Samui’s beaches are the primary reason why so many visitors choose the second largest island in Thailand as a holiday destination. Before the 1970s, this unspoilt island and its astounding natural wealth were untouched by outside influences. Since the first tourists found their way here however, the island has been continuously built up and now offers all sorts of exciting activities away from the beach.

Every side of this almost circular shaped island has its own paradisiacal strand of white or golden sand accessorised with palm trees and calm waters. The balmy oceanic breezes heighten the sense of perfection, while the mysterious peak covering the centre of the island soars in stark contrast to the gently lapping waters below.

Add to these already glorious features the infrastructure that has gradually been built up to suit the diverse needs of a range of foreign tastes and Koh Samui is an island ready to accept visitors with the most varying idyllic visions of what an island getaway should be.

Each of the island’s beaches is quite different in style, character and what is has to offer tourists. Your senses will be hit with a burst of sounds, smells and sights upon arrival at one of the large, crowded centres of Chaweng or Lamai, where shopping and partying possibilities are endless. Samui’s beaches.

The quaint charm of Bo Phut or Mae Nam offer peaceful and picturesque respite to wind down and relax. At one moment it may seem like you are in the heart of Torremolinos, Spain, while the next in a secluded sanctuary, not unlike those beaches captured in the box office hit based on the Alex Garland novel The Beach.

If you are serious about getting out and seeing the sights on Koh Samui, you may want to consider hiring a motorbike. Although taxis are widely available, especially on the busier and bigger beaches, using a motorbike is often the most efficient and cost-effective mode of transport and it also gives you the freedom to go where you like for as long as you want. Some of the roads can be quite dangerous however, with gravel patches and potholes appearing as if by magic as well as sharp curves and steep hills so careful attention needs to be paid when driving.

Once you have figured out how you will travel, next you must decide what there is to see on Koh Samui that may interest you. As with most destinations in Thailand, wat, or temples, on Koh Samui give an interesting insight into the architecture and traditions of Buddhism, the country’s main religion.

Probably the most visited of the island’s temples is Wat Phra Yai, or Big Buddha Temple, with its enormous golden Buddha statue peering majestically out over the headland. Wat Ban Plai Leam is another interesting site, a recently constructed temples that was designed by a Thai artist who himself spent 3 years working on the fine details of the intricate ornamentation. If you read up on Samui history, you will undoubtedly come across the revered monk Lung Padaeng. His shrine and preserved body, still sitting in position for meditation, can be seen at Wat Khunaram on the island’s southern strip.

If you are feeling a little adventurous, a trip up the steep, winding roads of Ban Saket mountain is worth the slightly nerve racking journey. Not only will you be afforded spectacular views of the Samui seascape, but you will also find a curious trail of sculpted figures hidden away in a small valley – recreations of the dreams of an old Buddhist monk.

Among Thailand’s most comical natural sites are the rock formations called Hin Ta and Hin Yai. Visitors flock to the area to check out the rocks that over the years have been moulded to represent the male and female genital organs.

Driving around the island you will come across a number of villages that have managed to retain their old world charm throughout Samui’s period of rapid expansion. Most of these are located on the quieter southern strip. The Muslim fishing village of Laem Set is a picturesque little town and a visit here offers insight into the reserved, quiet lives of this community.

There are a number of beautiful waterfalls located in the mass of foliage that makes up Samui’s inner jungle. Na Mung is easily accessible, while Hin Lad falls are reached by a tiresome trek along a jungle path. During the months of the dry season, March through September, these waterfalls are dry but the trek still offers good nature spotting and physical exercise. The peaks of the mountain jungles offer spectacular views of the surrounding archipelagos and indeed of mainland Thailand.

Muay Thai boxing is the country’s national sport and can be seen in villages, towns and cities all over the country. Koh Samui is no different, and fierce and furious kick boxing matches are held almost daily in the large stadiums located on Chaweng and Lamai beaches. Matches take place in the evenings and are well worth the exorbitant ticket prices for serious entertainment, both inside and outside the boxing rink.

As is fitting for any seaside tourist destination, Koh Samui has a range of companies that take tourists to the best locations for some of the most exciting water activities. For an enchanting insight into a whole new world underneath the surface of the ocean, snorkelling and diving trips can be easily arranged from a number of travel agents across the island. Jet-skis can be hired and speed boats chartered off both Chaweng and Lamai beaches for exhilarant, high-speed exploration off the coast. Activities on Samui.

Kite surfing is another popular sport, with companies offering equipment hire and lessons for beginners. The fishermen on Samui have also learned a quick way to earn some cash. For a fee, these fishermen will provide boat transfers to the best fishing spots, lunch and a fun day out.

If you are the type that gets more of a thrill from on land adventure, then Koh Samui will not disappoint. Mountain biking in the wild interior is a great option for heart-stopping fun. Or take it to a further extreme and hire an off road motorbike for hours of wheel-spinning, dust-raising adventure.

Koh Samui is becoming more of a family orientated destination. Of course, building sand castles, collecting sea shells and playing among the tame waves could easily keep any small child occupied for an eternity. But for a fun day time outing, Koh Samui has a number of animal attractions including elephant back rides, a crocodile farm, an aquarium, a butterfly farm and a monkey theatre, the latter being a favourite for hilarious entertainment.

Shopping all across the Land of Smiles is a real treat, with prices in general far below those in most developed countries. Chaweng Beach is certainly the shopping hub of Koh Samui, with shops, stalls and boutiques filling every nook and cranny of available space. Between the vast array of restaurants and bars, there are shops and stalls whose merchants will use their perfectly practiced charm to entice you to buy anything from fake designer handbags to the best in authentic designer goods and traditional handicrafts. Lamai Beach is a close runner up to Chaweng in the way of shopping, while on some of the quieter beaches you will find some fantastic boutique stores with real character.

