Honeymoon in March

[amadeus00]

Honeymoon in March. Need some ideas. We both dive but she only got 15 dives logged and not very experienced. We would like to do some diving during our 2 week honey moon. Let's start with this question:

Recommend good easy diving place with good weather in March.

I know this is a really general question but I would like to start with the big picture and work down. We'll only dive for about 7 days but would also like other things to do. Maybe dive in one place and then leave to go do land stuffs. Or if it's at the same place, it's also nice.

 

[smokey braden]

amadeusOO,
the maldives

 

[jiveturkey]

You didin't really give us much. Do you care if it's touristy? I guess you don't want rustic if it's your honeymoon. I love Malaysia but Thailand is great too. Either of those places are great to vacation in even without their spectacular diving. Thailand is probably better because there's so much to do topside and it's sooooooo easy to travel there.

 

[amadeus00]

I've dove Koh Samui 10 years back and found the diving so so. I wouldn't mind going again but the accomadations of the dive shops weren't all that great. Is diving in Phuket better than it is in Koh Samui?
We are also looking into Bali. How is the diving there? Cold waters meaning need something thicker than a 3mm?

 

[pigletfish]

We honeymooned in Bali in August 2003 and spent a week of it on a Komodo liveaboard. The water temps were mid to upper 70s F, which for me was pretty chilly. I wore a dive skin, 3 mm, and shorty. But it was lovely, and Bali is wonderful!

 

[alcina]

Bali has what looks like excellent diving. Check out LukeRob's gallery and do a search for his Bali trip report in UW Photography - it is pretty in-depth and will give you some great information.

 

[stevenl]

The Andaman Coast offer much better diving than the Gulf (Koh Samui, Koh Tao etc.).

Main divesites at the Andaman Coast: Hin Daeng/Hin Munag, daytrips from Koh Lanta, Phi Phi and Phuket, liveaboards from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi: daytrips from Phi Phi, Lanta, Krabi and Phuket, Shark Point area: daytrips from Phuket, Phi Phi and Krabi, Racha Islands: daytrips from Phuket, Similan Islands: liveaboards and daytrips from Phuket and Khao Lak, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock: liveaboards from Khao Lak and Phuket.

IMO best sites: Similans, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock and Hin Daeng/Hin Muang.

 

[jiveturkey]

I've dove Koh Samui 10 years back and found the diving so so. I wouldn't mind going again but the accomadations of the dive shops weren't all that great. Is diving in Phuket better than it is in Koh Samui?
We are also looking into Bali. How is the diving there? Cold waters meaning need something thicker than a 3mm?

Samui isn't nearly as good as Phi Phi. It's a different league all together. Bali is similar to Phi Phi but you have to be careful because some places have insanely strong currents around the full moons. Even during the other parts of the month, you have to know where you're going. Both places are very touristy but the diving is excellent as well. If you go to Bali, take your new wife to Ubud for some land activities. She'll love that. Do the volcano trek if you're adventureous. Seeing the sun come up from the top of a volcano was one of the coolest things i've seen in my life.

 

[amadeus00]

Well, it's back to the drawing board with the recent developments in the Andaman sea. We were a day from booking the Phuket trip when all the tragedy happened. We are second guessing our decision and now Bali is looking better. I know there have been reports that Phuket is almost back to normal but this isn't the reason we are considering Bali.

I've asked my brother who has gone to both places and he recommended that we do Bali instead on Phuket because it's our honeymoon. There are more accomindations that caters to privacy and villa's that will meet our needs. We won't be diving all the time. Maybe just for a week out of the two.

So if you had a choice of the two, which would you choose considering the best bang for the dollar and the activities in the area.