Khao Lak, Thailand

[SeaGypsy]

I will be in Thailand next month. I want to do a bit of diving in the Similans. My plan is to go out of Khao Lak as the boats there have shorter one or two day trips, which I prefer to longer trips.

I've found 4 diver operations there:
KonTiki Khao Lak - M/Y Similan Queen
Phuket Divers - M/V Carina & M/V Huntsa
Similan Tour - Choke Duang Ta
Sea Dragon Dive Center - M/V Mariner One, M/V Koragot & M/V Nangnuan

Does anyone have any experience with any of them? I'd like to hear comments on the quality of the crew, safety and comfort of the boat, the choice of dive sites, number of divers on board. Are any of them better or worse for a single diver or do they all have a divemaster in water as a guide?

Is Richelieu is much different than the Similans? Would it be worth trying get there also?

Thanks for any information you can give me.

 

[RSdiver]

Richielieu rock is better than the Similans, but both are nice. Some of the trips package these areas together if you are on a multi-day live aboard trip.

I haven't been on the operators you mention but have previously booked through a dive shop in Kata Beach. Operator John Williams has over a decade living in Thailand and co-authored the recent Lonely Planet guide to SCUBA in Thailand. Although his shop doesn't own a boat, they can book several. His advice and suggestions have always been dead-on correctand he gladly gives suggestions. Tell him what you want and he'll make the best use of your time.
Siam Dive and Sail

Since my first trip to Phuket in 1997, things have changed a bit. Many of the live aboard dive operators have moved away from Phuket and it's expensive marinas, halfway up the coast, to Thap Lamu. It is about a 1.5 hour drive from Phuket airport and the dive trip starts out much closer, right at the Similans. This saves nearly a day of ship travel. Trip operators shuttle the divers up in mini-vans, so it is not a hassle.

I also heard that some day trips had wanted to operate out of the Thap Lamu harbor to Richielieu Rock. It makes sense. Ask John, he will know.

 

[edda_cosmo]

some years ago - maybe 3 or 4 - I took this trip with Kontiki.
At this time it was ok - but the price was very hight.

 

[lanwu]

There is a post in other BBS about Phuket Divers' liveaboard:

http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/m...609740&STARTPAGE=1&parentid=0&threadid=302153

In this BBS somewhere, I've also seen some good recommendations about Sea Dragon too.....

I'm also planning to join a liveaboard to the similans in 2004...so the more info the better....

 

[E-Boat]

I'm envy you, I'm thai but I can't go back home this Chrismas T_T

 

[TJO]

I have had some of my best diving ever at Richelieu. But it is not a place where you park the boat over the night, and it is at least 2 hours away from the most Northern islands in Similan.

 

[mvandermolen]

Hi SeaGypsy,

I picked up your thread while searching for dive experiences around Khao Lak.
I will be going there myself in the week after Christmas and am planning to combine a few diving day trips together which will obviously include Richelieu's Rock and the Similan Islands.

My hotel is the recently opened Khao Lak Merlin Resort on Sunset Beach. This hotel is quite close to the Khao Lak Laguna Resort I believe, which harbours the Kontiki Dive Club, so I am considering to book some trips from there.

Questions to SeaGypsy: which Dive Center did you eventually go for (I noticed this was already a while ago..)

Other questions:
- can anyone else perhaps recommend a dive center in that area of Khao Lak?
- Also, I am sure, a common question: given the time of the year (between Christmas and New Year's Eve) does it make sense to book in advance or is there enough choice when I am there?

Thanks for any info!

Martijn

I will be in Thailand next month. I want to do a bit of diving in the Similans. My plan is to go out of Khao Lak as the boats there have shorter one or two day trips, which I prefer to longer trips.

I've found 4 diver operations there:
KonTiki Khao Lak - M/Y Similan Queen
Phuket Divers - M/V Carina & M/V Huntsa
Similan Tour - Choke Duang Ta
Sea Dragon Dive Center - M/V Mariner One, M/V Koragot & M/V Nangnuan

Does anyone have any experience with any of them? I'd like to hear comments on the quality of the crew, safety and comfort of the boat, the choice of dive sites, number of divers on board. Are any of them better or worse for a single diver or do they all have a divemaster in water as a guide?

Is Richelieu is much different than the Similans? Would it be worth trying get there also?

Thanks for any information you can give me.

 

[whitehead]

I stayed at the Merlin when it first openend a year ago - a very nice hotel, so nice I did not want to go diving - I just wanted to stay in the room all day!!

 

[stevenl]

Book now, that is an extremely busy period, where quite some of the boats are fully booked already.
Check out www.thailand-scuba.com for a nice overview of lots of the boats.

 

[gazzahawkes]

Hello

Ive dived with mv queen scuba (coral grand) twice last yr.
obviously the fact i returned states that i was happy with the boat.
The diving internary inc Simmilans, koh bon,koh tachai, surin islands,richelau rock and bonsoon wreck.

vis throughout was great bonsoon being the exception but hey loads of marine life and a whaleshark there....

As for queen scuba. Hot water shower ensuite A/C at night.Large spacious boat awesome lounge and top deck (great stars slept there twice).
The most important aspect was the staff both Thai and westerner impressed i have worked in the industry for 5yrs full time and i was quite envious of the team there.
very professional and helpful..
Food was quite good to. morning dive straight to full cooked buffet breakfast yum.

Im planning another trip this season.

As for price well they are not the cheapest koh lak has boats to suit all budgets it seems.but one look at there boat at the pier the difference is quite obvious alongside other still functional and different budget boats.

In the past ive dived on some cheaper outfits the diving still the same but getting lazy now and enjoy the comforts offered by queen scuba.

Hope this helps
regards
Gary