Do you really need a liveaboard?
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stevenl
Contributor
Boat leaves from Ban Nam Kheng, North of Khao Lak, so first car transfer from Phuket.
Agree Hin Mouang+Hin Daeng and Richelieu Rock are probably best sites.
Richelieu Rock is best by LOB (too far from shore daily) departing from Khao Lak (with pick up from Phuket) and open Oct-Apr only (exact schedule operator dependent). Most Richelieu Rock LOB are 3 or 4 days.
Rest Thailand sites are all accessible from land, and probably better off from land since boat rides are short and land accommodations much better/cheaper than LOB and land offers more activities/food choices when not diving.
Hin Mouang+Hin Daeng are best accessed from Koh Lanta (closest, KL shops do daily runs).
If you do Richelieu Rock LOB, also consider Burma South LOB (typically 7 days) which depart near by.
Richelieu Rock is best by LOB (too far from shore daily) departing from Khao Lak (with pick up from Phuket) and open Oct-Apr only (exact schedule operator dependent). Most Richelieu Rock LOB are 3 or 4 days.
Rest Thailand sites are all accessible from land, and probably better off from land since boat rides are short and land accommodations much better/cheaper than LOB and land offers more activities/food choices when not diving.
Hin Mouang+Hin Daeng are best accessed from Koh Lanta (closest, KL shops do daily runs).
If you do Richelieu Rock LOB, also consider Burma South LOB (typically 7 days) which depart near by.
I would disagree with those two points. If you add up cost per dive, I think land based diving comes out more expensive when you consider that accommodation and food is included in the liveaboard.
Whether boat rides are "short" is a matter of subjective opinion. I find a car transfer with equipment and a 1-3 hour boat ride in the morning to be long and tedious - especially when the alternative is to wake up right on top of the dive site.
Buadhai
Contributor
In addition to the "best" dive sites mentioned so far I'd have to add Koh Tachai Pinnacle in the North Andaman and Hin Khao in the South. I'm also very fond of Koh Haa.
As a personal matter, I strongly dislike day trip diving and pretty much do nothing but liveaboards these days. But, I'm an old grouch, so take that for what it's worth.
As a personal matter, I strongly dislike day trip diving and pretty much do nothing but liveaboards these days. But, I'm an old grouch, so take that for what it's worth.
kassj0peja
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I was lucky to do Richilieu Rock from Kura Buri on 2 days/1 night trip a few years ago. It was an extremely fast boat and we did 2 dives at Richilieu Rock, then one more in Surin and after that camping in Surin. Morning dive in Surin, two more dives at Richilieu Rock and back to Koh Phra Thong/Kura Buri. One of my best dives ever and because of the timing not many divers at Richilieu Rock. I am not sure if this still exists but the dive shop that organized this was called Blue Guru Divers. At this time it was also possible to dive the 100 m wreck HTMS Phra Thong but I heard it flipped over during the rain season and dive shops from Kao Lak don't go there.
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