Going to Phuket in April; and tips for US Divers?
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h90, You dive like we like to, but we ain't in Phuket! Good luck!
Luko
Contributor
The problem with this board is that most of the replies here are coming from Phuket dive operators, which are NOT necessarily the clients' point of view... and it looks like there is a big difference between the way some dive operators and regular clients see Phuket diving.
Maybe sometimes operators should hear what clients say, don't you think?
Maybe I am not ALL the clients but I certainly won't accept patronizing words regarding my opinion(a client's opinion) from a Phuket dive operator.
Once again it happens I have been diving 4 times in 3 years, totalizing some 50 dives or more in the area, certainly not sufficient to know everything but meaningful as a client and enough yet to get a general overview of what the Phuket dive scene is. It happens I have been both satisfied and dissatisfied with Phuket and unlike Phuket dive operators (understandably), I have the freedom to say so.
Good variety of marine life? What's that for you that I missed when I dived Racha Yai? Carpeting soft corals, ghostpipefish or macro critters, zebra sharks, fields of anemones, schools of barracudas or trevallies? Yes, I give you viz and absence of current but is that what I expect from a dive site? Not on my side.
All I remember where fields of similar hard horn corals and very little fish, maybe the operator wasn't good enough to chose the spectacular sites of Racha Yai? which operator would you recommend then? Pls, NAME them (not just a reseller).
Firstly, thy ar NOT novice divers (they says they dive a LOT), secondly there is very little difficulties in Phuket diving except maybe on the kingcruisr where crrents can be fierce, this is why I would not recommend KC.
And guess what THe KC wreck/shark point trip was what I had been proposed for my very first dives in Phuket by the same dive re-seller who's so appreciated in this thread and mentioned at least 4 times. Would you say it was a mistake?
To me, I don't think it was, except they recommended me SSD which is an operation I would never go again with, because some of their daily contracted DM's simply don't care about the guests. This is also known in Phuket dive scene but little said, because some clients would just go for the cheapest...
The response would depend on what one is looking for, for me I think you can enjoy it as much as I did for the third day diving I had in Phuket... and guess what, it was also recommended by the same operation you mentioned (how can they be so ill intentioned to me
).
It's a question of priorities and trade off : if you want the best around Phuket, it's located around the Similans, are you ready to go on a two hours speedboat ride. afterwards if one's choice, but please don't answer on behalf of the OP... even though most dive operators don't like proposing this option (especially the ones who don't have speedboats running to the Similans)
As for myself who couldn't do a liveaboard, I enjoyed it so much, I asked for a second ride to Koh Bon on the day after. and take it from a client opinion, not from a dive operator...
And btw, difficult entries and exit in a speed boat... are we talking about the same diving????
You are -of course- entitled to your own opinion but I don't feel it is necessary to argue on my own, like you started in your first post, just express yours and that'll be fine. Thanks.
Cheers
Luko
(senior consultant, client relationship/surveys related to tourism business)
Maybe sometimes operators should hear what clients say, don't you think?
Maybe I am not ALL the clients but I certainly won't accept patronizing words regarding my opinion(a client's opinion) from a Phuket dive operator.
Once again it happens I have been diving 4 times in 3 years, totalizing some 50 dives or more in the area, certainly not sufficient to know everything but meaningful as a client and enough yet to get a general overview of what the Phuket dive scene is. It happens I have been both satisfied and dissatisfied with Phuket and unlike Phuket dive operators (understandably), I have the freedom to say so.
Tell me what's so special with Phuket diving that would need to spend a full day on the tamest dive site, apart that ALL operators include day trips to Racha Yai?
Good variety of marine life? What's that for you that I missed when I dived Racha Yai? Carpeting soft corals, ghostpipefish or macro critters, zebra sharks, fields of anemones, schools of barracudas or trevallies? Yes, I give you viz and absence of current but is that what I expect from a dive site? Not on my side.
All I remember where fields of similar hard horn corals and very little fish, maybe the operator wasn't good enough to chose the spectacular sites of Racha Yai? which operator would you recommend then? Pls, NAME them (not just a reseller).
Firstly, thy ar NOT novice divers (they says they dive a LOT), secondly there is very little difficulties in Phuket diving except maybe on the kingcruisr where crrents can be fierce, this is why I would not recommend KC.
And guess what THe KC wreck/shark point trip was what I had been proposed for my very first dives in Phuket by the same dive re-seller who's so appreciated in this thread and mentioned at least 4 times. Would you say it was a mistake?
To me, I don't think it was, except they recommended me SSD which is an operation I would never go again with, because some of their daily contracted DM's simply don't care about the guests. This is also known in Phuket dive scene but little said, because some clients would just go for the cheapest...
Once again I don't like such a patronizing reply to a client (basically that's what I am).
