TREKING & CAMPING IN THAILAND

Thailand is definitely one of the best place in the world for hiking and camping as there are an abundant number of national parks in the country. It should be stated that Thailand has the largest areas of protected forest areas in Southeast Asia and therefore hikers will find lots to do here. There are almost 50 national parks in Thailand; this number includes marine parks. These parks are managed and run by the national Parks Division of the Royal Forestry Department, and all offer great cottages and guesthouses. For those who prefer to camp out in the wilderness, national parks do allow visitors to pitch tents within specified areas.

Unlike the rest of the country, you will find that the parks are relatively cool all year round with temperatures averaging 30 degree Celsius. In fact, at year’s end (November-December during the cool season) parks can be quite chilly. Of course, being the tropics, these parks are also very humid (humidity here is almost 99%). A constant complaint for campers is that most washing never really dries even in the sunniest days due to the high levels of humidity.

Within Thailand’s national parks are also great waterfalls, which are a great stopover point for trekkers and bikers alike. Among the more famous and fantastic of them are Erawan Falls (probably the country’s most famous waterfall) located in Erawan National Park in western Thailand.

BEST TIME TO CLIMB

The best time to climb is November to mid February. July to October is the rainy season. Although boulders dry quickly, the rains will make your climb really slippery. December to February is a good time to climb however, it is also very crowded as this is the peak season. August is a generally the best time to climb in terms of crowds however, there is still the possibility of rain during this month.

CLIMBING IN SOUTHEAST THAILAND: GULF OF THAILAND

Ko Tao, accessible through Surat Thani at Ko Samui, is a relatively new destination for climbing. Located Northwest of Ko Samui and Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Tao and is the smallest and most isolated of these three islands in the southern end of the Gulf of Thailand. Climbing in Ko Tao is a completely different experience as the rocks here are granite boulders as opposed to Krabi’s overhanging limestone walls. This type of climbing is referred to as “bouldering”. More well known as a dive learning destination, Ko Tao is a destination with more than 40 mapped routes that offer solitude as opposed to the lively atmosphere in the Andaman destinations.

CLIMBING IN SOUTHERN THAILAND

Southern Thailand, Andaman Sea. Despite being more popular and famous for its pristine beaches, southern Thailand is the climbers hang-out. Probably the most famous climbing sites are Rai Ley Beach and Ton Sai in Phra Nang Bay. Both are located in Krabi, Thailand’s most developed and extensive climbing area. With over 500 bolted routes in walking distance, Rai Lay has become one of the world’s top climbing destinations. Over 650 routes have developed since the late 1980’s Routes heree follow limestones crags, steep, pocketed walls, overhangs and hanging stalactites. Some are accessed by boat while others are approached via a jungle walk or by abseiling above the sea.

Phi Phi Island is another popular rock climbing destination. The majority of climbing here is conducted on Phi Phi Don. It should be noted that Phi Phi is an archipelago of 2 islands, Phi Phi Ley and Phi Phi Don.

Mountain climbing can also be conducted at Khao Sok National Park. Expeditions here are usually a combination of jungle trekking and visits to waterfalls within the park, as well as kayaking or bamboo rafting.