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Khao
Sok National Park vacation Package
Our
Khao Sok National Park expedition is aptly labeled
a "soft adventure". One
of the easiest ways to see
the wildlife, birds and orchids of Thailand
is from a comfortable decked kayak.
The
massive 165 square kilometer reservoir
allows your kayak to slide silently through
the thick verdant tropical jungle.
It's a cool, comfortable and safe way
to explore Thailand's southern tropical jungles.
The orchid spotting, bird watching and wildlife
sightings are unbelievable. Hornbills are actually
common! We normally see 4 species of hornbills
every time we go - Great hornbill, Wreathed
hornbill, Bushy-crested hornbill, and the very
strange Helmeted hornbill.
Dave has sighted and/or is
familiar with most of
birds in southern
Thailand.
Apart from the birds there
are Long-tailed macaques, pig-tail
macaques, dusky langurs, and even gibbons to
be seen on most trips. One thing is inevitable,
youll see and/or hear monkeys!
Elephants can still be found in the
park, but they are uncommon. It's not uncommon
to see elephant tracks however. 
We stay in unique floating bamboo bungalows
on the massive 165 square kilometer reservoir.The
walkways and bungalows are very basic. They
are not very well-kept, but that's the price
we have to pay to access one of the most amazing
holiday destinations in Southeast Asia.
Click
here to read more about Khao
Sok National Park. Click
here to see a sample Khao
Sok itinerary.
Phang
Nga Bay National Park Vacation Package
Phang
Nga Bay is one of the
most popular tourist destinations in southern
Thailand. Every day countless operators take
tourists to a few well-known locations in the
Bay. The result is similar to road traffic in
Bangkok. It's noisy, congested, and chaotic.
The tourists see the famous "hongs",
or inner island lagoons in some of the islands,
and make the obligatory trip to see "James
Bond Island".
Each of our trip leaders has paddled
extensively in Phang Nga Bay. The Bay is a large,
lovely area that seems different in every change
in weather and light. There are many fine secluded
islands that can be explored at our leisure
in comfortable touring kayaks. In these areas,
where only the occasional fisherman is seen,
wildlife is plentiful.
Our guests, paddling at their own pace,
quickly learn the difference between White-belly
Sea Eagles and Brahminy Kites (another large
raptor) by the wing configuration while in flight.
Other frequent sightings include Pacific Reef
Egrets, a wide variety of Kingfishers, Little
Herons, Frigate Birds, and Blue Rock Thrushes.
Sometimes we catch sight of Oriental Pied Hornbills
perched in trees or in flight.
We come upon large monitor lizards
sunning on rocks, and often see Crab-eating
Macaques on the beach or moving in trees near
the water. Sometimes we see Dusky langurs in
trees high on a cliff face.
It is the quiet and solitude that we
seek as individual paddlers. It is this environment
which we offer our guests.
We stay in bungalows on an island with
a wonderful view of limestone karat formations
spread out before us. We enjoy the laid back
quality of island life. We aren't too interested
in tent camping, which in the tropics we find
not very comfortable.
Our escort boat is large enough to
carry our boats and gear, and has plenty of
room under the roof to sit out of the sun between
visits to islands.
We offer two day and three day trips
into Phang Nga the Bay, for two to six people.
Small groups, touring kayaks, orientation to
proper paddling technique and safety, islands
off the beaten path - this is PaddleAsia.
Click
here to read more about our Phang
Nga Bay kayaking tours.
Click here to see a sample Phang
Nga Bay itinerary.
The
Island of Trang Vacation Package
This
area has been affected by mass tourism,
so it's best experienced in the low season (May
through October). In addition to a beautiful
tidal river area which features some caves we
can paddle through, there are several islands
just off the coast. One of best things about
this area is the accommodations. Our mainland
bungalow operation is set in a beautiful tropical
garden environment. In the early morning, you
can see a variety of colorful birds visiting
the flowers. There is also a mangrove forest
behind the bungalows. We sometimes paddle the
mangrove in the late afternoon. We've seen otters
there. The restaurant is superb! 
Once out on the islands, we have plenty
to explore. The water is clear and the backdrop
is dramatic limestone formations. We have the
option of staying on the islands in bungalows
too. These aren't open all year however as so
few people go there in the low season (mid April
- November). The bungalows on Ko Muk are situated
in a garden setting with lots of flowers and
lush vegetation. As usual, the restaurant here
is also outstanding. We sometimes wonder if
we're on a paddling trip or an eating tour!
This
area is subject to waves in the low season.
We can run a limited trip in low season with
inexperienced paddlers, but we won't risk going
out to the islands if a particular day looks
questionable. It is recommended for experienced
paddlers during this period. It's perfectly
calm and safe during the high season.
Click
here to go to our main Trang
kayaking tour page.
Click here to see a sample Trang
itinerary.
Tarutao
National Park Vacation Package (Turatao
if you misspell it)
There
are schools of sailfish in the area.
We wont say exactly where, but well
show you! We often encounter sea turtles also.
Tarutao is a rather large Island. Its
approximately 30 nautical miles around. There
are a lot of small secluded beaches and rocky
points. There are also a couple of nice rivers
to paddle. These tend to be great places to
spot wildlife. We usually do some night paddles
into these rivers. Youll have lots of
eyes in the beam of your flashlight!
The islands to the northwest of Tarutao
offer crystal clear water with amazing marine
diversity and primary jungle that reaches right
down to the white sand beaches. Unlike Phang
Nga Bay, these islands consist not of limestone,
but of granite.
Huge boulders line many pure
white sand beaches. There are rivers that flow
out through the jungle and intersect the beaches.
We paddle up these rivers as far as we can,
then trek in a little ways further. This is
a superb way to see the dense primary jungle.
The wildlife doesnt seem to mind us too
much as they often stay around as long as were
quiet.
We use a longtail escort boat to access the
outer islands. Departure dates are
from November to mid April as these are unprotected
waters subject to the storms and waves of the
rainy season. The escort boats often cannot
get out to the outer islands at this time.
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