Christmas in Pai
Written by Nolo Hub Pai
Updated by the Nolo team, October 2026
tl;dr
Yes, Pai celebrates Christmas. 25 December isn’t a public holiday in Thailand, so shops, markets and Walking Street open as usual, but the town puts up proper decorations, a large Christian Karen community lives in the middle of town, and schools and local communities hold carols. At Nolo Hub Pai, Christmas runs over two days, with an all-you-can-eat Christmas dinner on the 25th that backpackers from all over Pai can book.
At a glance
- Is it a holiday?
- No. It’s a normal working day in Thailand, and shops, markets and Walking Street open as usual
- Who celebrates
- Pai’s Christians, including a large Christian Karen community in the middle of town
- In town
- Decorations in public spaces, shops and businesses; carols and singing from schools and local communities
- Weather
- Cool season: dry, with chilly nights
- At Nolo Hub Pai
- Two days of Christmas, Thursday 24 December and Friday 25 December, with Secret Santa from Tuesday 22 December
- Christmas dinner
- 400 THB, all you can eat, 7pm on Christmas Day. Booking is essential
Pai gets properly festive in December. Decorations go up in public spaces and in shops and businesses all over town, there’s a church right next to Walking Street, and at Christmas the schools and local communities hold carols and singing. And, to plenty of people’s surprise, Christmas Day is the biggest day of the year at Nolo Hub Pai.
Christmas at Nolo Hub Pai
We cover the hostel in decorations, and it’s become a tradition to chop down our biggest banana tree and bring it inside as our Banana Christmas Tree. On Christmas morning the common area and the pool fill up with guests video-calling home, so you’ll probably meet a few other people’s families and wish them a merry Christmas too.
Our Banana Christmas Tree
Secret Santa presents on Christmas morning
Secret Santa, unwrapped
Dressed for Christmas Eve
Christmas Day, all together
Christmas dinner, served
Christmas dinner, all you can eat
Christmas night at the bar
The team at Christmas
Nolo Hub Pai presents
A Very Tropical Christmas 2026
Bringing the festive spirit to the mountains of Pai! Join us for two days of community, adventure and feasting.
From Tuesday 22 December to Christmas morning
Secret Santa
Join our Secret Santa and you’re given another guest’s name to buy a present for, up to 250 THB. We provide the wrapping paper, and the presents are handed out at 11am on Christmas Day. It’s a low-pressure way to spread a bit of Christmas joy and break the ice.
Christmas Eve: Thursday 24 December
10am The giving spirit
Christmas Donation Drive
We’re heading up to two mountain schools. Join us in giving back to the local community.
500 THB donation
4.30pm Golden hour
Christmas Eve Sunset at Pai Canyon
Watch the sun go down over the canyon together, then back to the hostel for the warm-up.
100 THB transport
8pm The warm-up
Speed Friending, Squid Games & Bar Crawl
Get to know your hostel family before the big day! Games, then a tour of Pai’s nightlife.
Free
Christmas Day: Friday 25 December
10am The recovery
Ice Baths & Fruit Salad Brunch
Start the big day fresh. Chill out and fuel up.
Free brunch
11am The swap
Secret Santa
Time to hand out the presents.
Midday Pool day
Soak up the Pai sun
Festive tunes and drink specials by the pool.
4.30pm Golden hour
Christmas Sunset at Pai Canyon
Watch the sun go down over the canyon before the feasting begins.
100 THB transport
7pm The main event
All-You-Can-Eat Christmas Dinner
Our fifth Christmas Backpacker Feast, and backpackers from all over Pai are welcome.
400 THB
In past years, between 100 and 180 people have joined us for it.
Book your place at Christmas dinnerBooking is essential. Book online until midday on Thursday 24 December, or in person at the hostel.
10pm The afterparty
Christmas Night Bar Crawl
Walk off the dinner and celebrate into the night!
Free
Does Pai really celebrate Christmas?
A lot of people expect Christmas to pass Thailand by. Most Thais are Buddhist and Christmas isn’t a public holiday, so the 25th is a normal working day, and the markets, shops and Walking Street open as usual.
Northern Thailand is different. Karen Christians from Burma were starting churches among Thai Karen in the 1880s, and today many Karen, Lahu, Lisu and Akha families in the north are Christian. For them, Christmas is one of the most important times of the year.
That includes Pai. A large Christian Karen community lives right in the middle of town, and out in Thung Yao, one of Pai’s subdistricts, the council lists Christmas Day among the area’s yearly traditions, alongside Buddhist festivals like Yi Peng. For Karen families, Christmas also comes once the rice harvest is in, so late December is a time to rest, see family and celebrate.
If you’d like to go to a service or hear the carols, ask us and we’ll point you in the right direction. They’re family and church occasions, so ask before you take photos of people.
Quick answers
Is Christmas a public holiday in Thailand?
No. 25 December is a normal working day, and shops, markets and Walking Street open as usual.
Do people celebrate Christmas in Pai?
Yes. A large Christian Karen community lives in town, there’s a church next to Walking Street, schools and local communities hold carols and singing, and the town puts its decorations up.
What’s on at Nolo Hub Pai for Christmas?
Secret Santa from Tuesday 22 December to Christmas morning. On Christmas Eve, a donation drive to two mountain schools, sunset at Pai Canyon, then speed friending, games and a bar crawl. On Christmas Day, ice baths and a fruit salad brunch, the Secret Santa swap, a pool day, sunset at Pai Canyon, an all-you-can-eat Christmas dinner and a bar crawl.
Can I come to the Christmas dinner if I’m not staying at Nolo Hub Pai?
Yes. Backpackers from all over Pai are welcome. Book your place online, or in person at the hostel.
How much is the Christmas dinner?
400 THB, all you can eat, from 7pm on Christmas Day.