You’ve likely found this guide on the best route from Chiang Mai to Pai because you’re heading there—lucky you! Pai is located in Thailand’s mountainous Mae Hong Song province. Located 135km from Chiang Mai and only accessed via a hell-ish winding road with 762 curves, it’s not an easy journey. But hella worth it.
Many travellers head to Pai via minibus, which costs THB 150 for a 3.5-hour journey. But it’s known to make people vomit from car sickness as the mini-buses fly around those bends like no one’s business!
My best advice is to rent a scooter in Chiang Mai and drive the famous 1095 route. The experience of reaching Pai will be even sweeter!
But hey, don’t follow Google’s suggested route; I’ve got a better one for you. Below, you’ll find the best scooter route to Pai including what stops you should take on the way.
the best route from chiang mai to pai by scooter
The ride out of Chiang Mai is a bit hectic, so be prepared. Google Maps will tell you to go along the 107 road (Route A in pic) which is a horrible route until you reach the 1095 road to Pai an hour or so later.
It took me four drives back and forth from Chiang Mai to Pai to discover an alternative route. And I want to share it with you so you can avoid driving along the polluted 107!
Instead of following Google Maps recommended route, go via Rab-a-bit cafe. Route B will take you on 3009 road, which goes through small villages and is much more scenic and less stressful than the crazy 107.
Or push on 30 minutes to the best banoffee pie of your life.
Alternatively, if you want to push it a little and wait a little longer to stop, I’d recommend stopping at Pankled Coffee for the banoffee pie. On my first trip to Pai, I left my purse accidentally on the table and didn’t realise it until I reached Pai. I rang them, and they kept it safe for me, and I collected it a week later on my way back to Chiang Mai. What honest babes.
Optional stop at Mok Fa Waterfall
Mok Fa Waterfall is right down the road from Pankled Coffee. For foreigners, it’s THB 100 entrance but unlike other touristy spots in Thailand, we were the only ones there and it felt so wild and quiet. Well worth it!
After a lovely waterfall or stop at the Pankled Coffee, push on along the famous 1095 road for 2 hours until you reach the dreamy town of Pai. These 2 hours are mentally exhausting and require you to concentrate as there are 762 curves to go around, not to mention the trucks and minibuses. But hey, if you’ve driven in Vietnam, this will be a breeze.
Riding from Chiang Mai to Pai
1. Is it safe to ride from Chiang Mai to Pai by scooter?
Before riding from Chiang Mai to Pai by scooter, I was told “Oh! You’re brave!”. Maybe it’s after riding a scooter in Vietnam, but I think the road was pretty smooth, very well-tarmacked.
The dangerous thing are the minibuses going around the 762 curves. They make the journey to and from Pai daily so they fly around those corners and overtake without a care in the world. The classic road rule of not overtaking at a corner doesn’t apply to them. So as long as you ride carefully and keep an eye out for the minibuses, you’ll be grand.
Oh, and if you have experience driving in Vietnam, the 1095 route from Chiang Mai to Pai will be a dream.
2. How long does it take to scooter from Chiang Mai to Pai?
In terms of distance, the route is actually short, but because of the serpentine nature of the road and its 762 curves, it’ll take you 3.5/4 hrs by scooter.
Break up the journey with plenty of rest breaks and set off early so you’re not driving in mid-day heat.
Oh! and take a jacket or jumper with you as it gets chilly at the highest point of the 1095 road. I’m not even kidding. Locals actually laugh at foreigners driving on that road with just a thin shirt on! I don’t wanna be your mum but wear a bloody jumper.
3. What is the best route from Chiang Mai to Pai?
If you put Chiang Mai to Pai in Google Maps, it’ll take you out of the city heading north on the 107 road and then on to the 1095.
The 107 is a pretty dusty polluted road, and this is the worst part of the journey.
But later, I found an alternative route which leads you to the quiet, beautiful 3007 road which links up to the 1095. This way, you miss out on a big chunk of the worst part of the journey.
See the section above for more information on the route!
4. Where to rent a scooter in Chiang Mai?
Even though there are many scooter rental shops in Chaing Mai, in early 2023, scooters were hard to come by. The trick is to turn up at the rental shop as soon as it opens or late at night to catch people just returning them.
I’d recommend renting a 125cc scooter for one person, and if there are two of you, make sure it’s a new model. An old 125cc will struggle to get up the mountain roads. I’ve been there, worn the T-shirt and had to jump off while my boyfriend drove up while I sweatly ran up behind him.
In Chiang Mai, its common for scooter rentals to ask for your passport as a security deposit. But many accept leaving THB 2000 in cash – which is a no-brainer for me. Always keep your passport with you!
The average price for bike rental in Chiang Mai is THB 200-250, and you can negotiate a monthly deal with them. My tried and tested rental shops are Cat Motors and Mango Bikes.
4. Do you need an international driving license to ride a scooter from Chiang Mai to Pai?
Yes, and no. While the law in Thailand permits you to have an international driving license, it’s not really enforced. It’s rare for a scooter place to ask for one when you rent a scooter from them.
Having said that, there’s a chance you’ll be stopped at one of the police checks when you’re exiting the city. The police use tourists as a way to get a bit of $$. They know a large portion of them will be carefree and will only have their regular license on them.
5. Are there police checks on the way from Chiang Mai to Pai?
Yes, for sure, but only in and around the city of Chiang Mai. When my boyfriend and I were first stopped at a surprise police check to leave the city, we semi-shit ourselves. But after a few times, we realised that the police do it purely to make money rather than for safety reasons, and they can’t force you to pay.
If you’re stopped by the police in and around Chiang May, they’ll give you a paper to bring to the local police station to pay a fine of THB500.
The police know that even though most tourists have a driving license suitable for riding a scooter in their home countries, like the UK or Germany, they can catch them by asking for a white paper international permit (which literally costs 15 pounds from the post office in the UK btw).
I’d be all for the police checks if it was purely to keep the roads safe, but the police choose to stop the tourists knowing that they can make some money out of them.
It’s difficult to avoid the surprise police checks, but what I did recognise is that the police have a break from the midday heat. It’s rare to find them midday.
They normally have surprise checks around the Old Town Fort. Some kind soul has put together a map of some of the usual police checks in and around Chiang Mai here.
6. Can you ride to Pai from Chiang Mai in one day?
Yes, but I’d avoid it because it’s physically and mentally exhausting and dangerous. The focus required to drive on the 1095 route means you’d be pushing yourself to get from Chiang Mai to Pai and back in one day. It would involve an 8hr journey. I did it once to pick up my new laptop from Chiang Mai when I was living in Pai, and I felt physically drained by the end.
Also, Pai is heaven on earth, so why would you want to go for just a day-trip?
7. Where to stop from Chiang Mai to Pai?
A must-stop is the Pankled Coffee located around 1hr 15minutes into the journey from Chiang Mai. It’s the perfect stop to allow you to rest before you take on the serpentine road. The banoffee pie there is killer! Oh, and a cheeky stop at Mok Fa waterfall wouldn’t go amiss.
I hope you found the post useful and I saved you some s*** driving along the Google Maps route.
Jump on that scooter, put your helmet on, and wave goodbye to the polluted city of Chiang Mai and hello the fresh mountain air of Mae Hong Song. Pai’s waiting for ya!
