Guide to Koh Samui rafting holidays

Ko Samui is one of Thailand’s most well-known and best-loved destinations. It has all the tourist brochure clichés: white sand beaches, palm trees, beach bars….if you want to kick off your shoes and lie in a hammock, it’s a great place to be. But what if you want something a little more active from your holiday? Ko Samui’s interior is attractive and green, and often hilly, but it doesn’t have enough water for rafting. If you want a Ko Samui white water rafting trip, you’ll need to take a little break from the beach…

If you want to tackle some rapids from Ko Samui, you’ll need to travel to Phang Nga on the mainland. It’s a short drive from Surat Thani, the dropping off point for boats to Samui, so it’s an easy place to head for a couple of days’ break from the beach. Phang Nga is a stunning, mountainous region where rocky limestone cliffs drop down to the coast, and rivers rush through the jungle towards the sea. If you’re used to rafting in more temperate regions, you’ll love the tropical mountain rivers in Phang Nga!

While the region does not have lots of big rivers, there are rapids from class 1-5 to take on. Beginners are usually taken to the lower section of river for class 1-3 rapid, and those with some experience starting higher up, on a class 3-5 course. Rafting in Phang Nga is well-established and easy to organise.

A Koh Samui rafting trip is a great way to do something more with your holiday than topping up your tan. It might take a little bit of effort to get off that sun-lounger, but trust us, it will be worth it…