For all the adrenaline junkies and action seekers out there, you’ll be happy to know that Thailand is one of the world’s best locations for exciting outdoor activities. You don’t even need to leave Bangkok to try out some of the coolest outdoor sports the country has to offer. You just need a sense of adventure, and a willingness to try out new things.

A pair of innovative recreation centres have sprung up in Bangkok, letting you test your body’s agility, strength and balance. Let’s take a look at what they offer, while keeping in mind that there are plenty of other options out there as well.

Wakeboarding - at Thai Wake Park, Lumlukka

Price: 850++ THB                                     Tel. 0866442545
Opening hours: 08:30am-11:00pm

Wakeboarding is a high-speed water sport, where you stand on a wakeboard and get dragged along the surface of the water by cables – typically pulled by a boat or machine.

Thai Wake Park lets you experience the thrill of wakeboarding, right on the northeastern edge of the city. The facility features a wakeboarding course with an array of obstacles, a pro shop, and food & beverages to keep you feeling refreshed between rides.

The course has 5 corners, with an island in the middle to break the waves. Cables in the park turn counter-clockwise. The obstacles on the course range from beginner to expert, letting you choose your level of difficulty. They include a snowboard ramp, double kink mix rail, intermediate funbox, and kicker – all giving you a chance to test your skills and try out new tricks.

The park provides you with a board, lifejacket, helmet, and free training. Wakeboards are the main draw at Thai Wake Park, but visitors can also try their skill at kneeboards and wakeskates – these items too, are available for free. Service-minded staff members are located throughout the park, to keep you safe and to help you get started on wakeboarding or whichever type of equipment you choose.

The restaurant and bar at Thai Wake Park provide fresh local food. A nice dish on the menu is the Thai-style stir-fried basil with minced pork (or another meat of your choice).

Surfing - at Flow House, Sukhumvit

Price: 800++ THB                                            Tel. 0990838787
Opening hours: 10:00am-10:00pm

You may be surprised to know that surfing is also a possibility in Bangkok. Flow House, in the Khlong Toei area, is a popular choice for surfers who live in the city. The recreation centre features FlowRider, a simulated wave surfing machine that generates artificial waves over an inflatable ramp. Flow House also has separate activity zones, as well as coffee shops, and a sports bar.

Entrance to Flow House is free, but you pay for the use of FlowRider and other areas of the complex. If you have little to no surfing experience, or haven’t tried it with an artificial setup before, then the staff members on standby are there to teach you the basics. Beginners can keep their balance by holding on to a rope, while the staff continually gives advice, and corrects posture. This kind of setup lets you get confident on the board in no time.

Flow House Bangkok offers a mix of Western and local Thai food, to keep you full of energy during your rides.

Live and learn

There are plenty of other outdoor activities to try out in Thailand, but please take care to stay safe. Every sport takes time to learn, so be sure to listen to the instructors as you try out new things!