Dive Suggestions For Thailand??

[mattiedread]

At the Lonely Planet's Web site, the Thorn Tree branch. The books aren't that great for that area (as soon as someplace gets a good write up, it gets overpriced and overcrowded). But, on the website you'll get replies from people moving through there real time. I found places to stay all over SEAsia 24 hours before arriving at a destination by hitting that website and posting a question. Although, internet access is incredibly slow in many places.

Good luck, have fun. If you've never been to Thailand before enjoy it. The people and food are great.

 

[Tommer]

try Blue Diamond resort in Koh Tao jimisurf, stayed there about 2 years ago, not very fancy but economical, clean and a friendly staff, specially them two sisters that runs that place. did i mention Noi is cute too.

tommer

 

[drbill]

No, that ain't yer great aunt's doggie Fi Fi... it's pronounced Pee Pee. Of the three diving locations I stayed in (Kopg Tao, Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi), I definitely liked Phi Phi the best for diving. It is, however, quite overrun by tourists but not all are there to dive. Rental gear was fine and well cared for.

Koh Lanta was extremely relaxing (little night life) and I stayed right on the beach for $6/night.

Koh Tao was interesting but rental equipment was quite marginal. Did enjoy the people I met there though and the diving when it wasn't too crowded.

Dr. Bill

 

[ssra30]

Koh Tao is probably the best dive site in Thailand during the monsoon season here. Phi Phi generally is better but depending on how many days you have, you may find that you can't dive there everyday, depending on the weather and the ocean condition. Koh Tao is a bit more reliable during this season and generally April till October is quite good. I was there in April and actually will go there again next month. Water tend to be a bit more murky than Andaman sea but it is not always true. In April, some dive spots had a visibility of 60-70 ft easily. Actually I was quite surprise as I never thought that the Gulf of Thailand could get that clear. Pattaya is alright if you only have a day or two to get away from Bangkok. Koh Tao is a bit tricky to get to though.
Either you can fly to Koh Samui and take a ferry to Koh Tao or you can take an overnight bus from BKK to Chumporn and take a ferry in the morning to Koh Tao. In the past, I have always use Ban's Diving Resort. Again, nothing too fancy but well run and well organized. I think their accomodation will run anywhere from $20+ to $50+ a day. You can check their website at www.amazingkohtao.com FYI Ban's is also one of the company that runs a bus from BKK to Chumporn and ferry to Koh Tao daily.
There are a whole bunch of other places and dive operators as well on Koh Tao but I don't really know them all that well.

 

[sharkymike]

I have been boat in Koh tao and Phuket.

When it comes to Diving in koh tao I was very happy do i had never been diving in asia before, but when I went to Phuket and I find out that the visebility was much better even do they said that Phuket was not good this time of year. I ended up with a dive center in central Patong (Scandinavian-Divers) and they told me that even in the low season it is good diving around Phuket.
I went with them to Shark point and the guide said that unduring high season there are so many divers there that the sharks don't rest there becurse they get afraid and swim away from the site, but unduring the low season there are not so many divers and the sharks are returning. On my visit to Shark point we so 4 Lepord Sharks playing oround.
I can highly recomend Phuket in the low season.=-)

 

[yen]

Have been to Koh Tao but not to Phi Phi. But Phi Phi sounds great too.
Have heard that rainy season meant bigger marine creatures not likely seen during the high season. Don't know how true that is since I'm new to the underwater world.

As for Koh tao, it should be good too. Did my PADI OW there. Saw reef shark during one of my training dives. One site you should definitely go to at Koh Tao is the Japanese Garden. My friend said it was one of the most beautiful and colorful site she has ever seen, even after we had dove Manado. And Manado was superb!

I think most of the dive centers offer accomodations at very good prices if you are diving with them. A decent fan-cooled one usually cost around 300Baht.

I'm going back to Koh Tao end of June. This time round, I'll be going via Bangkok, Chumporn. Will be going to the many travel agencies in Khao San to get the coach, ferry deal to Koh Tao. Probably getting Songserm ones. Not recommended to get coach and ferry separatedly.

Happy diving!!!

 

[Peter Lim]

yen,

Once you try places such as Layang Layang, Sipadan, Manado, Similan, Sangalaki, Kodomo, etc, you will not want to dive in Koh Tao, unless for some relax dive and the quiet Island life.

I would rather save the air ticket and just dive in P. Redang unless I plan to dive at Koh Tao for a week or two and I am broke. When you have done more dives, try Lembeh in Manado, a new diving experience either you love or hate.

Get a A. OW cert, you would see more and dive at better sites.

 

[yen]

Yes, reason I'm going back Koh Tao is coz I loved the laid back life there, to have relax dives to practice on my bouyancy control, and also I wana visit Bangkok anyway. So since I'll already be flying there, I might as well visit Koh Tao for diving, esp since I've convinced a couple of my friends to take up diving as well. I'm also considering taking my AOW there since I'll have around 6 days to dive.

My very first fun dive was actually in Redang. And I'll definitely be back to do more. But the Manado dive trip was the one that hugely increased my interest in diving. The fact that we didn't enjoy the best of the weather only made my friends and I decide to go back again for more! Tentatively, we've set aside august to do that. Hopefully, there's still good promotions going on then. (We actually wanted to go Krabi when Silkair cancelled their flights there. Then a very good promotion for Manado came up!!!) Next time round, we plan to dive Lembeh and Bangka. Not to forget the house reef!!! We were so not fated to see the house reef!!! Jim, Eco Diver's director, actually promised us perfect weather from June to August, ahahahahha...

As for the other pristine dive sites, definitely on list for next year!

 

[Peter Lim]

Yap, July and August is the peak in Manado, but really not much a diff, except the sun is out. We in fact had great fun in May. No rain, maybe we are lucky.

The house reef is nice; you could see a lot of stuff similar to Lembeh with better visibility and less current.

More fun dive and you will be able to handle you buoyancy and the courses in Koh Tao is very cheap too.

Enjoy your dive.