Although the majority of the locals in the small valley of Pai are the Tai, an ethnic minority having slowly moved down from China to Thailand decades ago, there are a huge variety of hill tribes living in and around Pai. The Lisu is one of them. Like the Black La Hu, this tribe has their charm too.

The Lisu are known for their colourful dress. They make their clothing from bright cloth sawn into outfits trimmed with row upon row of varied coloured strips of cloth. The females wear dazzling clothes, consisting of a blue or green part-coloured tunic, knee length with the sides split up to the waist and a wide black belt, as well as blue or green pants. Sleeves, shoulders and cuffs are densely embroidered with narrow, horizontal bands in various colours. The people put on even flashier decoration in displays of their wealth such as the waistcoats and belts, intricately decorated with silver, as well as hats with multiple coloured pom-poms and streamers. The men’s outfits are plainer, with pink or yellow baggy pants and a blue jacket, opening vertically.

The tribe depends largely on agriculture and their farm produce like many other tribal people. They grow rice, corn and vegetables as subsistence crops and grow opium for sale. They draw additional income from the sale of farm animals such as pigs and cattle. They lead a very simple life, yet very well adapted to the fast changing world outside their community.

Now, to really get to know these locals and truly appreciate their different lifestyle, you do need to turn your back on your luxurious boutique hotel and delve into the lives of these people to really appreciate them and their culture. And of course, there are plenty of tour operators that offer you this up close and personal experience with the hill tribes. If you prefer to find out more about such opportunity ahead, email homestay@lisuhilltribe.com or just dive in and explore - you might find the experience even more rewarding and heartwarming than the services you get from your hotels.

Besides the panoramic view and a boutique escape from the bustling world behind the strong hold of Pai’s mountain ranges, the town offers an exciting and up-close personal experience with one of the northern hill tribes, the Black Lahu. This group of ethnic minorities lives at a high altitude, in a village called Baan Look Khao Lam in Pangmapha district, 45 minutes’ drive from Pai on the scenic route to Mae Hong Son. Many may as well recognize this tranquil village from a Thai film called “Rak Jang” (or Love you so… in English), as some of the scenes were shot there.

The Black Lahu are known for their sweet, timid charm and reserved down-to-earth lifestyle. The people are very kind and generous. Apart from their heart-warming nature, these people also wear the most distinctive costumes, especially the women. They wear black cloaks with diagonal cream stripes. The top of the sleeves is adorned in bright colours of red and yellow. The Black Lahu women are highly skilled in weaving, both on back-strap and foot-treadle looms. They are experts in producing delicate patchwork trips and unique embroidery work while their men are good at producing excellent crossbows, musical instruments and other items made from wood, bamboo and rattan.

The Black Lahu build their houses on high stilts with walls made from bamboo or wooden planks and with a grass thatched roof. They rely on their hunting and agricultural skills for food and income. Their cash-generating crops are melons, peppers, beans, yams, millet and other seasonal vegetables.

To truly appreciate all this you might want to leave the comfort of your luxurious hotel in Pai for a rough ride and crude stay with these hill tribe people and really get to know them. You, of course, have a choice of just travelling there yourself either by your private vehicle or public transportation or you can opt for tour package. These package tours can be fished out locally or booked online and from other major tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son.

Long before tourists from both Thailand and abroad flocked to this small valley, hidden well away from the materialistic and busy world, several groups of hill tribe people made Pai and the area around this town their home.

In the area around Pai, and along the scenic route linking Pai and Mae Hong Son, the Lesu, Lahu, Karen, as well as the local Shan people have settled and built up their communities. Many of them were born here; some have fled their home country, Burma, to seek refuge on Thai soil. With less exposure to the universal pop-culture and strong cultural background, many of these ethnic minorities remain true to their origin, faith, and traditional way of life. These villages offer a great insight and an intimate experience of the world of simplicity and a self-sufficient lifestyle that coexist with, yet in contrast to the modern advancing world driven by materialism.

Getting there is not difficult as many of these villages are easily accessible by road from Pai’s town. The famous Pangmapha Distric, which is home to the Lesu, Lahu, Karen and Lawa people, is only 45km away from Pai. This distance makes day trips from Pai and drop-ins on the way through stunning mountain scenery along the curvy road to Mae Hong Son the perfect excursion option for both those staying over in Pai and heading towards that direction. If driving is not your option, you can turn to local tour operators in town. There are a number of them that offer day trips to the hill tribe villages, combined with other attractions and activities on the way. All you need to do is shop around.

Staying over in Pai is not a problem either. There is a huge range of accommodation for you to choose from, be it luxurious boutique resorts, hip and cozy guesthouses or even small trendy hotels. Continuing your journey to Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai is not that big a deal either for you can connect there by plane, car and bus. Buses and planes, connecting from Pai to both Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai, operate on a daily basis. So, provided that you have time to shop around, leave enough room for adjustments or plan ahead, you’ll definitely find your visit to Pai and the near-by cities very rewarding.

The grass is always greener on the other side, so people say. This much may be true if you prefer to have something green in lush green scenery, totally hidden away from your frantic life. If having a nice shot of the new trendy drink made from wheatgrass amid nature in the valley of Pai and a cozy stay at the hotel of your choice make the experience sweeter than downing the same kind of drink at Siam Paragon or on Kao San Road, Pai is obviously a greener lawn for you!

Many view Pai as a boutique and hip tourist destination with a wide variety of activities to enjoy and many photogenic sites to see but not many see the other green side of Pai apart from the obvious! However, just as the organic and healthy food trends are gaining in popularity, the new good-for-health drink has reached Pai and has quickly become very popular especially with foreign tourists visiting this peaceful village.

A small shot of wheatgrass contains so many vitamins and rich nutrition found in various kinds of fruits and vegetables that it is regarded as the perfect potion for detoxification. The drink does not just cleanse your system from the health-damaging substances but also gives you a quick boost. This is why it is perfect for those whose energy has virtually been drained out by their daily stress.

So far, the one and only place in Pai that offers this potent rejuvenating bittersweet shot is The Sanctuary. Its owner, Khun Toy (Chawalrasya Panya) kindly recommends that those trying to drink for the first time may be put off by its strong grassy smell and bitterness, but once swallowed, a touch of sweetness lingers on.

The 80 baht price for a small portion of a drink may not seem cost-effective but the richness of the green wheatgrass, freshly picked from the shop’s nursery, topped with Pai’s greenery, really makes this healthy shot at The Sanctuary worth while.