Booking a last minute liveaboard going to similans?

[ubcsteve]

Hi everyone,

We're a couple heading to Thailand from April 1-20 to visit some friends/family, and we really wanted to do some diving while we were there. Unfortunately this isn't a pleasure trip, it's going to be mostly visiting family I haven't seen for many years, plus some I've never met! But being a selfish bastard...I would like to go diving while I'm there. We both dive, and reading on the web and in this forum, I'm all hot and bothered to go on a 4/4, 4/5 liveaboard trip to the Similans.

My problem is I can't commit to any specific dates until I get there and figure out who we are staying with, who I have to have dinner with, who's baby I need to kiss etc..plus I assume most dive charters stop for the the New Years holiday.

So I'm wondering if I can't make an advanced booking, what are my chances of finding a reasonably priced liveaboard trip, or am I going to be SOL :depressed:

Can anyone offer advice regarding how busy things are typically in early April, and how I might find us a boat from Bangkok (where we will be staying for the first few days at least).

Thanks!
Steve

 

[Quero]

Part of your stay will be at a time that I don't expect it to be particularly busy (first week or so of April), but part of it is at a time when we do expect to get a fair number of visitors. As you may know, the second half of your visit coincides not only with Easter, but also with Songkran. Boats are going to be sort of busy because of that, so the sooner you know when you might be free, the better chance you have of finding a cabin on a boat you like.

 

[Bowmouth]

...and how I might find us a boat from Bangkok...

You can try to contact "Safe Dives" when you're in Bangkok.


Address : 1136,11388 Ramkhamhaeng Rd. ,
Huamark, Bangkapi
Bangkok 10240 Thailand
Telephone : +66-2-735-6712 , +66-2-735-67

They have a shop in Phuket as well and may be able to help you.

 

[seminomadic]

Steve, this will probably not be what you want to hear, but the truth is that Songkran is april 13,14 & 15... and by going the last week of your window (15-20) or before (8-13) will not spare you the throngs of people who'll be diving as expats & Thais (who comprise an increasing percentage of divers now) like to piggyback their vacation time to this week that everyone has off. You may luck out, however, as the poor economy might prove me wrong.

Also, April often heralds the arrival of the monsoon season, esp southwards. April's the last month many Similan dive shops are open before they close for the monsoon/rainy season. The best time for you to go given your window would be the first week you arrive there at the beginning of April, however that might compromise your situation socially.

I recommend South Siam Divers; their system would be conducive to your last-minute situation as they take speedboats out to their liveaboard boats regardless of newcomers as they not only drop-off but pick-up every day. Great divemasters as well.
southsiamdivers dot com

If you know you can't go until the end of April and you're easily seasick, you might consider going to Ko Tao.

 

[ubcsteve]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Sounds like my best bet is to try for a trip ASAP...that's gonna be a tough one to pull off I think.

I might be alone on this, but the mere chance to see a whale shark or manta seems like a good trade-off for being permantly ostracized by my extended family...:vintagediver:

BTW - the emotes on this site are the best!