Water sports in Phuket
Millions of visitors come to Phuket each year to enjoy the sun and beautiful beaches of the Andaman Sea. The waters are warm and pristine, and the calm waves make for safe and exciting jet-skiing, sailing and fishing. Yacht and boating clubs are plentiful along the coast. Lessons in any water sport and for any level are available.
There is a plethora of tours that travel from Phang Nga to the southernmost point of Nai Harn, allowing you to exploring the islands. Or get in touch with nature by floating along in a canoe or kayak. While you’re out on the water, grab your snorkelling gear and see some of the most colourful fish and coral reefs in Thailand.
Jet-skiing Jet-skiing is one of Phuket’s most popular sports partly because it’s fast, fun and easy to learn. At the moment only five beaches allow legal use of jet-skis: Patong, Kamala, Karon, Bangtao and Kata.
When sea conditions are too rough for jet-skiing, red flags are posted. All water activities are then restricted. Although, jet-skis are easy to use, it’s highly recommended to follow the rules of the beach and drive responsibly. A life jacket is given to every rider and passenger, and riders must stay within 500 metres of the coastline. Make sure you have insurance too!
Canoeing and sea kayaking A quiet, laid-back experience with nature can be had by floating past tropical flora and listening to the chatter of monkeys and birds as you canoe you way around the smaller islands. Or grab your oars and head for the adventures of the white water rapids that lie inland and challenge all levels of experience. Here, you can explore Phuket’s famous limestone cave systems, called hongs in Thai, can be explored in inflatable canoes which are specially designed to navigate the narrow passages. When the sun reaches inside the roofless caves, the stalactites glisten in the warm waters. John Gray Sea Canoe offers the excellent ‘Hong by Starlight’ tour. Tours to Pha Nga bay are most recommended.
Diving Known as one of the best diving spots in the world, Phuket boasts colourful marine life, unique underwater rock formations and warm waters year-round. Along the shores of some of the most popular beaches visibility can easily exceed 30 metres. Many divers enjoy sightings of sharks and manta rays in the waters around Phi Phi islands. The best dive sites are on the western side of the island in close proximity to Nai Harn beach. There are numerous diving courses available across the island offering diving certifications. Diving daytrips are extremely popular and can accommodate all levels of scuba divers. More on Diving.
Fishing Phuket is becoming a popular destination for sport fishing and angling. King mackerel, sea bass and black marlins are just a few of the game fish species you’ll see along the mangrove estuaries and in the deeper regions of the Andaman Sea. Thailand has a very strict catch-and-release policy, ensuring the environment’s well-being and many future opportunities to catch a big one.
Parasailing Definitely one of those sports you see in action and want to try yourself, and if you’re on Patong beach you’ll see the ‘chute’ drifting along the beach at all times of the day. Although not strictly performed in water, parasailing takes place off beaches, towed by a speed boat over water. It’s a thrilling ride that affords the best views of the whole Phuket west coast. It’s also offered on other main beaches like Karon. Just show up and you’ll soon be harnessed up and in the air for a 15 minute ride.
Snorkelling Snorkelling is a great way for families to see Phuket’s underwater community. Snorkels, masks and fins are all that’s needed (and a t-shirt and sun block if you want to avoid looking like one of the brightly coloured sea creatures). The Andaman offers some amazing marine life, including exotic fish, giant crabs as well as brilliantly coloured coral reefs and amazing rock formations. Do follow safety precautions and go with a partner if swimming isn’t your strong suit. Undertows can be dangerous along the west coast. When red flags are posted, swimming is prohibited. It’s best to go on a day tour, you’re not going to have much luck finding off-shore reefs and the locals know the best spots at off shore islands like Poda and Gai (chicken) islands, which are pristine.
Sailing Sailing offers adventurers the chance to see more of Phuket and its surrounding islands. Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Le, featured in the movie The Beach, are among the most scenic islands in Thailand. Boat and yacht rentals are available to meet any budget, and the islands offer some good places to anchor. Daytrip excursions are available from Phuket which also allow sailing enthusiasts excellent fishing opportunities. Tours are a great ways to lay back and let someone else take the helm. Boats are available for charter or you can join a daily sailing of one of the tours, with Pha Nga bay being the most popular a rewarding. More on sailing.
Surfing Yes, we’re not kidding, but it’s hardly world class. Kata and Nai Harn seem to get the biggest waves but they’re actually quite modest. This makes them ideal for learning and some companies based at Kata offer lessons and boards for rent, if the surf’s up!
Windsurfing See the mountains, coastline and sunset from a new perspective. Although half the beaches in Phuket offer windsurfing, Patong is the most popular location for this sport. Lessons and equipment are readily available on the beach however some of the larger hotels and independent vendors may offer better quality equipment. The best windsurfing opportunities are during the monsoon season from November to May. It is advisable to avoid windsurfing during high tides.
