Sport and adventure holidays

Golf

Moderately priced golf can be enjoyed every day of the year throughout tropical Thailand, and more world class courses designed by International celebrities such as Gary Player and Robert McFarlane.

Whether beside the sea or set amid the mountains, Thai golf courses share many common characteristics, are challenging and beautifully landscaped.

Fairways and greens are immaculately maintained. Clubhouse facilities customarily include restaurants, pro shops and, increasingly, opportunities for swimming, squash and tennis. All major courses offer half or full sets of clubs for rental, together with shoes, parasols and other essential accessories. Green fees and caddy fees are reasonably priced.

Except for weekends, Thailand's leading public golf courses rarely require advanced booking. Fees are less than almost anywhere in the world.

Challenging golf courses are within convenient travelling distance of all major tourist destinations.

Thailand's first golf course was opened in the 1920s as part of the railway hotel at the seaside resort of Hua Hin. The course is still popular with visitors to the resort, but today there are some 50 others throughout the country.

Most courses boast modern clubhouses with restaurants and pro shops stocking a full range of the latest equipment.

Windsurfing

Jomtien Beach

Close to Bangkok and just south of Pattaya, this long beach sees good winds the whole year.
There is little in the way of rocks or coral to watch out for, and this beach has been host to several Siam World Cup championships.
November to January bring particularly strong winds, and sometimes the waves offshore reach a metre and a half or more.

Ko Samui

The east coast beaches of Chaweng and Lamai offer seasonal windsurfing.
The sport may be ill advised from October till May, when that side of the island is exposed to the north-west monsoon.
The north coast beaches of Bophut and Maenam, on the other hand, are fine for windsurfing all year round.

Hua Hin

Real experts might like to try the winter storms of Hua Hin, a charming seaside resort town on the western coast of the Gulf of Thailand.
On the island's west coast beaches, adept wind-surfers may prefer the peak offshore winds of the late November-February high season, especially in the mornings.
Novices should note that during this period, winds usually taper off to light breezes by early afternoon.
In the April-October season, winds tend to be consistently moderate, but windsurfing may sometimes be made hazardous by heavy seas rolling in from the Indian Ocean.

Kata Beach and Karon Beach are among the best windsurfing beaches. Patong is also good, though it gets busy in the high season.

Thai Boxing

Thai boxing began to take its present form in 1937, when it was modernised in line with Western boxing. Prior to that, it was a really dangerous game.

The boxers did not wear gloves, but bound their hands with strips of horse hide, which were later replaced by hemp ropes or strips of cotton soaked in glue.

The reform (carried out over half a century ago) was both sensible and imperative, though some old-timers have lamented at the loss of the truly powerful style of unarmed fighting.

Thai boxing developed as a form of self-defence during the Ayutthaya period (1350-1767). Boxers are forbidden to wrestle or bite. However, they may kick, shove, use bare feet, legs, elbows and shoulders, besides fists, to batter each other into submission.

Thai boxing is featured throughout the week at Bangkok's Ratchadamnoen Stadium (Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays) and Lumphini Stadium (Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays). Important matches, such as finals, are televised. Bouts commence at 18:00.

Sailing

Whether you sail the Gulf or the Andaman, bareboat sailing is the boom industry.

With bareboat yacht charters, you have the option of taking a boat with or without skipper or crew.

Beginners may want a fully crewed cruise, more experienced sailors just a skipper, while real veterans can simply take the boat and go.

As fast as the industry is growing, yacht charters tend to be booked a year in advance, so plan your cruise well ahead.

The first base for sailing in Thailand- Pattaya- is still the centre for the Gulf. Together with neighbouring Jomtien Beach, Pattaya offers marinas and clubs to serve an active and ever-growing number of sailors.

The moorings are secure, 12 months of the year, as sailing locally is a year round sport.

The area enjoys the added advantage of being close to all the other attractions of both Pattaya and Bangkok, which is only a couple of hours away by road.

At the same time, there are uninhabited islands to visit such as Ko Chang Marine National Park, or Ang Thong National Park.

The King's Cup Regatta, held in Phuket in early December, has become very successful, with both cruising and racing yachts coming from all over Asia to participate.

This remarkable spectacle has given pleasure to spectators as well as participants.

Trekking

The main trekking centres are Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son.

It does not take long to work out the going price for a trek; just ask around! Costs are about 250-500 Baht per day; the cheaper end of the range relating to trekking companies that specialise in the backpacking market.

If rafting and elephant rides are also included, the cost rises to 500-1000 Baht per day.

Trekking alone is not advisable although the security is good, the jungle is not the city and great care must be taken.

Proper clothing is a must, especially between December and January. It is also advised to carry a first aid kit which includes an insect repellent.

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