keralucu
Senior Member
First of all, welcome to the board - I didn't get a chance to say that earlier! Secondly, I think if you're coming in Feb you really should try to book something in advance as Feb is truly peak season for liveaboards - best manta spotting time as well as whale sharks.
Unfortunately I can't give you any more info than that! ADG has provided a good list of operators, you could also try the one I'm using - Jonathan Cruiser which comes highly recommended by my instructors.
If you haven't been diving since you certified you should definitely do a refresher - I haven't been in 5 months (aargh!) and am a tad nervous about going next weekend to complete my Advanced course - although looking forward to being in the blue more than anything! More importantly you need to be up to speed with your skills in the Similans because most of the dives are deeper than 18m and currents can suddenly appear. I agree with ADG that it depends on the operator - on our trip (still one spot free, anyone interested?) we have a mix of OW, AOW and newly certified divers. Our DMs are actually my instructors and as most of the group has all dived together before, they know how we handle ourselves and how comfortable we are in the water and have no problems taking such a mixed group down. Two of the guys will just have certified OW a week before we go, and two others want to do their AOW on board.
Zept is right about the AOW - Navigation and Deep are compulsory. I'm not sure how it works with Night dives though - I've only done one which was part of my AOW, but as a lot of the other divers on our trip are not Advanced and they are all going on the night dives...?? - are you supposed to be AOW to dive at night?
Susan, let me know if you need help with anything in Bangkok or Phuket. Unfortunately I won't be in Bangkok when you arrive as it's Chinese New Year and we've got a 4 day weekend so I'm going to be doing some pre-Similan diving! Any opportunity I can get... I do know a great guest house in BKK which is far removed from Backpacker Hell (or Heaven, whichever you prefer) - i.e. Khao San Road - and very conveniently located on Sukhumvit. There is a link to it on my website (see below).
By the way, with regard to diving in Korea, check out this thread. The Gasman about says it all. He didn't have a good time there at all - the standards are way below par and from the sounds of it, it's quite risky as none of the operators seem to know or care what they're doing. If you can, allow yourself some extra days in Phuket and do your refreshers/AOW there.
Agnes - I think YOU should start getting commission from the Phuket liveaboard operators for all the plugging you're doing! You deserve a free trip!
Klaus - hallo! hvorden har du det? One of my instructors and best friends is Danish... I'm trying to learn your language and it is sooooo difficult. Are you going straight to Koh Tao when you get here? I don't think I'll be seeing you in Phuket either as I'm only going to be there from the 16th to 23rd of Feb then returning to Bangkok. If you're going to be around in BKK at any time, let me know - meeting for drinks with Danes is always a good thing... Skål!
OK, this is getting too long - must run now. Hope y'all have a good weekend and see you back here next week.
Cheers all
Unfortunately I can't give you any more info than that! ADG has provided a good list of operators, you could also try the one I'm using - Jonathan Cruiser which comes highly recommended by my instructors.
If you haven't been diving since you certified you should definitely do a refresher - I haven't been in 5 months (aargh!) and am a tad nervous about going next weekend to complete my Advanced course - although looking forward to being in the blue more than anything! More importantly you need to be up to speed with your skills in the Similans because most of the dives are deeper than 18m and currents can suddenly appear. I agree with ADG that it depends on the operator - on our trip (still one spot free, anyone interested?) we have a mix of OW, AOW and newly certified divers. Our DMs are actually my instructors and as most of the group has all dived together before, they know how we handle ourselves and how comfortable we are in the water and have no problems taking such a mixed group down. Two of the guys will just have certified OW a week before we go, and two others want to do their AOW on board.
Zept is right about the AOW - Navigation and Deep are compulsory. I'm not sure how it works with Night dives though - I've only done one which was part of my AOW, but as a lot of the other divers on our trip are not Advanced and they are all going on the night dives...?? - are you supposed to be AOW to dive at night?
Susan, let me know if you need help with anything in Bangkok or Phuket. Unfortunately I won't be in Bangkok when you arrive as it's Chinese New Year and we've got a 4 day weekend so I'm going to be doing some pre-Similan diving! Any opportunity I can get... I do know a great guest house in BKK which is far removed from Backpacker Hell (or Heaven, whichever you prefer) - i.e. Khao San Road - and very conveniently located on Sukhumvit. There is a link to it on my website (see below).
By the way, with regard to diving in Korea, check out this thread. The Gasman about says it all. He didn't have a good time there at all - the standards are way below par and from the sounds of it, it's quite risky as none of the operators seem to know or care what they're doing. If you can, allow yourself some extra days in Phuket and do your refreshers/AOW there.
Agnes - I think YOU should start getting commission from the Phuket liveaboard operators for all the plugging you're doing! You deserve a free trip! Klaus - hallo! hvorden har du det? One of my instructors and best friends is Danish... I'm trying to learn your language and it is sooooo difficult. Are you going straight to Koh Tao when you get here? I don't think I'll be seeing you in Phuket either as I'm only going to be there from the 16th to 23rd of Feb then returning to Bangkok. If you're going to be around in BKK at any time, let me know - meeting for drinks with Danes is always a good thing... Skål!
OK, this is getting too long - must run now. Hope y'all have a good weekend and see you back here next week.
Cheers all
