A six-day canoe trip in Thailand’s national marine park. An adventure on the Andaman Sea to Tarutao and its pristine, uncharted neighboring islands.

Day 1 (Dinner)

The first paddling trip starts from the pier. "Pak Bara" means mouth of the Bara River in Thai. A thriving mangrove forests lines the far shore. We often encounter a good variety of birds in the mangrove including little herons, Whimbrels, Collared kingfishers, Brown-winged kingfishers, and occasionally others. Muds kippers, small fish that walk out of the water, like to climb up on the mangrove roots.

Note: The tour starts at Pak Bara in Satun Province. We suggest you stay over night in Satun, Trang or Had Yai. We'll do a short crossing to an island called Koh Khao Yai, which literally means "Island Mountain Big" or Big Mountain Island. There are beaches all the way around the island that we take advantage of frequently.

Long-tailed macaques (monkeys) and sizeable monitor lizards also frequent these beaches to forage for food. We'll stay in Pak Bara this evening.

Day 2 (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

An escort boat will take us to Tarutao Islands. There's a tidal river flowing through a dense mangrove forest, which exits into the sea near the national park campgrounds/bungalow. Brahminy kites, White-bellied sea eagles, a variety of kingfishers, woodpeckers, hornbills, monitor lizards, Long-tailed macaques, Dusky Langurs (monkeys), and a lot of different exotic birds add character to an already lovely area. We'll paddle a stretch of coastline to finish the day.

The evening will either be spent at the park bungalows or back on mainland in Pak Bara.

Day 3 (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Our escort boat will take us out to the gypsy island called Koh Lipae. There are many different bungalow operations on this island. Sometimes, we use the national park bungalow on Koh Adang (depending on the group) .

The big attractions on these outer islands are crystal-clear water, verdant rain forest that grows all the way down to pure white sand beaches, birds, monkeys, and superb snorkeling. We'll paddle around Koh Lipae, stopping periodically to go snorkeling.

Day 4 (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Our escort boat will take us to the far side of Koh Adang. We'll take our time paddling back. The jungle on this stretch of the island is trick with tall tropical trees. The snorkeling is very good.

Day 5 (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Koh Butang and the other small islands in the area provide us with a different feel from the previous days. These islands are small enough to paddle all the way around easily. This is perhaps the best snorkeling day. We've found huge areas of completely undisturbed coral. The marine life is abundant. Huge Moray eels are very common.

Grouper can still be found if you're willing to look under some of the larger coral heads. One area has nice variety of sea anemones. They cover a large portion of a bay.

Day 6 (Breakfast, Lunch)

We'll pack up and get onboard our escort boat. Heading back towards Pak Bara, there are a couple of islands that again are very different from the ones we have visited already. There's a natural arch on one island that makes for a wonderful photo opportunity. We'll take our time exploring, paddling, and snorkelling before heading back into Pak Bara.

source photo :

jitenshaman and Puff's Daddy

19th - 22nd July 2007, Phuket, Thailand.Phuket Raceweek is an actioned-packed International Regatta held off Phuket’s East Coast.

Now in its fourth year, Phuket Raceweek is Asia’s fastest growing Regatta attracting over 40 boats and more than 300 participants.

The event is a fun-filled four days of international-standard yacht racing and 5-star parties.

“There was plenty of wind, close racing and good parties; …one of the best regatta locations in Asia. … it does not get any better than this. Image Asia Events must be congratulated for putting on a very slick and professionally run event that other regatta organisers could look at when streamlining their own events.”
Capt Marty Rijkuris, Asian Yachting.com

Brought to you by the Image Asia, Phuket Raceweek is held under the auspices of the Ao Chalong Yacht Club, in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, and the Office of the Governor of Phuket.

Photo courtesy of Guy Nowell : Evason Phuket Raceweek 2006

Integrate your marketing with Phuket Raceweek 2007 ...

For Detail : EVASON Phuket Raceweek

N.C.C. Exhibition Organizer Co. Ltd. holds the great event of the year, Thailand Travel & Dive Expo 2007, during 24 – 27 May 2007 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand.

Thailand Travel & Dive Expo 2007, two major expositions of activities and equipment related to travel and diving trip, the new tourism trends in accord with changing behavior of tourists who wish to stay in close touch with nature. This is also in line with the world trend of eco-tourism, seen in various different forms of adventure travels, from kayaking, rock climbing, camping, to scuba diving, now popular among conservationists and tourists who wish to experience natural treasures under the sea, be they Stag-horn Coral, Ring Coral, plus colorful coral fish, all fascinating for tourists, who return again and again.