Many people not only want to be active on holiday, but they want to be productive too. Courses are available on many of the beaches across Samui, including in yoga, Thai massage, Muay Thai boxing, meditation, reiki and Thai cooking. Scuba diving is a popular sport on the island and PADI courses are on offer from a number of companies.

Koh Samui is part of the archipelago that includes Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao, two of the most popular island destinations in Thailand. Both islands can be reached by boat in a matter of hours from Samui. Koh Tao is renowned for some of the best dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand, while Koh Pha Ngan is not only the party capital of the south but a stunningly unspoilt island with many secluded beach sanctuaries off the main strip. The three islands and its surrounding waters are part of the Ang Thong National Marine Park and daytrips from Samui are available to some of the park’s most spectacular locations. Attractions on Samui

Krabi’s central location along the Andaman Sea in southern Thailand puts it right in the heart of one of the planet’s top 10 diving scenes. Thailand is an ideal place to learn to scuba dive, add a new certification to your PADI card or simply brush up on rusty skills. Apart from a friendly and colourful culture as well as truly amazing underwater scenery and marine life, the costs of learning to dive in Krabi are among the lowest in the world.

Thailand’s low diving prices don’t translate to poor service or unqualified dive instructors. In fact, many foreign dive masters are lured to the sunny islands of southern Thailand to spend a winter (or five) kicking back and teaching newcomers how to dive. An enthusiastic cadre of local Thai dive instructors and support staff round off the crews of the dozen or so dive companies that operate out of Krabi. Diving in Krabi

The remarkable variety of underwater terrain around Krabi is what makes this region so special. From the stunning psychedelic reefs of the Similans to fathomless headwalls, shipwrecks and gently sloping sandy coral gardens, there’s something here to please every level of diver, from newbies to jaded veterans. Krabi’s diving operators take full advantage of this wide range of environments to create a complete menu of diving courses.

At the beginning of the list is the PADI Bubblemaker Programme, designed to teach young children aged eight years and up the basics of scuba diving. This wonderful concept allows whole families to experience the magic of diving. Next up is a selection of half-day and full-day courses geared towards newbies 10 years and older. PADI Discover Scuba Diving is the precursor to becoming a fully certified diver. Diving basics are covered in a shallow pool at the dive shop, followed by one easy tandem dive with an instructor.

PADI Scuba Diver is the foundation level of certification, offering two days of in-depth dive training and two dives with an instructor. After completing this level, students can train for their PADI Open Water Diver certification. This is where the adventure of diving really begins, as it allows you to go on dives up to 18 metres deep. This is the most popular level of PADI certification and is recognised all over the world. Phi Phi guide

If you really fall in love with the thrill of scuba diving, you can take the Advanced Open Water course which covers five different underwater terrains and allows you to dive up to 30 metres. Additional certifications include Emergency First Response and Rescue Diver courses. If you want to step into the teacher’s fins, you can even take a full PADI Dive Master course. These run for several weeks and are only for the truly dedicated. The great thing about getting certified in Thailand is that even a Dive Master course costs just a fraction of what it does in most other countries.

In addition to the low costs of the courses, accommodation and food at the beaches are quite reasonable. Once you’re certified, you’ll find that the dives in Thailand are among the cheapest in the world. When you’re not underwater, the beauty of Krabi and the laid-back attitudes of the Thais will show you why so many people come to this region winter after winter. The prime diving season in the Andaman Sea around Krabi runs from November to April, although it’s possible to dive all year round. So, if you’ve always wanted to learn to scuba dive but were put off by the high costs of certification, Krabi offers the perfect solution.

Once qualified, or your upgrade course finished, the Andaman’s your oyster with more than two dozen excellent sites, some a mere 15 minutes offshore from Railay beach, others at among the breathtaking beauty of the Phi Phi islands. There are plenty more sites near Koh Lanta if you prefer avoiding the crowds, or you can venture as far as Phuket and beyond to the Similan islands. Sign up for day or night trips or spoil yourself with a live aboard cruise.

Dive sites near Phuket

As one of Thailand’s most famous beach resorts, Pattaya is proof that scuba diving is possible a mere two hours from bustling Bangkok. Pattaya may not be known as a top diving spot in Thailand, but its mind-boggling array of activities, combined with its uncontainable energy, keeps divers coming back for more.

Several islands are easily reached from Pattaya Bay, including Koh Larn, Koh Rin and Koh Krok. Divers of all levels can find a suitable course, with open water certification and introductory courses being particularly popular in Pattaya. As Thailand’s first recreational diving spot for tourists, Pattaya has a large number of reputable diving programmes from which travellers can choose. Guide to diving in Pattaya

More advanced divers can opt for one of the widely available specialised programmes, including wreck diving. Wreck diving is a popular attraction here, with the Petchburi Bremen and Hardeep wrecks being two top-notch spots. The unique atmosphere and the concentration of marine life make wreck diving a special experience that all divers should try.

The Hardeep, a 42-meter freighter situated between Koh Chuang and Koh Samaesan, is considered the best wreck diving spot here. Several types of tropical fish are on view here too, and divers can explore the inside of the ship as well as the exterior.

Also to the south, the Bremen is a good choice for deep diving. This 300-foot steel ship rests 25 meters below the surface and attracts interesting marine life as well. South of Koh Phi, the newly sunk HTMS Khram is quickly gaining popularity for its diverse marine life.

Aside from wreck diving, there are plenty of diving sites near the various offshore islands. Several types of coral and marine life are on display, including barracuda, blue spotted stingrays, porcupine puffer fish and tuna. Visibility ranges from 2 to 25 meters, which means that conditions can be unpredictable.

