- Holiday destinations in Thailand -

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. The park is over 700 square kilometer in size.

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, you’ll see and/or hear monkeys!

Elephants can still be found in the park and we see them fairly frequently. Check out this Khao Sok elephant video. 

Khao Sok Hiking Options

We also offer hiking and jungle survival courses in Khao Sok. There is a nice Viewpoint Hike, a cascading creek hike or the famous Cave Hike. Click here to see some images from the cave. If you like cave creatures, you'll like this cave.

Floating Bungalows (raft houses)

We stay in unique floating bamboo bungalows on the massive 165 square kilometer reservoir.The walkways and bungalows are very basic. These bungalows belong to the national park. They are not our bungalows. 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.

River Kayaking Trip

We also offer a relaxing river kayaking trip on the Sok River in Khao Sok National Park. This river flows all the way to Surat Thani and the gulf of Thailand.

You can go for a day or several days. If you're into fishing, especially fly fishing, that can be added for no extra charge.

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. However, during the winter months we do offer kayak camping. You are also welcomed to mix bungalows and camping.

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, three day or longer trips into Phang Nga the Bay, for two to eight guests. Small groups, traditional touring kayaks, orientation to proper paddling technique, 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.

Add Mountain Biking and Rock Climbing to your Phang Nga Bay Vacation

Cycling tours are also available on Ko Yao Noi and Ko Yao Yai. Check out ThaiCycle. Mountain biking can be added to your Phang Nga Bay adventure at no extra charge. Rock climbing is also available.

The Island of Trang Vacation Package (seasonal, experienced paddlers only)

This area has been affected by mass tourism, so it's best experienced in the low season (May through October). In fact, we only go there during the summer months.

In addition to a beautiful tidal river area which features some caves we can paddle through, there are several islands just off the coast.

This trip involves a lot of paddling. If you are a beginner, this trip is not for you. If you are not in shape, this trip is not for you. You will paddle the island crossings instead of riding in a longtail boat like we normally do in Phang Nga Bay. No crossing is more than 10 nautical miles in length.

You will carry everything with you in your kayaks, so pack for your trip lightly. We will supply dry bags. You'll need a set of wet clothes, a couple sets of dry clothes and toiletries. We will stay in bungalows on different islands each night.

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 and we won't risk going out to the islands if a particular day looks questionable unless you've got a solid eskimo roll. It is for experienced paddlers only.