Kayaking

Kayaks are available to hire. The estuaries, small adjacent islands /islets and the stunning Koh Ra all offer great opportunities for exploring by sea kayak. Private guided sea kayak tours can be arranged on request.

Taking a paddle up the coast can be both a mentally relaxing and physically exerting way to spend an afternoon. The beach around Golden Buddha stretches past the two small islands of Koh Pling and Koh Rok Nok up to Koh Ra (the mountainous island to the north.)If you persevere you will be rewarded with an abundance of mangroves and sheltered bays around the island. Koh Rok Nok has two narrow slanting sea caves on its seaward side and a sheltered beach on the landward side. Koh Pling, the smaller of the two islands, boasts a skirt of rocks and boulders for more challenging kayaking.

Mangrove Exploration - A little closer to the resort is a Khlong (a small tidal river in the Thai Language) which has its mouth in the bay to the north of Golden Buddha. During high tide it is navigable and teeming with birdlife. This makes for a calming hour's glide within its winding tributary systems. When the moon, the sea, and the tides are just right then you are able to float right into the khlong with the incoming current. Without having to paddle, you will be unnoticed and really have a chance to creep into the animal kingdom.

Amazonian River Safari: Not only does Koh Phra Thong boast an African-esque Savannah land, but also a river with reminiscences of the Amazon basin. This river, named Khlong Ko Khat, almost cuts the island in half as it nearly joins with a similar khlong from the south. You will paddle a path sunken deep into the dense mangrove tributaries traveling at your own speed. Some of the rarely seen aquatic and avian fauna, including the Lesser Adjutant, inhabit the saline khlongs of this area. Chinese Pond Herons, Little Egrets, and Open-billed Stalks are all to be sighted creeping around the twisted roots. Click here to read more about rare and exciting birding opportunities at Golden Buddha.