Watersports in Pattaya

The snorkelling is out at Koh Larn, the island Thai people call Coral Island, which is fifteen minutes by speedboat or about forty five by ferry from Bali Hai pier. Samae and Tien beaches are the usual spots. Be realistic about the reef: it is recovering from decades of heavy use rather than untouched, and the water in Pattaya Bay itself is not worth snorkelling in. Do not stand on or touch coral, and use a sunscreen that is not toxic to reefs.

Pattaya is where Bangkok learns to dive, two hours from the city, and it is honest to describe it as an entry level and wreck destination rather than a great reef one. The signature dives are deliberately sunk warships, HTMS Khram and HTMS Kut, sitting in open water off the far islands, along with sites around Koh Rin and Koh Phai. Visibility is moderate and varies with the season. Check that the school is PADI or SSI affiliated and ask what insurance covers you.

Jomtien rather than Pattaya beach is where this happens, because the bay south of the headland gets cleaner wind and has room to run. The season matters more than the venue: the northeast monsoon from roughly November to March gives the steadiest breeze, and outside it you can spend an afternoon waiting. Schools on Jomtien beach rent boards and teach beginners in a few sessions. Expect to spend the first one climbing back onto the board.

Pattaya and Jomtien make up one of Thailand's main kitesurfing areas, for the same reason as the windsurfing: steady northeast monsoon wind from about November to March, and shallow flat water at low tide that is much kinder to learners than open surf. Lessons run over several days rather than an afternoon, and the schools here are used to complete beginners. Look for an instructor certified by a recognised body such as the IKO before booking a course.

Read this before renting anywhere in Pattaya. The jet ski scam here is well documented and persistent: you return the machine, the operator points out damage that was already on the hull, and a group of men asks for a large sum in cash. The protections are simple. Photograph and film every side of the machine with the operator in frame before you leave. Book through your hotel rather than off the beach. Never hand over a passport as a deposit. If it happens, call the tourist police on 1155 rather than paying.

Not on the sea at all. A cable park tows you around a lake on an overhead cable rather than behind a boat, which makes it cheaper per run, far easier to learn on, and much less dependent on weather. The parks are inland from Pattaya, so it is a taxi ride rather than a beach walk. Sessions are sold by the hour or the half day and boards and vests are included. It is the best value watersport in the area and the one most likely to produce a beginner who can actually stand up.

Towed behind a boat or a jet ski off Jomtien and Pattaya beaches, and worth separating properly, because these are two sports rather than one. On skis you learn to get up out of the water; on a wakeboard you learn to hold an edge. Behind a jet ski the pull is jerkier than behind a proper tow boat, so if you have a choice, take the boat. Ask whether there is a spotter watching you as well as a driver, because that is the safety difference that matters.

A board fed by a hose from a jet ski pushes water down hard enough to lift you a few metres clear of the surface. Sessions are sold in minutes rather than hours because it is exhausting, and for a first go the instructor keeps the throttle so you cannot climb faster than you can balance. Almost everyone spends the first five minutes falling and the last five hovering. Ask for a helmet and a vest, and mention any shoulder or knee trouble before you start.

The one to be most careful with. Parasailing off Pattaya beach is lightly regulated, tow lines are short, many operators provide no helmet, and launches and landings happen on a beach with swimmers on it. Serious injuries have happened. If you go, look at the condition of the harness and the lines yourself, ask for a helmet, prefer an operator that launches and lands from a boat, and walk away if the rig looks worn. Deciding against it is a reasonable decision.

An inflatable towed behind a speedboat with four to six people astride it, and the driver's intention is to throw you off, which is the entire point. It is cheap, it lasts a few minutes, and it is the one activity on this list that needs no skill at all. Wear the life jacket properly rather than loose, hold the handles rather than the person in front, and keep it away from very young children, who are the ones who get hurt when the boat turns hard.

You wear a helmet fed by an air line from the boat and walk on the sea bed in shallow water, so no swimming or certification is needed. One thing to insist on: the walk should be over sand. The old description of this activity had people walking through coral, and that is damage rather than sightseeing; a good operator keeps the route clear of reef. It uses compressed air at depth, so the same ear equalisation applies as in diving, and mention ear, sinus, heart or pregnancy issues first.

Ocean Marina at Jomtien is one of the largest marinas in Southeast Asia and is the reason sailing is a serious option here rather than a novelty. Yachts and catamarans go out crewed by the half day or the day, usually towards Koh Larn and the quieter islands beyond it, and there is an annual regatta based at the marina. It is the most comfortable way to spend a day on the water in Pattaya and the least likely to involve an argument on a beach.