May 2008

Camping and running in Thailand

Many backpackers come to Thailand with visions of sunset beaches and hammocks gently swaying in the cool ocean breeze. This picture postcard ideal is hardly ever achieved. Most Thai coastlines are strewn with resorts, hotels and bungalows. The palms are disappearing behind pools and the traditional Thai culture is fast evaporating. Just about the only way nowadays to enjoy those idyllic pictures is by camping.

A while ago my girlfriend and I invested in a tent. Tents are quite cheap in Thailand and surprisingly available in many places. It seems that Thais are taking to the great outdoors in larger numbers. Camping equipment is on sale at many departments stores and specialist shops in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand.

Our first camping trip was to Pranburi, a coastline province south of Bangkok. My friend Daryl (and family) packed our car and headed for the the beach at Pranburi. We rolled up to a quiet corner of the beach and pitched our tents. The little bay we had chosen was the local fisherman's bay. Their boats were tied up in the water, the beach was disserted and the weather was warm. In essence this was the perfect postcard picture spot.

We watched the sun go down, had a bar-b-q courtesy of the local fishermen who gave us a good deal on their catch. You really can't beat the freshness we ate that evening.

Camping in Thailand is really wonderful, the outdoor adventure is really close, unlike many European or American camp grounds. The facilities, such as they are, are usually very basic. I have camped in 3 different locations in Thailand and a couple of times in Laos and Cambodia, and I have always found that besides a few essentials like a toilet there is very little. This heightens the experience for me. I like nature, I like the roughness and I enjoy waking up to the lapping of the ocean. There are no extra dangers from insects from other parts of the globe and snake or other dangers are easily mitigated with simple precautions.

The only disadvantages to camping in Southeast Asia are usually associated with the weather. The weather can easily deter people, it can get hot, very hot. For this reason I tend to camp around the beaches where there is a cool breeze, people in the jungles and trekking regions often pay the price of unbearable humidity. The other main issue is accessibility. Thailand (and a greater extent in Laos and Cambodia) hasn't really developed it's camping facilities outside of the main national parks. Having your own car is a big bonus, however with a little perseverance folks can find the camp grounds with public transport.

There is a good article published here for all prospective campers. The article includes some good advice specific to the region.

Personally I love camping in Thailand. I have camped on the roadside in Laos and Cambodia and haven't enjoyed the experience too much, I have just camped out of necessity during a cycle tour. Thailand is a better experience, sometimes you will be alone on a beautiful beach, other times you can camp with a bunch of Thais nearby, and camping Thais are always such a great group of people. Camping isn't everyone's 'cup of tea' but it can be a great way to visit some of the less travelled parts of Thailand and to get to see a different, more natural side. Camping is fun, healthy and exciting!

On the forum for this website I will try to get a list of all campsite with facilities in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. If anyone has any information to add, can they either add it to the forum or send me an e-mail at simon@silkwheels.com?

In other news this month, it is the build up to my yearly (half) marathon in Pattaya. Pattaya doesn't excite me as a destination (those of you who know it will understand), but the Pattaya marathon is a highlight of my year. I get to trot around the streets of sin city and take in all the weird and wonderful sites. Sex is the trade of choice in Pattaya, the marathon takes you through the very heart of the trade.

The course is challenging, there are some hills. The run through the world famous (for the sex trade) Walking Street is a little eye-opening. There is plenty of support along the route, but a lasting memory I have is running through Walking Street and a bar full of ladyboys (Katoey in Thai) cheering me on at 07:00am. Amazing stuff.

Each year in this race there are some elite athletes. A few years ago I had the pleasure of guiding them around town (or at least helping to guide them as my girlfriend was the official guide). I met the winner of the Moscow Olympic marathon from 1980. This guy was approaching 50 years old but still running at the highest level. He was a great chap, regaling me with stories about his career and travels. He also swore by beer as a good training and recovery aid. He advised me that I should drink a couple of cans of Ashahi (Japanese beer) after each run. He said this in front of my girlfriend, giving me a solid excuse to consume beer whenever I wanted - the girlfriend wasn't too happy! I now have advice from a world class athlete to drink beer.

Marathon running in Southeast Asia is different from my native UK. Races are always run early in the morning, probably starting at 05:00. Liquid intake becomes a problem, I need much, much more to keep me going. The race itself is good natured, as everywhere around the world, people are friendly and encouraging. A marathon in Thailand is a great experience, well worth doing if you enjoy marathons.

You can find all the information about the Pattaya marathon here.

Coming up later this year we have the Pranburi triathlon. I will bring news on this is future columns.

Finally, I would like to finish this month by saying a big thank you to all contributors to this site. I am just starting a section to the site for people to send in their own stories/experiences about cycling in Southeast Asia. If there is a demand I will open this up to adventure travel (camping, climbing, kayaking etc.) as well.

Happy trails

Simon

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