Koh Larn’s accessibility and large size make it one of the more popular offshore islands of Pattaya. Koh Rin is one of the better areas for diving, boasting high visibility and interesting rock formations. Koh Krok offers a lovely coral dive that is perfect for beginners, with the added bonus that there are no jet-skis allowed on this private island.

The reputable Mermaid’s Dive Centre is a PADI National Geographic Five Star CDC Center that offers diving programmes at 20 different sites. Their diverse course menu includes instruction in wreck diving, recreation diving and technical diving, with full-day trips offered daily. The Aquanauts Dive Centre is a British-owned company that is also a PADI National Geographic Five Star CDC and offers various diving programmes and scheduling. Watersports in Pattaya

Krabi is one of the cheaper seaside destinations in Thailand, and your budget requirements here will depend on your tastes and the time of year you visit. Backpackers could get by on as little as 300 baht a day, while the average European or US holidaymaker tends to spend around 2,000 baht per day (about US$65).

Most visitors to Krabi spend their money on accommodation, eating and entertainment, as with anywhere, yet you will find the hotels and attractions a lot cheaper here than those in Europe. The following is a breakdown of general costs in Krabi.

The beaches are free to use, yet to really enjoy your holiday a sun lounger is a must. A slew of restaurants and all manner of water sports are at your disposal, so you’ll want to budget for dining and activities. Figure on 200 baht a day for the sun lounger, about 800 baht for 30 minutes on a jet-ski, 60 baht for a beer, 20 baht for a can of coke, and 20 baht for some fruit and ice-cream. Anything up to 1,000 baht will easily cover a day on the beach.

Krabi is a world-class rock climbing destination with hundreds of mapped climbs on the limestone cliffs of Rai Leh Beach. Numerous schools offer courses for beginners up to advanced level. Courses and equipment rental are a lot cheaper here than climbing destinations of this caliber elsewhere else.

Diving is also extremely popular in this region, with the reefs of Koh Phi Phi well within reach of Krabi. Dive centres in Ao Nang offer PADI courses and dive trips to reefs and wrecks throughout the season. Standards are good, guides speak English and prices are cheap. The OW1 PADI course is around 6,000 baht (US$200) and a daytrip with a couple of dives works out at about half that. Activities in Krabi.

Thailand is renowned for its spas and massage, and you could enjoy a relaxing massage on the beach for 200 baht, or try one of the many parlours along the beach front or in town. In addition, many of the larger hotels have spas, but these generally charge a lot more for their services.

Krabi Town has the cheapest shopping and is loaded with small shops of every description. Handicrafts, silk scarves, sarongs, silver jewellery, and leather items are all popular sellers. If you’re after some fake designer gear, Ao Nang is the place, but bargain hard. Aim for around 30 to 50-per cent off the asking price, and barter with a smile.

You could spend anywhere from 20 baht for a typical rice dish at a hawker stall to around 1,000 baht a head for a full blown seafood extravaganza at a beachside restaurant. However, spending 1,000 baht per person in most restaurants in Krabi is considered extravagant. Figure on about 500 baht a head for a decent meal with drinks at a good restaurant. Drinks run at about 60 or 70 baht for a bottle of beer and around 100 baht or more for a gin and tonic in the bars.

Most hotels in Krabi are concentrated in Ao Nang, with the cheapest off-season prices at around 200 baht, up to around 5,000 for a deluxe/suite in one of the best resorts. A four-star place near the beach in the high season would be around 2,000 baht per night. Booking hotels online is your best bet for picking up a bargain. See prices and booking of hotels.

For transport, the most useful option for tourists is the songthaew, an open-air bus or pick-up with two benches in the back. Fares are typically 30 baht from Krabi Town to Ao Nang. Taxis and tuk-tuks are also ubiquitous, but you’ll need to bargain hard to get a good price.

Many tourists hire scooters for getting about and these are about 150 to 200 baht a day, while cars are 1,000 baht upwards. Fuel is about half the price of Western countries.

Long-tail ferries run between Ao Nang and Rai Leh costing about 60 baht per head (more after 19:00) and can carry around 10 people. You can charter one for about 1,200 baht a day to take you around the various beaches, or go the whole hog and charter a speedboat for 15,000 baht.

Some of the planet’s finest diving sites are located along southern Thailand’s western coast, and Krabi is right in the thick of it, making this beach town the ideal base for scuba diving and snorkelling enthusiasts.

Incredibly diverse coral reefs and marine life, perfect winter weather, and unbelievably low prices make Krabi one of those rare places where almost anyone can afford the normally expensive thrill of scuba diving. The majority of Krabi’s local dive shops can be found on nearby Ao Nang Beach, a pleasant 30-minute drive from town. Most visitors will find the five main dive sites around Ao Nang enough to satisfy their appetites, but for those underwater junkies who crave more, Krabi is a well-established departure point for countless other spectacular areas farther afield.

The diving scene at Ao Nang revolves around Koh Poda and the seven small islets surrounding it which make up part of the Hat Nopparat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi Marine National Park. Diving and snorkelling options in this area range from safe and easy excursions, ideal for beginners, to deeper headwall dives requiring considerable experience and training. The marine life here is both diverse and prolific, with more than 200 species of fish and 80 species of coral having already been identified. More on Ao Nang beach

One of the most popular of these seven islands is Koh Ha, where more than 60 varieties of coral encrust the boulders along with reliably large schools of barracuda, squid and even the occasional leopard shark. If you’re interested in searching for the camera-shy black-tip reef shark, Koh Dor or Koh Si are the places to go. Koh Dor is the nearest site to Ao Nang, and is well-known for its extensive coral gardens. But this also makes it the most crowded site around Krabi. “Nobody warned us we’d see so many rare species of Humanus Touristas at Koh Dor,” one American complained.

