Best Thailand Beaches: Don't Drown On Your Thailand Holiday

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Most tourist drownings inwards Thailand involve people caught inwards RIP CURRENTS on pop beaches. Phuket as well as large Ko Chang receive got the worst records, but rip currents tin occur anywhere at that spot is a surf running. All that H2O heading beachwards has to larn dorsum out to sea somehow, as well as that is the rip current.
Waves inwards Thailand are to a greater extent than a moisture flavor thing, during as well as after periods of prolonged potent winds. Waves are absent to rattling pocket-size 99% of dry out season.
Inexperienced people finding themselves shooting out to sea inwards a rip electrical flow examine to swim against it, larn exhausted, receive got inwards water, as well as drown.

THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN! Anyone who tin only tread water, permit lonely swim, should never drown inwards a rip.
First DON’T PANIC.
Surfers piece of work rips all the fourth dimension to receive got them “out the back” to the take-off zone. They don’t fifty-fifty receive got to swim. I propose pathetic swimmers do precisely the same. ALL rips dissipate inwards the deeper H2O just behind the moving ridge breaking zone. They receive got done their job, as well as do non go further. The longest rip I receive got always seen went 400 meters from the shore inwards a HUGE SURF, much bigger than anything Thailand gets. Most rips terminal for 100-150m. Once yous are out inwards the calmer H2O past times the intermission zone, tread water, set upwards your mitt as well as hold off for someone alongside a longtail to pick yous up.

Treading H2O is a minimal endeavour activity, something the average somebody could do for mayhap 24 hours inwards Thailand earlier dehydration becomes a work (the H2O is besides warm for hypothermia). Hell, fifty-fifty TT Thailand’s svelte-challenged as well as lethargy-enhanced mr. nasty as well as large fourth dimension plagiarist of this blog, Singapore Slim (all names changed to protect the guilty) would in all probability terminal to dinner time, when the smell of chips as well as gravy would forcefulness a do-or-die dash for the shore.

DON’T TRY TO SWIM AGAINST THE RIP. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 earth champion volition go backwards against a potent rip. All but rattling tally swimmers volition larn exhausted swimming against fifty-fifty gentle rips.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT SHARKS - tens of thousands of surfers as well as body of body of water swimmers inwards Commonwealth of Australia as well as other much sharkier places than Thailand individually pass hundreds of hours yearly swimming as well as surfing without worries. Hell, I’ve never heard of a shark assail inwards Thailand, except inwards that heap of nonsense majority past times Alex Garland.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT UNDERTOWS - at that spot is no such things every bit a rip which volition drag yous under, permit lonely maintain yous under.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT WAVES BREAKING ON YOUR HEAD - rip currents motility out thru the deeper channels betwixt sandbars - waves intermission inwards shallow H2O (largely on the sandbars) therefore these deeper channels frequently receive got no waves or few waves. If 1 does come upwards when yous are inwards the rip, receive got a breath, dive downwards or duck your head. You are gonna pop upwards on the other side - that breath guarantees it.

THE OLD SWIM SIDEWAYS TRICK.
Surf-lifesavers inwards Commonwealth of Australia tell if yous are caught inwards a rip, SWIM SIDEWAYS TO THE RIP (parallel to the beach). Even large rips are never to a greater extent than than nigh 30m across, therefore yous volition shortly motility out of the electrical flow as well as hopefully into the shallow H2O of the sandbar where yous tin stand**.
I intend this is goodness advice for people who are non exhausted as well as who starting fourth dimension swimming sideways immediately. Wait besides long as well as yous are probable to cease upwards on the sandbar but inwards deeper water, unable to stand upwards up, to a greater extent than exhausted past times the swim as well as alongside large waves breaking on your head, which tin go pretty frightening for the inexperienced. I reckon it is much cooler to allow the rip to receive got yous seaward, as well as then float or therefore out the dorsum waiting for someone to pick yous up. It’s prissy out there.

HOW TO SPOT Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 RIP CURRENT.
*Look for the sections where no waves or fewer waves are breaking (note what a trap this is for the inexperienced: “this looks safe, NO WAVES, I’ll swim here”
*Big rips frequently scour sand every bit they go as well as await sandy.
*When the air current is blowing inwards the contrary direction, the surface of the rip is frequently disturbed as well as choppy looking.
Note however, many rips are rattling hard to spot from beach or H2O level.


