August Diving in SE Asia

[BabyLitigator]

I'm planning a trip through SE Asia in late august, and I'm looking for a good dive resort with a nice enough beach for my GF, who is a non-diver. I was thinking Phuket, but I'm a bit worried about the monsoons. Anyone have a suggestion?

 

[Zippsy]

Phuket in August? Maybe I'd worry too. Depending on how out of the way you want to go and the diving / beaching mix you want, other options may include Bali, the Sipadan area, the Philippines (Boracay, Cebu, etc.), the islands off west Malaysia (Tioman, Redang, Perhentian, Tenggol), the other islands off east Malaysia (Sangalaki, Layang-Layang, etc.) or even the Maldives.

 

[stevenl]

With respect to the weather, Phuket in August can be ok, and it can be lousy, really unpredictable. Ok meaning: over a week without any rain during daytime, lousy meaning: 3-4 days in a row without any sun and with heavy rainshowers.

But if if the weather is lousy, the diving is still nice. Visibility is normally good during the low season, and there are not too many divers. But if you have somebody who does not dive and who wants to enjoy the sand and sun: it is a bit of a gamble you take by coming to Phuket at that time of year.

 

[davidlkh]

Need a nice beach and romantic resort, try:

Mataking Malaysia
http://www.mataking.com/

Bali, Mimpi Tulamben
Bali, Mimpi Menjangan
http://www.mimpi.com/ (but NO beach)

Bali, Taman Sari Pemutaran
http://www.baliwww.com/tamansari/

Manado, Gangga Island Resort
http://www.ganggaisland.com/

There are quite a few more that are good during August.

 

[Albion]

Got to be Bali, coming into Sunfish season i tink.

Will second Taman Sari beautiful small location lovely food too and dive shop was a few meteres down the beach. No sunfish up there tho

 

[BabyLitigator]

Thanks much! Think we're going with Bali.

 

[Zippsy]

Need a nice beach and romantic resort, try:
Manado, Gangga Island Resort
http://www.ganggaisland.com/

Don't tell Gaspare but I forgot about Gangga Island. That place is a combination diving resort & honeymoon vacation spot at the north-eastern tip of Sulawesi. They have their own very good dive sites as well as decent access to Bunaken and Lembeh Straits.