UKC

Hey everyone,

Thinking of heading over to Tonsai thailand for a couple of weeks in January over new year ....thing is can't find anyone who is free to go so just wondered what its like as a destination to head there on your own, is it easy to meet up with people ?

As well as that just in general whats the climbing like, any recommended routes ?

Cheers

Luke

In reply to luke1986:

Finding a climbing partner in Tonsai is like shooting fish in a barrel. Unfortunately some of those fish cant belay for crap so watch yourself.

I once saw a couple using a belay plate as if it was a grigri (even if it was it was still pretty unsafe)... when I talked to them about why he was releasing the 'brake rope', he told me that they had never used one before and were saving weight by taking an ATC instead. Luckily the leader didn't fall. Scary huh?

It is brilliant. You will find plenty of partners with no difficulty at all. That last post was frankly extremely negative; use your common sense as I'm sure you would anyway, and have a great time.

In reply to luke1986: Actually I would agree with 'derryclimbs'.

Finding partners should be no problem. However, my experience with climbers in SE Asia is also very negative. They can't belay for s*** and their general attitude and knowledge to safety is pretty slack.

I once went on this multipitch with a guy who belayed me, as a second, using a normal ATC as a Reverso. Instead of me being attached to the anchor (yep, he only used one bolt to belay me) via a metal eyelet like on the reverso, instead I was attached via the nylon loop on the ATC....very scary.

My advice...find an ex-pat

In reply to luke1986: wow, someone else at the castle also mentioned to me about the poor belaying , doesn't seem to be an isolated incident.....mmmmmmm...I am vaguely getting put off the idea, might be better to wait till I can take a mate with me !

In reply to luke1986:

take a grigri with you, its not perfect but i would probably feel safer with an unknown partner using one

In reply to luke1986: Haha I did a multi-pitch with a stoned drug dealer (no joke] that needed guidance on abseiling after. All part of the fun.

In reply to luke1986: Hey im going over in mid November till mid jan has any one got any top tips about places to stay in that area and things i should se ??? cheers

In reply to luke1986: I'm going to be out there in Jan if you want to hook up. J

In reply to luke1986: I went on my own last March and found competent climbers to partner up with.

As others have said, be careful (selective!) who you climb with as accidents are quite common - plenty of people who don't know how to belay. Also take a First Aid kit as no-one seems to carry them and we had to patch up some injured climber!!

It's absolutely amazing though. Enjoy.

In reply to Toby Dunn:

Not extremely negative IMO. An observation of what can happen and is obviously not an isolated incident. I lived in Thailand for 18 months and saw all sorts of stuff that would have scared the bejesus out of even Felix Baumgartner.

Choose wisely is my advice. But go... its an amazing place to climb