Activities For the Adventure Traveler
Scuba Diving
Be honest about your flight times when talking to shops. They are asking for your safety! It's not about being "tough" it's about physiological limitations on our bodies.
If you've never dove...dived? Been done the dive sport?..... before, getting the Open Water Certification is a great entrance into the depths below. It teaches you accountability and self-reliance for the most basic water skills, which will boost your confidence and maximize your time in the water.
The discovery dives just don't give you a great grasp of what's going on and tend to be less safe. Take home those bragging rights with a scuba cert! PADI and SSI are basically the same, with PADI being a bit more towards "pay to play". There is also NAUI, SDI, and others.
What to look for:
Friendly, competent instructors who are happy to answer questions and teach. Find those who want to be there and have patience. Their attitude out of the water will magnify in the water. It should be memorable, fun, and safe.
Other Adventure Sports
Snorkeling
Great ease of entry, plenty of things to look at. Diving is great, but snorkeling is a lot more relaxed, casual and easy to get people to go do with you!
Boat Trips
Island Tours, and fishing, diving, etc. If you're by the coast it's a great way to get around. For many islands, it's the only way!
Kayaking
Get in the driver's seat and explore the area. It's as long as you want to paddle around, or rental time. Bring swimsuits, reef-friendly sunscreen and water. Even if you're not visiting a reef, it's nice to not kill all the wildlife around us!
Very unique way to see the city situated in the hills. Go to the temples and hike one day, be free as a bird in the sky the next.
Bring gear if you can, leave some of it if you want for the locals. It's kind of a respect/karma thing whether you believe in that or not. It's nice to do nice things.
Grab some friends and hit some man-made waves. Wake surfing, kiteboarding, and wake boarding are all options.
There are a lot of elephant tours. Not all are interested in the animals' well-being.
Look for sanctuary and check that they are what they state. If animals are being posed, watch out they're probably drugged. And for free? Those lucky bastards.