Sports &  Activities in Phuket, Thailand Phuket hotels and resorts accommodation to book online with phuketbooking.org

Horseback Riding

Guided horseback riding tours is one activity to relax while sightseeing. Riding along blue lagoons, marshland fields and large groves of conifer
trees and of course white, sandy beaches.

Horseback Centers

Water Sports

Phuket is the center for the scuba diving business. Popular locations for diving includes Similan, Surin and Phi Phi islands. Instruction and equipment are available at the main beaches, with teachers from all corners of the globe. Beginner courses are inexpensive, so if you have never learned to do scuba diving, Phuket is a great place to learn.

It's the place to be if you want to be active in or above the sparkling blue sea. Phuket is happy to offer you all kinds of water sport facilities as well as sailboat cruises for various day and overnight tours to the neighboring islands.

Sailing

Imagine yourself lying on the sun-soaked deck of an exquisite, meticulously crafted oriental yacht. As the junk through the tropical sea, you sip lazily from your ice cold cocktail and marvel at the spectacular seascape around you, picture postcard skied, sparkling azure waters and a breathtaking island shoreline with beautiful natural bays.

Diving around Phuket

Phuket is one of the top ten dive destinations worldwide with colorful reefs surrounded by crystal clear waters. Hundreds of islands and reefs can be explored by day trips or live aboard cruises. Highlights are swimming with a whale shark or manta ray and exploring the King Cruiser wreck.

Best time for diving is from end of October till May. Dive shops offering all kind of courses from beginners to dive master can be found everywhere around the island.

Similan Islands

Depth: Various
This national park in Phang-nga Province 100 kilometers northwest of Phuket consists of nine desert islands whose natural beauty and incredible underwater vistas make them possibly the most loved dive sites in the Andaman Sea. The Similans boast 25 world-class dive venues. They are famous for their dazzling marine life, warm, clear water and mild sea conditions. Visibility is usually between 18 and 25 meters and at times exceeds 40 meters. There is a huge variety of wildlife under the water, with sites on the west of the islands open to the sea, and sites on the east fringed with hard coral. Larger marine animals that inhabit the waters around the Similans include whale sharks and cow-tail rays. Several sites feature giant coral bommies, covered with soft corals and sea fans rising dramatically from the bottom. Out of the water, the virgin beaches and the flora and fauna beyond are breathtaking.

Koh Bon and Koh Tachai

In spite of the reputation of the the Similans, some pros argue that for sheer excitement, you can't beat Koh Bon. Divers to this small island 20 kilometers north of the largest Similan should, as they negotiate the vertical walls, be prepared for close encounters with leopard sharks.  Here the corals come in unique rich hues; blue, yellow and turquoise. Koh Bon is also renowned for its high number of manta rays, especially at the end of the season in April and May. A further 25 kilometers north of Koh Bon is Koh Tachai, with a stunning pristine beach straight out of fairytale imaginations. Koh Tachai is famous for its large sea creatures. Divers and snorkellers can expect to see whale sharks, leopard sharks and nurse sharks, as well as rays and hawksbill turtles. The waters around the island are teeming with all kinds of tropical fish and coral.

How to get there
By boat from Phuket with regular sailings provided by numerous tour and dive operators. One-day excursion and longer tours are available.  Tours last from five to 14 days. The longer tours for divers usually include Mu Koh Surin National Park and the much distant Myanmar hanks. 

Best time to visit
December to April is the main tourist season with good weather. Island cruising is best between November and April. Great care should be taken in anchoring only on a sandy beach bottom to avoid coral damage.

Accommodation
Simple bungalows on Koh Miang. Camping is permitted. Advance booking is necessary at the National Parks Division in Bangkok. Please contact telephone number (02) 5794842 .

There are also a number of live-aboard provided by tour operators. These range from converted fishing boats with only basic facilities to luxury  cruisers.

Facilities
On Koh Miang, there are visitor and information center, restaurant, toilets and showers, telephone and long tail boat services available.

Surin Islands

3 Only five islands make up this national marine park just south of the Myanmar border and 53 kilometers from mainland Thailand.  If you fancy getting lost in an island paradise, you could do no better. The small group of islands contains dozens of beautiful coves and bays, and is choked with thick jungle.

The waters around Koh Surin are said to have the most diverse coral in all of Thailand, and seem to attract stranger species of marine life; divers and snorkellers may catch sight of the ghost pipe fish and frog fish.  Depth: 25 - 30 meters

King Cruiser Wreck (Thai-Tanic)
On May 4th, 1997, the 85m long King Cruiser ferry collided with the Anemone Reef on its way from Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands creating an artificial reef divers around Phuket where waiting for years.  Depth: 6 - 30 meters

Richelieu Rock
Richelieu Rock is, it is generally agreed, a world-class dive site. The submerged rock whose tips are just visible at low tide, is 18 kilometers east  of Koh Surin and home to the widest diversity of sea life. It is the playground for schools of whale sharks which are so friendly they often pose for photographs.

