Last updated on July 5th, 2020 at 06:24 pm
Update July 2020: We no longer recommend Thailand as a long-stay destination. See our July 5, 2020 post about changing conditions in this country.
Pura Vida: A backpackers delight in Northern Thailand
Pai is to Thailand what Woodstock was to the United States during the 1970's: a magnet for hippies and backpackers. Not surprisingly, lodging in Pai is designed to accommodate this class of traveler.
The Pura Vida is a great place to stay if you're a backpacker or one who travels light. But don't be misled by the word “resort” in this business name.
Pura Vida is NOT a “hotel” or “resort” as westerners might think of such places. It doesn't offer a pool, spa, or similar amenities commonly found in resorts. It's a collection of 8 single room bungalows cloistered on a small roadside plot of land next to the owner's home about 3.7 km outside of Pai, Thailand.
Yet, Trip Advisor lists this place is the #2 of 32 hotels in Pai! It is NOT a hotel or resort!
A Bungalow-based Bed and Breakfast
Pura Vida is a bungalow-based bed and breakfast – and well rated for that. If you like clean, sparse, simple lodging, you'll love this place.
Bungalows are built on a former orange orchard on terraces. Open fields comprise the view out of most units. Canals that fed the orange trees now connect to the large fish pond.
The registration building is at the front of the property. It's a semi-outdoor hut area bordering the pond that doubles as both the point of registration and a breakfast nook for guests. An outdoor seating area over the pond allows guests to watch sunsets while sipping a drink.
There's limited parking at the registration hut. Extra parking is up a hill nearby. Many guests arrive via the Pura Vida courtesy van service.
Pura Vida Registration / Breakfast Hut, Pai, ThailandWhat's A Bungalow Like?
You access the bungalows on a series of large, round stepping stones set into grassy terraces throughout the property. These are easy to traverse if you're a backpacker. But if you're hauling large, heavy suitcases, you'll find it a challenge to step on the stone walk path, especially when its' wet. Remember, wet grounds are a frequent occurrence in Thailand stemming from daily rains. Slippery stones = easy falls: also a frequent occurrence for many travelers in Thailand.
Rooms in these bungalows are small as in “tight fit”. Again, this is great if you're a backpacker or traveler with a small overnight bag. But there's little room for all but the smallest suitcases.
Our unit had two wooden chair arms with a small table as a seating area in between the window in the front of the unit. A small stand TV stand and dorm room-sized refrigerator are off to the side of the front window. A clothes bar is built into a wall with a shelf below suitable for a backpack or toiletries – but just a few of them – there's not a lot of room.
The bathroom is a separate room with a door: a toilet, shower, and mirror. You turn on a tankless water heater before showering – great for those that like long, hot showers.
The bed(s) are low rising with log cabin-like frames attached to the floor – great if you're short, young and limber – not so great if you're tall, heavier than you used to be, and older. It's a firm sleeping experience.
There's little storage space in a bungalow. That's because there are no suitcase stands in the room. Also, a long, narrow, shelf under the built-in clothes bar simply isn't wide enough to hold a suitcase.
Wi-Fi – Overrated and Oversold – Typical for Thailand
Wi-Fi performance is horrible. This is typical in third world countries. But the owners advertise this place as offering “high speed” Internet – and that is simply untrue.
We ran eight-speed tests from early morning until late at night, and the results were the same: about one MB down and 200-200K up. One test out of 8 displayed five MB down and 500K up. Clearly, this is limited bandwidth over a shared connection, with performance limited by the number of users. Performance did not improve after the owner re-booted the router.
Lodging owners offering ADSL Internet in Thailand, by default, declare their service as “high speed.” But this is a misleading and common practice. Anyone who has traveled a lot in Thailand knows only brand name “full scale” hotels offer 10 MB uploads and 20 MB downloads, routinely.
Is This Place Right For You?
If you're an executive or among those who expect more amenities than the basics, you won't like this place. Also, this place is not for those with disabilities, the elderly, or those who are unsure afoot.
But backpackers – the typical client for this place – will love the Pura Vida escape from the piping hot, dripping wet, great outdoors areas of Southeast Asia, with the solid bed and endless hot water for showers this place offers up.
From the perspective of backpackers, Wi-Fi is a nice “extra.” We provide our analysis here simply because of the misleading advertising.
Summary: Pura Vida Resort Features
Pros:
* Simple, rustic, quiet, clean, sparse in the countryside with good A/C.
* Hands-on, customer-centric, friendly, helpful, superb service, and advice from owners.
* Owners offer a shuttle service to-from, Pai.
* Quiet, rural setting
Cons:
* Horribly slow Wi-Fi
* No storage space in rooms
* No proximity to anything (because it's in the country).
* Access can be challenging for the elderly, those with disabilities, or those unsure afoot.
Why Go?
Pura Vida is one of the top-rated stays in Pai for backpackers, the young, and those that travel “ultra-light.” Stay here if you want tranquility and have a desire to “get away from it all.” You can get a room for about $25 per night.
How To Get There
Pura Vida and Pai are a three-hour drive from Chiang Mai. Prepare for driving on shoulderless, twisty mountain roads to get there.
At the time of our last visit, Thai authorities were widening and repaving the road to Pai. Road crews in this country work with marvelous efficiency. They're complete miles of roads in just a few days. This is, of course, in stark contrast to the lengthy, bureaucracy-laden, road building process in the United States. We'll have more on this story in another post.
Pura Vida Resort
Address: 65 Moo 3, Pai District, 58130, Thailand
Phone: +66 89 635 7556
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