At the event, you will meet dive operators, dive resort, interesting package tours, and diving courses at various levels, offered at special prices that cannot be found at any other events throughout the year. The special activities are “The 3rd TDEX Underwater Photo Contest” and “The 2nd Thailand Travel Photo Contest”.

Such activities and services can only be found at Thailand Travel & Dive Expo 2007, during 24 – 27 May 2007 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand

For Detail : Thailand Travel & Dive Expo 2007

Reuters
Published: Friday, May 18, 2007

HONG KONG -- A visit to Thailand by Bill Gates has inspired the construction of a man-made island off the resort of Phuket, so the world's richest man and other billionaires can moor their huge yachts.

Hoping to build an Asian playground for the rich and famous to rival the French Riviera and the Caribbean, cordless telephone tycoon Gulu Lalvani plans to build a doughnut-shaped island of 30 to 40 luxury villas and a hotel around a marina.

"Bill Gates was there last month with his wife on a 54 metre (177 foot) yacht and he loved it so much," Lalvani, founder of phone maker Binatone told Reuters in an interview.

Press conference to clarify "Zoran Island" plan

Developers are planning a man-made island to berth super-yachts off the east coast of Phuket, but early news reports may have overstated the case. The developers now say there are many challenges to overcome before any construction can begin.

PHUKET: Following reports that a man-made island was ready to be built off the east coast of Phuket to accommodate a marina for mega-yachts, the marketing manager at Royal Phuket Marina [RPM] clarified that the project is still in the early planning stages and faces many obstacles before it can become a reality.

RPM Marketing Director Wilaiporn Titimanaaree told the Gazette that developer Gulu Lalvani will hold a press conference at RPM on May 25 to announce his plan, which envisions a 6.6-billion-baht marina, luxury hotel and villa complex on reclaimed land about three kilometers off Phuket’s east coast.

For detail : © Reuters 2007 and Phuket Gazette

The best time for surfing in Phuket is from April to September. At other times Areas around Koh Samui are your best bet.

Phuket Thailand should not be rated among the top world surfing destinations, but while you're in phuket, a fun surf in uncrowded and friendly surfing conditions could really make your next holiday in phuket the best you've had yet. Phuket is probably the unofficial leader of the Thailand surfing industry and the number of local Thai surfers is increasing every year.

Surfing Phuket is now becoming a Thailand tourism draw card, especially for people new to surfing and those who find Phuket's other attractions equally important, but still like to go surfing when the Phuket waves are on. Have a look at a map of Phuket and other regions in Asia.
Phuket is the biggest island in Thailand, located in the Andaman Sea, in the south of Thailand. The island is mostly mountainous with a mountain range in the west of the island from the north to the south. The mountains of Phuket are the southern end of a mountain chain which starts on the mainland. 70% of the island is covered by forest.

The west coast has many beautiful beaches and headlands and there are many surf spots known and some not so well known. There also islands and reefs just offshore which are surfable in the right conditions. On the east coast most of the beaches are muddy mangrove areas and are protected from the swells.

Phuket's attractions, such as diving, Patong nightlife, shopping, Thai food and the Thai people, are definitely why people come to Thailand. Although you may not come here for the surf, it's still good to go for a paddle. Use the menu at the top of this page for directions to some of Phuket's surfing beaches.

The Gulf Of Thailand and the waters around Koh Tao is unique, with the majority close the island. allows us to offer divers variety for each trip.

SHARK ISLAND

One of the most varied dive sites around Koh Tao in terms of marine life, Shark Island is one place that you'll definitely wish to return to. Located 300m southeast of Koh Tao this small, uninhabited, granite peak rises clear of the water from a sandy bottom at 20m.Divers can enjoy an enormous variety of hard, encrusting corals and a similar variety of sea fans and whip corals.
The renowned "fish junction" off the northern end of the dive site provides excellent photographic opportunities.Shark Island occasionally plays host to visiting Reef and Leopard sharks. The more usual residents include Blue Spotted Rays, Scribbled Filefish, Starry Pufferfish, and Titan Triggerfish that sometimes like nibbling the fins of visiting divers who get a little too close to their nesting sites!

WHITE ROCK

White Rock boasts a large coral garden situated between two distinct granite pinnacles to the north and south sides of the site, and a vast array of both daytime and nocturnal inhabitants. With a depth range of 26m to 5m, and an average depth of 12m, White Rock is suited to everybody's experience levels.White Eye Morays and Blue Spotted Rays are commonly sighted, as is one of Koh Tao's legends, "Trevor" the Triggerfish who has been the boss of White Rock for many years.

Several species of Barracuda routinely visit here and it is particularly impressive to see them hunting on night dives, when they will actually follow divers using the torch beams to spot their dinner.

Night dives also unveil many different kinds of Feather Stars, hunting Cone Shells and feeding Stingrays, in addition to sleeping Parrot fish and Rabbit fish!