The relatively large island of Koh Talu has two excellent shallow swim-throughs lined with coral, which are ideal for divers of all levels. From Koh Talu, you can easily swim across a channel to GK Island, which is renowned for its seemingly endless soft coral reef and all the attendant creatures that thrive here like crabs, shrimp and brittle stars. More experienced divers may want to check out the quiet underwater realm around Koh Yawabon. The strong currents here mean most dive boats head to other islands, leaving some of the biggest fish populations in the region and even the occasional stingray to run rampant.

If snorkelling is your thing, don’t worry. The islands around Ao Nang offer plenty of incredible sites where the water is shallow and teeming with beautiful reefs and marine life. Koh Si is perhaps the best place to start due to its high visibility and shallow reefs. The two massive coral-covered plateaus on either side of this tiny islet are especially picturesque and contain reliable schools of snapper and plenty of giant groupers. Seahorses are another highlight of snorkelling around Koh Si.

Rivaling Koh Si for the best snorkelling around Ao Nang is Koh Yawasam. This island has some huge sections of shallow reef and flat sandy spots making it the ideal site for scuba instruction if you’re new to the sport. Snorkellers can meander for hours checking out the teeming psychedelic marine life which includes the rare but beautiful red saddleback anemonefish.

There’s plenty to see right around Ao Nang itself, and all of the diving sites are easy to reach and don’t require as much of a commitment to spending a whole day out at sea. However, for those divers who search of the most exclusive sites, Krabi makes a great base for starting your explorations.

Liveaboard diving cruises are the best way to really get out there into the Andaman Sea and crank out some serious dives. They’re definitely pricier than simple daytrips, but the unique experience of sleeping out in the middle of the sea and having everything taken care of for you is priceless. “Worth every baht,” a beeming gentleman confirmed.

A handful of dive outfits in Krabi have boats suitable for these types of multi-day trips which allow you to get intimately acquainted with some of Thailand’s premier sites such as the Similans, Surins and even the truly exotic and untapped Mergui Archipelago and the Burma Banks of Myanmar.

If liveaboard cruises feel a bit excessive, there are dozens of other world-class diving sites around Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands which can be done as daytrips from Krabi. Nearly every dive site on the books can be accessed from Ao Nang since it’s so centrally located.

To the east of Phuket are some excellent dives worth checking out if you want to see more. Koh Dok Mai, Anemone Reef and Shark Point are the main highlights. Common features of these sites include steep headwalls plunging dozens of meters down into the depths of the Andaman Sea, sheltered coves, and vast expanses of coral gardens. One of the most interesting dives around is King Cruiser, a massive car ferry that sank in 1997. Poking around this wreck makes for a unique experience, as a different group of sea creatures than those normally found in open-sea reefs have made it their home.

If you choose to explore the dive sites around Phuket, don’t miss Koh Bida Nai and Koh Bida Nok just south of the Phi Phi Islands. Both hard and soft coral gardens packed with healthy sea whips, gorgonian sea fans and a wide range of sea life including parrotfish, angel fish, sharks and even the odd eagle ray ring these two tiny outcroppings. At this single site, you can have a truly comprehensive underwater experience.

Phi Phi Island’s stunning Maya Bay, made famous as the filming site for the movie The Beach, is a great place for beginners to learn the ropes. This shore dive starts on the beach and allows for easy and comfortable diving. There’s plenty of action under the water in Maya Bay and lounging around the beach afterwards isn’t too shabby either. More on Phi Phi

One of the more popular sites around Phuket is Shark Point, aptly named for the large population of leopard sharks that hang around the sandy bottom. Seven fascinating underwater pinnacles covered in coral make up this site, allowing for plenty of individual exploration. The sea life around here is also abundant thanks to its status as a protected marine environment.

Anemone Reef is the other half of the Shark Point Marine Sanctuary. This wonderful site is made up of two fully submerged pinnacles with a hard ridge completely covered in anemones running between them. Naturally, colourful Nemo-style fish move in and out of the waving tentacles of the anemones creating one of the more memorable sights of Krabi’s diving scene.

Visibility in the sea around Krabi is excellent, averaging 20 meters, with a maximum of 30 meters and more during the calm, clear dry season from November to April. Even the ‘green season’, from May to October, is a great time to dive around Krabi. The most popular dive sites are nearly deserted and the conditions are usually quite good despite being the rainy season. Another bonus is an average water temperature of 30°C, allowing for comfortable diving any time of the year. “Ask around about the nude night dives,” a young woman from Denmark suggested.

The price of diving in Thailand is among the cheapest in the world considering the quality and quantity of the sites scattered around the Andaman Sea. Lodging in Krabi or neighbouring Ao Nang can be as cheap or as luxurious as you like. There is plenty of excellent dining and lots of nightlife if you feel like unwinding after a day underwater.

Getting to Krabi gets easier with each passing year, thanks to its rising popularity and Thailand’s improving transportation network. Flights now arrive and depart at Krabi’s tiny airport every day from Bangkok, eliminating the long bus trip down the isthmus.

Alternatively, visitors can fly into Phuket’s international airport and make the short road or boat journey south to Krabi. New dive sites are regularly added to the menu, proving that Thailand’s western coast is indeed one of the planet’s premier diving destinations and will continue to be so.

Phuket provides plenty of gorgeous weather for enjoying the coastlines and the Andaman Sea. Water sports are of course plentiful, ranging from banana boat rides and scuba diving to kite-boarding and surfing. However, the most rewarding water activity is sailing.

Phuket is renowned for its excellent sailing, and the marine industry has been flourishing since the government reduction in boat import tax from 200 per cent down to 0 per cent. Sailors have the best of both worlds on Phuket: the deep blue seas and stellar boating conditions in the high season off the west coast, alongside the year-round shelter and unique features of Phang Nga Bay off the east coast.

