IRIE BAR PAI — Restaurant in Mae Hong Son Province

I hesitated to write this review, but after some reflection here it is.

We came here for the bar. Chill atmosphere, there is a pool table. We got some beers and had a lovely chat with the owner and his little cousin/brother who was visiting. They are lovely people. We could see how they also interacted with other locals. If you come here when his little bro is here, be sure to try speaking to him in English! His school in Bangkok is doing him a disservice and he doesn’t speak much English at all especially considering his age.

So the issue- the animals. The ‘exotic’ animals. At first I was surprised and delighted- I love seeing animals and here they were: birds, iguanas, tortoises, a guinea pig, even a pair of meerkats. But then of course comes the conflict- they are in cages and hey isn’t this a bar? Is this the best place for them?

I must say that on paper, in theory, yes these animals in captivity in a bar setting sounds terrible. But actually being there, observing the animals on multiple occasions, talking to the owner and hearing firsthand his knowledge of and his experience with them- that’s another story. Yes, they are pets and he is in the pet business. If you are against this then of course you can’t accept anything about this.

The animals are well looked after. They seemed healthy, not stressed, curious, and happy. The owner is highly knowledgeable and absolutely cares for their physical and mental well being. Compared to most zoos and pet shops- the animals here have a far better, more peaceful life with someone who truly cares and understands their needs and desires. The bar was not loud and rowdy, there isn’t any overly stressful stimuli to disturb the animals.

I asked about the birds, (some beautiful African grey macaws). He does take them out to fly in the countryside and they come back because they know he has food. The two birds have very different personalities and the owner talks about them like they are his family.

There was a review about the animals being too close to the bar with loud music and I must say that is a gross exaggeration in my experience. Yes there was some music, it wasn’t loud in the slightest. The first night one cage with a larger white cockatoo was covered up so the bird could rest without stimulation. The other cages with birds was not covered and the birds seemed perfectly at peace. Some sleeping, some playing, a few curious about the human strangers.

The other animals are far from the bar and unless you are looking for them you wouldnt even go near them. They are in their own area and have privacy.

I am not an animal expert and I do of course think that the best is for animals to be free. But I’m sorry, that is not the world we live in. In reality, humans own pets and destroy the planet. That unfortunately isn’t going to change.

So accepting that yes there are animals in captivity, from what I saw, the animals here are healthy, happy and the owner is taking excellent...

Visited this hostel 11/30/18. Great people and atmosphere! Needed a break from “Famous Pai Circus Hostel” after a couple days. Myself and a couple friends found this gem and it’s definitely the best laid back hostel in all of Pai. Owners were super welcoming and friendly which made it feel homey while traveling. Family orientated so don’t expect Mad Monkey vibes but it’s definitely a nice place to recuperate. Owners let us use their Mac to play tunes while hanging out with their dog, tortoise, and other pets who were all friendly. Had cold beer available for purchase, along with a large outdoor patio including couches, chairs, and tables. The rooms are great for groups, twin size bunk beds, safe for valuables, fans, and attached bathroom. Nothing too fancy but affordable, secure, and clean. I’m from Chicago, IL USA and this was my first time in Pai. PS: If you rent a motorbike be sure to take a video of the bike before departing the shop. Always beneficial to have a document with timestamp and date displayed to avoid getting scammed with bs...

Thank you to Nancy and her family for such a nice stay in your hostel. You were all very accommodating and I felt so welcome. Nadia's is a clean hostel with a chill atmosphere. Cheap drinks and very clean. The price is cheap and so close to walking street. They had a free bbq for birthday celebration and we had alot of fun, despite me feeling sick. Nancy offered hot water and was so very kind. Nadia's is also great for animal lovers! They had a huge turtle that comes out every now and then. Front area is social with a pool table. Thank you for having me stay, it was a pleasure despite being sick half the...