Kamala Surfing Contest 2007
will be on 25-26 August

* Shortboard Division
* Longboard Division
* Bodyboard Division

This north end of Kamala's northernmost beach is a beach break with stable sandbanks, due to the reefs. Here, there are consistent waves of up to three metres and they build up the closer to shore you get.

Details: Variable winds with swell up to three metres. There is a point break for experienced surfers.

Entry Fee 300THB (party and t-shirt included)

Click here for online entry

Organizer: Kamala GO Surfing Club & Phuket Boardriders Club

Most of Koh Samet, including all of the good parts, is a national park and has an entry fee. Foreigners pay about 400 baht - a classic example of Thai dual pricing. If your ferry arrives at the main pier and you take a songthaew (local open air taxis) to the beaches, there will be a stop at the main ticket checkpoint. If your ferry arrives at one of the beaches, an officer will collect the fee as you step out of the surf. Note that there is plenty of foot traffic in and out of the park to the 7-Eleven, ATM or other shops and restaurants and if you have no bags you can nonchalantly walk into the park without anyone checking your ticket. There is a road via the temple which avoids the checkpoint entirely.

The 1st class bus from Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) to Ban Phe usually takes just over 3 hours, costs 276 baht, and terminates opposite the ferry piers (there's no direct service to Ban Phe from Moh Chit - nearest alternative is to Rayong, from there you can take a Song Thaew to Ban Phe). If you take a regular bus from Pattaya or Sattahip, you'll need to take a songthaew or charter a tuk-tuk to the ferry piers. Minibus services go straight to the piers.

Ferries from Ban Phe to Koh Samet take around 30 to 45 minutes. Only buy a one-way ticket, as there's no discount on round-trip tickets and you won't have to worry about losing it. The ticket sellers may also offer to sell you the national park ticket - don't bother.

The nearest airport fielding commercial flights is U-Tapao, just east of Sattahip - about 45 km from Ban Phe.

Many of the resorts and guest houses around Hat Sai Kaeo (Diamond Beach) - the most developed beach on the northeast cape, are linked by a local path. Diamond Beach is also only a 10 minute walk from the ferry port at Na Dan. You can also hike the shoreline path between beaches. This tiny island (about 7 km long, and 5 km wide) lies about 6 km off Thailand's east coast in the province of Rayong. Ferries leave the small fishing village of Ban Phe (about 20 km east of Rayong town) to Koh Samet daily from 06.00 - 17.00 hrs. The trip takes about 30 to 45 minutes depending on which part of the island it goes to. It's possible to hire a local "long-tail" boat which makes the trip in about half the time. There is also a 20 baht entry fee to the National Park.

Traditional on almost every South-East Asia beach, Ko Samet has started featuring "Full/Half/Dark Moon" nights. These should not be confused with the massive Full Moon Parties on Koh Pha Ngan or other parts of Southern Thailand - here they are simply an excuse for drink specials, which are present every night of the year anyway.

Source Photo :
Kris_B
lubow

PHUKET: This year’s green season has seen a healthy increase in the number of holidaymakers visiting Phuket, said Suwalai Pinpradab, director of Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) Southern Region 4 Office. Hotel occupancy rates are reportedly about 80%, marking a 20% to 30% increase on last year, with Patong being one of the busiest places on the island, according to TAT figures.

Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) President Maitree Narukatpichai reported that the PTA’s statistics were less impressive but he was still happy with the situation, saying that hotel occupancy in Phuket was currently between 60% and 70%.

K. Maitree told the Gazette that hotels such as the Holiday Inn Phuket Resort and the Phuket Merlin Hotel are operating at up to 90% occupancy. Hotels in Kata and Karon are running at about 50% occupancy, while Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa is at 60%, he added.

Methee Tanmanatragul of the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter said, “The occupancy rate has increased partly because there are more Middle Eastern and Indian people visiting Phuket.”

Other reasons for the busy green season include other Asian source markets, such as Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, experiencing particularly hot seasons; TAT’s tourist-enticing roadshows held in Middle-Eastern countries; and more direct flights serving Phuket from places including Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said K. Suwalai.

“We are all doing our best to promote tourism during the green season. For example, for Phuket Walk & Run on September 30 we have been working with 21 Japanese tour operators to sell about 500 packages for people to visit Phuket. The Japanese like this kind of sport,” added K. Suwalai.

“Tourism in Phuket has been gradually improving since the tsunami. I think that next year will be even better, especially with more charter flights from places like Scandinavia,” said K. Methee.

source reference : Phuketgazette Click to read more.
source Photo : Me!! :D