The west coast of the island is popular for its white, sandy beaches and deep blue seas. More recently, the east coast has started to boom with spectacular high-end developments offering amazing views across Phang Nga Bay.

“The sailing here is incredible,” says Bob Welders, a tourist from Australia, “I spend most of my time on the water and the rest eating the great seafood and partying in Patong – you can’t beat Phuket.”

Marinas are springing up everywhere to accommodate all the new yachts coming here from around the world and those that are moored here as their base. Phuket is shaping itself as a major international marine destination, and you’ll find no shortage of ways to get on a sailboat. More on sailing in Phuket

It’s easy to hire a boat if you’re a seasoned sailor, or you can opt for sailing lessons if you’re a novice. A range of sailing companies provide ASA and RYA certification. There are also plenty of sailing trips lasting from overnight to 10 days.

For those who are just looking to cruise the Andaman for one day, there are lots of great options. Probably the most spectacular place to head for on a daytrip in the high season is the Similan Islands. You’ll cross the most beautiful deep blue waters of the Andaman and head north to this stunning collection of nine islands, technically located in Phang Nga province.

The Similans are located within a marine national park and have retained a pristine appearance that is so stunning you must visit in person to believe it. Above the water, you’ll find the finest, powdery white sands contrasted with lush green forests. Off the shores and into the deep are clear waters filled with amazing tropical marine life and bright corals, perfect for snorkelling or scuba diving.

Visitors should take note that the islands close during the green season (April to October) and if you are visiting Phuket in the high season, you shouldn’t miss out on the unique experience of visiting this beautiful marine park. Be sure to pack drinks and food, as there are no restaurants here!

Any time of year, you can enjoy the sailing off the east coast of Phuket, in Phang Nga Bay, and most daytrips will take you in and around this area as there’s so much to see. Hundreds of islands and karst rock formations jut out of the waters here, providing spectacular scenery unlike anywhere else in the world.

As well as sailing to the tiny uninhabited rocks and beaches, and exploring the ‘haung’ (‘rooms’ open to the sky and surrounded by rock, accessed by walking or wading through a cave entrance), there are some excellent inhabited islands where you can tie up and have a picnic or stay overnight at a resort.

You can sail to Koh Yao Noi and visit The Paradise, where lunch is served in an open-air pavilion on the beach. Koh Yao Yai is the largest island in Phang Nga Bay and it takes roughly an hour to get here by sailboat. Koh Yao Noi is the most developed of the two islands, but it still has a refreshing sleepy fishing-village feel and unspoilt beaches. The nightlife is virtually non-existent and is limited to quiet dining and resort bars.

There’s also Phi Phi Islands, just a few hours sail away. Lined with cute bungalows and more than enough dive shops, Phi Phi Don is the largest island and popular with a younger crowd. The pristine national park beaches of Phi Phi Leh, the location for the filming of the 1990s movie The Beach, have a laid-back and enjoyable atmosphere.

Beyond Phi Phi is Krabi. Reminiscent of a more peaceful Phuket of the 1980s, Krabi is a great destination for families and couples who want to enjoy the beach and relatively untouched nature. The main strip of Ao Nang has all the amenities you require, while Railay Beach is only accessible by boat and is famous for its rock-climbing.

Koh Racha Yai and Noi can be seen from the southern end of Phuket as they lie just 20kms offshore. They are still delightfully undeveloped for the most part, and only Racha Yai offers accommodation. There are two beaches on Racha Yai, one deep and one shallow – but both lovely. Racha Noi has just one tiny beach with the rest of the shoreline being rocky; however, the waters surrounding it are nice enough to be used for diving. Koh Khai is just a 20-minute sail from the eastern shore of Phuket and is a tiny island with coral and white sands. This is a great place for snorkelling on a daytrip.

Where ever you choose to go, you are sure to enjoy a day sailing trip from Phuket.

Visitors’ guide to Phuket

Learning how to scuba dive is possible year round in Thailand and there are many places where you can gain PADI certification. NAUI and SSI certifications are also available but rare.

If you are just starting out, you might want to try the easier diving off the east coast of Thailand, at Koh Tao, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Koh Samet or Koh Chang. More experience divers will want to go to the west coast and head for the Similan Islands, with jumping off points at Phuket and Khao Lak. Fortunately, high seasons for diving at each of the coasts is different, so you can come to Thailand and find good diving all year round.

Koh Tao is probably the most popular place among young backpackers to learn how to scuba dive. PADI Open Water classes are very affordable here, as are subsequent dives. In the past, the dive sites around Koh Tao were well known for whale shark sightings, but these have been fewer each year as the underwater environment has been very poorly monitored, over-fished and over-dived.

With the cheap diving comes some issues that more experienced divers would not be willing to put up with. There is no restriction on the number of dive boats on a dive site, and it is not unusual to find several dive boats on the same site at the same time – some boats releasing as many as 50 Open Water divers into the water simultaneously.

The dive sites surrounding Koh Tao are mostly shallow and without currents, making them suitable for beginners. The low cost of dive courses extends into the higher levels, making this a good place to take PADI Advanced, Rescue Diver, Dive Master, Master Scuba Diver and Instructor courses as well. Some people arrive on Koh Tao to take an Open Water course and end up staying until they become instructors. There are dozens of dive shops on Koh Tao, offering you a range of choices. Guide to Koh Tao

It’s best to choose very carefully to suit your needs and what you can afford. Not all dive instructors are created equally, nor are all shops the same. Inquire into the background of the instructors, check out the quality and maintenance of the rental equipment and ask about the insurance policy of the shop should you have an accident and require treatment in the hyperbaric chamber on the island.

The most popular places to take PADI Open Water courses on the west coast of Thailand are Phuket or Khao Lak. Before the 2004 tsunami, Khao Lak was a concentrated dive community much like Koh Tao. These days, it has built up again and is full of dive shops. It is the closest point to the Similan Islands where you can take dive courses, and therefore quite convenient.

