Sports Hobbies Passtimes
Golf
Thailand
is a golfer’s paradise with over 200 courses with somewhere around 70
classified as outstanding and 30 as world class. Many of the great names in the
sport are associated with locations all over the Kingdom they include Player,
Faldo, Norman, Robert Trent Jones, Nicklaus and Ronald Fream to name just a
few.
Fishing
This is a popular sport in Thailand both in stocked ponds ,rivers and deep sea owners or tour company’s can supply everything you need for
a great days fishing. Sea fishing trips can be a great ‘lad’s’ day out , or you
could laze by a pond with a few beer’s most fishing spots have a bar or eating
place of some kind.
Although golf is widespread throughout the country most are centred around the main tourist areas hire of clubs and so is very easy and reasonable even buying the equipment is viable at Thai prices. You can make all your own arrangements or book with a travel agent or golf booking agent locally, packages can often be purchased at a better rate than pay as you go. Thai golf courses nearly always offer high quality facilities such as high quality clubhouses many with pools and other leisure activities for the non golfer in the family many courses have a hotel attached.
Many courses
hold a "sportsmen's day" often on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Green fee’s around 500. Caddies are usually available for about Bt 150.
Compared to the west, they are very reasonable
You should have seen the one
that got away
Diving
Hugely popular in the southern resorts and on the islands
just south of Pattaya with so many exotic fish and sharks in the crystal waters
its no wonder tourists flock from all over the world to dive Thailand.
Day Trips
There are just too many to possibly list here, there is everything
from some amazing temples to mountain tours, jungle excursions and so, so much
more. Trips are easily booked locally or in advance with an agent.
Ten Pin Bowling
Very popular with Thai people, quality lanes can be found
all over Thailand
Go Karts
Reasonably common in the main tourist areas.
Newspapers and Books
English language national daily papers including The Bangkok
Post and The Nation. In the tourist area’s there are multiple local English,
German, Russian weekly publications and magazines. British daily newspapers avaialable same or next day, U.S. papers a couple of days old. Books new and used in
English and other languages new or used are pretty easy to find.
Clubs and Societies
To many to list if you have a hobby or interest or just want to meet other
‘expats’ there is probably a club at least in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket there are dozens of organizations.
Songkran Festival
Bowling Green
There are two seperate green's we are aware of in Pattaya , full size,
international.
Elephant Trekking
This can be found throughout Thailand , with an experienced
guide treks can vary from an hour to all day if you’ve never tried it you
should its one of those once in a lifetime experiences.
Mini Golf
Another pastime Thai’s love, found all over Thailand.
Movies
International quality movie houses are located in all main
tourist area’s usually in the big shopping malls , films usually shown in Thai
with English sub titles. Alternatively you can rent movies on DVD at the local
video store they are usually well stocked with DVD’s in English with the option
of with or without Thai subtitles, amazing value at as little as 30 baht for
several days rental.
Bird Watching
Thailand is an increasingly popular destination for bird watchers with a huge array of
exotic birds and wildlife on view especially in the north no wonder twitchers
are flocking to Thailand.
Festivals
Thai’s love a festival and any excuse for a party Songkran
in April is one of the biggest when Thailand turns in to one big water
pistol fight.
There are multiple other religious and non religious
festivities throughout the year including H.M The Kings birthday, flower
festivals, Dragon boat racing, New Year {there are 3 in Thailand} Jazz festival in Hua Hin, Blues festival
Phuket , floating lantern festival. The list goes on and on there probably
isn’t a day when there is not a festival somewhere in LOS .. LAND of SMILES
Caddie
Club House
Many of these wonderful courses are set in the most magnificent locations with stunning backdrops, luxurious clubhouses, cabbies are always friendly and are the norm not an added luxury, green fee’s are very low by western standards, advance booking is generally not needed, club and buggy hire are very reasonable all of this is combining to make Thailand one of the worlds golfing hot spots.
Pattaya alone has 20 courses within an hourof the city, although a relatively small town Hua Hin has over 10 courses 6 of which are world class with a new 36 hole course being built at the moment so there is certainly enough to keep even the most enthusiastic golfer entertained.
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