My Top 3 Activities for an Off Beat Thailand Adventure

I spent a month adventuring in Thailand back in 2014, and you want to know a secret? The famous tourist hotspots I’d heard of (Phi Phi Islands, Railay Beach in Krabi etc.) were my least favourite. Where I found the local Thais to be friendly and the places quaint and inviting, when I arrived at Railay Beach and Phi Phi Islands, the atmosphere shifted to “touristy” and almost a little cut-throat.

That’s not to say they’re not great places — if you love lounging at a resort by the beach or wild nights. But the experiences that wowed me more, touched me more, and stayed with me even 4 years on were found in other places.

The second best way to experience something is to see it in action. So here are the highlights of my month-long trip condensed into this short video.

The best way to experience something is, of course, to do it yourself! So here were my top 3 favourite things to do in Thailand that’s off the beaten track.

1. Sea Kayaking – Phang Nga Bay (Phuket/Krabi)

I’ve done plenty of kayaking before, including multi-day sea expeditions, but this was the most enjoyable kayaking experience I’ve ever had. I say sea kayaking, but that wasn’t all — imagine paddling through caves into a lagoon at the heart of an island, playing in beautiful bays without the crowds, drifting through mangroves with towering limestone cliffs on either side, and taking part in a little Thai culture by making kratongs (floating lanterns) from leaves and flowers, lighting and floating them in a quiet bay at night. If you’re in Phuket, this is a must. Don’t just admire Thailand’s iconic islands from a distance, get in and explore amongst them!

John Gray’s Sea Canoe runs day and overnight trips out of Phuket. The guides are all local, super friendly, and down for fun!

I recommend doing an overnight trip, as though the cool factor is kayaking through a cave and emerging at the heart of an island, many of these islands are located on the western side of the Bay (Phuket side), but the more picturesque islands and mangroves are over on the eastern side (Krabi side). If you’re not up for camping overnight, you can still book accommodation in Phuket and do the different day trips on offer. John Gray’s offers pick ups and drop offs from the entire Phuket island.

One of my highlights was kayaking through the mangrove forests and limestone cliffs of Ao Thalane. I’m not certain that this location is part of a standard trip with John Gray’s Sea Canoe as I was on a customised tour, however there are many tour operators that run trips to Ao Thalane that you can book while staying in Krabi.

Sound exciting? You can find the full run down on this amazing adventure and how to book over at my blog post: Kayaking Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

2. Cheow Lan Lake – Khao Sok National Park

When my guides said we would be visiting a dam, I wasn’t exactly bristling with excitement. A concrete monstrosity cutting across a landscape, the large body of water held back behind it – I’d seen it before and it didn’t pique my interest. Yes, it was an engineering feat, but it was the feats of nature that called to me.

What no one said was that this dam created the second largest freshwater lake in Thailand, in the middle of a national park with the the oldest rainforest in the world and the largest area of virgin forest in south Thailand. Read: untouched, uncrowded and one of the most beautiful places I’d seen. I’ll be honest and say I don’t remember what the dam looked like, or if I even saw it in the first place. But the endless emerald water, lush green islands and towering limestone cliffs — I will not be forgetting that awe for some time.

I’m a little loathe to bring attention to this place lest it becomes yet another crowded tourist hotspot, but Cheow Lan Lake really is a gem, and everyone should get to enjoy the beauty of Earth. You can spend a whole day on the lake and not see another soul or signs of civilization save for some floating bungalows.

There are plenty of activities to do at Cheow Lan Lake including, obviously, swimming in the emerald freshwater, kayaking, exploring the limestone caves, hiking through the ancient rainforest and wildlife spotting.

Places on the lake are remote, and the only way to get around is by longtail boat with a local guide. You can book tours and accommodation in one of the floating bungalows with Khao Sok Lake, or if you don’t feel like sleeping on water, there are many rustic bungalows or treehouse style accommodation nestled in the rainforests of Khao Sok that offer Lake tours too.

3. Elephant Nature Park – Chiang Mai

The Asian Elephant is an iconic symbol of Thailand, but before you hop onto that elephant ride, take some time to make sure you’re not contributing to the exploitation of these creatures. Elephants are wild, and quite often their spirits have to be first broken through the brutal phajaan process before they will submit to being ridden or led around street begging.

Elephant Nature Park, nestled in the hills near Chiang Mai, is a sanctuary for abused, injured and rescued elephants. Known as Thailand’s Elephant Whisperer, Lek rescues elephants from industries such as tourism and logging, often at great bodily risk to herself. Every elephant in the Park has a story, and here you will learn about them, Lek’s story, and the traditional methods used to break elephants that are still being used. If you’re not in Chiang Mai, there are a few other elephant sanctuaries around Thailand.

Activities at the Park include feeding the elephants and bathing them. You can go for a walk through the grounds with elephants roaming free and watch them interact with one another. Watch out for the baby elephants though! They love to play, but don’t necessarily know their strength. You can see the elephants’ personalities shining through, and I found this to be a more enjoyable way of interacting with them, as opposed to riding on one that has lost the spark in its spirit. There is even a dog shelter at the Park, so you can pop by to say hello or walk them.

Elephant Nature Park offers day trips out of Chiang Mai as well as longer volunteer trips for those who want to give a little something back or just immerse themselves a little more in the elephant experience and local village life.

I did a two week volunteering program with Elephant Nature Park, and it was really a wonderful way to see the elephants and experience and learn about the local Thai culture.

Wondering what volunteering looks like and what fun activities and cultural engagements there are? More detail over at Voluntouring at Elephant Nature Park, Thailand.

For more adventures, follow me on Instagram!