Although when you think of Thailand, extreme sports may not be the first thing that comes to mind, there are surprisingly a lot of extreme sports opportunities that can be enjoyed in the country! The country has been called ‘the land of opportunities’ and doubled up with the fantastic (almost) year round hot weather, an extreme sports holiday in Thailand is sure to be an experience like no other. Whether you prefer land, air or water sports, you are sure to find something that will get your pulse racing and increase your adrenaline.
Scuba Diving
Thailand has dozens of locations for scuba diving including Koh Tao, the Similan Islands and the coast of Pattaya (about an hour from Bangkok). The diving conditions vary but both beginners and advanced divers are well catered for. The marine life in some of the locations is absolutely immense with whale sharks, reef sharks, turtles and a wide variety of fish making the seas surrounding the country their home. Crystal clear waters, lovely and warm temperatures and hundreds of dive schools (most run by expats) make Thailand a great location for keen scuba divers!
Caving
Thailand’s caves have been a popular attraction for both locals and tourists to the country for many years. Most of the country’s most famous caves are located in the Pang Mapha District in Karst and Hon Son Province and thousands of people visit the area each year just to experience the excitement for themselves. The Tham Lod Cave is one of the most popular caves in Hon Son due to the miraculous carvings on the cave walls. Another popular cave is the Spirit Well which is 100m deep and has a beautifully intriguing forest at its base which is a must see. Other caves to check out are Fossil Cave and Waterfall Cave which both have unique and thrilling features that you can’t afford to miss.
Bungee Jumping
Bungee jumping is very popular in South East Asia and Thailand is no exception. As long as you can get over your fear of heights, this is an awesome extreme sport to take part in and of course, the beautiful Thai scenery will make it worth your while. The best place to take part in bungee jumping in Thailand is in Pattaya where there are two different jumps available to you.
Sky Diving
Sky diving is a very exciting extreme sport to try in Thailand and there are a number of sky diving centers located throughout the country. The best time to take part in this sport is during November and February when the winds are calm and the air is dry – although make sure you confirm this as your location in the country will ultimately determine this. Like bungee jumping, the most popular location in Thailand for sky diving is in Pattaya so if you’re up for a challenge why not do both. If you want to be really adventurous you could then go diving off the Pattaya coast – if you’re brave enough that is!
If you’ve been considering taking an extreme sports holiday in Thailand, there’s no time like the present!
