February -March '09 |
Hot Rock: Climbing in Thailand |
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An excerpt from “chronicle of a winter in paradise” about Sam
Lightner’s trip gives ample introduction to climbing in 
Thailand:
“I
thought I’d seen it all until one moonlit night in a bar in Southern
Thailand. The blue bar was a typical tropical outdoor bar – bamboo tables,
swaying coconut trees, bikini clad patrons – but the massive rock wall
that rose directly above it was anything but typical. I grabbed the table
directly under the big rock wall and ordered a beer. I had come to witness
Thailand’s first outdoor climbing exhibition. Tex, one of the local
Thai climbers, had organized the event and advertised it well, tacking flyers
to almost every coconut tree in the small resort of Phra Nang… the crowd
went quiet as Tex roped up and began working his way up a sport 5.11 that
began inside the bar.”
Our
first climbing destination in Thailand is the Lang Sak crag near Uthai Thani,
there are only about 20 routes there at the moment as it’s only recently
been found but we can repeat these and scope out the many new lines that await
first ascents. Here, in the mountainous north, we will stop to see the ruins
of Thailand's first capital, Sukhothai, built in 1257. Arriving at the relaxed
and interesting northern hill capital Chang Mai we will have the time to split
up and head for different objectives. In the golden triangle area near the
borders of the former Burma and Laos (previously known as Siam) there are
few recently opened up crags worthy of our attention. 'Meang On' Cave in Chang
Mai has 15 routes from French 6a-7a and two hours north is Mae Hong Sun with
only a handful of lines on the massively underdeveloped crag.
Another popular excursion is a trekking visit to the hill tribes of the poppy
fields where the countries meet. The Meos tribe is perhaps the best known
with their colourful costumes and neck rings. If you don't want your feet
to do any work then this is your chance to fulfil all those childhood Tarzan
fantasies and saddle up 
an
elephant and head into the jungle.
After a few days new routing and cragging we will head into Bangkok to experience
this loud, crowded, seedy city 
with
bars and restaurant a plenty in backpacker central Khao San Road. There is
the chance to visit the chaos of the floating market or the tranquility of
one of the scattered Buddhist temples around the city. After a couple of days
in Bangkok, now the proud owners of various fake Rolexes and Oakleys. we will
leave to head south.
Driving
down the narrow peninsula on good roads we pass loads of unclimbed rock and
your neck may begin to ache from repeated swivel injuries. The destinations
are Khao Yo & Chonburi. They are only one hour from Bangkok and sport
a 'hard to miss crag' with camping at the base and routes developed from 5.7-5.12.
There is stacks of potential for new routes as the area has only recently
been opened up. Another promising new cliff is at Lopburi on the 80m high
limestone wall. There is room for about 100 routes but has hardly been climbed
on at all!
You may have heard of our next destination. Krabi beach awaits us for the next fortnight. We will base ourselves either in Ao Nang or actually over on Rai Leh beach. Whilst the climbing is mostly around Rai Leh it is more expensive and only a short longtail boat ride away. As far as the climbing scene goes it is as close to sports climbing paradise as you’re going to get with routes starting out of the water, out of the bar and straight off the beach. No need to break a sweat on long walk-ins!
The
guidebook describes the 500+ routes in the area and we’re in touch with
the “King” of “King’s Climbing” to keep us in
touch with new routing since the last publication. The huge limestone walls
go on for miles and soar upwards at dizzying angles, stalactites of all shapes
and sizes hang from the cliffs and there are tufa columns galore. Islands
of sheer rock rise from the sea and all this within minutes of ice cold cocktails.
Based in our own beach huts we can explore the many bolted routes in the area, from f5c to f8c+. Whilst most of the routes are single pitch sports routes on often wildly gymnastic roofs, there are bigger walls such as the 500ft Thaiwand which boasts classics such as “Lord of the Thais” and “The King and I.”
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There
are easier routes on Muay Thai wall, 5.7s – 5.11s on good solid rock.
For real fun however it has to be the two tiered jungle Gym on Andaman beach
which is as perfect as single pitch sport routes get. These super steep routes
ascend the wall that looks like a huge wave breaking overhead (hence “Tidal
Wave” 5.12c.) The upper tier has multi-pitch lines ranging from 5.10
– 5.12, all above a wobbly bamboo ladder. These climbs wander through
chandelier systems of stalactites, and abseils sometimes put you in the sea!
The
bars and restaurants will be a great place to bore other climbers from all
over the world to tears with our tall tales from the last 10 months. Nights
of Thai curries and fatally potent Mekong whiskey can seriously impair the
climbing but somehow it doesn’t matter, as the Krabi scene marches relentlessly
on. Rest days are spent on the beckoning beach. Or taking sea kayaks to explore
the caves. You can dive, ride elephants, snorkel, try Thai boxing, or take
longtail boats to any of the thousands of secluded islands off the coast.
From Krabi we may explore some of the islands. Ko Phi Phi has a couple of hundred routes, for example. There is still loads of new routing potential in all these areas, and we’ll spend at least a fortnight here before even thinking of rolling up our beach mats, dusting sand off the ropes, and moving on to Malaysia.
