Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

Arrive at six, when the stalls are being set up, and you'll have the street to yourself for a while before it fills up. This is where Pai's evening bustle takes place; everyone crowds onto this short stretch of road between 6 and 10 pm, seven nights a week. It's not a large market. That's precisely what makes it so special. You can stroll through it twice at your leisure and still not see everything.

The food is the real reason to visit, and the selection is unusual for a city of this size: Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Burmese, and Italian cuisine, as well as halal stalls, are all available. Guests frequently praise the mini pancakes and grilled corn on the cob, and I can only echo their sentiments, especially regarding the desserts. Handcrafted jewelry, clothing, and local art fill the gaps between the food stalls; most pieces are sold by the artists themselves. Live music drifts from some of the restaurants, and there are bars on the same street, so the evening doesn't have to end at 10 p.m.