How to get there
The best way is by boat from Phuket with a number of Phuket-based dive and cruise operators running short and long excursions.  Best time to visit The main tourist and diving season is between December and April.

Accommodation
Simple dormitory-style bungalows on Koh Surin Nua. Camping is permitted. Advance booking is necessary at the National Parks Division in Bangkok, please contact at telephone no: (02) 5794842. Two-man tents area available for rent or visitors may bring their own. There are also a number of live-aboard provident by tour operators.

Facilities
On Koh Surin Nua, there are park restaurant, long tail boats and snorkeling equipment available for rent, services to serve the island visitors.

Golfing, mini golf

Phuket has top golf courses with service that makes it a worldwide center for golf lovers.  see details
Phuket Country Club in Kathu
Century Country Club in Kathu
Banyan Tree Bang Thao
Blue Canyon near the airport in Thalang
Telephone. (076)321038, (076)321929, (076)321933, (076)324351, (076)327440

Miniature Golf Aside from Pirate's Cove Miniature Golf, which is covered under the listing on Patong, there is also:
Dino Park Mini Golf at Karon Beach.18 holes

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Blue Canyon Country Club
at the northern end of Phuket, is recognized as being the most exclusive golfing establishment in the region. It is surrounded by freshwater lakes and has facilities to match any of the world's leading golf resorts. Host to the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1998, this championship course features many natural hazards, multiple tees, narrow landing areas, rolling fairways and well guarded greens. Signature hole number 13 the 'Canyon' and the 'Island' par three 14th are memorable.   At the 13th a huge drive is needed to clear the 'Canyon' and at 14, a par three, players hit from an elevated tee and must hit a perfect tee shot in order to land on the island green. The huge and opulent clubhouse affords magnificent view of the golf course and has every facility.

Remark: (The course is reserved for members, guests of members and guests staying in Blue Canyon Country Club only)

Banyan Tree Club and Dusit Laguna
A Championship 18-hole golf course located within the Laguna Development, this par 71 layout offers sweeping views of the Andaman Sea and is

cradled within a surrounding mountain range. Carved out of the existing sand hills, the par 36 front nine meanders through a once flourishing coconut plantation. Players must be exact on their tee shots, as water comes into play on five holes. The back nine features water on eight holes.

Of the three par threes, the 11th hole, though only 137 yards from the men's tee, will leave a lasting impression. The back to back par fives at the 17th and 18th create an unusual finish. The clubhouse and hotel facilities are of the highest standard.

Phuket Country Club
Set on undulating terrain, created from a former tin mine, every hole of the first 18-hole layout provides a different playing experience. The 557-yard, par-5, 10th hole on the Old Course is one of the most unusual holes. A dog-leg right that snakes around an enormous lake, the pin is reachable in one! To achieve it, one must aim 90 degrees right of the fairway and be able to carry the shot 240 yards over water. The Country Club Course is a nine-hole layout for low-handicap golfers. This course is not easy as wayward shorts are penalized either by the water hazards or OBs.

Loch Palm Golf Club Phuket
Designed by Thailand's foremost golf architect, Dr. Sukitti Klangvisai, golfers playing here are in for an unusual experience. Nestled within majestic hills covered by dense vegetation, golfers get to play against a scenic backdrop enhanced by cooling breezes. The fairways surround the 48-acre

Crystal Lake and its 12-acre sister lake. Great accuracy is called for from the tee, particularly on the first, ninth, tenth, twelfth and fourteenth, which all dog-leg around the lakeside. The course is only about eight kilometers from Phuket city, so there is no shortage of accommodation.

Dino Park
Dino Park offers the opportunity to play mini golf within a unique environment. The mini golf course is 18 holes and features authentic scale replicas of prehistoric creatures, each hole blending with the theme and offering a different and exciting view of the prehistoric world. Players will play beside a primeval swamp, in a lava cave, beside a moving and roaring Tyrannosaurus Rex, under a 12 meter waterfall and beneath an erupting volcano - all with special lighting and sound effects. The mini golf has a capacity of 60 pax on one round of about 40 minutes. Clients who don’t wish to play golf can still enjoy the excitement of Dino Park while taking photos for a lasting memory of their holiday.