Along with plenty of accommodation, shops, restaurants and entertainment, the selection of dive shops in Khao Lak makes it a great place to take an Open Water course. You can take a speedboat daytrip or a liveaboard of three days or more to get to the best dive sites. It takes a bit longer to get to the Similans from Phuket; however, there is more to see and do in Phuket and unless you are a hardcore diver, you might prefer to stay here. Phuket is also surrounded by many other dive sites for daytrips, although these are mediocre in comparison to the Similans.

Experienced divers will probably only want to dive at the Similan Islands, technically located in Phang Nga province. The nine islands are located within a marine national park and have retained a pristine appearance. Above the water, the islands have the finest, powdery white sands imaginable. Off the shores and into the deep are clear waters filled with amazing tropical marine life and bright corals. Even seasoned divers are impressed by the 40 to 50m visibility. The best way to enjoy the Similans is by liveaboard. Diving companies in Phuket

The most luxurious dive experience can be had on a boat like the Ocean Rover, operated by Fantasea Divers. You’ll barely have to move at all, with a professional crew tending to your dive gear and preparing gourmet meals and snacks. The company offers 8 to 10-day trips with private en-suite cabins to the Similans, Burma Banks and Mergui Archipelago.

If you’re on a tighter budget, it can be fun to try operators like Similan Diving Safaris and Sea Dragon Dive Centre, both located in Khao Lak. They both offer less expensive 4-day dive trips.

Most liveaboard dive operators will offer an Open Water dive course on board, with the paperwork done ahead of time; you should book early if you want this option. Keep in mind that many of the dive sites in the Similans are beyond the recreational limit of 40m and some have currents that are not suitable for new divers, so you should be aware of your abilities and dive with a qualified professional. Also note that the islands close during the green season (mid-June to August).

Being a travel writer means getting free trips and tours, right? How lucky we are to get paid to seek out adventure and report on the excitement and wonderful experiences of travelling, but sometimes it all goes wrong and we end up risking our lives to bring readers the real truth. White-water rafting is one of those adrenalin inducing activities that have become immensely popular among travellers in the past decade, but just how safe is it?

Following a week of torrential rain in Chiang Mai our group set out to raft down the Mae Tang river, hoping to catch it at its most wild. Sure I’d rafted grade 4 and 5 rapids before; little did I realise what this river had in store.

After a brief but serious safety lecture and some impromptu practicing, we set out.  But within 10 minutes we’d capsized, having been drawn into a pile of debris in the middle of a rapid. Minutes before that we had lost both our guides overboard and had to steer ourselves into an eddy to recover them. This was clearly an unforgiving river.

Getting dumped at the bottom of a rapid is no problem, you hold your breath wait for the current to drag you out the other side, but with the rainy season in full swing, a river full of logs and branches in your way spells trouble. The fierce water pushes you up against obstacles, and there you stay until you drown.

There was panic, pandemonium and finally sheer power as the rapid dragged us in, then brief confusion as we all tumbled over. For a moment the raft was on top of us, dark and suffocating, moving fast. I found myself stuck, the force of the water threatening to push the life out of me. I could scarcely move under the pressure. Luckily I found my head above water. Instinctively I grabbed onto a nearby log, struggling just to gather my wits. A thought for the others flashed through my head; somewhere out there was my girlfriend (much smaller and weaker than I, and unable to swim). But I could only worry about myself. I was stuck, trapped at the mercy of this angry boiling river. I realised my leg had been wedged under a branch, but the forceful current made it impossible to free it. Water was coming at me, pushing, dragging, threatening to flatten me and full my lungs with water. I held on with all my strength, fighting the current, unable to move or even find a relaxing position to gather my strength. Every second was a challenge, stretching my muscles, cutting my fingers and testing my will. Waves of water smashed into me. Once I nearly lost grip.

Thinking back, many of us have had near death experiences, a quick car crash, shots fired, or near a miss, something that is instantly over. But imagine confronting your death moment for twenty minutes, grappling with nature, you versus the rushing power of a cubic ton of water a minute, without a second to rest and regroup, just one long struggle with no one else to help­.

Minutes dragged. My strength was beginning to wane, in desperation I tried wiggling my leg free, I even tried using an arm but had to quickly revert to a double grip, one slip and I would’ve been washed backwards and defeated.

“let go, let go” I heard, shouted from the banks, “let the current take you”.

It took them about 10 minutes to realise I wasn’t budging. With sapped strength it was impossible to yell above the roar of the water. Finally, they threw me a rope but it missed.  At this stage I could only concentrate on holding on. Another rope came, landing across me, weakly I snatched it. Somehow I managed to wrap it around a stump in the wood. And then they were there, two guides who had shimmied across the water like monkeys, battling the water themselves. One was nearly lost and I waited desperately for the other to help him recover.

“Pull”, I hoarsely yelled with a final burst of adrenalin. It took several attempts to beat the current but it worked, I was jerked forward and managed to wiggle my leg free. Nirvana!

They dragged me onto the log and there I lay for ages, just recovering my strength and panting, too afraid and exhausted to move. Eventually I plucked up the courage to release myself back into the river and soon found myself spat out into the quiet eddy’s below. I could scarcely swim to the bank, someone dragged me in, the others were evidently oblivious to what had happened, I collapsed into the dinghy and wept, too tired to do much else. All about me there was confusion and bewilderment. All the others were thankfully OK.

