Island advice please

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If I had that length of time, I'd dive the Phuket / Phi-Phi sites from Phuket first, then head up to Khao Lak and do some liveaboard diving (and include heading up into Burmese waters if possible) then head down to Koh Lanta to chill on the beach and dive the southern sites. If I discovered I still had time left, I'd head further south and explore some of those islands I've not been to.
 
Check out Hydronauts on Koh Toh. Owned by a friend of mine who was also part of the Thai cave rescue. They are a top notch center.
 
In my two trips to Koh Lanta, I've dove with Andaman Dive Adventure. In my most recent trip, mid-April to early-May, I dove with some of the other dive ops, Lanta Diver and Koh Lanta Diving Center, because there weren't enough customers and the dive ops start to pool resources toward low season, which starts in May. I still dove through Andaman, and with their guides, but we were on the other dive ops boats.

Lanta Diver is the biggest operation. I think they have three boats, one of which is a high speed yacht, specially built for diving. It's pretty luxurious, with chef on board (for omletes!), and cuts the trip out to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang down to only 45 mins... if there aren't issues with the engines overheating, then it's about the same as the normal boats, 1.5 hrs. For photographers, there's really isn't a place to set up the camera and leave them unattended. The dining tables work for setup, but leaving them on there presents a risk. My camera, in housing, was accidentally knocked to the deck. Thankfully, no issues and I'm just using a G12 with housing, so it's not pricey equipment. There are dedicated wet "buckets" for the cameras, but they're out in the sun and the water gets warm/hot. The normal boats have more space for setting up and cameras go into a dedicated bucket, though once all the dives are over, the buckets are also used for cleaning equipment, like masks and dive computers.

Koh Lanta Diving Center's boat is a normal boat. There aren't good places to set up camera equipment.

Andaman Dive Adventure doesn't have a dedicated camera area, but the dining area serves this purpose well. There's a dedicated bucket for cameras.

Of the three, I like Andaman the best for camera set up and crew camera handling.

For dive sites, Koh Ha and Hin Bidas are the two within 1+ hrs. Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are 1.5+ hrs out. Hin Klai, if you're lucky with current, is sometimes visited as a second dive on the way back. (There are tons of "Nemo" clown fish there and the occasional Zebra/Leopard Shark.) Phi Phi Viking Bay sites were murky the two dives I did there - vis was 3-4m. My favorites are Koh Ha #5, Hin Bida Nok and Hin Klai. Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are renowned for mantas, but I found diving there boring if no mantas show, as it's constantly moving around the pinnacles in search of them... not much opportunity to shoot macro.

All dive ops provide pickup. The further you are away from the dock, the early the pickup is. The dock is by Go Dive Lanta on maps. I stayed nearby Andaman Dive Adventure, so I just showed up at the shop by 7:20 AM, 6:20 AM if heading out to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. The boat leaves around 8 AM, or 7 AM for Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. After the boat briefing, there's breakfast. After breakfast, it's a nice ride out to the dive sites. I usually chat with other divers for a bit, then prep my gear. I prep my camera about 30 min before arriving to the site. 15 min to the site is usually when the dive site briefings are held. Splash time is about 9:30 AM. Dives range between 50 min to an hour. Surface interval is about an hour, when fresh fruit is served. After the second dive, lunch is served on the way back.

I, personally, like the slow pace to and from the dive sites, as there's no rush to set up equipment or clean up equipment.

I brought my own gear and it was nice to store my gear at Andaman's shop during my diving with them. A couple of days before leaving, I washed and dried my gear overnight. There was plenty of space.
 
In my two trips to Koh Lanta, I've dove with Andaman Dive Adventure. In my most recent trip, mid-April to early-May, I dove with some of the other dive ops, Lanta Diver and Koh Lanta Diving Center, because there weren't enough customers and the dive ops start to pool resources toward low season, which starts in May. I still dove through Andaman, and with their guides, but we were on the other dive ops boats.

