A week in Phuket late Jan/16; dive Similans?

[kuris]

As i know except the one day trip, Liveaboard trip at least 3days 2 nights. Even from khao lak, u need spend around 1 and half to 2 hours by speedboat to reach simila area. So u will disappointed when u just go there for 1 day trip, waste so many time on speed boat.
Some liveaboard can pick u up in phuket at night time (mostly), your dive should start on the day after. Some pick u up in khao lak, mostly in early morning.

If your wife is not certified diver, she will be boaring because the main activity is scuba dive. Some dive sites are not suitable for snorkeling.
U can ask her to take a open water course at the same time, then u can enjoy more and she can go diving with u next time. But, some liveaboard will sepreate divers into 2 groups, for experience divers aow, the liveaboard will go anywhere of similan; they will group some new divers and somebody who want to have a dive licence together. The dive sites are some shallow dive sites only, current is weak, easy for a uw training. So the dive sites are limited in somewhere only.

There are so many liveaboards. U can try to search more online.

 

[MikkelBC]

I always recommend liveaboards for Thailand diving, but I don't think a liveaboard is ideal for an Open Water course. If a liveaboard is your strategy, try to get the Open Water done first (maybe referral course with confined water from home and open water dives in Phuket to save time) and then let her do the Advanced Open Water on the liveaboard.

If your wife is interested in learning diving, then that is the way to go. Thailand is a wonderful place to start diving. If not, you shouldn't spoil your vacation by trying to push her into doing something she really has no interest in.

 

[stevenl]

Hi Torontonian

My advice would be to fly into Phuket, transfer up to Khao Lak - do 2 days of diving Similans / Richelieu rock/ Koh Bon / Koh Tachai then transfer down to Karon for the more beach/touristic part of your vacation.
There are numerous hotels to suit all budgets in Khao Lak and its a little more laid back than Phuket from my experience - plenty of restaurant options and all within easy walking distance.

If you stay in Karon the whole time you are far less likely to be able to dive the Similans which seems to be high on your wish list. Phi Phi Island sites are pretty decent and King Cruiser is a fabulous site, both are dived on day trip from Chalong Pier, but the likelihood of seeing a manta ray or whale shark is slim to none - whereas at Koh Bon and Richelieu you'll be looking at 50% and up.

Most dive operators offer guided dives, loosely dingling along the reef behind the DM - but you will also be buddied up with someone.

Agree with Tippytoes - traffic in Phuket is pretty awful. construction at the Chalong circle just now is causing long delays - grrrr

"If you stay in Karon the whole time you are far less likely to be able to dive the Similans" Not correct, possible every day.
"the likelihood of seeing a manta ray or whale shark is slim to none - whereas at Koh Bon and Richelieu you'll be looking at 50% and up." We have had quite a few sightings of manta's and whalesharks at local Phuket sites late, but a remark '50% up at Bon/Richelieu" is simply not true.
"construction at the Chalong circle just now is causing long delays" construction is not causing any delays there at the moment.

 

[Torontonian]

Thanks for the suggestions. My wife is a snorkeler in calm water, not going to try for scuba OW.

We're looking into an overnight at Similan, or a 2d/1n liveaboard. Glad to know there may be liveaboard arrangements that can start from Phuket.

Wetzone doesn't offer overnight (despite their website saying they do), so need to look at others.

 

[Torontonian]

I started searching in Khao Lac and asking for 2d/1n overnight or liveaboard, for 1 diver & 1 snorkeler. Haven't found someone doing overnight yet, so it seems to be a choice of liveaboard, or 2 day trips.

For liveaboard, there seems to be only MV Sea Heaven for 2d/1n (Koh Bon and north Similan). But for liveaboard, does it matter which dive shop to book it with, as they all seem to be a booking agent?

Also getting some conflicting info. Some are saying snorkeling is only good at Similan, and some saying it's only good at Koh Bon & Koh Tachai. My wife is not a strong swimmer (actually neither am I), so she's not going to snorkel anywhere that's not calm.

 

[stevenl]

I started searching in Khao Lac and asking for 2d/1n overnight or liveaboard, for 1 diver & 1 snorkeler. Haven't found someone doing overnight yet, so it seems to be a choice of liveaboard, or 2 day trips.

For liveaboard, there seems to be only MV Sea Heaven for 2d/1n (Koh Bon and north Similan). But for liveaboard, does it matter which dive shop to book it with, as they all seem to be a booking agent?

There are quite a few options for short 2 days/1 night trips, if you need a good advice just send me a PM.

Also getting some conflicting info. Some are saying snorkeling is only good at Similan, and some saying it's only good at Koh Bon & Koh Tachai. My wife is not a strong swimmer (actually neither am I), so she's not going to snorkel anywhere that's not calm.

On divetrips the sites visited at Koh Bon and Koh Tachai are not very well suited to snorkeling.

 

[scubagirlwithdogs]

Thanks Tippytoes12 ... We would definitely not stay in Phuket but Khao Lak was said to be relatively laid back by someone on the forum; they highly recommended SeaBees. A 2 or 2.5 hour trip each way to a dive site doesn't do a lot for us. We were thinking of Ko Lanta but it appears to be a very tough place to get to from Phuket airport. your response that Hin Daeng and Hin Mouang are preferable for diving have convinced us though ... who did you dive with? One resort we are looking at has its own dive operation which is Phoenix Diving.

Appreciate your comments very much.

 

[Tippytoes12]

From Phuket a Airport go to Chalong Pier where there are many ferries which take about two hours. We stayed in Kantiang Bay and dived with Scubafish who were excellent. They can advise on accommodation.

Have a wonderful trip x

 

[nudisusie]

"If you stay in Karon the whole time you are far less likely to be able to dive the Similans" Not correct, possible every day.
"the likelihood of seeing a manta ray or whale shark is slim to none - whereas at Koh Bon and Richelieu you'll be looking at 50% and up." We have had quite a few sightings of manta's and whalesharks at local Phuket sites late, but a remark '50% up at Bon/Richelieu" is simply not true.
"construction at the Chalong circle just now is causing long delays" construction is not causing any delays there at the moment.

it may be possible but includes rtn transfer to Tap Lamu (1.5-2hr car journey each way) before you get on the speedboat (1.5 hrs) out to the dive sites
not heard that there have been manta and whale sharks off local sites recently, but that is good news though at Koh Bon / Richelieu this season has already been a big hit with the big animals, as was last season so i think my estimate was pretty spot on.
construction is happening at the chalong circle. there are long delays. I live in Chalong I see it everyday

 

[stevenl]

it may be possible but includes rtn transfer to Tap Lamu (1.5-2hr car journey each way) before you get on the speedboat (1.5 hrs) out to the dive sites
not heard that there have been manta and whale sharks off local sites recently, but that is good news though at Koh Bon / Richelieu this season has already been a big hit with the big animals, as was last season so i think my estimate was pretty spot on.
construction is happening at the chalong circle. there are long delays. I live in Chalong I see it everyday

I am not getting into an argument with you here.