As I write this, a few days later, I’m still limping and winch every time I brush my severely grazed arms against anything. It was a frightening experienced which I’d rather forget about. A comment from the guide flashes through my memory; “The Mae Tang descends nearly 1000 feet in only a short length, it can be very dangerous in the rainy season”. Their professionalism was never in doubt, they saved my life and thousands descend the river safely every year. Later they told me I should’ve just let go, suggesting that the inertia of the river would’ve dislodged my trapped leg. This may have been true, but in panic I had decided not to risk it.  By my judgement the leg was firmly hooked, there was no backup plan and the stakes were my own life.

When adventure and fun is involved it’s always hard to say no, but sometimes we need to judge for ourselves if commercialism is overriding safety ethics. In Thailand litigation over safety is very porous. We all acknowledge that this is a high risk sport when we sign the indemnity form but the harsh fact is; lots of people around the world drown every year rafting the white water.

While most visitors to Thailand come looking for sea, sun and sand, there are plenty more thrilling activities on offer throughout the kingdom.

In the south and among the islands, water sports are popular and include sea canoeing and kayaking as well as game fishing. In the north, the most popular option is mountain trekking, but there are dozens of other choices including mountain biking, hot-air ballooning, ATV riding, microlight flying, river rafting and caving.

Most visitors who have safely negotiated the adventure that is Bangkok head south for the beaches and islands. Here, there is plenty to do if you tire of lounging around on the beach all day. Sea canoeing is a soft adventure option which can be done at Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi, Trang, Khao Sok and Koh Tarutao among other places.

Of you want to go sea kayaking, it is advisable to go on a guided tour, as local weather conditions, sea life and other factors make experience vital to guarantee a safe trip. Tours are available from one day up to one week in length. You will explore sea caves and hidden lagoons only accessible by kayak. Accommodation is in tents or national park lodgings. Krabi is the best place to go kayaking and since it’s close to many intriquing seascapes found in nearby Pha Nga bay. Kayaking can also be arranged from Phuket to these same areas with their limestone sea caves. More on kayaying in Krabi

Those looking to catch a big one are well catered for on Phuket, where game fishing trips take in the Andaman Sea. Catches include blue and black marlin, sailfish, dog-tooth tuna, giant trevally, jacks and even swordfish. There is a strict catch-and–release policy in place, ensuring a sustainable supply of fish. Daytrips, night-fishing and multi-day tours can be booked with a number of reputable companies.

In the north, the most popular adventure choice is trekking in the mountains combined with visits to local hill tribe villages. The best place to book a tour is from Chiang Mai, with a multitude of different tour operators of varying quality. The best way to choose a tour is to ask fellow travellers about their recent experience. Some tours keep what they promise and steer clear of areas overloaded with other trekking groups; others promise the world but deliver very little.

Trekking tours usually involve a few hours drive to your starting point and then a few more hours spent walking to the first village, where you will make an overnight stop. River rafting and elephant trekking are mainstay components and visiting a variety of tribes are normally on the agenda.

River rafting on the northern rivers can be an exhilarating experience. The Pai River near Mae Hong Son and the Nam Wa River near Nan are popular, as is the Mae Cham River near Chiang Mai. New options opening up include the Mae Klong near Tak. Whitewater rafting in Northern Thailand

It’s important to choose a reputable company which puts emphasis on safety and doesn’t cut corners. You are required to wear a helmet and life vest to protect you in case you fall overboard, something that is more likely to happen than not. The level of the rapids depends on the season and ranges from wild in the rainy season to impassable in the hot season.

The best time is from mid-June to end of January, when the water levels are favourable, with the months of August and September boasting the highest levels. You can see local wildlife such as birds and even monkeys swimming across the river.

Land rats may prefer a spot of mountain biking among the lush hills of the north. The best time for biking is November to February, when the weather is cooler. Several companies offer well-organised biking tours, with most include guides and back-up vehicles carrying food and overnight equipment. Bikes can also be rented in major tourist destinations at very reasonable rates on a daily basis. Daytrips can easily be self-organised; all you need is a good map. Mountain biking tours of Chiang Mai

One of the most rewarding adventures however is perhaps caving. Thailand’s northern provinces have a huge number of caves, some developed and easily accessible by tourists while others require treks of several days to reach. Probably the best known cave network is in Pang Mapha district of Mae Hong Son Province.

The Tham Lod lodge is operated by an Australian, who has been instrumental in exploring and opening up the vast network of caves, many of which are traversed by rivers and require rafts to negotiate. This is one place where ecotourism is not just a marketing ploy but actually practiced, and caves that are too sensitive to receive visitors are off-limits.

From below ground to high above. Fancy a hot air balloon flight over the Chiang Mai Valley? No problem, you can even top it off with a champagne breakfast on touchdown. If that’s too slow, try flying as a passenger on a microlight plane and get your picture taken in-flight to show folks back home.

The Mae Sa Valley, just 20kms outside of Chiang Mai is also called Adventure Valley. It offers a plethora of activities including bungee jumping, ATV riding, paintball arenas and archery. No matter what your preference, adventures can easily be found in all parts of Thailand to spice up your holiday.

It’s been raining cats and Buddhas for the past three days, but today the sun is already beating down on us and it’s only 10am. But it isn’t enough sun to dry out the severe mud ruts that this old landrover is busy grinding its way through as we patiently negotiate our way up the Mae Tang river. To our left the gorge falls away steeply, carpeted in lush jungle, and at the bottom we catch glimpse of a ferocious river that tumbles out of the mountains of Northern Thailand.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” my companion asks sceptically. “Dunno, but the jungle up here sure is pretty” I meekly respond, trying to change the topic. It took me half a day to persuade her to come whitewater rafting and then the floods came down from the mountains and left Chiang Mai under a foot of water. But our guide, Jason, assured us that he never rafts an angry river and that our patience would pay off. The waters of Typhoon Damrey are now down in the valley he explains and the river has dropped to a safe level. To prove his point, we stopped at one point nearer the river and we inspected the rocks.

