| Thailand is best known for its southern beaches | | | | company to choose is to ask fellow travellers |
| and nightlife, and many visitors spend their days | | | | who have just returned from a trek. Most tours |
| lazing on the beach before hitting the bars and | | | | involve a few hours of walking a day, and |
| discos. But those seeking more exciting pastimes | | | | elephant riding, bamboo rafting and overnight |
| are also well catered for, with a wide variety of | | | | stays in mountain villages are the main highlights. |
| adventure activities ranging from trekking and | | | | Splashing fun can be found on the many rivers in |
| bamboo rafting to more heart stopping wild water | | | | the north, where river rafting in inflatable boats is |
| rafting or even bungee jumping. | | | | becoming increasingly popular. The Pai River in Mae |
| Away from the beaches, the southern islands | | | | Hong Son Province offers abundant birdlife and |
| offer sea kayaking and game fishing. Koh Samui, | | | | swimming monkeys. The Nam Wa near Nan has |
| Krabi and Phuket are ideal bases for organizing | | | | welcomed rafters longer than any other |
| sea canoeing or kayaking trips, with lots of | | | | waterway in Thailand and boasts some of the |
| operators offering tours lasting from one to | | | | wildest rapids. Near Chiang Mai is the Mae Cham |
| several days. Highlights include caves only | | | | River, perfect for day outings. The best time for |
| reachable by sea and hidden lagoons where you | | | | rafting is from mid-June to end of January, when |
| can swim and camp overnight. | | | | the water levels are not too high or too low. |
| Those who want to put their hunting skills to the | | | | Don't miss out on caving, one of the highlights in |
| test can do worse than going game fishing in the | | | | the northern provinces. Pang Mapha district |
| Andaman Sea off Phuket. Here you can catch a | | | | between Pai and Mae Hong Son offers some of |
| wide variety of fish, including sailfish, tooth tuna | | | | Asia's most spectacular cave networks. Many of |
| and swordfish. Day outings, night fishing or trips | | | | these were first explored by the Australian owner |
| lasting several days can easily be organized from | | | | of Cave Lodge, the ideal base for spelunking. Here |
| here. Be aware that all catches must be released | | | | you can hire experienced guides to lead you |
| back into the sea immediately. | | | | through the lesser known caves, or just get a |
| Land rats are advised to head north, where the | | | | map and set off on your own to explore on of |
| city of Chiang Mai is a prime base for embarking | | | | the many caves easily explored without a guide. |
| on adventure trips. Trekking is the most popular | | | | If you want to really mix it up, the Mae Sa Valley |
| choice here and tourists have enjoyed more or | | | | is an adventurer's paradise. Just 20kms outside of |
| less arduous treks to hill tribe villages for several | | | | Chiang Mai, bungee jumping, paint-balling, archery, |
| decades now. | | | | ATV riding and archery are all available here within |
| Treks can last from one day to a week, and the | | | | a few kilometres of each other. There is no |
| most important factor when deciding on which | | | | shortage of adventure for fun seekers in Thailand. |