Guide to Sailing in Thailand

Posted on August 2, 2011 by

Thailand has a long coastline so its suitable for sailing. Tourists can rent sail boats and go sailing along the coast. The length of the coastline of Thailand between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand is more than 1,000 miles. This is why its nicknamed the Caribbean of the East. The waters of the seas are crystal clear and warm. Thailand does not endure any dangerous weather such as typhoons. However, there are monsoon seasons in certain months. The average temperature is between 25 and 35 degree Celsius. While sailing on the sea, you will feel a much cooler temperature of around 28 degree Celsius.

Between May and October, there will be some strong winds on Thai costal waters. If you want to sail during these months, you should go to Phang Nga Bay. During November through April, the winds will be stronger again so its recommended that you don’t sail during this period. When you are traveling on a sail boat, you can visit many places such as Phuket and Ko Phi Phi. As you sail, you will be able to observe the smaller islands near the Myanmar and Malaysian borders. The mountainous regions near Ko Chang and Kut Archipelagos really are quite spectacular.

There are many places you can go sailing in Thailand including Phang Nga Bay, Koh Samui and the Similan Islands. Phuket and Phang Nga Bay are the largest boating centers in Thailand. There are two marinas in Phuket. Nearby Phuket, there is a small community with many restaurants and a yacht club. You can set sail from the beach at Phuket and head to the southwest coasts including Nai Harn. Phang Nga Bay is located a few miles from Phuket Island. Phang Nyga Bay has over 100 islands that you can visit and many low hills cover these islands. You can also observe the limestone sea mountains and can explore the mangrove swamps and sea caves while sailing in the Phang Nga Bay area. Every year in July, the Phuket Race Week is held at Phuket. Tourists flock from overseas at this time take advantage of this opportunity to sail during the peak green season.

The Similan Islands have many large granite boulders. The granite boulders are smooth and worn out due to the weather conditions. If you like diving, you can scuba dive in the water of the Similan Islands. At a depth of 35 meters, divers can observe the colorful coral reefs and schools of tropical fish. There are whales, sharks and black marlin present in the waters as well. From the Similan Islands, tourists can sail north to the Surin Islands. The Surin Islands are about 50 nautical miles from the Similan Islands.

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Guide to the Ang Thong Marine National Park in Thailand

Posted on August 2, 2011 by

The Ang Thong Marine National Park is a group of 42 islands located in the south of Thailand. Ang Thong, which means golden bowl in the Thai language offers panoramic views and scenery for tourists visiting the area. The whole area of the archipelago is about 250 sq km. The limestone islands of the national park occupy about 50 sq km.

If you visit the park, you will notice a distinct karst topography arising from the sea. Karst is a distinctive topography in which the landscape is largely shaped by the dissolving action of water and surf on carbonate bedrock. Many of the islands are located within a close distance of each other, hence its possible to travel by boat between the islands. The islands in Ang Thong Marine National Park are of different sizes. Most areas of the islands are covered with lush greenery and tropical rainforests. Most of the islands in Ang Thong Marine National Park have not been developed, however Ko Paluay does have some inhabitants. The sea gypsies are natives to the Ko Paluay island and make a living by catching fish and lobsters from the sea.

The tropical forests in the archipelago islands consist of three types of forests including dry evergreen, beach forests and limestone forests. If you are interested in exploring the dry evergreen forests, you can visit the Wuatalab islands and the Samsao islands. Beach forests can be seen near the beaches of the islands. The limestone forests are developed from smaller plants which can be found on the limestone cliffs and mountains. The majority of the animals that dominate the mountain forests are small. Some of the animals that can be found at the Ang Thong Marine National Park include otters, dolphins, langurs, little herons, drongoes, mynas, lizards and hawsbill turtles. Its estimated that there are more than 54 bird species and 14 reptile species inhabiting the islands. You can also find a variety of wild amphibians in the national park including grass frogs, tree frogs and toads.

You can reach the Ang Thong Marine National Park by taking a boat from Samui. For safety reasons you should only rent a boat or kayak from licensed carriers. The license carriers offer boat rentals for visitors who are planning camping trips and tours to the islands. You can also find boat rental services at Koh Phangan. Another way of reaching the marine park is to take the ferry boat. The ferry boat can accommodate up to 50 people. For a standard speed boat, the maximum amount of people it can accommodate is 6 to 8 people however there are bigger ones that carry up to 25 people. The cost of the boat tour from Ko Phangan is about 1,600 baht. In addition, you have to pay a national park entrance fee of 200 baht per adult and the entrance fee for a foreign child is about 100 baht. If you are of Thai Nationality you only have to pay 40 baht for the entrance fee.

