South East Asian Trips

Thailand's 2710 Km (1694 miles) of coastline, on both the Indian and the Pacific Oceans, as well as its many offshore islands, make it a popular destination for watersports, particularly diving and snorkeling. Two of the largest diving centers are at Pattaya, a two-hour drive from Bangkok, and Phuket, both of which offer access to numerous offshore islands and coral reefs. The Andaman Sea is particularly good for reef diving, the famous Similan and Surin islands being the most visited areas. In the Gulf of Thailand, the islands of Ko Phangan, Ko Samui and Ko Tao also attract many divers, while Ko Chang and the Trat area are amongst the most recent locations to have opened up to sports tourism. The Burma Banks and the islands off Trang Province have also recently been hailed as new diving destinations. Live-aboard dive cruises, equipment rental and certified diving courses are widely available. Several beaches are particularly well-suited for windsurfing, particularly Chaweng, Hua Hin, Jomtien (south of Pattaya), Karon (on Phuket island), Kata and Lamai (on Koh Samui). In the Gulf of Thailand, the windiest months are mid-February to April; in the Andaman Sea, the period from September to December has the strongest winds (for further information on beaches, see also the Where to Go section). Sea canoeing and kayaking have become increasingly popular in recent years, the coastal limestone islands in Phang Nga Bay, north of Phuket, being the favorite destination, also offering the chance to explore the half-submerged cave systems known as hongs. Sailing is a popular way to access Thailand's many islands and the main base for sailing trips in the Andaman Sea is Phuket, which also hosts the annual Kings Cup Regatta in December. Sailing cruises in the Gulf of Thailand usually start from Pattaya. Yachts can be chartered either with or without a crew. The presence of big game fish, such as barracuda, tuna, wahoo, swordfish or marlin, attracts many game fishing enthusiasts, who can charter fully crewed boats from most major coastal resorts. Inland raft trips can be arranged on several rivers.