Khao lak/ similan or ko lipe

[onejubb]

Hello..im planning a weeks dive trip to thailand either this year end or early next year and as of now i have zoned in on either khao lak and the similans or ko lipe. Any thoughts on which is a better place to go.
ive just recently completed my advanced and im looking for great diving and decent topside fun in that order. A not so touristy place is good. But also not a totally dead place. Also am i overlooking any other destination which might kick the above twos ass.
Thanks in advance and cheers
aravind

 

[decompression]

Kho lak was awesome, great diving as well as great live aboards to the similans. No too touristy like Phuket, smaller and more relaxed but still fun night life on the main strip. We used see bees diving and they were great!

 

[Quero]

Given your background, I'd say do a liveaboard out of Khao Lak for the best diving. Of course on a liveaboard you will not have much nightlife at all (some videos and beers maybe, if you can stay awake past 10). Koh Lipe is far away and will eat up two whole days of your week-long holiday just going and coming.

 

[Griffo]

I loved Koh Lipe, it would certainly meet your "less touristy" requirement. There's still a main drag with restaurants and bars though for a bit of nightlife if required. I did my first ever dives there, so I thought the diving was brilliant, but then I had nothing to gauge it to. The lifestyle was definately slow and laid back.
It definitely will take you a while to get there though. In our case, we went there via a few days in Railay on the way in, and then Koh Lanta on the way back to catch up with friends. The slow ferry there was more fun and relaxing than the "fast" ferry back which was a complete cattle boat. On the way back the boat stopped at a couple of really small islands that looked brilliant, I've been meaning to look them up, but they looked like 1-resort islands so probably don't fit your bill.

 

[onejubb]

Thanks people!