Looking for non-stop thrills? Thailand is a wonderland for adrenaline seekers, with everything from skydiving to caving on offer.
Known for its rugged limestone karsts, lush jungles, crystal-blue oceans and powdery white beaches, Thailand is a glorious wonderland of natural beauty. The country has mouthwatering food, flourishing wildlife, fascinating cultural and historical sites, and extremely friendly people who are willing to open their homes and hearts to some 800,000 Aussie visitors each year.
Thailand is also the perfect backdrop for adventure seekers to enjoy some seriously exciting thrills. From skydiving to scuba diving and everything in between, we’ve found the most exciting activities across this beautiful country for Thailand adventure seekers. Which one will you choose?
Skydiving
Let’s jump right into the most adventurous activity of all – skydiving. If you thought Thailand was beautiful from the ground, then imagine how good it looks from the air. There are multiple skydiving locations in Thailand, where you can take a leap of faith over the azure oceans or emerald mountain ranges. You can even brave the highest skydive in Asia (18,000ft) at Thai Sky Adventures, or become certified so you can dive without a tandem partner.
Best places to go skydiving: Bangkok (multiple centres in or near the city), Pattaya
Zip-lining
Zip-lining is a great activity for families or groups of mixed ability, because even though it’s thrilling, it’s also very safe and gentle. Fly through the beautiful green canopy while admiring the view below. Most zip-line parks also have alternative activities, such as canopy boardwalks, ATV tracks, playgrounds and interesting statues to admire. One features a rollercoaster and another features elephants and gibbons that you can spot while zipping through the treeline.
Best places to go zip-lining: Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Chon Buri
Flyboarding
Remember those rocket-powered shoes that always featured in old cartoons, where you could blast off into the sky? Guess what: They (almost) exist. Except instead of strapping rockets to your legs, flyboarding involves strapping water-propelled jets to your legs. Thankfully, there’s no crash landing here, because if you lose your balance, you just fall or dive into the water below. This activity is so much fun and you can control how gentle or extreme the experience is, so it’s good for all ages.
Best places to go flyboarding: Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui
Caving
If being in pitch black sends thrilling shivers down your spine, then you’ll get a rush out of caving. Thailand has hundreds of long, deep and dark caves (often partially water-filled) that you can explore on tours or by yourself, if you’re game. We recommend a tour though, as there are obvious dangers associated with trekking through the country’s underworld. Thailand’s national parks are good places to head for cave tours, which usually feature other gorgeous sites and experiences in beautiful jungle surroundings.
Best places to go caving: Thongchai (Tham Khao Luang cave), Sam Roi Yot (Phraya Nakhon Cave), Thong Pha Phum (Tham Lum Khao Ngu Aka cave), Surat Thani (Khao Sok National Park caves).
Bungee jumping or human slingshot
There’s no denying bungee jumping is an activity that’s perfect for adventure seekers. Throwing yourself off a super-high platform while trusting a few threads of rope to catch your fall is equal measures of brave and crazy, but undeniably exciting and fun. Thailand is a great place to try it, as you’re surrounded by gorgeous scenery while you jump (if you can keep your eyes open, that is). There’s also the human slingshot, where you and your bungee cord are stretched back and let go, just like its namesake suggests.
Best places to go bungee jumping: Pattaya (human slingshot also available here), Koh Samui, Chiang Mai
Rope swing
Imagine taking a hike through gorgeous jungle, climbing upwards to reach a rugged mountain cave platform, only to have a nice little swing when you get there. It sounds pleasant, doesn’t it? Strap yourself in though, because this is not the backyard swing from your childhood! More akin to bungee jumping than swinging, the ‘Emperor Swing’ at Hollow Mountain Extreme Adventure Park, Krabi is said to be Southeast Asia’s biggest rope swing. After harnessing up to the 120m-long swing, you jump off the 55m-high platform and swing through a rock opening, gaining spectacular views of the jungle below.
Best place to go rope swinging: Krabi
Scuba diving or snorkelling
Diving into Thailand’s crystal-clear oceans may seem more like leisure than adventure seeking, but these colourful coral reefs are full of awe-inspiring sea life, including rays, cephalopods, turtles and even sharks. You can also join a shark or whale shark dive to specifically see these magnificent fish in their natural environment. Whale sharks are gentle giants that will mesmerise you with their size. As for sharks, there’s nothing quite like being in the presence of a dangerous, wild and unpredictable animal to get the blood pumping like crazy.
Best places to go diving: Richelieu and Koh Tachai for whale sharks; Bangkok (aquarium), Koh Tao, Phi Phi Islands and Phuket for sharks; Almost anywhere along Thailand’s coastlines for general diving.
Looking for more Thailand inspiration? Check out Seven Offbeat Experiences to Have in Phuket and The Best Things to do in Koh Samui.
Ready to book? Discover our collection of Thailand offers here.