Boat tours are also a good way to see the national park and included is a free complementary breakfast consisting of local Thai food or an American style breakfast of bacon, sausages, eggs, tomato and morning snack hamburgers and hotdogs. The boat tour also visits the emerald lake viewpoint which has a very spectacular and memorable view. Emerald lake is on Ko Mae and is surrounded by tall limestone cliffs. An underground tunnel links the lake with the sea. There are also a number of caves on the islands which are frequently explored by spelunkers from the US, potholers from the UK and cavers from Australia and South Africa.

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Guide to Diving in Thailand

Posted on August 2, 2011 by

Thailand beaches are rich with underwater marine life. If you are looking for a diving destination, your best option is to visit one of the many beaches and islands in Thailand. Tourists can choose from several types of diving packages and sightseeing tours are often included in pre purchased diving packages.

If you are a beginner, before going diving you should enroll in one of the many diving schools in Bangkok, Pattaya or Phuket. If you are not skilled at diving, it is important that you learn how to dive first before suba diving in fresh or sea water. At the diving schools, you will learn how to dive in a large specially designed training dive tank. After mastering how to dive, you will be ready to participate in diving activities. There are several diving destinations in Thailand. Many schools will offer the participants the opportunity to visit the diving destinations with diving professionals or trainers after they have completed a diving course. Once you have gained a lot of experience in diving, you will be able to dive into deeper waters. The southern region of Thailand has many beaches that are suitable for diving activities. If you are experienced in diving, it is recommended that you visit southern Thailand to carry out diving activities. Some of the popular diving destinations in Thailand include Pattaya, Phuket and Samui. When diving in Phuket, you will get the chance to observe a variety of marine animals, coral reefs, rock formations and beautiful tropical fish. If you are a qualified sea diver, you can take as many as five dives to explore the one site.

The Gulf of Thailand offers exhilarating experiences for divers. Its located in the south eastern region of Thailand. The water of the Gulf of Thailand is not yet polluted, however, the water is not crystal clear because it has a large concentration of sea plankton. Many marine creatures can be seen in this region of Thailand as they feed on the sea plankton. If you want to dive in the Gulf of Thailand, your options are Ko Samet, Ko Samui, Ko Phangan, and Chumphon.

The Andaman Sea is located in the south western region of Thailand. Some of the diving destinations in the Andaman Sea are Khao Lak, Phang Nga Bay and Koh Lanta. Khao Lak is suitable for beginners who are not experienced in diving. You can also perform snorkeling activities at Khao Lak which is situated about 45 minutes from Phuket. There are many magnificent coral reef formations at Khao Lak. The coral reefs under the waters of Khao Lak are some of the most beautiful coral reefs in Thailand, if not the world. If you don’t want to go diving, you can take a boat tour around the archipelago. During the boat tour, you will observe lime stone mountains and cliffs that emerge from the sea water. Thailand coastal waters have many species of marine life including anemone fish, puffer fish, manta rays and plenty of great white sharks.

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Thailand Beach Holiday Guide

Posted on August 2, 2011 by

Thailand has some of the most beautiful beaches in Asia. The sand on the beaches in Thailand is usually sandy white and the water is crystal clear. Generally near the beaches there are plenty palm trees which provide shade to relax under. If not there will be locals nearby eager to provide umbrellas for a small charge to provide protection from the sun. Tourists can perform various types of recreational activities at Thailand beaches including fishing, sailing and jet sking. Examples of fish that inhabit the tropical waters of Thailand include the amberjack, barracouta, barracuda, barramundi, camouflage grouper, golden trevally, parrot fish, angel fish, black marlin and the sweetlip emperor. Blacktip reef sharks, leopard sharks, whale sharks and guitar sharks also inhabit coastal waters. The beaches are surrounded by a vast range of coral reefs so they are suitable for tourists who like scuba diving and snorkeling. Karon Beach and Ao Nang Beach are some examples of the world renowned beaches in Thailand.