SOME OTHER FACTS ABOUT RIP CURRENTS
*The bigger the surf, the stronger the rip - at that spot is to a greater extent than H2O to motility dorsum out to sea.
*Rips are strongest at depression tide when all that H2O has to motility through a shallower channel; as well as at that spot is a greater quantity of H2O to motility out because the waves breaking on the shallower sandbars tend to go bigger as well as to a greater extent than frequent.
*At the ends of beaches at that spot is normally a rip running along at to the lowest degree 1 of the headlands, mayhap both if the swell is coming inwards precisely front-on to the beach (most swell has a slightly oblique angle of approach).
*A longish beach similar Patong or Karon typically has to a greater extent than than a one-half dozen sandbars separated past times channels containing rip currents if surf is running.
*Rips are fed past times FEEDER CURRENTS, which run parallel to the beach just off the sand, inwards the (usually small) channel betwixt the sandbar as well as the beach. These feeders larn stronger every bit they approach the large channel betwixt the sandbars, where they plough correct angles as well as caput out to sea every bit a total blown rip. Sometimes FEEDER CURRENTS are potent plenty towards their ends to drag non/poor swimmers sideways into the rip proper.

Don’t confuse FEEDER CURRENTS alongside CROSS DRAG as well as TIDAL CURRENTS which operate farther from the beach.

CROSS DRAG or SIDE DRAG:
Most waves approach the beach at a slightly oblique angle - ie non precisely parallel alongside the beach. This sets upwards a sideways electrical flow (parallel to the beach) known every bit the LONGSHORE CURRENT, LONGSHORE DRIFT or colloquially, SIDE DRAG, which tends to go located out close the intermission zone.
Usually this electrical flow is non strong, as well as gives no problems, but if the swell approaches at a bigger angle to the beach as well as is big, it tin go powerful plenty to drag swimmers sideways off the sand-bar, as well as into the rip electrical flow inwards the side past times side channel. It tin also go powerful plenty to drag the swimmer thru the rip-current as well as go along on its merry means downwards the beach.
No problems, just brand certainly yous are non silent inwards the rip-current channel (wait 'til the waves are biggest) as well as and then swim towards shore. The waves volition aid launder yous in.
If yous are a pathetic swimmer as well as don’t similar the persuasion of getting pounded past times breaking waves, just cruise on downwards the beach as well as hold off for someone to haul yous out alongside a boat. Or swim out to sea a bit, yous volition motility out of the side drag as well as remain inwards the 1 spot.
If yous are a NON SWIMMER as well as larn swept sideways off the sandbar, yous are gunna drown. But yous should receive got been nowhere close the intermission zone, which is normally a fair means from shore. Non swimmers should never go inwards to a greater extent than than thigh deep inwards whatever surf, as well as fifty-fifty as well as then should go aware of the FEEDER CURRENTS mentioned before.


ARE ALL BEACHES DANGEROUS IN WET SEASON?

NO.
Because potent winds inwards Thailand’s moisture flavor come upwards from the western quadrant, it is normally the WESTWARD FACING BEACHES where the swell tin larn up, creating sizable surf as well as unsafe currents.
So unless yous are an practiced at swimming inwards large surf, yous should avoid such conditions. If yous desire to cool down, don’t larn out to a greater extent than than thigh deep (I’ve constitute it hard to walk against a potent rip or side drag inwards fifty-fifty waist deep water. Sometimes it tin go hard to fifty-fifty remain on your feet).
Good tidings is that frequently winds are benign inwards moisture flavor as well as the swell stays rattling small. It's pretty rubber to swim on these westward facing beaches inwards these conditions, although inwards whatever surf at that spot volition go some type of outward current. There tin also go the less troublesome TIDAL CURRENTS I depict later, specially along whatever fringing reef as well as headland. So silent go aware.

Another selection is to seek an isle alongside EASTERN FACING BEACHES. These beaches are sheltered from the western winds as well as swell of moisture season. Unfortunately, to a greater extent than beaches inwards the pop Andaman human face upwards WEST than eastward - eg all the goodness beaches on Phuket, Lanta, Jum. There are prissy eastern facing beaches on Phi Phi, Ko Ngai, Ko Kradan, Ko Bulon Lae, Ko Taratao, Ko Lipe.
Away from the Andaman, at that spot are prissy eastern facing beaches on Phangan*, Samui*, Tao*, as well as Samet. The northern beaches at Mak as well as Ko Whai close large Chang are also pretty sheltered inwards moisture season.
Sadly all of large Chang’s goodness beaches human face upwards due west into the air current as well as swell.

Eastern facing beach areas tin go bailiwick to TIDAL CURRENTS, described below.

