Pai Thailand

Pai is a small town nestling in the hills of Mae Hong Son province to the north west of Chiang Mai.
The town is a draw for visitors seeking to escape the bustle of larger towns - but this has brought increasing nightlife and the attendant dressings of the tourist trade, so it isn't as peaceful as it was even a few short years ago.
The town is spreading out into the surrounding valley, with guest house complexes and resorts springing up.

Pai was a quiet backwater - a farming town (rice and garlic) set in the narrow flat valley which runs north-south. Hills to the east and west mean sunrise comes a little late, and sunset a little early. Winter mornings are marked by a cool mist blanket that burns off by 9:30 or 10 a.m. and can feel chill. The rest of the day is warm, verging on hot. This is proving a temptation to increasing numbers of visitors from the more southerly regions, and the balance of Thai/Farang tourists is changing.

For market addicts there's plenty to do.
In the morning there's the market by the main city offices (behind the hospital) - the best place for meat purchases - which often brings in traders from the surrounding Shan, Lisu, Lahu and Karen villages with their produce. You'll also find the seasonal forest-picked ingredients for their traditional dishes (I've developed a taste for 'som pee', which has a tart, peppery taste).
Later in the morning, as this winds down, you can visit the day market on Thanon Khetkelang - the current market was erected about 2 years ago to replace the structure ruined in the 2005 flooding. This is mainly for fruit and vegetables, but you can get cooked chicken or pork too. To the right of the market (west) there's an open-fronted food shop mainly used by the local people. The food is very good, and inexpensive.
There's a second day market out by the 'airport'. This sells fruit and veg too, but also other household items and tools. There are usually a few clothing stalls, and often a stall selling CDs an