deciding where to stay for one month - snorkeling

[tomyum]

Basically, my question is, where would you go for a one month snorkeling trip in March?

For me, scuba is a bit expensive compared to snorkel, but I will do some scuba as well, but not for the whole time. I was thinking about just getting really good at snorkeling and also practicing photography in the more shallow water where i could just use the natural lighting. Also, I was thinking about kayaking and hiking and generally just getting in better shape. I might rent a bungalow for a whole month to get a cheaper rate, somewhere for about 5-8000 baht for a month.

I have been to koh tao for several days recently and did snorkeling in 7 different spots around the island. I might go there again, but I am not completely sure. I am not a backpacker type. It seemed almost devoid of thai-ness as it is somewhat of an extension to the khao san road tourist trail. I just wonder if I will feel annoyed with it if I go for a long time.

Also, I have not been to the andaman side or koh chang area, but not sure if there is a spot where I could have a extended stay that would allow a lot snorkeling choice. I read that koh chang has a ton of smaller islands that might be fairly obscure.

I have read that Surin is the best snorkeling spot in Thailand and I want to check it out too, but you can't stay there for more than a few days at a time? and doesn't have a town there anyway.

Perhaps what I should do is take 4 different trips to different spots for a week each.

Please share your opinion.

 

[Quero]

You could go stay up at the Kura Buri area. There is at least one dive op that has a well-developed snorkeling side to it, so you should be able to arrange both diving and snorkeling through them or through a similar op. They can also set you up to stay on Surin for a night or two. The Kura Buri area is rustic, but not actually part of the "backpacker highway" like Khao San Road and Koh Tao are. Feel free to PM me and I'll give you specifics for the ops I know about, or you can also contact SurinBoy here on the board, who is located up around that area, and if I'm not mistaken, works at a resort that offers kayaking and other kinds of activities in addition to diving.

 

[aquamarin]

The Surin islands have amazing snorkeling and I was very pleasantly surprised at Koh Tachai last week. Likewise, there are many great snorkeling sites at the Similans - problem is that there are loads and loads of day trip boats going to those sites with people bobbing around on the surface in life jackets cause they don't know how to swim (sweeping generalization here )

Ideally, you'd go on a live-aboard, so you can avoid the crowds - but that's of course a budget issue as well

Karin

 

[tomyum]

Someone wrote a blog post about "snorkeling in thailand", but the descriptions are a bit brief and not that persuasive.

tezza-thailandbeachesandislands.blogspot (dot) com/2007/07/snorkelling-in-thailand.html

 

[lord khram]

koh Chang has lots of snorkeling oportunities. There are loads of small islands in the marine park south of the main island. But all will require a boat trip from the main island. No shortage of operators of course.
The island itself has much more character than Koh Tao and lots of it is quite undeveloped. plenty of oportunity for other activities inland on the island.
If you want to see it before the coastline becomes developed too much go soon, because it is changing rapidly.
One of my favourite spots in Thailand.

 

[tomyum]

I am headed to Koh Tao after all, it will be the easiest for me, since I already am familiar with it. I am going to go with Master Divers after having read about them on here. Not sure how long I will stay, probably two weeks plus. Koh Tao just seems convenient, has a variety of dive sites, and good prices.

***

After that, a few days off in BKK, then Pattaya, I will try a wreck dive or two. Then on to Koh Chang. I intend to go there and stay awhile to explore. Certainly, looks like there's some good coral reefs and fish. But visibility seems to be mentioned a lot, and distance to the dive sites. Above water, the place looks very scenic in the photos everywhere online.

My other concerns about Chang:

* Price of any and all boat rides, scuba-ing, kayaking, renting anything, and accomodation seems too high for a place that is out of the way, and not really the #1 destination on the map. At least, that's my impression. Perhaps I would find a good deal after I am there.

* Rains a lot there, 4 meters a year? Any time I read about Koh Chang there's always a mention about it raining hard in Koh Chang. There's also a lot of follow up mentions about mosquitos and other insects. Maybe an issue, maybe not.

* Transportation around Koh Chang, the island is fairly big and I don't ride a motorbike. So...not sure how I could get much out of the different night life spots. The reports seem a bit mixed about how loud or quiet it is anywhere. Not sure what part of Koh Chang I should stay (White Sands, Lonely Beach or ?), and/or go to Koh Maak or where else. Yes, I can figure that out myself after I have been there awhile. But just saying, from looking at it online for a few hours, ... is inconclusive. Looks to me like Koh Chang is fun for sure, if you were in a group of friends, find some good deals, have transportation, and caught a good window of weather condition.

Anyways, I know that any place is just what you make of it, and sometimes a bit of luck can turn things around very quickly in Thailand.

***

As for the Andaman side, even though it is supposed to be the best, I think I will skip it, I am not interested in doing a live-aboard right now.