* ThornTree poster dearsirsam also points out that when the north-east trades larn upwards on isle similar Samui, Phangan as well as Tao, therefore besides does the swell, as well as yous tin larn rip-currents at these beaches. Fortunately inwards my sense this does non come about besides often, mainly inwards the months October thru Dec, but go aware. People receive got drowned at Thong Nai Pan. And at Hat Rin (and away from the drunken political party times).

TIDAL CURRENTS
When the tide rises as well as falls, H2O moving into as well as out of narrow inlets as well as passages betwixt islands, as well as over shallow reefs, trial inwards TIDAL CURRENTS. These tend to go strongest mid-tide as well as normally run parallel to shore.
In places alongside HUGE tides, they tin go awesome, running at 30km+, alongside associated vortexes (whirlpools) as well as standing waves of 2m where potent winds blow against them.
In Thailand, the tidal attain is non huge as well as therefore these currents are non all that potent - every bit a affair of fact they are goodness for a no-effort (no involve to swim or kick) drift along the border of a fringing reef checking the coral as well as fish. When yous larn tired of that, yous swim into the beach, walk dorsum upwards to the starting point, as well as repeat every bit needed.
However, I receive got seen a few Thai tidal currents which would go hard for a poorer swimmer to swim against. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Brit guy 1 time told me he constitute himself beingness carried along the headland at the S of Hat Rin as well as had a hell of a fourth dimension getting dorsum to the beach. At 1 phase he persuasion he would non brand it.
I reckon pathetic swimmers should non try. Swim inwards to the rocks as well as rock-hop back. If this looks besides hard (sometimes hauling yourself out of the H2O inwards rocky areas is close impossible) swim OUT into deeper water. The tidal currents do non run here. Then swim dorsum to the beach inwards stages, alongside periodic tread-water rests when needed. Or hold off for someone alongside a boat.



After all this depressing materials nigh drowning it’s fourth dimension for some LIGHT RELIEF, folks:

- **A few years dorsum I saw a daughter alongside the smallest bikini inwards the earth enter the H2O inwards what I considered a risky spot at 1 of my local beaches. Sure enough, she got caught inwards a rip. She stuck her mitt high inwards the air which is the signal for aid inwards Australian surf.
I just had to haul this lady out personally. Trouble is a skin-diver resting on the side past times side headland rocks figured the same thing. BIG RACE - he had the fins for speed, I had the rip for velocity. I was winning, as well as solely fifteen meters from the girl, when all of a abrupt she stood upwards as well as walked away! Wise daughter had done the sideways-swim play a joke on onto a shallow sand-bar.
- One fourth dimension I was board-riding Queensland’s Alexander Bay inwards a large nasty surf. Alexander Bay is pop alongside surfers as well as NUDISTS. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 daughter got caught inwards a rip as well as every bit I paddled across my heart leapt - she was totally gorgeous as well as would shortly go spread-eagled on my board!
She also turned out to go the solely daughter on the beach wearing swimmers.

Stone the crows trendsetters, sometimes I intend Hui, the God of Surf, has a personal grudge against me. And non solely inwards the surf.

Like the fourth dimension I was doing 130 on the Coolangatta by-pass as well as the board-racks, containing my total quiver of five boards, flew off the roof as well as was run-over past times a tour bus.
Or when I gave a elevator from Byron Bay to Sydney to a posse of surfer-groupies who had run out of coin to larn home. Going thru Ballina, they stuck their cute bare arses out the windows at a twosome of cops doing roadside radar duty. The cops radioed their mates downwards the road, who pulled me over, gave the girls a lecture as well as me five defect notices for the tezza-waggon. Jeez, judge industrial plant inwards foreign ways.

Oh yeah, some other incident which at nowadays makes me grin but wasn’t all that funny inwards the execution, was the rescue of Johnathon Livingston Seagull from a certainly watery death. You tin read abt that at the cease of my Ko Libong information thingy on this site.

EXTRAS - Thorntree poster ALLY constitute this pic of a rip at Palm Beach inwards Sydney. Note how pocket-size the surf is. This would go a pretty gentle rip but could silent give pathetic as well as average swimmers a tough time. Note besides how tardily it would go to wander off the sand-bar into the deeper channel, non besides pleasant for a non swimmer. Note how the rip dissipates "out the back".

Ally also provided this beach-level pic of a rip. His label: "DON'T SWIM BETWEEN THE RED POINTERS!" Once over again a pretty pocket-size surf. Note how waves are non breaking inwards the channel.

And some rattling goodness pix, a video as well as information on rips HERE..

If yous receive got whatever questions, delight inquire them inwards THE FORUM rather than below. I don't larn a conduct chances to banking concern check all threads daily, but unless I'm travelling I'll examine to monitor THE FORUM regularly.

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