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Cha-am, Thailand

Stay in Cha am: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

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About Cha-am

Known for kitesurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces E, so wind from the W blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing E. Wind from the E blows onshore, wind from the W blows out to sea, and wind from the S or N runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 15). The sea is about 27°C in December, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 31°C in May, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at intermediate level the best month is usually December, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Cha am.

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From Chicago: about 28 h 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), changing at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).

    See flights ORD → BKK · Skyscanner from about £765 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 2 h 35 from the airport to Cha-am.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Cha amAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Cha am · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Cha am · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Cha-am on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Mon 19Oct016kncross-offflat
Tue 20Oct011knside-onflat
Wed 21Oct010knside-onflat
Thu 22Oct011kncross-offflat
Fri 23Oct09knsideflat
Sat 24Oct09knsideflat
Sun 25Oct014knside-onflat
Mon 26Oct011knside-onflat
Tue 27Oct012knsideflat
Wed 28Oct012knside–
Thu 29Oct0––––

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan0of 7
  2. Feb0of 7
  3. Mar0of 7
  4. Apr0of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun0of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep0of 7
  10. Oct0of 7
  11. Nov0of 7
  12. Dec1of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Tue 20 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Tue 20 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to BKK, changing at HKG, then 2h 35 by road. About 28h 30 door to door

  2. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 10, side-onshore. Water: flat.

  3. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 11, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.

  4. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 3 kn gusting 9, side-shore. Water: flat.

  5. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 3 kn gusting 9, side-shore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.

  6. Sun 25 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 7 kn gusting 14, side-onshore. Water: flat.

  7. Mon 26 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to BKK, changing at HKG, then 2h 35 by road. About 28h 30 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,190–£2,340 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £765–£1,590
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £70–£115
  • Stay £165–£280
  • Food £155–£290

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.