GREEN ROCK

One of the outlying dive sites to the north of Koh Nang Yuan island; Green Rock has its own special attractions for divers in the form of many varied swim throughs and the lunar like landscape created by nesting Yellow Margin Triggerfish.

With a depth range of 3m to 30m most divers will find this site within their capabilities. The insides of the caverns and the undersides of outcroppings are home to many brightly colored soft corals and sponges, while the outer parts of the site play host to shoals of electric Blue Damsel fish, Tube Anemones with tiny translucent shrimps (for those with keen eyesight) Emperors, Angel fish and the occasional Turtle.



KOH NANG YUAN

Nestled in a bay between the three islands of Koh Nang Yuan, Twins consists of two main pinnacles, and a smaller, deeper "little brother".

A perfect site for both training activities, and a leisurely fun dive, the pinnacles range in depth from 5m to 18m, and are surrounded by soft white sand dotted with the unusual symbiotic relationships of Goby fish and their blind-shrimp housemates.

Twins offers divers the chance to see the larger groupers normally only spotted at depth on the more remote dive sites. Blue-Ringed angelfish and the striking yellow Raccoon Butterfly fish are abundant, along with a host of varied Parrotfish and wrasse. Combined with green, blue, and red anemones this is one of the islands most colorful dive sites.

Venture south a short distance across the sand to encounter "Mork" and "Mindy", a friendly pair of the uncommon Saddleback Clownfish, then back to the East pinnacle for the best safety stop on the island with a school of around 500 curious, small Yellowtail Barracuda.

Source photo :

takau99 , artinbangkok , Henry & Tersia's and mureena

Koh Tao translates as “Turtle Island”, so named because of it’s shape and also there were many of turtles living around. It’s only about 21 sq km and is remotely located about 70 km far from the mainland.

From 1933 to 1947 Koh Tao was used to jail political prisoners of the Bowaradech Uprising. Many were transferred from Koh Tarutao to Koh Tao by reason of its location lonely in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand.

The community in Koh Tao was settled at the first time when the villagers from Koh Samui and Koh Phangan immigrated and were on the land of Koh Tao in 1947. Before that there were some people who came and used the land for coconut plantation and small fishery.

During the past ten years the reputation of Koh Tao’s natural beauty, especially its marine life and coral reefs due to the island’s distance from the mouth of Mae Nam Tapi, which affords high visibility and an abundance of marine life. It soon became one of the major dive sites of South East Asia.

Getting Here

The trip from Bangkok to Koh Tao consists of two part traveling: from Bangkok to Chumphon and from the pier at Chumphon to Koh Tao by boat. And for the tourists who want to visit Koh Samui and Koh Phagnan at the first, you can take a boat from Suratthani instead of Chumphon.

The most popular journey to get here from Bangkok – Chumphon - Koh Tao is to use the bus/boat combination trip where the tickets are available from many travel agencies on Thanon Khao San.

Photo : http://www.ekapon.com/

The Gulf Of Thailand and the waters around Koh Tao is unique, offering over 20 dive sites, with the majority close the island. The close proximity of these sites, combined with their depths, allows us to offer divers variety for each trip.

CHUMPHON PINNACLE

Northwest of Koh Tao, Chumphon pinnacle is widely regarded as one of the Gulf's premier dive sites. The site itself is comprises of one huge main granite pinnacle and a series of smaller pinnacles rising from the bottom at 36m to within 14m of the surface.

On the main part of the site divers can expect to encounter Batfish, Trevally, large Groupers, as well as huge shoals of Fusiliers and Rabbit fish. Less common, but still available to see, are the Spanish Mackerel, and some Paddlefin Trigger fish.
For those with keen eyes it is also possible to see Scorpionfish lazing on the rocks. Chumphon pinnacle also plays host to seasonal visits by Whale Sharks and their attendant Cobias and Remoras, plus the occasional Manta. A memorable experience for every diver!

SOUTH WEST PINNACLE

South-west of Koh Tao, this site is also widely acclaimed as another of the Gulf's premier diving destinations, with depths ranging from 30m upwards.

The series of seven pinnacles form an underwater mountain range, with the largest peak rising to within 5m of the surface.

Like Chumphon, this site features a carpet of anemones on the upper levels with an abundance of whip corals and large sea fans arrayed along the lower edges of the site.

Impressive Barracuda over a meter in length can be seen patiently waiting whilst tiny Cleaning Wrasse perform their underwater valet service. To the south-east of the main site lies a smaller pinnacle, which is home to two resident, if somewhat shy Leopard sharks.


