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Mention Thailand and images of beaches, elephants
and Bangkok come to mind. Less known is the fact
Thailand rock climbing is some of the best in the
world.
Thailand Rock Climbing
Located in Southeast Asia, Thailand is bordered
by Cambodia, Burma and Laos in the north and
Malaysia in the south. The shape of the country is
somewhat similar to Italy, and you'll find similar
differences between northern and southern Thailand
that you do in Italy. For rock climbing
enthusiasts, the south of Thailand is where the
action is.
The rock formations in Thailand are almost
universally limestone. The level of climbing can
be as simple as bouldering or as challenging as
tackling over vertical cliffs. This makes Thailand
a popular rock climbing destination since it has a
little something for everyone.
Krabi
Located on the southern section of the "tail"
of Thailand, Krabi has a wide variety of rock
climbing challenges. Most of the climbs in this
area are of the pre-bolted sport route variety.
There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of
climbs with difficulty levels from beginner to
multi-pitch knuckle crushers.
The beauty of climbing in Krabi is...well, the
beauty. While you might have visions of jungles
and mosquitoes when thinking of Thailand, Krabi is
an area of a different sort. Most of the climbs
have been set up on cliff faces on the beach.
Being natural capitalists, the Thai's have built
hotels, bars and so on at these locations. As a
result, you can literally climb a multi-pitch
route for five hours, cool off with a swim and
then have a beer. If there is such a thing as a
rock climbing heaven, many feel Krabi is it.
Before you cash in your savings, keep in mind
that Thailand is a seasonal vacation spot. If you
go during the wet season, there is a good chance
you'll just end up sitting around drinking beer.
While that isn't too bad, you'll go crazy looking
at the climbs that are so close, but oh so far
away.
Generally, you want to head to Thailand from
late November through maybe April. The summer
months tend to be both incredibly hot and wet.
Make sure you pull up forecasts for the area
before booking a trip.
Flying to Thailand is inexpensive, but flights
are incredibly long with stopovers. Still, it is
all worth it once you experience Thailand rock
climbing.
About the Author
Rick Chapo is with
http://www.nomadjournals.com/climbing.cfm -
makers of rock climbing journals. Personal
climbing journals make great Christmas gifts for
rock climbing, mountain climbing and ice climbing.
To read climbing articles and stories, visit
http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com/mountain_rock_ice |
