White water rafting in Thailand

Into the rainy season Thailand has started and while we all anxiously await how the water streams will be managed this year, there is also a group of people who are looking forward to the upcoming season of "rafting", white water rafting.

It is a relatively new branch of water sports in Thailand that continues to gain popularity. Nothing compares to the thrill of conquering rapids in a river, interspersed with calm river stretches past mighty waterfalls and immense cliffs deep in the jungle.

Rafting

Rafting is done in an inflatable boat, made of durable rubber with different layers and air chambers. There are different sizes of such rafts, usually suitable for 4 to 12 people. A trip with a raft has several levels of difficulty, in Thailand that is a maximum difficulty level of 3 on a scale of 5. The participants in a trip are expected to participate actively under the guidance of a guide/instructor, for some trips the minimum age is 12 years , but a single trip requires a little more from the participants, a little strength and a good condition. In the boat people wear good clothing, preferably a wetsuit, a helmet, a life jacket and everyone is provided with a paddle.

Rafting areas

There are many rafting areas in Thailand, mainly in the north. I will mention Umphang, Pai (in Mae Hong Son province), Geng Hin Poeg (near Pachinburi) and Phu Rua (in Loei province. In Pai you will make a one-day tour from point to point, suitable for beginners. Gin Hin Poeg offers multi-day trips, for example, a weekend with different routes, but always returning to the base, where you spend the night in tents, Umphang is for the real adventurers, you get to very remote areas in a few days, camping by the river and finally return to our base with the support of an elephant, it is a tough journey, so the term "expedition" is appropriate here.

Safety

Rafting is sensational, it allows you to visit areas otherwise inaccessible, there is action interspersed with quiet periods through untouched jungle. It is of course not completely devoid of danger, but with a good instructor, good clothing and attentive fellow rafters, not much can happen. It is sometimes hard work on board, but at the same time it is unprecedented relaxation, "the adventure of a lifetime".

Tips

On another weblog I read the report of a white water trip in Thailand by an American girl. With great enthusiasm she wrote down her findings and also gave some tips for people interested in a wild water trip:

1. Choose from the many offers from companies that organize such tours. Choose a reputable company, recommended by friends or by the concierge of the hotel hotels. Therefore, do not book in advance – via the Internet for example – but wait until you have arrived at your destination. You certainly don't want a tour where safety regulations are considered tricky and you don't have proper life jackets and helmets.

2. Do not bring anything on board, because you will get wet. Not a little bit, but thoroughly wet and everything you wear or take with you gets wet. In my case, the instructor told me not to take anything with me, all belongings were taken to the end of the tour by car. By nothing he meant nothing, so no cameras, no cash, no sunglasses, no passport, etc.

One of our participants thought leaving his passport behind was too much and he needed a lot of time to dry all the pages of his passport when he returned. Some companies use boats with lockable watertight compartments to store personal items. Ask for it!

3. Listen carefully to the instructor's commands. He stands in the back of the boat, oversees every situation and then gives the participants the necessary “orders”. In my case, he occasionally seemed angry because his instruction was not followed immediately or properly. His anger was only apparent, because when the situation was under control, his well-known Thai smile reappeared. His instructions are for safety, but also for optimal enjoyment of the trip. The rapids weren't really dangerous, but still!

Finally

Rafting is done in many countries, even in the Netherlands. It is an active sport that takes you to unforgettable areas in Thailand. Google on the Internet “Rafting in Thailand” and numerous websites appear with offers, on Utube there are plenty of videos of rafting in Thailand.

Have fun!