Safety Archives - 8Adventures

Adventure Tourism: How to choose the right activity

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 05:49:38 +0000

Adventure Tourism is an increasingly popular choice for travellers in Asia and in particular the north of Thailand. The mountains and jungles that surround Chiang Mai are the perfect place to explore and enjoy an exciting range of activities, from whitewater rafting to trekking and ATV. Many of these tours last around 3hrs so it’s possible to experience several adventure activities in a single day, perfect for people who want to get as much out of their holiday time as possible.

Firstly, Chiang Mai’s seasonal climate should be taken into consideration. In the summer months (April- June) the heat can be baking hot, and at times unbearable for those accustomed to cooler temperatures. Water based activities can still be enjoyed as fast flowing rivers offer a welcomed relief from the heat, although due to the lack of rain sometimes the water levels can drop too low. For this reason, rafting is most fun during the rainy season (June- September). The most popular time to visit northern Thailand is December- February, as the temperature is much more pleasant. All adventure tourism activities are recommend during this period.

Secondly, consider your groups requirements, age and abilities. If you’re travelling with a family you’ll be pleased to know that many tours can be enjoyed by everyone, including young children. Kids love jungle trekking and rafting! If you’re travelling with a partner, you may wish to experience staying overnight in a hilltribe village. This is a unique and inspiring activity and can be combined with other fun adventures including ATV, Rafting, Trekking and Zipline. Large groups can also be accommodated, although it’s essential to contact the travel operators in advance during peak season.

Lastly, choose a company that has good reviews and safety record. Look for the TAT (Tourism Authority Thailand) number and research tours on popular sites such as TripAdvisor. If the operator receives 5-star reviews consistently then you’ve a good chance of having an amazing time. Be aware of low budget companies who may cut corners as regards to safety, insurance and maintenance of boats and vehicles.

8Adventures are proud to offer an exciting range of highly rated adventure tourism activities close to Chiang Mai, for more information please visit our website www.8Adventures.com and Facebook Page

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Maintaining a Fun and Safe ATV Tour

admin — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 03:28:31 +0000

Our ATV adventure rides are no doubt a fun, exciting tour through the lush lined roads of Northern Thailand. Guests often finish the trip feeling energized and buzzing over the thrill, but also grateful that the ride wasn’t as intense or scary as they may have thought.

We also realize that some of our guests come looking for a more extreme rip through windy mountain roads, but in the past those kinds of ATV tours resulted in accidents. Generally, no severe injuries occurred, but 8Adventures prides itself on providing an experience that is both adrenaline inducing and safe, so we adjusted our ATV rides to fit that, and it has been quite successful.

Here is one of many rave reviews about our ATV tour:

“Fun, Profesional, Safe ATV Tour”

Reviewed April 6, 2015 via mobile

“We did the 4 hour ATV tour with our guide James. Everything was profesional, and although we had a late pickup due to other tourists sleeping in, we arrived safe and sound. If you get car sick, take some gravol, as the road is winding and hilly, but the views are remarkable.
Once on site, the safety briefing was thorough. We had a member of our tour who had never ridden an ATV before, and she was confident after a few runs around the practice circuit. The tour was exciting, and the guides elevated the challenges as we became more comfortable with the bikes. We traveled through rivers past elephants bathing, along some roads, and into the jungle trails. Afterwards returning to main camp for a good lunch and a dust blowout with the air compressor! !
One thing to mention; due to the time of year, mid March, there was extensive burning going on in the highlands. As part of the tour is a trek up to a mountain top for picture taking, the tour guide suggested, due to the smoke and heat, it might not be such a good idea. Instead, after lunch, we mounted the bikes and cruised a short distance to a small waterfall with a fun rock slide.
A very enjoyable day had by all, from experienced ATV riders, to beginners. If your crew are all experienced inform the guide and he will adjust the route accordingly.”

For photos of our exciting ATV trips check out our Facebook page!

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8Adventures: Whitewater River Levels in Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai

admin — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 07:44:35 +0000

“How high is the water right now?”

This is a question we get asked daily by customers! Naturally we believe it’s worth visiting 8Adventures at any time of the year, and as each season provides different conditions we have learnt to adapt our tours to give you the best possible experience.

For example, during northern Thailand’s main rainy season from June- October there is a much greater chance of rain, with August seeing the highest rainfall. At this time the water can be high and fast and we’ll use our biggest and strongest Whitewater Rafts. From November the rain decreases, with December-Feb often being our driest spell. We check the water levels daily and adjust the air levels in the rafts accordingly. When the level is low we use our 2 person Inflatable Kayaks to give you a faster ride.

When the water is high I like my kayak or a big raft, it’s a blast! When the water is low you get an experience that is hard to find anywhere else… Inflatable Kayaks slotting through the drops, it’s really fun.

Eric Southwick

Thailand’s weather patterns significantly effect the height and speed of the Mae Taeng River where we run all our whitewater rafting, kayaking and SUP adventures. From next year we’re planning to record daily water levels to produce our own data.

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8Adventures Safety Training

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:59:49 +0000

At 8Adventures your safety is our number one priority and we regularly train staff in every aspect of land and water safety. The Red Cross certifies all of our guides in First Aid and CPR and we use the best safety equipment including CE EN helmets and UL Coastguard approved life jackets.

White Water Rescue Technician Course

We also take every available opportunity to learn advanced safety skills and this week Eric and Sak successfully completed the White Water Rescue Technician Course arranged by Rescue 3 International, the world-renowned adventure activity training organisation. The course included techniques to safely rescue swimmers, advanced boat and rope systems, scene management and risk assessment.

Thailand is generally a very safe country to visit, but it’s worth considering that not all tour operators or adventure companies adhere to international safety standards. On occasions local businesses may take unnecessary risks with equipment or vehicles and use untrained guides in an attempt to save money.

During a trip with 8Adventures, guests are covered by full insurance and we strive to maintain our impeccable safety record.

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