ATV & BUGGY ADVENTURES - Pattaya's only REAL off-road tours. — Attraction in Chon Buri Province

My partner and I went to Pattaya just to do this ATV tour. For context, he was very excited and loves such activities like ATV/Dirt Bike - I on the other hand wasn’t so keen but was still curious to see what this is like. So our experiences were slightly different.

But first, about this particular tour and the team that runs it - absolute 5 star. We got picked up from our accommodation and taken to this place which is quite away from the main city. As soon as we arrived everything was simple and clear. We had to sign forms and get our t shirts. There was no excessive waiting. We were doing this with a large group so all of us were taken to the ATV bike and got a quick rundown of what to do what not to do. They they let us drive it around a practice area a couple of times to get it used - all in a group with everyone from their team consistently making sure everything is okay with us and the ATV. Once we started - the team was so solid in their guidance, there was a leader, some of them driving to make sure there is no hassle while crossing main roads and they took a tonne of videos and photos and spoke so well to all of us.

The route itself is great. There is a bit of driving in the highway roads but they make it seem simple with the whole group being guided. And then the main part is going through coconut farms and potato farms - that was really good and a couple of great view.

So coming to the part where I felt like this was not going the way I expected was - firstly the acceleration is using a press down button on the right thumb, which you will be flexing through out the two hours and this gave me such a bad pain. Also it was terribly hot, even thought we went during the better season. It was right in the afternoon. I felt like I got done with this after the first hour and wanted to get back. But I was still glad I did this.

As for my partner , who is so thrilled to do this, he took a private ride with one of the team members after halfway and he enjoyed it to the maximum. They got to drive faster and in funner terrain. He...

Great overall experience, good trails etc.

Yet I give a 1x star for 3 reasons:

a) Very poor safety standards.

No riding gear or riding shoes provided. No arm and knee pads provided. Helmets are not full face covering.

There was only 1x full face helmet in which the lock did not work.

This is extremely dangerous and good riding gear is a must for new and inexperienced riders. Atleast there must be a mandate on using shoes over chappals.

b) No basic accident / insurance cover.

One of my friends had a fall and the ATV flipped / toppled. This was a consequence of the trail itself and it's easy for that to happen in that kind of terrain.

The front plastic guard had minor damage in this accident. A corner piece broke. The whole guard had to be replaced I admit. The company then charged us for the broken plastic guard, nearly 2000 THB. They claim they don't have any insurance.

They said they only had insurance for people but not the ATV.

This came as a surprise and we were left disappointed.

They should at least put it in writing for the use-cases where the damages have to be borne by the rider.

c) No rear-view on the ATV.

General quality of the ATVs itself. The lead rider / organiser(s) ATV has rear view mirrors etc. All good.

But none of the riders ATVs had rear view mirrors (we were 6 to 7 in our group);

2x of the ATVs turned off and refused to start. Those vehicles had to be swapped.

Conclusion: I would not do it again without the right riding gear. Riding jacket, shoes and knee guards a must.

Considering the terrain and weight of the ATV, it's easy to fall and if the vehicle falls on a rider, who isn't wearing shoes or proper riding gear, it's easy for a rider to get hurt.

Don't recommend, considering...

We booked a two-hour tour on a buggy. It was a lot of fun despite the extreme dryness and the resulting heavy dust formation during the tour. Sometimes it was a blind flight and we had to be very careful to keep the buggy on the track. In any case, I would recommend the following to anyone who wants to do this tour: get a balaclava and definitely use the corona masks as dust protection for your mouth and nose 👃 You will be given water to drink on the way, but take extra water with you anyway. A second set of clothes makes sense, you can shower on site after the tour 🚿, believe me you will need it. We booked online in advance, were picked up at the hotel and then brought back again. There was also something to eat. You can also go on a tour here on quads or cross motorbikes. The boss is called Martin and speaks Thai, English and German. This tour is also available with a higher level of difficulty to a waterfall. Everyone has to decide for themselves what they are comfortable with and be aware of the consequences if they cause a crash or damage to property! The price-performance ratio was perfectly...