Lanta Diver is the biggest operation. I think they have three boats, one of which is a high speed yacht, specially built for diving. It's pretty luxurious, with chef on board (for omletes!), and cuts the trip out to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang down to only 45 mins... if there aren't issues with the engines overheating, then it's about the same as the normal boats, 1.5 hrs. For photographers, there's really isn't a place to set up the camera and leave them unattended. The dining tables work for setup, but leaving them on there presents a risk. My camera, in housing, was accidentally knocked to the deck. Thankfully, no issues and I'm just using a G12 with housing, so it's not pricey equipment. There are dedicated wet "buckets" for the cameras, but they're out in the sun and the water gets warm/hot. The normal boats have more space for setting up and cameras go into a dedicated bucket, though once all the dives are over, the buckets are also used for cleaning equipment, like masks and dive computers.

Koh Lanta Diving Center's boat is a normal boat. There aren't good places to set up camera equipment.

Andaman Dive Adventure doesn't have a dedicated camera area, but the dining area serves this purpose well. There's a dedicated bucket for cameras.

Of the three, I like Andaman the best for camera set up and crew camera handling.

For dive sites, Koh Ha and Hin Bidas are the two within 1+ hrs. Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are 1.5+ hrs out. Hin Klai, if you're lucky with current, is sometimes visited as a second dive on the way back. (There are tons of "Nemo" clown fish there and the occasional Zebra/Leopard Shark.) Phi Phi Viking Bay sites were murky the two dives I did there - vis was 3-4m. My favorites are Koh Ha #5, Hin Bida Nok and Hin Klai. Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are renowned for mantas, but I found diving there boring if no mantas show, as it's constantly moving around the pinnacles in search of them... not much opportunity to shoot macro.

All dive ops provide pickup. The further you are away from the dock, the early the pickup is. The dock is by Go Dive Lanta on maps. I stayed nearby Andaman Dive Adventure, so I just showed up at the shop by 7:20 AM, 6:20 AM if heading out to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. The boat leaves around 8 AM, or 7 AM for Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. After the boat briefing, there's breakfast. After breakfast, it's a nice ride out to the dive sites. I usually chat with other divers for a bit, then prep my gear. I prep my camera about 30 min before arriving to the site. 15 min to the site is usually when the dive site briefings are held. Splash time is about 9:30 AM. Dives range between 50 min to an hour. Surface interval is about an hour, when fresh fruit is served. After the second dive, lunch is served on the way back.

I, personally, like the slow pace to and from the dive sites, as there's no rush to set up equipment or clean up equipment.

I brought my own gear and it was nice to store my gear at Andaman's shop during my diving with them. A couple of days before leaving, I washed and dried my gear overnight. There was plenty of space.
IMO a very good and informative post, I just disagree with one part, "Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are renowned for mantas, but I found diving there boring if no mantas show, as it's constantly moving around the pinnacles in search of them... not much opportunity to shoot macro.".

That would really depend on the guide, there is an incredible amount of life there, lots of macro. But the guide has to leave the manta search alone.
 
IMO a very good and informative post, I just disagree with one part, "Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are renowned for mantas, but I found diving there boring if no mantas show, as it's constantly moving around the pinnacles in search of them... not much opportunity to shoot macro.".

That would really depend on the guide, there is an incredible amount of life there, lots of macro. But the guide has to leave the manta search alone.

Oh, no doubt there's plenty of macro life there. I just didn't get to see them nor had the opportunity to stop and look. The current can be quite strong, so it's not advisable to just stop, do your own thing and catch up later. The guides were under constant pressure to find mantas, or whale sharks, at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, as that's what most of their customers expected, thus the constant movement.

I had mentioned my disappointment with Hin Daeng and Hin Muang before and it was suggested that I get my own guide if I wanted to shoot macro. I think this is the only way to go about it, as most of the customers were there for the specific reason to see mantas and/or whale sharks. Going out to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang incurs extra costs and fees, so people want to see what they paid for.
 
Hi, all - I'm back. I have more questions. I have booked the Oktavia liveaboard out of Khao Lak at the beginning of my trip & will make my way south afterwards. I will likely be staying with the family off Phuket for a couple of days, then was thinking next stop Phi Phi before heading for Koh Lanta.

