WATER SPORTS IN PATTAYA

Pattaya abounds with water sport activities due to its location, weather and facilities. Examples of water sports available in Pattaya are diving, snorkelling, sailing, jet skiing, fishing, windsurfing, water skiing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, banana boating, parasailing and yachting.

Dive centres are located throughout Pattaya. PADI dive training courses are available at all levels from amateur divers to diving instructor. Pattaya is a year- round diving destination with similar temperature (28 degrees Celsius), visibility and diversity of dive sites from shallow coral dive to wreck dive. There are 4 wreck dive sites and many small nearby islands to explore.

For parasailing, the boats will pick you up from the Bali Hi Pier and take you out to the pontoons, where instruction to novices and experts alike will be given. This pursuit cannot be undertaken on windy days, and safety is a key factor. A parasailing experience, however, will give you an unforgettable and fabulous view of Pattaya Bay.

Sailing is very popular in Jomtien, where various national and international regattas take place and smaller boats are readily available for hire. Many sailors like to sail over to Koh Larn, or one of the smaller islands, for the day and return in the afternoon. You can rent a dinghy by the hour from the beach.

Swimming in the sea is very popular with both Thais and visitors. Don’t be surprised if the Thais go in fully clothed, though. They are not used to showing intimate areas in public, and also don’t like the sun, although it’s warm enough to dry off very quickly. With the sea at roughly the same temperature as the air, swimming here is very pleasant.

Pattaya offers opportunities to go fishing in the deep water as well as freshwater. Available are sail fish, queen fish, barracuda, marlin, cobia and shark, to name just a few. Fishing gear shops are available throughout the city. Boat services to the sea can be arranged through sport club or tour agencies; but you usually need to charter the entire boat, so it’s best to go as a group.

Scam alert!

The jet-ski damage ruse has been going strong for several years and despite a high profile international documentary expose, the police seem to let the jet-ski owners continue scamming tourists. It’s quite simple, you rent a jet-ski, signing a contract that says ‘no insurance’, and then when you return it the operator claims you’ve caused damaged, pointing to pre-existing marks. When you refuse to pay the amount (i.e. $US 500) they ask for, they threaten to take it to the police where ‘it’s likely to cost more and take a long time’. When you refuse, they get heavy. The very best advice we can give is DO NOT RENT JET-SKIS IN THAILAND, or else agree to go to the police, insisting they take you to the charge office (avoid mediators in uniform), and ask to call your local consulate.