect
Pai Canyon features narrow, winding dirt paths atop steep ridges and cliffs. There’s an easy 5 minute / 200 meter uphill walk from the parking lot to the main viewpoint.
Beyond the viewpoint, paths narrow considerable – some just a few feet wide, with sheer drops on both sides. There’s no fencing or guardrails. Explore carefully; it’s a real thrill, but not suitable for young children or those uneasy with heights.
Pai Canyon isn’t vast – you’re not staring into the Grand Canyon here – but it’s dramatic, photogenic, and well worth a visit.
What to bring
Footwear: Closed-toe shoes with grip. Flip-flops aren’t a good idea.
Water: Essential if you’ll be visiting when it’s hot or plan to explore further than the main viewpoint.
Sun protection: There’s very little shade.
Bug spray: Optional – depends if you’ll be constantly moving or plan to sit and relax.
Flashlight: Optional – useful if you’ll be exploring further than the main viewpoint, your phone would be a good abckup.
