Family Trip mid December - Diving, snorkeling & Topsites, need recommendation

[Wisnu]

We'll be visiting Bangkok mid December for my daughters swim meet; then would like to spend a week (can be more) for holiday any best place in Thailand suitable for family. My wife and my 8 years daughter is not diver but they really enjoy snorkeling and comfortable with water, my 12 years daughter is Jr. AOW. Our criteria:
- Good diving, snorkeling and top site attraction - we can compromise not to get the best for all but worth for money.
- Safe, easy diving, clear water, depht within limitation of Jr. AOW, a personal guide will be nice. Bubble maker and or any diving programme to satisfy 8 years good swimmer kid is plus point.
- we like nice resorts (but not for > 200 bucks a night) and can also survive with any good and clean accomodation
- Not too crowd - minimum traveling time.

Thanks for the recommendation ..

 

[h90]

We'll be visiting Bangkok mid December for my daughters swim meet; then would like to spend a week (can be more) for holiday any best place in Thailand suitable for family. My wife and my 8 years daughter is not diver but they really enjoy snorkeling and comfortable with water, my 12 years daughter is Jr. AOW. Our criteria:
- Good diving, snorkeling and top site attraction - we can compromise not to get the best for all but worth for money.
- Safe, easy diving, clear water, depht within limitation of Jr. AOW, a personal guide will be nice. Bubble maker and or any diving programme to satisfy 8 years good swimmer kid is plus point.
- we like nice resorts (but not for > 200 bucks a night) and can also survive with any good and clean accomodation
- Not too crowd - minimum traveling time.

Thanks for the recommendation ..

What I loved but I don't know if good for you was Koh Lipe.
traveling time is bad: flight bangkok to Satun , taxi to the peer and than speed boat.
But than on the island you can let your children almost without attention: no cars, true paradise, very clean clear water. But else a bit boring, not yet very crouded.
Away from the mainstream.

 

[divingguru]

I would say that Phuket has a lot to offer. Although it has its busy area's there are still plenty of quieter beaches around. The diving from Phuket is fantastic, with so many options available to you, the obvious one is the Similan Islands, which is doable by a day trip. I have lived on Phuket for 3 years, and I hate Patong, and all of the touristy areas, but there is so much more to Phuket and it is very easy to get too.
Having a personal guide for you and your family would also not be a problem, above and below water.

 

[Quero]

I agree with divingguru that Phuket is a good option for you. Easy to get to from BKK on a short shuttle. The next morning you can be in the water! The dive sites are mostly within range for your JAOW diver daughter. We have primarily sloping reefs so you can stay as shallow as you need to. You can expect to do boat dives with your older daughter while the younger one does bubblemaker. You might be able to find an instructor who will do bubblemaker in the shallow part of a bay from the same boat dive if your trip goes to OW training sites. If your wife is a snorkeler, she can also get in the water from the dive boat.