The response would depend on what one is looking for, for me I think you can enjoy it as much as I did for the third day diving I had in Phuket... and guess what, it was also recommended by the same operation you mentioned (how can they be so ill intentioned to me
).It's a question of priorities and trade off : if you want the best around Phuket, it's located around the Similans, are you ready to go on a two hours speedboat ride. afterwards if one's choice, but please don't answer on behalf of the OP... even though most dive operators don't like proposing this option (especially the ones who don't have speedboats running to the Similans)
As for myself who couldn't do a liveaboard, I enjoyed it so much, I asked for a second ride to Koh Bon on the day after. and take it from a client opinion, not from a dive operator...
And btw, difficult entries and exit in a speed boat... are we talking about the same diving????
You are -of course- entitled to your own opinion but I don't feel it is necessary to argue on my own, like you started in your first post, just express yours and that'll be fine. Thanks.
Cheers
Luko
(senior consultant, client relationship/surveys related to tourism business)
TimA
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I go with Phuket Scuba Club (Whenever I am in Phuket)
Ive seen at Raja Yai
Stonefish (not scorpionfish)
Sea snakes
Garden eels
Leaf fish
Salt-Water Catfish
Razor Shrimpfishes
and sometimes if your looking away from the reef towards the sea you can catch a glimpse of a passing sailfish.....to mention a few things....not too shabby IMHO for a shallow reef.
But one of the best sights though is the smile on a crew member face when they've received a well deserved tip.
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Bowmouth
Contributor
WOW! Thank You!!You really scared me there with your reply! My opinion was just that, "my opinion". It's nothing to start WW III over. You're a scary guy.....
Just for your info: I am currently (and haven't been for nearly the last two years) NOT in any way associated with any dive shop, dive boat operator or dive retailer. Not here in Thailand and not anywhere else.
Wow, this thread just stepped into the Twilight Zone.
Luko, I am one of the people you refer to as a client and having made more than 900 dives in the Phuket and Similan area I find the advice on dive sites made by "resellers" on these threads to be quite good (if you ignore the come to Krabi/Phi-Phi/Lanta parts).
I also agree with Bowmouth, if you have not dived for a while then Racha Yai is the perfect place for a first couple of dives. There is a surprisingly good selection of animals there, especially around the cement "cubes" outside bay 3.
Adding to the previous list I've also seen Ghost Pipe Fish (Robust & Ornate), Pegasus Fish (Sea Moths), Ribbon Eels (well OK only one of these), many Nudi's and even Dolphins and a Whale from the boat.
Here is a picture of an undescribed Nudi one of the guides found and Yai.
Also forgot Octopus - these sometimes let you get close, provided you approach slowly.
Now lets get to the recommendation part, my "favourite" sites in the area are Racha Noi, Phi-Phi and Shark Point/King Cruiser. A small word of warning, if you think King Cruiser has strong currents then the Southern Tip of Racha Noi can be a real eye opener, but this area is avoided by most operators when the current is really moving.
I also have a favourite dive operator, named Sea Bees. Its German run so quite a few Europeans on the boat and they have (in my client opinion) one of the best designed day boats in the area. They also have dive rules (60min max time), but allow buddy diving after a check-out and have quite small numbers in their guide groups.
They are a little more expensive than most, but that's something I can live with as the food is also cooked on the boat instead of being kept in the large "tin cans". Actually some of the curries that come from the big pre-cooked cans are also really good, but they are not so good for vegetables.
And I don't think anyone will be surprised to find out that there are people who don't like Sea Bees! Everyone has opinions.
Luko, you don't know anyone called "Lord Khram" do you?
Luko, I am one of the people you refer to as a client and having made more than 900 dives in the Phuket and Similan area I find the advice on dive sites made by "resellers" on these threads to be quite good (if you ignore the come to Krabi/Phi-Phi/Lanta parts).
I also agree with Bowmouth, if you have not dived for a while then Racha Yai is the perfect place for a first couple of dives. There is a surprisingly good selection of animals there, especially around the cement "cubes" outside bay 3.
Adding to the previous list I've also seen Ghost Pipe Fish (Robust & Ornate), Pegasus Fish (Sea Moths), Ribbon Eels (well OK only one of these), many Nudi's and even Dolphins and a Whale from the boat.
Here is a picture of an undescribed Nudi one of the guides found and Yai.
Also forgot Octopus - these sometimes let you get close, provided you approach slowly.
Now lets get to the recommendation part, my "favourite" sites in the area are Racha Noi, Phi-Phi and Shark Point/King Cruiser. A small word of warning, if you think King Cruiser has strong currents then the Southern Tip of Racha Noi can be a real eye opener, but this area is avoided by most operators when the current is really moving.
I also have a favourite dive operator, named Sea Bees. Its German run so quite a few Europeans on the boat and they have (in my client opinion) one of the best designed day boats in the area. They also have dive rules (60min max time), but allow buddy diving after a check-out and have quite small numbers in their guide groups.
They are a little more expensive than most, but that's something I can live with as the food is also cooked on the boat instead of being kept in the large "tin cans". Actually some of the curries that come from the big pre-cooked cans are also really good, but they are not so good for vegetables.
And I don't think anyone will be surprised to find out that there are people who don't like Sea Bees! Everyone has opinions.
Luko, you don't know anyone called "Lord Khram" do you?
Last edited:
Bowmouth
Contributor
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