Chonburi has three beaches including Jomtien Beach, Naklua Beach, and Pattaya Beach. Jomtien Beach is a family friendly beach situated south of Pattaya Beach. Jomtien Beach is often visited by tourists that want to participate in various kinds of water sports such as jet skiing, banana boat riding and swimming. The gentle winds that constantly blow against the beach cool down the temperature of the environment. It has a vast array of accommodation to choose from and also has many bars and restaurants. Naklua Beach is suitable for visitors that want to perform windsurfing activities. A large investment has been made to clean up the waters around Naklua Beach. Nowadays, its possible to see colorful tropical fish swimming under the water as its so clear. If you want to carry out windsurfing activities, you can rent windsurfing equipment from the numerous rental shops positioned along the beach. Pattaya Beach is much more developed than the Jomtien Beach and Naklua Beach. There are a lot of nightlife entertainment venues such as bars, night clubs, dance clubs, discos and gogo bars that can be found along the Pattaya Beach strip. There are also world class stage shows which are performed regularly at the major hotels.

Another popular beach in Thailand is Ao Nang Beach. Ao Nang Beach is a popular beach side resort that offers a wide range of water based recreational activities including diving, kayaking, and sailing. There are several guesthouses and hotels located right on Ao Nang Beach. Many restaurants near the beach serve delicious seafood such as cray fish, craw fish, rock lobster, giant sea oysters, giant king prawns and calamari. It really is a great place for families who are planning to have a beach vacation. There is a lush jungle near Ao Nang Beach which has plenty of bird life such as the pale capped pigeon, brown winged kingfisher, mangrove pitta, ashy tailorbird, ruddy kingfisher and the Pacific reef egret. Bird watching is a very popular activity in the area, with many tourists traveling down from Bangkok to view to abundant bird life.

Tourists can also find clean beaches at Phang Nga. Ao Luk beach is the most visited beach of the Surin Islands. It offers shallow corals and many kinds of recreational activities can be conducted at Ao Luk beach including snorkeling and diving. Other beaches at Phang Nga include Ao Mae Yai, Hat Bang Sak and Hat Khao Lak.

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Guide to the Tropical Islands in Thailand

Posted on June 16, 2011 by

Thailand has a number of tropical islands that offer panoramic seaside scenery. Phuket Island offers a wide range of recreational activities and entertainment venues which are open till early in the morning. Some of the recreational activities you can perform at Phuket Island include diving, fishing, jungle trekking and swimming. Once you arrive at Phuket Island, you can go to Laem Promthep which is located at the southern end of the island to watch beautiful sunsets  If you like the scenery of the Andaman Sea, you can visit the Karon viewpoint which has spectacular coastal scenery.

There are many hypermarkets, supermarkets and specialty shops in Phuket to service tourists needs. You will also find restaurants that offer delicious local Thai cuisine. Phuket is well known as a high class beach resort and most parts of the island are covered by lush forest and vegetation. You can bathe in the crystal clear waters when staying at one of the many resorts on the island. The resorts offer a wide range of accommodation including single rooms, deluxe rooms, VIP rooms and bungalows. Yachts can be rented for additional charges at the beach and there is a world class golf course at Phuket. Tourists can also observe the Sino Portuguese style mansions left behind by people that lived between the 19th and 20th centuries. There are several rubber plantations and coconut plantations which you can visit. You can reach Phuket flying Thai Airways International from many cites worldwide and there are also direct flights with other major airlines to Phuket from countries such as Germany, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Another popular island in Thailand are the Phi Phi islands. Phi Phi islands are actually formed from the two islands called Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley. They offer the most beautiful and spectacular scenery in Asia. Tourists can engage in recreational activities such as kayaking, mountain climbing and scuba diving. Once you are at Phi Phi Island, you can take a boat to explore the many secluded coves. The islands have many shrub covered cliffs and lush green vegetation is plentiful.  There are many restaurants that serve delicious local Thai cuisine. You can reach Phi Phi Islands by taking charter boats from Phuket and Krabi. The charter boats depart from a number of piers on the island. You can take the ferry boats at Krabi from two piers including Chao Fah pier and Ao Nang pier. The islands are not accessible by car so you will have to ask your travel agency to arrange suitable transport.

Tourists can also visit the Koh Lanta islands. Koh Lanta islands are gaining more and more popularity among tourists. They are made up of a group of 52 islands. Most of the islands are small and not inhabited by people. The main feature of the Koh Lanta islands are the long beautiful white sandy beaches. There are a lot of mangrove swamps at  Koh Lanta. The islands are covered with many green hills and forests. If you go scuba diving in the sea, you will be able to view a variety of coral reefs. There is also a marine national park at Koh Lanta. The marine national park consists of 15 islands that are included in the group of Koh Lanta islands. Ko Rok Nok is the most beautiful of the islands because it has crescent shape bay and lush forests.

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