Thailand is known as an eco-adventure destination by travelers since the seventies, when backpackers came across the jungle trek tours in the north of the kingdom. Thailand provides now a huge variety of eco adventure recreations in all parts of the country.
Treks are most popular in northern Thailand due to the beauty of nature. Deep jungles, rivers and waterfalls, hot-springs, forested mountains and rice terrace fields are dream landscapes for travelers. The north is also rich in cultural diversity with ethnic tribe villages that travelers can experience during trekking. Thailand offers also several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries country wide where treks can be arranged.
Pai and Chiang Mai are the two destinations where a lot of the treks begin in northern Thailand. Plenty of travel agencies have treks for a duration from three days to one week. Each group is made from two to twelve trekkers and an English speaking local guide. German, French or Japanese speaking guides have to be booked in advance if needed. Overnights are arranged in hill tribe villages in home stays, mostly bamboo huts. Meals are cooked by the guides, with the help of travelers who want to learn cooking local food with Thai ingredients.
Umphang at the Burmese border near Mae Sot is also well-known for its waterfalls. Ti-Lo-Su is the largest waterfall in south-east Asia during the rainy season and offers a majestic scenery. Elephant riding can be arranged over two days, including one overnight in the jungle with the pachyderms. In the first part of the Wa river, rafting can be enjoyed in bamboo raft, while the second stage must be passed in inflatable boats in order to get to the Ti-Lo-Lee waterfall.
One amazing trip is a 3-day barge cruise between Bangkok and Ayuthaya where travelers experience stops along the bank of the river Chao Phraya to ride bicycles. That way, they can discover the rural villages with local factories, splendid temples and appetizing food markets. The visit of a school to meet Thai students in their classroom is a kind of experience too. The trip ends in Ayuthaya, former capital of Thailand from 1350 to 1767, where over four hundred temples and monasteries can be visited.
The south of Thailand has seen a growing number of visitors in the last twenty years, and has several national parks for eco-adventure trips. The exploration of Khao Sok, the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world, which is located at one hundred fifty kilometers from Surrathani, is not to be missed. The park has a wide wildlife with elephants, tigers, leopards, bears and gaurs in mountainous landscapes with limestone cliffs. Overnights are arranged in tree top houses and raft houses in the lake of Khao Sok.
From trekking and elephant-riding in Chiang Mai, bamboo rafting in Umphang, to bicycle rides up country and river cruises in Ayuthaya, Thailand has an eco-adventure tour for anyone who wants to enjoy sport activities in beautiful landscapes.
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