SEA AND RIVER CANOEING

As the hull beneath you slices cleanly through the water, you can feel each shock and slap of the waves. As you come to a bend in the stream or a stretch of turbulence, the precision of your craft is itself a trill. Canoeing has not long been popular in Thailand but the Sarika Canoe Club at Nakhon Nayok just north of Bangkok is one of the pioneers. The river there offers several challenging kilometers of whitewater, especially between June to October when the water is high. As the river in any case winds through spectacular country, it is always a good ride.

Or want to try the sea? Ko Chang National Park or Pattaya are the best sea canoe sites in central Thailand. Ko Chang’s many islands, many still uninhabited, in particular offer fantastic adventure. Run your canoe ashore on Ko Mak’s golden beaches or explorer the scenic interwoven bays of Ko Ngam. Ko Rang offers dazzlingly clear waters and spectacular views. Ko Kra, only half a square kilometer of land, has superb shallow water coral. But in the end it’s the boat itself that counts: The way it answers to the paddle, the way it cuts the surface. Whether you shoot Nakhon Nayok’s rapids in style or find yourself slogging through a choppy sea off Pattaya, it’s the sense of closeness to nature that’s the thing! No wonder canoeing is catching on!

ACTIVE THAILAND

BACK-COUNTRY BIKING

Back-country central Thailand is just made for smart bikers. The traffic is light, and the rural scenery of rice paddies, peaceful village and canals is delightful. And if you really want to stretch your muscles, just put your mountain-bike on the back trails of any of the several magnificent national parks in the region and let go. What an amazing way to experience some wonderful country!

An excellent place to start is Nakorn Nayok. Tucked away in what’s been called Bangkok’s back yard, this scenic province is situated in foothills of Khao Yai. It already has several designated back-road and off-road biking trails through gently rolling countryside, but of course you can easily make your own. Khao Yai itself with its 13 marked trails is another fantastic bike site, but then so is Khao Sam Roi Yot in Prachuab Khiri Khan province, Khao Kichakut in , Chlerm Rattanakosin and Saiyoke in Kanchanaburi and Kaeng Krachan in Petchaburi province. All these national parks have extensive trails so classic

GET TO KNOW THAILAND!

With an area of 514,000 square kilometers, Thailand is bordered by Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. The Andaman Sea bound it by the Gulf of Thailand and to the southwest. The capital and largest city is Bangkok. The Chao Phraya or the “River of Kings” is its chief river.

Thailand has a tropical climate with a high degree of humidity. The average temperature is 30 degrees Celsius. There are three seasons: hot (March to May), rainy (June to October), and cool (November to February). The country has 77,697 kilometers of highways and 3,999 kilometers of inland waterways. Bus services operate on routes from Bangkok to every region and between main provincial towns. The railway system, with nearly 4,000 kilometers of track, is divided into five regions each with a trunk line from Bangkok’s Hua Lampong station. There are several domestic airlines and international airports at Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Phuket. The basic unit of currency is the baht which is divided into 100 satang, Banknotes are in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 baht. Coins are in 25 and 50 satang. Government offices open from 8:30 to 4 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

A WONDERFUL COUNTRY TO BE YOUNG IN

Welcome to Thailand everyone!

We’ve been told often enough that “travel broadens the mind”. It does a lot more than that, though, especially when we’re young. This is the time when we are making discoveries for ourselves and beginning to understand what the world is really like. It’s a time of energy. enthusiasm, a capacity for enjoyment, and also of idealism, when people matter; the environment matters; diversity matters. At this time, travel answers a need in all young and is a most important part of their development. The kind of travel where adventure and fun go hand in hand with appreciation of the natural and social environment which you are discovering is the most rewarding of all. It is usually called sustainable travel, and it’s no surprise to find that this is the kind of travel which most appeals to young people. That’s Thailand. A land of adventure, of scenic beauty and glittering, manmade treasures, the home of a friendly, welcoming people: A wonderful country to be young in. So, let’s go and discover Thailand together.