The thrills and spills of whitewater rafting in Phitsanulok
STORY BY PATASINEE KRANLERT, PHOTOS BY NOPPADOL GUNTANG
A thrilling moment for tourists as their raft bobs up and down in foaming white waters churned by rapids of the Khek River. |
Travelling takes a back seat with the arrival of monsoon rain as most people seem inclined to defer their travel plans and sit out the wet season. But what if they were told there exist some excellent spots promising beautiful nature and great adventure suited perfectly for this time of the year?
One of them is the Khek River as it flows through Phitsanulok Province, fast emerging as a destination for whitewater rafting and adventure buffs who fancy a challenge or two.
After pondering for a while, I signed up for the adventure, the first time in my life that I'd be going whitewater rafting. I was told that me and my group would be navigating the middle section of the river, a distance of nine kilometres starting at Ban Tha Kham.
Rafters paddle hard, as advised. |
The two-metre drop at Kaeng Nang Koy rapid sends your adrenaline rushing. |
According to the itinerary, it would take us past 13-18 rapids, beginning with Kaeng Tha Kham, followed by Kaeng Moradok Pa, Kaeng Pak Yang, Kaeng Hin Lad and Kaeng Wang Takian, where the river was calm and the water slow moving. After that we would navigate through rapids cluttered with boulders - Kaeng Sang, Kaeng Sopharam, Kaeng Nang Koy and Kaeng Yao, the last rapid on this rafting tour.
Since whitewater rafting can be a dangerous sport, we were handed life vests and helmets and told to wear them at all times while on board the rafts. Next our local guides gave us an impromptu talk about fundamental rafting skills such as paddling and how to react when bumping into rocks or other obstacles.
I felt relieved after one of the guides assured me that the condition of the river was monitored everyday and no rafting was allowed if the river was deemed potentially dangerous on a given day. If water level was too high, rafters would have to wait until it had receded to a safe level.
"Don't worry," said a member of the crew. "The guides will take care of everything. All you have to do is follow the orders and everything will be alright."
We watched our crew prepare the rafts and then check them to make sure everything was in working order. As for myself, I had prepared for this excursion with a good night's sleep, followed by a nice breakfast and lunch to make sure my energy level was at peak condition just in case I needed it.
But now, hearing the sound of the flowing current, that sense of anticipation was gradually giving way to uncertainty as I tried to contemplate the hazards along the route and, for newcomers like me, what the ride held in store.
And then it's time! Everyone drew a deep breath as the crew took up positions and announced, "Rafters get on board and report to your assigned guides."
This smooth sailing section of the Khek River is a picture of calm and serenity. |
As the rafts left the river's bank we received our first orders, "Paddle hard." With one hand gripping firmly the top of the oar and the other half way down, I rowed as hard as I could.
Rafting the Khek River provides an array of experiences from easy to nail-biting. The first half was slow and relaxed, allowing rafters to be at ease. We passed several rapids, the air cool and refreshing, admiring the natural beauty along this tame stretch of the river.
Then out of nowhere I heard a distant rumble that grew in intensity and my heart began to beat faster. As it became louder I knew the moment had arrived.
Before I could realise our raft had plunged headlong into Kaeng Sang, the first of the major rapids on the route. The tranquility we had enjoyed only moments ago was now replaced by a rush of adrenaline that I could feel building up in my veins.
"Everybody paddle hard," our guide shouted repeatedly. Overcome by panic I found myself unable to comply as our raft spun out of control after being tossed in the rapid, with water pouring in from every direction. The ordeal, however, was over as soon as we paddled past Kaeng Sang, after which we again found ourselves in a tame stretch of the river.
Unfortunately, it didn't last long. No sooner had we started taking it easy we hit another major rapid. From seemingly nowhere, the current quickened alarmingly and hurtled our raft into the foaming water churned by the rapid, leaving us at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Rafters struggle for balance as the fast-moving current threatens to wrest control of their craft. |
Next up was the day's highlight, Kaeng Nang Koy rapid marked by speeding current and a two-metre drop in the river. The crew had advised us to grab the safety rope if things got out of control, for they know from experience most tourists panic coming face to face with the drop.
And they were spot on. Our screams were ear-piercing as we tumbled down and found ourselves swamped by walls of violent foaming water, with our raft tossed aside and well out of reach. After a minute that seemed a lifetime, the current turned serene again.
That was really exciting, I thought to myself emerging from the raging river. In some way I'd started to find the adrenaline rush addictive.
The last leg of was another thrilling experience over a rapid 200 metres long. This time we just relaxed and let the current propel our raft. And so it remained until we came to the end of our journey.
The entire excursion lasted three hours, at the end of which we were reunited with other rafters. Now there was one last thing to do: raise our paddles in unison to hail our conquest of the testing Khek rapids.
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Rainy season is the best time for this thrilling experience as the swollen Khek River is at peak form, ensuring high water levels and challenging rapids. The river originates in Khao Khor mountains of Phetchabun Province.
It has several rapids ranging from mild to wild depending on the volume of water flowing through them, some designated level-5 on the difficulty scale, the highest level open to the general public. A level-5 rapid is characterised by huge waves, fast current, abrupt drops and steep turns.
"In fact, rafting is not something new," explained Noppadol Guntang, the first person to operate rafting service in Phitsanulok. "For over 15 years nature-loving tourists have been coming here and enjoyed drifting downstream in bamboo rafts absorbing the natural scenery. Sadly, it didn't go down well with conservation groups who opposed the felling of bamboo trees to build rafts, arguing it's detrimental to the environment.
"In its wake rubber rafts were introduced to Phitsanulok in 1992. Six years later, I and my team decided to explore the river on rubber dinghies and discovered there were some parts suitable for whitewater rafting. Back then, the local people didn't believe these rafts, insecure that they seemed, would be able to withstand the strong river current. Some of them even tried to stop us ," he said, adding, "I saw great potential in this recreational activity and established my company in 1999. Originally, there were only two operators in the province who set out to develop this water sport utilising inflatable rafts to navigate the river."
From then on, rafting has gained increasing popularity among thrill-seekers and nature lovers. This adventure activity has lent a new face to tourism in Phitsanulok and made the province one of the major tourist draws in the North during the wet season.
"The province is bubbling with adventure seekers June to October and monsoon months are no longer regarded as low season. Today, many tour operators have jumped on to the rafting bandwagon in response to the increasing demand," he said with a sense of triumph.
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