Before I get too old... Thailand?

[Centrals]

@BigDaddyGlad
Another suggestion is Anilao and PG in Philippines.
PAL has non stop direct flight from YYZ to MNL. Anilao is 2hrs away by car or bus(a bit longer) and PG will require a further ferry crossing.
Anilao is well known as macro destination while PG has bit of everything.
Anilao is more or less a dive, eat and sleep place. Going out is NOT that straight forward. While PG is completely opposite and the dive boat only goes out for one dive and then return to base. May is the low season and you could well be the only diver around. But there is no such non sense as "sorry not enough diver". Five dives a day is easily arranged.
Philippines has not much top side attraction for most tourists. Hard to beat Thailand for that in whole SE Asia.

 

[Roberto Bonifacio]

Living in Toronto, I've done most of my diving in the Caribbean. My last trip was a week in Bonaire, and my buddy and I both loved the freedom over our diving schedule afforded there. We are already planning our return in 2025!

That said, I do want to make my way to Thailand while I'm still in my late 50s and able to manage a trip like that. I've done some preliminary research and it looks like Koa Lanta and Koa Toa are the preferred spots for diving trips. If anyone has some recommendations, I'd be happy to throw Thailand into the mix for our 2025 trip in May and consider making the 17 hour flight.

Best in Thailand will be Liveaboard at Similan islands. i Suggest at least 4 days to really enjoy the best divesistes are the more distant from the land. Can hope in 2 - 3 - 4 or more but dont miss Richeliu Rock , Ta Chai.

15 may similan island national park close. if you can during April it's better.
I will personally do , Phuket, Similan, Ko Tao

phuketdivemaster.com

 

[llatwood]

My husband and I are in our 50s, and we went to Thailand for just over 5 weeks a year ago: Chiang Mai in Feg for culture/classes, then Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lipe in March, with a stop in Khao Sok National Park in between. (He was 57 at the time, I was 51, and it was Feb/March.) We had a fabulous, fabulous time, and we loved the diving, although visibility wasn't terrific. (That apparently varies by time of year, and the wet season can be better in Koh Lipe. Also, for N Thailand, I'd avoid the surreally bad smoky season.) We noted how general & joint health makes a huge difference in traveling--can you get into longtail boats, climb up boat ladders with gear on, walk on uneven sidewalks without tripping, tolerate long & bumpy boat rides to islands, etc.? This year, we're going to Raja Ampat and staying in a homestay. At some point in the future, we figure we'll still be able to dive fine but will need more advance information and maybe supports.

 

[LI-er]

At some point in the future, we figure we'll still be able to dive fine but will need more advance information and maybe supports.

I'm now retired and trying to adopt a recommended strategy, and I'm at the point of limited but notable success in that particular endeavor.

"Live in the moment".

 

[Edward3c]

My husband and I are in our 50s, and we went to Thailand for just over 5 weeks a year ago: Chiang Mai in Feg for culture/classes, then Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lipe in March, with a stop in Khao Sok National Park in between. (He was 57 at the time, I was 51, and it was Feb/March.) We had a fabulous, fabulous time, and we loved the diving, although visibility wasn't terrific. (That apparently varies by time of year, and the wet season can be better in Koh Lipe. Also, for N Thailand, I'd avoid the surreally bad smoky season.) We noted how general & joint health makes a huge difference in traveling--can you get into longtail boats, climb up boat ladders with gear on, walk on uneven sidewalks without tripping, tolerate long & bumpy boat rides to islands, etc.? This year, we're going to Raja Ampat and staying in a homestay. At some point in the future, we figure we'll still be able to dive fine but will need more advance information and maybe supports.

At 68 I'm still diving from UK RIBs, waiting for 20/30-year-olds to get their breath after walking 100yd to the entry point. Just yesterday I was assessing an Advanced Diver lesson (not to be confused with PADI's AOW) - 20m Controlled Buoyant Lift (CBL) make secure on surface with Rescue Breaths then a 50yd tow. Once we hit the shore I initiated the rescue scenario the AD candidate had to manage as a Dive Manager. I've not signed-off Open Water Instructors for this lesson as they didn't meet the standard.

Diving in Thailand is easy in comparison, which is why I go.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I can't speak to Taiwan, in any regard.

Well I can. Diving here is not so good. Some Dive ops only offering 40 minute dives claiming divers use too much air for longer dives.
It's why I rarely dive in Taiwan. Much better to fly to Indonesia Philippines or Palau all which are direct flights from Taiwan.

Off to Fuvahmulah Maldives for 12 diving days in November December as I have done Indonesia once and Philippines twice this year already.

 

[Asanoth]

We did a long term trip, alltogether some 9 months and almost a half a year of it was in south east Asia. Thailand was one of our top 3 countries to visit, the other two being Queensland and Nepal. We only dove there from Koh Lanta (and did AOWD there, to put us in context - I mainly answered as I have a lot of land travel experience in the area ), which is on the supposedly better side (not in the Gulf). Based on this experience, I would recommend you to go to Indonesia, or, if you like macro only, Phillipines.
If you can do liveaboard, and feel like this is your only trip to SE Asia, and have the money, I recommend to do Raja Ampat. I do not have the money, but supposedly this as good as the diving gets on Earth. Alternatively, Komodo or other destinations in Indo (I only did Komodo, but Alor gets a lot of praise), or Tubbataha in the Phillipines (have not been, but the best place to dive in the Phils should deliver).

But again, I travelled a lot around the world, and Thailand is splendid.

 

[Blackcrusader]

We did a long term trip, alltogether some 9 months and almost a half a year of it was in south east Asia. Thailand was one of our top 3 countries to visit, the other two being Queensland and Nepal. We only dove there from Koh Lanta (and did AOWD there, to put us in context - I mainly answered as I have a lot of land travel experience in the area ), which is on the supposedly better side (not in the Gulf). Based on this experience, I would recommend you to go to Indonesia, or, if you like macro only, Phillipines.
If you can do liveaboard, and feel like this is your only trip to SE Asia, and have the money, I recommend to do Raja Ampat. I do not have the money, but supposedly this as good as the diving gets on Earth. Alternatively, Komodo or other destinations in Indo (I only did Komodo, but Alor gets a lot of praise), or Tubbataha in the Phillipines (have not been, but the best place to dive in the Phils should deliver).

But again, I travelled a lot around the world, and Thailand is splendid.

Queensland is a country? lol

 

[Asanoth]

No, but we did not visit any other part of Australia, so I wrote it like this for unambiguity. Could have written it out to be more exact, true.