Sea Canoe Thailand offers a variety of kayaking trips in Thailand, from day trips to two-week explorations. Some are offered year-round, others in the November-to-April high season.

Most trips depart from Phuket or the nearby resort town of Krabi; prices range from about $500 for the three-day trip (with an escort boat) to $750 or $950 for a six-day trip (the lower-priced trip without an escort boat) to $2,250 for a two-week trip, meals and gear included.

The three-day trip gives an excellent introduction to the islands and the hongs; devoted kayakers might prefer a six-day trip or more.

Most trips involve beach camping, but some operate out of a small lodge with daily kayaking excursions. Overnight trips usually have about 10 people; most clients are from the U.S. or are American or European expatriates living in Asia.

An escort boat accompanies most trips; the crew prepares meals on the boat and guests eat on deck. There's a toilet aboard, and a basic cold-water shower (which feels just right in the 90-degree humidity).

How tough?

Most of the dozen travelers I joined on a three-day Sea Canoe trip had little or no kayaking experience. But after some basic instruction they soon easily handled the sit-on-top kayaks that are used for the self-paddle portion of the trips.

These plastic kayaks aren't the quickest or most pleasing craft to paddle, but the open-top design is ideal for tropical temperatures. The trickiest part is getting in and out of the kayak from the stern of the support boat; several people did flip the kayaks and end up in the water, but came up laughing in the bath-tub warm sea. (For the guide-paddled excursions into the caves and hongs, this spring the company is using a new 16-foot inflatable kayak, the "Seacanoe," designed and built by an Oregon company.)

However, on any of the overnight trips participants should be reasonably fit; be able to tolerate heat and humidity; and must be comfortable living and camping at very close quarters with a group.

Getting information

-- For more information, contact Sea Canoe Thailand Co., P.O. Box 276, Phuket 83000, Thailand. Phone or fax (66-76) 212252 or 212172. E-mail is one of the easiest ways to contact the company: info@seacanoe.com

For computer users, Sea Canoe also has a Web page on the Internet which describes itineraries, prices and has an excellent research paper by company founder John Gray on ecotourism and the islands: http://www.seacanoe.com

-- It's also possible to book Sea Canoe trips through some U.S. adventure-travel companies, including Bolder Adventures (800-642-2742) of Boulder, Colo., and Asia Pacific Adventures (800-825-1680) of Los Angeles. Bolder can book Sea Canoe trips for independent travelers; it also includes them in some of its small-group tours of Thailand.

-- Several other companies in Phuket have started to offer kayak or other nature tours, including Siam Safari (phone 66-76-280116; fax 66-76-280107), but Sea Canoe's kayak trips remain the most comprehensive. Sea Canoe also offers kayaking expeditions in the Philippines and Vietnam.

-- For general information on Phuket and Thailand: Tourism Authority of Thailand, 3440 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010; (213) 382-2353.