“See this boulder here” he points out, “when this is above the water level, it’s safe to raft this river”. He’s internationally trained in swift water rescue so we take his word for it. But the sight of the whitewater and sheer force of the grade five rapid he showed off to us has left butterflies in my stomach. Adventure in Northern Thailand

The awesome force of the recent floods have left an obvious calling card, and the banks are littered with forest debris and strewn with a destructive muddy mess several meters higher than the present level. It’s difficult to image a river more lively than this but clearly we are seeing it at in a tamer mood.

Up at the camp the river is more relaxed, and even after the traumatic preview we have not regrets about signing up for this adventure. Sop Kai is a charming little village situated on a flat part of the river, way up this snaking valley, and all around us the jungle sings with a mid morning chorus of nature as the water glistens and the sleepy community goes about its rural business.

We’re offered some snacks and fresh mountain coffee in the cool riverside bungalow of Siam River Adventures, and left to savour the wonderful experience of being up here in the mountains. This village is far away from the tourist traps and crowded temples. It’s all part of the day’s experience, Jason promised us. I’m tempted to ask if we can skip the rafting and simply go hiking up the banks of the river, it’s so lovely here. But that would be chickening out.

Before long he has us all kitted out and launches into a serious safety briefing and inpromptu tutorial on how to react to an unruly raft. “Forward paddle! Back paddle! Lean left! Right! Get down!” he yells as we practice in the eddies of this impatient river. When it’s all over he offers us a reassuring; “ don’t worry, the guides will control the craft, just follow orders and you’ll be alright.” Before the safety briefing began he made a point of checking the swift water rescue gear and despatching his staff to the most difficult rapids, so that they are ready to throw rescue ropes. He also points out that his is the only company on this river that has safety kayakers accompanying the raft to help rescue ‘floaters’, as he calls them. We feel just a little better now.

And, with little time to ponder what we are about to embark on, the guides push us into the main current and the camp disappears immediately as gravity tugs violently at us. That initial experience of sudden unstoppable momentum is perhaps the most impressionable memory as your adrenalin gets hold of your heart. You have little chance to concentrate on anything other than the rapidly approaching water immediately in front of your craft. It’s too late to turn back now but one certain thought that screams at your sense of logic is; ‘Oh my god, what have I got myself into!’

Within minutes we hit the first major rapids. Thunderous water sound a warning, my heart rate increases even more, and then we are on top of it. “Whooooaaah” we scream as the raft plunges headlong into the grade four rapid. The accelleration is scary, and with an exhilarating rush we splash through the bottom as our raft buckles and is thrown around. A sheer adrenalin high turns to relief as we coast out the other side and enjoy a breather on a tamer stretch.But not for long, the gradient steepens again, we bumble over some smaller rapids and continue forward, without any respite or braking.

“OK, everybody ready” our guide shouts. “lean left! Left, left, left ” he yells desperately as we all try to avoid our craft being sucked into the wrong side of an even larger rapid. “Backpaddle!” He yells even louder, as he tries to steer the craft away from the insistent draft. A big pile of debris has split the rapid, the right side definitely looks dangerous. Everything happens quickly, we’re panicking now, but instinct takes over, water pours into the right side, miraculously we narrowly avoid the tough route and with one final strong paddle from the guide we plunge down the correct shute.

My god, this is pretty stressful, I think to myself as we emerge safely below. There is spontanoeusly laughter and cheering, relief turns fear into enjoyment, and in a nervous sort of way I find myself starting to really enjoy this. “Well done” the guide tells us calmly, you have passed the tough first test, those were some of the toughest, it gets easier from here” he reassures us. And he’s true to his word. Just as I was beginning to loathe any more of this, we tumble down a series of fun small rapids that prove to us that rafting this river is exciting and enjoyable.

After 20 more minutes of tamer rapids, we all – as a team – seemt o have the hang of this and soon we pull up into an eddy where we are reunited with the other rafts. “Time for a breather” our guide shouts, and we all losen our protective helmets and life jackets. The road is just above us and a train of elephants trundle by with several tourists on board. Now that’s a far more sensible way to travel, I think to myself.

Before long we set out again for the most lively stretch of the river and unbeknown to us, a nasty surprise lies ahead. We hit the next rapid, a grade five with a name that sounds like something out of a violent Playstation game. This one is practically a small waterfall and as we hit the bottom the raft flips and into the water we all go. Pandemonium strikes. I recall seeing the swift water rescue guard standing on a nearby rock with safety rope ready but chaos reigns as I hold my breath and try, in a panic, to remember the safety advice. The water is keeping me under but I hold my breath and allow the water to ‘wash me out’ of the rapid. Sure enough I find myself downstream, surfacing and trying to gain control as the powerful river spirits me away. Luckily there are no further rapids and I manage to steer myself into an eddy. Fortunately everyone has recovered and we soon regroup and rescue the rafts.

And so the day continues as we tackle one rapid after the other, interspersed with relaxing recoveries along tamer stretches of the river from where we can admire the wonderful forested gorge around us. A few more times we manage some hair raising escapes and the adrenalin rushes are addictive, leaving us nervously wishing for more. We have overcome our fears and eventually we approach the bottom of the stretch.

“Yeah! Bring it on baby” yells one of the people in our group and each time we plunge into another rapid the girls let out a loathing scream that soon turns to laughter. Even when it’s all over and we coast into the disembarkment camp we are all grinning from ear to ear, with scarcely any regret for signing up for the day’s adventure.

There’s only one task left to do, and that is to pose as a team in front of the rafts, paddles raised in victory – for we have tamed the mighty Mae Tang river.

Whitewater rafting is offered on the Mae Tang River by Siam River Adventures who have day trips departing daily. For more details visit: http://www.siamrivers.co Or call: 09 515 1917 – trips cost 1800 baht and can be booked at local tour agents.