2 Day/1 Night or Day Trip to Richelieu Rock

[cgf]

it could have been useful to know the names, never mind, I wouldn't do neither.

... but being in Thailand, who do you complain to?

This is really typical of Pattaya diving I am afraid.... Dont think this is typical of Thai dive shops because it is not.

Last month I've been to Thailand, once I was there at shop, when I asked, I've been told that fun dives and courses dives were from same boat, but certified divers separated from learning people and where to go to dive may change by weather and sea condition.
OK... let's be there tomorrow at seven.... for 35 minutes dive with an average depth of 9.9 meters at Twin Peaks and White Rock. we saw same sand, people knelt to do their examination, heard a lot of boat running over head, it's nice, isn't it? Awaiting for second dive I counted almost 120 divers at White Rock, this could be the main reason I saw more fish at restaurant for dinner then during the dives. Following day, still flat sea and not wind, dives planned at White Rock and Twin Peaks so I said no thank.
Nothing against dive shops there, they are surely very good and professional, this what happened, anyway talking with other [not backpacker] divers from other resort, I learnt most of the shops [not all] do the same and it's normal when there it's high season and it's not KoTao or somewhere else, "Thai is Thai - business is business" one of them said.
I looked also at one big shop but when I asked they told me they had 4 boats with 153 people for the following day and none for fun diving only. I regret I made only two dives when I stayed in Ko Tao 9 nights.

Fortunatelly in PhiPhi I had other two wonderful dives, low season, only certified advanced divers, only our boat nobody else. There I dis only two dives first day because it was mainly raining and we need the other 2 days left to dry well everything before leaving Thailand.
Probably in December at Ko Tao there would be a better service and business is business at PhiPhi, nothing new on earth.

 

[lord khram]

it could have been useful to know the names, never mind, I wouldn't do neither.



Last month I've been to Thailand, once I was there at shop, when I asked, I've been told that fun dives and courses dives were from same boat, but certified divers separated from learning people and where to go to dive may change by weather and sea condition.
OK... let's be there tomorrow at seven.... for 35 minutes dive with an average depth of 9.9 meters at Twin Peaks and White Rock. we saw same sand, people knelt to do their examination, heard a lot of boat running over head, it's nice, isn't it? Awaiting for second dive I counted almost 120 divers at White Rock, this could be the main reason I saw more fish at restaurant for dinner then during the dives. Following day, still flat sea and not wind, dives planned at White Rock and Twin Peaks so I said no thank.
Nothing against dive shops there, they are surely very good and professional, this what happened, anyway talking with other [not backpacker] divers from other resort, I learnt most of the shops [not all] do the same and it's normal when there it's high season and it's not KoTao or somewhere else, "Thai is Thai - business is business" one of them said.
I looked also at one big shop but when I asked they told me they had 4 boats with 153 people for the following day and none for fun diving only. I regret I made only two dives when I stayed in Ko Tao 9 nights.

Fortunatelly in PhiPhi I had other two wonderful dives, low season, only certified advanced divers, only our boat nobody else. There I dis only two dives first day because it was mainly raining and we need the other 2 days left to dry well everything before leaving Thailand.
Probably in December at Ko Tao there would be a better service and business is business at PhiPhi, nothing new on earth.

Sorry to hear you were disapointed with your trip to Koh Tao, I must say that on the 2 occasions I have dived there I got reasonable diving and service, and for the price paid was more than happy with what I received, I can't recall the name of the shop that I dived with.
Unfortunately this sort of behavior from Pattaya dive shops is the norm rather than the exception. Coupled with the not too good diving conditions, maybe best you avoid this area in future if you was disapointed with Koh Tao.
In South Thailand when I have dived there on numerous occasions, again I have always been happy with everything, as always all shops have their own ways and have their own merits, but have never had reason to complain.