Thailand Tourism » Travel to Around Bangkok

AROUND BANGKOK
Bangkok isn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, a great adventure travel destination. But nearby beach resorts make diving and boardsailing getaways a convenient escape; the lush tropical vegetation of nearby national parks offer great trekking and there’s a good rock climbing site an hour from the city.

PATTAYA: THE TARNISHED ROSE
Although high on sleaze and low on sophistication, Pattaya is still a reasonable destination for watersports. A 3hr bus ride gets you from Bangkok to Jomtien Beach, the best spot for boardsailing. Much of the wind here is thermal, which means you can count on getting at least something at any time of year. Bungalows along the beach have a reasonable selection of boards for hire, including funboards.

The seas around Pattaya have certainly suffered over the years, but there are still a few spots where you can find acceptable diving. The nearby islands of Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Krok — all about 45mins by boat from Pattaya — are home to brightly coloured reef fish and a variety of corals. These waters have very little current and are excellent for beginners. There are also two large wrecks off the coast east of Pattaya: the Bremen, near the village of Sattahip; and the Hardeep, off the village of Samae San. A number of dive shops in Pattaya and Jomtien offer PADI and NAUI courses, diving tours and equipment hire.

NATIONAL PARKS
Khao Yai: With more than 700,000 visitors per year, Khao Yai National Park — 200km northeast of Bangkok — sounds more like an amusement park than a nature-lover’s paradise. However, most local visitors don’t venture more than 1-2km from park headquarters and the majority of the park remains completely untouched and — surprisingly — largely unexplored. Khao Yai offers spectacular, and sometimes gruelling hiking. One of the best treks is a solid 4-5 day hike through real wilderness. The trail starts on the western side of the park at the village of Subdtai (15km from the town of Muak Lek) and winds its way back through steep limestone chasms and tropical evergreen and bamboo forests to the park headquarters.

The best time to go is November-February, as the trail is unpassable in the rainy season. For maps, books and advice about the area, contact Dr Warren Brockleman, Mahidol University (Centre for Biology and Wildlife Conservation),

TREKKING IN KAENG KRACHAN
This is another superb park for serious hikers. It’s situated on the Myanmar border, 3hrs from Bangkok, and has some dramatic scenery. It’s the largest park in Thailand, measuring 2915 sq km, and most of the park is still unsurveyed.

Two to five-day hikes can be organized though park headquarters, situated on an old logging road 36km from the town of Tha Yang. The headquarters has good accommodation and campsites, and the rangers are helpful, but don’t speak much English. As with Khao Yai, you need to hire guides and bring your own food and gear. The best time of year is November to March.

TREKKING AND RAFTING IN UMPHANG
For whitewater adventure that requires real stamina, head for Umphang National Park — approximately half-way between Bangkok and Chiang Mai on the Myanmar border. The Mae Khlong river, which runs through the park, is strong and swift in the rainy season and offers the longest stretch of raftable whitewater in Thailand.

A trip down the whitewater section usually takes 1.5 days from the put-in at Palata and the river passes through true wilderness. At one point huge rock walls squeeze the river, creating a succession of grade 2-3 rapids.

Most tour operators conclude the rafting trip in Umphang with a trek or elephant ride back to Patala through exotic, steamy jungle. You can also go on a tough hike around the park’s remote lakes, known as La-Er-Or. These small, marshy lakes are surrounded by forest-covered mountains. Alternatively, followthe crowds to Thailand’s tallest waterfall, Thi Law Su, which cascades down a classic limestone staircase from Khao Kha Khaeng, the “strong-legged mountain.”

ROCKCLIMBING: TOP VIEWS
If you’re itching to get out of the climbing gym and onto real rock, head for the historic town of Petchaburi, one hour’s drive from Bangkok. The Bangkok Climbing Club is currently bolting some routes in the area and hopes to run sport climbing courses at the site with the help of local tour operator Wild Planet. For more information about the site and courses.

THE NORTH
Most visitors to Thailand make a bee-line for the beaches down south. But ii you want a break from the blinding glare of white-sand beaches, or prefer jungle to watersports, head north to the cool of the mountains. Northern Thailand, which extends along the borders of Myanmar and Laos, is an excellent adventure travel alternative to the south. The mountain environment up here is raw and the action intense. You can hike through airy bamboo groves, mountain bike along deep, dark jungle trails, explore spec- tacular underground cave systems, visit exotic hill tribes and raft whitewater rivers. This is wild Thailand and you’re about to get back to basics.

Northern Thailand isn’t big mountain country — the highest point is 2595m —but the seemingly endless rows of ridges and the density of the forest give it a real wilderness feel. According to geologists this whole area was once under the sea. The landscape is capped with limestone karsts composed of shells and coral that date back to the Cretaceous Age. These were forced from their aquatic bed millions of years ago when India collided with Tibet. forming the Himalaya, and sending a ripple effect across Southeast Asia. The underwater area that is now Thailand buckued and folded and rose from the sea. Today, the symmetrical mountain ridges of Northern Thailand stand 2000m above sea level and run in a north-south direction with fertile valleys in between.

The entire northern region is riddled with creeks and rivers: from the magnificent Mekong — which forms the Thai/Laos border in the east — to the minor but picturesque rivers that drain into this giant. River trips are a great way to experience the north. The river banks are a moving picture of Thai life. People wash clothes and tend crops and, as farmland gives way to wilderness, there’s the chance to see the country’s wildlife in its natural setting. If you prefer whitewater to flat, there are also three good, fun raftable rivers: the Nam Mae Pai and the Nam Mae Chaem in the Mae Hong Son region and the Nam Khok in the Golden Triangle area.