Laem Son National Park

Laem Son National Park.

After having heard from a captain of a boat how windy this area is every time he passes it, we went and had a look for ourselves. Driving up from Phuket we hardly saw any wind at all during the 3 and a half hour drive up the coast. Only once we had turned off the main road to go into the national park did the trees start swaying from side to side. At the large inland sea in the park the water was covered with white caps, my anenometer read 15 to 18 knots. This was something we really didn't expect as the weather forecast for Thailand was a light 5 to 10 knots, we checked this forecast again in the evening at an internet cafe in a nearby village. The next day the wind situation was the same.

So why is the wind so strong here whilst elsewhere it is light?

There is a long valley ,it's about 80 kilometres in length, that goes  from the east coast of Thailand all the way to the west coast. This valley is perfectly positioned for the north east monsoon wind to funnel down it. Even a light north east monsoon wind becomes strong this way. The inland sea lake at Laem Son National Park is situated right at the end of this valley. The north east monsoon usually starts at the beginning of November and lasts until the end of February. The lake has huge areas of shallow water where you can stand, making it a great spot for beginners and experienced riders alike. The wind tends to be best in the mornings. The lake is surrounded by mangrove forests and mountains. There are also lots of little islands with beautiful white beaches. The water is very clear.  

Accomodation

There are 2 bungalow resorts at Laem Son National Park. One of them,"the peace resort" is right by the beach on the ocean, room rates are between 400 and 800 baht. The more expensive rooms are big and have airconditioning. The other resort is a bit more inland, they have nice rooms with airconditioning, tv and hot water for 800 baht a night and cheaper basic bungalows for 300 baht.

Our trips

At your request we can arrange kitesurfing trips for beginners to Laem Son National Park, it's an ideal spot for learning as it has large areas of shallow water where you can stand, there is no need to waste time swimming around in deep water and tiring yourself in the process. We also do canoeing trips and jungle walks in the area which can be combined with your kitesurfing holiday. At the" peace bungalow resort" they also have fishing and snorkeling trips to the nearby offshore islands. The sea in this area is teeming with fish as the inland sea lakes act as a huge breeding ground.

Getting there and away

Laem Son National park lies on the west coast approximately 40 kilometres south of the town of Ranong, Ranong lies about 280 kilometres north of Phuket and borders Burma. Ranong national airport is just a 30 minute drive from Laem Son National Park. There are daily flights from Bangkok to Ranong airport. There are also daily buses from all over Thailand.