Krabi diving advice

[Redshift]

Hi All,

I will be going to Krabi, close to Ao Nang, and would appreciate any advice on good diving centres and interesting dive places.

Thanks!

 

[Wingy]

Hit up Dan Sasse Scuba diving Ao Nang - Experience the fascination scuba diving

Have referred many people to Dan over the years and will continue to do so. I've dived with Dan for years - good people, safety conscious and very into marine protection.

 

[Redshift]

Thanks. That's one of the diving centres I had bookmarked, but it's difficult to compare all and know how they operate.
Any general advice regarding diving in Thailand?

 

[watboy]

From Krabi, there are a number of good sites you can take day trips from. My favorite is Koh Ha, which means 5 islands even though there are 6. Its a very easy dive site, beautiful lagoons, but unlikely to see anything big. Around PhiPhi island, The Bida's are nice (there's Koh Bida nai and nok or Bida inside and outside, and Hin Bida for bida rock). These are also easy diving. For me, the biggest risk is the boat traffic, so bring dSMBs.

It maybe a stretch from Krabi, but the best diving in that area would be Hin Daeng and Hin Muang (Red and Purple rock) which are pinnacles off the southern tip of Koh Lanta. Currents can get strong with all the cuts, and down current possible. But when I was last there, the soft coral was spectacular and whale sharks and manta's have been known to stop by.

 

[Wingy]

What watboy said

Enquire about the overnight trips sometimes available to HD & HM - and I agree with Watboy - I actually prefer the bidas and other local sites to PhiPhi. The boat traffic at PhiPhi during high season borders on unbelievable now it seems. Having said that if you've never dived Thailand and are going out from Krabi you should probably get a day diving Phi Phi - maya bay when there's room is a really beautiful spot for a surface interval. Saw quite a few nudies and a couple of black tips around last time I was in Thailand - a year ago how time flies.

 

[Redshift]

Thank you both!
I'll make some contacts in advance. Have seen some dive centres also mention some caves. Would like to check those out. Do they go there frequently?

 

[Wingy]

This what you mean? Dan will take you out there

Edited to ad - if you do choose to contact him by email, apparently proper dive etiquette is to make contact with dive centres in advance if you wish to dive specific sites not ring and ask whats for dinner and inform them you are there

Im sure they will let you know when they are scheduling dives to these sites. There are few caves and swim throughs in the local islands.

 

[watboy]

Out in the ocean, there's some caverns, the Cathedral at Koh Haa comes to mind, but its far from cave diving. The emerald cave/lagoon tourist trap isn't for diving either. For proper cave diving, you have to take a car inland into the mangrove forests where there are some seriously deep holes (200m+) and expansive caves. I think its a few hours drive from Phuket/Krabi, and maybe even a hike to the entrance, not sure, i've never gone myself, only what I heard from my tec instructor (one of my friends was working on his GUE instructor card here, not sure if he finished). There are some proper cave diving outfits, but you'll have to google it cuz I have never had any interest in doing any sort of overhead/penetration diving.

 

[UFOrb]

What watboy said

I'll 2nd that.

I also really enjoyed the Bida sites and Koh Haa; we did actually get very lucky and saw a whale shark when we were diving Koh Haa in Feb 3 years ago. We also saw Mantas at Hin Daeng / Hin Muang 2 days later
King cruiser's another nice site and one of the closer sites to Ao Nang.

Hope that helps

 

[Wingy]

Cave diving South Thailand. The best cave locations for trips and courses