It looks like diving Shark Point / Hin Daeng / Hin Muang is most efficient from Lanta, so I was not really planning to dive from Phi Phi unless there is something I shouldn't miss. (Please speak up on this) Also, every time I find a reasonably priced guesthouse there are horrorshow reviews on tripadv so if anyone has a good hotel suggestion that is $50 or less, please share!

Also, if my parents - who do not dive - want to join for part of the island trek, should we maybe skip Phi Phi altogether...? Most everything I have seen talks about loud bars til 2am, wild partying, crowds, and lots of walking everywhere. My dad is still not up to 100% after surgery this winter, so a long trek uphill in the hot sun with luggage is not a good plan for them. (Not particularly appealing to me with a giant suitcase full of dive gear, either!)

I figured Lanta at least sounds laid back enough that they would enjoy chilling at the beach while I dive during the day with less hassle getting around.

Thoughts, o island gurus of SB? :) Thanks in advance for the advice!!!
 
Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Koh Haa from Lanta, can be done on daytrips. Shark Point from Phuket or Phi Phi, and the best site of Phi Phi, Koh Bida Nok, can be done from Lanta, Phi Phi or Phuket, but due to distance best from Phi Phi.

And yes, Phi Phi is more or less a party island, but laid back as well. I like the climb to the viewpoint, just leave your luggage at the hotel. I have stayed a couple of times at Andaman Legacy, which was perfectly ok and a bit out of the village so no party issues.

Maybe some others will chime in for Lanta.
 
Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Koh Haa from Lanta, can be done on daytrips. Shark Point from Phuket or Phi Phi, and the best site of Phi Phi, Koh Bida Nok, can be done from Lanta, Phi Phi or Phuket, but due to distance best from Phi Phi.

And yes, Phi Phi is more or less a party island, but laid back as well. I like the climb to the viewpoint, just leave your luggage at the hotel. I have stayed a couple of times at Andaman Legacy, which was perfectly ok and a bit out of the village so no party issues.

Maybe some others will chime in for Lanta.

Andaman Legacy looks beautiful but running a touch high, about $77US per night. Good to know about the dive sites, maybe I will plan one or two days there. Thanks again!!
 
Hi, all - I'm back. I have more questions. I have booked the Oktavia liveaboard out of Khao Lak at the beginning of my trip & will make my way south afterwards. I will likely be staying with the family off Phuket for a couple of days, then was thinking next stop Phi Phi before heading for Koh Lanta.

It looks like diving Shark Point / Hin Daeng / Hin Muang is most efficient from Lanta, so I was not really planning to dive from Phi Phi unless there is something I shouldn't miss. (Please speak up on this) Also, every time I find a reasonably priced guesthouse there are horrorshow reviews on tripadv so if anyone has a good hotel suggestion that is $50 or less, please share!

Also, if my parents - who do not dive - want to join for part of the island trek, should we maybe skip Phi Phi altogether...? Most everything I have seen talks about loud bars til 2am, wild partying, crowds, and lots of walking everywhere. My dad is still not up to 100% after surgery this winter, so a long trek uphill in the hot sun with luggage is not a good plan for them. (Not particularly appealing to me with a giant suitcase full of dive gear, either!)

I figured Lanta at least sounds laid back enough that they would enjoy chilling at the beach while I dive during the day with less hassle getting around.

Thoughts, o island gurus of SB? :) Thanks in advance for the advice!!!

I have not been to Phi Phi, but we went straight from Khao Lak (after the Oktavia) to Koh Lanta and really enjoyed our time. It was pretty chilled family time for us. We stayed at Sai Naam Lanta and the beach was nice down there and there were plenty of nice little restaurants on the main street. I only dived Koh Haa which was a nice simple little dive. I had some of the best viz I've ever had underwater anywhere the day I was there. I dived with Scubafish who were OK, but nothing particularly special.
 
It looks like diving Shark Point / Hin Daeng / Hin Muang is most efficient from Lanta, so I was not really planning to dive from Phi Phi unless there is something I shouldn't miss. (Please speak up on this) Also, every time I find a reasonably priced guesthouse there are horrorshow reviews on tripadv so if anyone has a good hotel suggestion that is $50 or less, please share!

I stayed at Jetty Place on Koh Lanta last year, no complaints. Looking at Agoda, it's $28/night.
 
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