PERSPECTIVE: Pai, weed, and Western vibes?

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Perspective

Pai, weed, and Western vibes: What happened?

What comes to your mind when you hear “Pai”? Maybe a quiet mountain town filled with serene nature, authentic Thai culture, and a peaceful escape from city life? That’s what I imagined too, until I actually went there.

I’ll be honest, Pai surprised me, but not in the way I’d hoped. It’s not that the area is bad, but it definitely feels overhyped. A lot of people online praise Pai as a “must-visit,” but after spending some time there, I couldn’t help but feel it didn’t live up to the image. It’s a small mountainous town, but somehow it’s been transformed into something that feels far more like a Western backpacker bubble than an authentic Thai destination.

One of the first things that stood out was the crowd. It’s full of hippie-style tourists, and marijuana is everywhere. Seriously, everywhere. I saw people openly smoking it in cafes, on the streets, even in small guesthouses. And while I respect freedom of choice, it was a bit too much, especially for a place that’s supposed to be about relaxing in nature. It felt more like a party town in disguise.

What really threw me off was the fashion. I spotted tourists walking around wearing bikini tops and shorts, as if Pai were on the beach. But no, this is a mountain town. There’s no ocean in sight! Coming from a Southeast Asian background, that felt so out of place. In Indonesia, there are places like Ubud that attract tourists too, but there’s still a strong sense of local culture and respect. Pai, on the other hand, felt more like a Western small town that just happens to be located in Thailand.

And let’s talk weather. I expected cooler mountain air, but it was surprisingly hot, sometimes even hotter than the cities. And when you’re walking through dusty roads, surrounded by heavy marijuana smoke and overpriced smoothie bowls, the charm starts to wear off pretty quickly.

Don’t get me wrong, there are still some beautiful natural spots around Pai. But overall, I wouldn’t call it a must-see destination. It just didn’t give me that cultural richness I was hoping for. No matter how many fire shows or vegan cafes you pack into a small town, it doesn’t make up for the fact that the Thai identity felt like it was missing. So, that’s my honest take on Pai. Maybe some people love it, and that’s totally okay. But for me, it felt more like a tourist-built bubble than a genuine experience of Thailand.

Warm regards :b