To be continues : SHARK ISLAND, WHITE ROCK, GREEN ROCK, KOH NANG YUAN


For Detail : Crystal dive resort
Picture : Taucher.net

The Tropical Island Regatta May 27th – June 2nd 2007

The Koh Samui Regatta, now in its sixth year, looks set to maintain its strong reputation as one of the highlights of the Asian sailing circuit at the 2007 event – being held between May 27th and June 2nd.

The week long sailing extravaganza, now officially recognised by the International Sailing Federation, brings together many of the world’s top sailors guaranteeing a week of fun filled racing action and passionate partying.

The Regatta is organised under the auspices of the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand. Racing takes place over five days comprising of a mixture of coastal passages and around the cans.

The event culminates in a VIP gala dinner and awards ceremony at the Central Samui Beach Resort. Evening cocktail parties are held at various locations throughout the Regatta.
The laid back luxury of island life, combined with exhilarating On-The-Water action offers a truly unique event.

“In six successful years the Koh Samui Regatta has made incredible progress and it is easy to see why it has
become one of the highlights of the Asian sailing circuit,” says Pornsiri Manoharn, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

“The Koh Samui Regatta can truly be called an international yachting event since it attracts boats from as far a field as Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, as well as from all parts of Thailand, which make their way here solely to take part in this fun event.”

nitial participant response indicates that over 30 yachts are expected to head to Koh Samui this May with an even mixture of keelboats and multihulls. Racing classes include: Racing; Cruising; Sports Boats; Multihulls and Firefly One Design.

"We firmly support this regatta,” said Daweesak Somabha , President of the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand . “Our commitment helps ensure the success of an event which brings so much credit to the lovely island of Samui and her people.”

The 2007 event is being managed by Image Asia Events Co., Ltd. , who will draw upon their vast experience running the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta the Evason Phuket Raceweek and the Phuket International Marine Expo (PIMEX), to ensure that the 6th Koh Samui Regatta 2007 maintains its reputation as a major player in the marine events arena. Its proven expertise in the industry will encourage the growth of the event, while remaining truthful to its origins – providing an excellent platform to showcase the region and the
regatta.

Commenting on the relationship with Image Asia Events Co., Ltd, Peter Plant, Secretary of the Koh Samui Regatta Organising Committee said, “The tie up with Image Asia Events presents a great opportunity for the Koh Samui Regatta to move forward and to strengthen its place as one of the highlights of the Asian sailing circuit.”

For more click

Have you ever wondered how you could make a really unique wedding day? Let me tell you how to have a really unique wedding and document it with the type of photography found in prestigious magazines, such as National Geographic, photography that captures all the emotion of your special day.

For the happiest day of your life and an exotic honeymoon that you will cherish forever have an Aquatic Wedding in Thailand. For decades these "underwater weddings" have been arranged in Trang Province at Koh Kradan, on the west coast of Thailand. Aquatic Weddings are held, romantically enough, only on February 14th, St.Valentines day, and take place each year. The ceremony has gain world-wide recognition and has even been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Go to Trang and make your wedding a special day, a truly unforgettable celebration of your love for each other in a brief bubble-blowing ceremony which culminates in the exchange of vows, ring and kisses, amidst the coral wonder of Andaman sea with only a school of fish to witness you to say "I do".

For Detail : http://www.underwaterwedding.com/index.php?lan=en

Everybody loves parties. Whether family birthday parties, high school graduation parties or just a wild night at a concert, whether you organized it or merely joined in, you love a party.

One of the greatest party ever was held back in the 60's and took place on a large dairy farm in New York, USA. It was the legendary Woodstock music festival, where thousands upon thousands of young counter-culture people came together and partied for several days to the joyful sounds of the world's very best rock bands.

Here, in Thailand, as I''ve told you before, on the train headed south to Kantang, 80% of the passengers are tourists headed to Koh Pangan and Koh Samui, the heaven of party lovers. Many of these revelers spend weeks on the beaches there, waiting for the great "Fullmoon Party". Combine all the parties you've had, even including Woodstock festival, and you will fall short of the joy and excitement of a "Fullmoon party" on the beaches in Koh Pagnan, Thailand.

On a fullmoon night you may seen thousands of young people flock to the party. As many as 20,000 party-goers are expected each month.The party starts with a bon fire on the beach, accompanied by fire and music from loads of DJs'. Just dance to the music that blasts the area of beach where you are.

You don't like the music there? Move on a bit and you'll find the right vibrations for you. There are so many different types of music to choose from. You may glow-in-the-dark, if you chose to have your body painted.

And you can keep dancing all night. Like all those before you, you will have wonderful memories of those beach parties, memories that will urge you yearn to return.If you have a chance, even just once in your lifetime, join them!!!

Picture : http://www.fullmoon-party.com/