What To Expect At Pai’s White Buddha
The White Buddha is situated on top of a hill in the Pai countryside and offers up some amazing views over the surrounding landscape; the perfect spot to go and get a glimpse of the whole town.
It can be a challenging walk up the ± 300 steps in the sun, but the view is definitely worth it.
The Pai White Buddha is a very common meditation spot for locals and travellers alike. This is often a morning routine while it is much cooler.
We have heard stories of those who walk up early in the morning (exercise ✓), have the place entirely to themselves (quiet ✓), have a misty sunrise view of the whole of Pai (beautiful ✓), light a few candles (ambience ✓) and then meditate up there (spiritual ✓).
That really sounds like the kind of thing we could get into if we stayed in Pai for any period of time!
There is a local ‘mom and pop’ shop at the bottom of the temple where you can buy some water and a cooldrink after (or before) your hike up to the top.
There is also bathroom down below that you can use for free.
N.B. The hill up to the parking entrance is rather steep and we would recommend caution if you are not very confident on a bike.
Vital Visitor’s Information
How Much Does It Cost?
The temple is completely free to enter! Yay!
The only money you’d need is 20 baht for a refreshing drink after your climb back down.
When Is It Open?
Pai’s Big Buddha is open every day from 6am to 6pm.
In case you were thinking about visiting the White Buddha for sunset, let us just burst your bubble and remind you that is closes at 6pm. However, you can still experience the beauty of the sunset from one of the other great viewpoints or restaurants along the way back from the White Buddha.
What Amenities Are There?
There are clean bathrooms at the bottom which are free to use.
There is a local vendor who sells some snacks and drinks and offers a shady seat too.
What Should You Wear?
Since Pai’s White Buddha is a temple and a place of worship, you are asked to dress appropriately.
This means that you should cover up your shoulders and legs. It is not very strict, they don’t provide sarongs or insist you rent one, they just trust you to honour and respect their culture.
There will be a sign asking you to take off your shoes when you reach the top of the stairs. Warning: the floor can be boiling hot. We recommend you don’t give yourself heat blisters; perhaps bring some socks with to soften the blow.
How Do You Get There?
We suggest renting a scooter for the day. It’s super easy!
The company we trusted in Pai was D.D. All Travel. To be honest, they didn’t seem too great in the beginning. We thought they had pulled a fast one on us when our chain broke half a day in. As it turned out, they actually came to fetch us and the bike, transferred our petrol and gave us a new one to go.
Make sure to have your International Drivers Permit! It isn’t necessary to hire out transport but may come in handy if you’re pulled over by the Law Enforcement. And always wear a helmet!
X Marks The Spot
Our Secret Spot
If you are looking to make your trip to the White Buddha a little bit more exciting, why not try to find our red tree?
Okay so we don’t know what kind of tree it is (if you know, please share it with us), but we do know it is stunning!
If you are heading to the White Buddha from central Pai (in town), there will be a final left turn up to the parking lot. Skip that turn and continue straight. Then follow the road curving left, you will turn a corner and be greeted by this beauty.
N.B. If you reach the bridge, you have gone too far.
You can snap a few pictures, enjoy the scenery and walk around a little in the area. There are paths to the river near the bridge.
If you do manage to find the tree, please tag us using #DearTravallure on Facebook or Instagram. We really want to see if you can also find it!
You can find the exact location here.
What Else Is There To Do In Pai?
We have a blog post up showing you exactly what we did on our trip to Pai. We didn’t get a chance to explore everything since we were only there for two days but we definitely plan to go back!
If you don’t already know, the journey to Pai is a harrowing one. We explain more below.
There is, of course, also another main attraction known as the Pai Memorial Bridge (or Pai Historical Bridge if you’re searching it on Google Maps).
A Video Of Pai
Like I said, we had a jam-packed 48 hours in Pai and we got it all on camera. So if you’re looking to hype yourself up about your trip a little or just keen to see what Pai is really like – take a look here!
Where To Stay In Pai
We stayed at Bura Lumpai Resort and absolutely fell in love with it. If only we could have stayed longer!
We had a joined chalet with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The bathrooms were our favourite since they were semi-outdoor! Who doesn’t love an outdoor shower?
We were also right next to the pool. A greatly appreciated feature in Pai’s hot and humid weather.
There is a restaurant right on the property and it’s directly opposite the Pai Memorial Bridge!
➳ Explore Bura Lumpai (A Video)
➩ When you first sign up to Airbnb and book using our code you can score up to R600 off of your first booking and R225 towards an experience!
Did you find our secret spot? Did you meditate at the Big Buddha? Tell us your story below!
❀ PIN FOR LATER ❀
Heya i’m for the first time here. I found this board and I find It
really useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and help others like you aided me.
Author
Thank you so much! That is very sweet! We are very happy to hear that we were able to help you out!?