HELP In choosing which Thailand island for fun dives.......

[emjaty]

My husband and I are both advanced certified (he is also rescue) divers. We will be spending 4 months traveling throughout southeast Asia next year and want to spend some time on the islands in Thailand diving. I've done quite a bit of research looking for the right island for us and need some advice. We have done most of our diving in Roatan and Utila Honduras. Headed back there in a few months for trip number 8 or 9. We like the diving in Honduras due to close proximity to reef and small dive groups. From what I'm reading of Thai island diving, the reef is a bit away (long boat rides) from most of the islands in Thailand is this the case?
Also, We are looking for small groups and no more than 10 on a boat. So many sites seem to point us to Koh Tao and phi phi....but looking at some of the dive shop pics it looks like cattle boats. yuk! Plan is to dive the gulf in September and Andaman in December. Also, is koh tao mainly just for beginners? Not interested in a big party scene either.

Any advice on an island and shop in September in gulf and same in Andaman in December. TIA.....

 

[gr8jab]

I dove with SeaBee out of Phuket. It was a very large boat, which they owned. There were many divers on board, but it did not feel like a cattle-boat. The ride out to the dive sites is long, so the large boat with lots of room was very nice. All the diving was drift, and they dropped 4 divers + 1 DM before moving slightly. I noticed other groups occasionally, but usually not.

They served full meals, buffet style, which were very tasty. I think they run a 4-tank all-day trip a few times a week, in addition to shorter trips.

 

[decompression]

+1 for see bees....professional and well run.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MikkelBC]

If I were you I would definitely go with liveaboards instead of daytrips in the Andaman. This is a much better way to achieve your goal of "proximity to reef and small dive groups" as well as many other benefits.

Daytrip: Wake up early, carry your gear to the car, drive to the pier, spend 1-3 hours on the boat going to the dive site, dive, have short (1 hour) surface intervals to be able to squeeze in 3 dives.

Liveaboard: Wake up early, grab a small bite to eat, don your gear that is already set up on the dive deck, walk 3 steps to the dive site which is already right under the boat. Dive. Enjoy your full breakfast and a leisurely surface interval while you watch the first daytrip boats start to arrive. Do a comfortable 4 dives in a day without stress. Get to know the people you dive with. I could go on and on with reasons

 

[chillyinCanada]

While I loved the island of Koh Tao, I thought the diving sucked.

 

[stevenl]

While I loved the island of Koh Tao, I thought the diving sucked.

Yes, the Andaman Sea offers much, much better diving.

 

[Wingy]

Id avoid Koh Tao like the plague...Stevenl has organised dives for me out of Phuket before although I prefer heading down to Krabi and diving with Poseidon where you can still do the usual sites around Phi Phi and the 3 dive super day (Shark Point, King Cruiser Wreck and Anenome or Koh Doc Mai) - just a personal preference still the Andaman Sea but IMO Krabi is a far nicer part of Thailand than Phuket.

 

[stevenl]

Id avoid Koh Tao like the plague...Stevenl has organised dives for me out of Phuket before although I prefer heading down to Krabi and diving with Poseidon where you can still do the usual sites around Phi Phi and the 3 dive super day (Shark Point, King Cruiser Wreck and Anenome or Koh Doc Mai) - just a personal preference still the Andaman Sea but IMO Krabi is a far nicer part of Thailand than Phuket.

IMO Phuket as a whole has a lot to offer, but I like to avoid certain places

 

[emjaty]

Thanks for the input so far! The only concern I have about the Andaman in the first of September is the weather. We plan on diving Andaman in December but wanted a place for September. It's my understanding the September is Monsoon season in the Andaman which means crappy or no dives. Is this the case? Also, Im confused about Krabi....is it a region or town?

 

[Wingy]

Krabi is a province reachable by taxi or ferry from Phuket - Ao Nang is the town where diving and jump off to Railay Beach happens. Ive only had one days cancellation in September diving out of Phuket or Ao Nang but I dont dive Thailand all that often. Others may have had different experiences.