Watersports
With two coastlines stretching for hundreds of miles and some of the finest
beaches to be found anywhere in Southeast Asia, Thailand has become a major
 travel destination for lovers of all kinds of water sports. A number of
excellent resorts offer a full range of equipment at reasonable rates for
anyone who wants to spend a holiday exploring the pleasures of deep-sea
fishing windsurfing, water skiing, parasailing, scuba diving, or swimming
in crystal-clear waters.
The earliest water-sport centre, and still one of the
most popular, is Pattaya on the Gulf of Thailand, just two hours' drive
from Bangkok, which has a wide variety of accommodations to meet almost
any travelling budget. The main beach is located on a scenic bay, but facilities
are available down the coastline for some 30 miles and there are also more
 than 30 picturesque off-shore islands with a wealth of The best known centre
for deep-sea fishing in the Pattaya area is Bang Saray, from which it is
possible to charter boats and go in search of marlin, king mackerel, sharks
and barracuda. Scuba divers can organize daily trips
from the resort to the off-shore islands ofKo Lan, Ko Sak, and Ko Krok,
all of which
take only 45 minutes to reach; interesting coral formations and colourful
fish are visible for up to 30 metres, depending on the season, in warm
waters ranging in depth from 3 to 25 metres. Many
of Pattaya's diving schools have personnel trained by the Professional
Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) or by the National
Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), plus all kinds
of equipment for hire. are English, (German, Dutch,
French, and Japanese. The other major water-sport
centre is the southern island of Phuket on the Andaman Sea. Here on the
 west coast there are more than 14 magnificent white-sand beaches, all with
warm clear waters, as well as a large number of nearby islands that boast
diving conditions to rival the best in the world. Most of the beaches have
equipment for diving, windsurfing, and other sports for rent.
The majorityofdiving destinations close to Phuket are
located in Phang Nga Bay, east of the island, The spectacular Phi Phi Islands
near Phuket are also popular sites. True enthusiasts also hire larger boats
for excursionsto the largely uninhabited Similan Islands, 80 kilometres
northwest of Phuket, which has clear waters similar to those found in the
Maldives, the Caribbean, and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.
Contact TAT for a list of selected diving metres and
schools.
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