Thai Boxing

"Muay Thai" as it is called in Thai, is a strikes blows at and with every part of the body. It's a 3,000 year old Martial Art and Self Defence System and is the ultimate way to defend yourself, gain confidence and keep fit all at the same time.  The stadium is located at Saphan Hin in Phuket Town and bouts are held Friday nights.  see details

Thai Boxing
Learning Muay Thai Muay Thai, with its emphasis on both offense and defense as well as on stamina, is a martial art anyone can learn: men, women, young or old.  With the interest in Muay Thai growing fast, martial-art schools in Europe, America and Asia have added it to their curricula. Some hire former Muay Thai champions as instructors, others have trainers who studied with Thai teachers. These schools may teach all the right moves and maneuvers, but Muay Thai isn’t just about punches and kicks.

To learn Muay Thai is to learn about its roots and its purpose, and there’s nowhere better to do that than in its homeland. In the past, foreigners wanting the real thing would go to one of the stables, where training focuses on professional competition. For those not so inclined, there wasn’t much choice, and language was sometimes a problem. Not anymore, since Thailand now has a school for total Muay Thai education for both professionals and amateurs. If you are interested to know more about Thai boxing you can visit one of the stables which are located in the main areas of Samui to look, learn and try.  All offer courses for beginners.

Hash House Harriers

Join Phuket's expats on their weekly fun run through jungles, up mountains and along beaches-with a few beers after.

Hash House Harriers (running)
Join Phuket's expats on their weekly fun run through jungles, up mountains and along beaches-with a few beers after.

The hash run is designed for a group of individuals (normally referred to as the "Pack" or "Hash") to follow a trail (true or false) of two or three
other individuals (normally referred to as the "Hares") from a start point to a finish point. The distance varies from 7-10 km and the finishing point is usually the starting point, though not always so.

Some runs are called "Bus runs" . In this case, all runners will either start off the run and continue until some far off end point. There, there will be the welcome sight of a bus and beer to bring the pack back to the starting point (Bus Back Run). Alternatively, the runners will be bussed to a far away starting point run back to the meeting point which then becomes the end point.

Most times the run is set in the a few hours before the run. If it is an evening run the hares will set it sometime in the early afternoon.

Meeting Points & Dates
Everyone interested in joining the run should check the website of the Phuket HHH @ http://www.phuket-hhh.org

For further information please contact Scud

Courses and classes

The Traditional way to eat Thai food is to share several different dishes at same time, enabling each dinner to discover al many different flavors as possible. If your interest is simply in learning more about what goes into Thai dishes in order to enhance your knowledge and enjoyment when dining out, don't hesitate to join us.

There are also other courses you can join, as Thai Boxing and Diving.

Courses & Classes

Thai Cooking
If your interest is simply in learning more about what goes into Thai dishes in order to enhance your knowledge and enjoyment when dining out, don't hesitate to join one of the cooking courses available on the island.

The Traditional way to eat Thai food is to share several different dishes at same time, enabling each dinner to discover al many different flavors as possible. One spoonful of one dish at a time, ladled onto a plate of steaming fragrant rice (Khao Plow), helps to keep the flavors distinct, while a sip of Chinese tea (Cha Jin) in between mouthfuls helps to prepare the taste buds for the next exhilarating experience. 

Thai Boxing
Learning Muay Thai
Muay Thai, with its emphasis on both offense and defense as well as on stamina, is a martial art anyone can learn: men, women, young or old.
With the interest in Muay Thai growing fast, martial-art schools in Europe, America and Asia have added it to their curricula. Some hire former
Muay Thai champions as instructors, others have trainers who studied with Thai teachers. These schools may teach all the right moves and
maneuvers, but Muay Thai isn’t just about punches and kicks.

To learn Muay Thai is to learn about its roots and its purpose, and there’s nowhere better to do that than in its homeland. In the past, foreigners wanting the real thing would go to one of the stables, where training focuses on professional competition. For those not so inclined, there wasn’t  much choice, and language was sometimes a problem. Not anymore, since Thailand now has a school for total Muay Thai education for both professionals and amateurs. If you are interested to know more about Thai boxing you can visit one of the stables which are located in the main areas of Samui to look, learn and try. All offer courses for beginners.

Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking is one of the fastest growing sports in the South East Asian region, not least in Thailand. It 's easier than it looks. Anyone can enjoy himself on a mountain bike, which has gearing sufficient to take the mightiest incline. In Phuket several interesting and well worth half day adventures tours are offered. All the tours will be under American guidance with professional bikes, equipment, parts and back-up vehicle.

Paintball Play at war with guns that shoot paint instead of lead. Loads of fun.  Top Gun at Chalong, Tel. (076) 381667; Fax. (076) 381665

Snake Farms and Cobra Shows are located at Chalong and Patong.

Monkey School

Location in the area of shooting range, at Chalong, show times are 11:00, 14:00, 16:00 daily except Friday Tel. 01-956 9338.