Ko Tao Diving
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anemone
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Greetings from warm sunny Dubai!
I went diving in Koh Tao about a month ago. And the experience it's awesome! Everything is cheap, the food was outstanding, the dive sites was excellent. We went to Sail Rock one day before we leave but unfortunately i injured my knee after the first dive on my last day in Koh Tao. But nevertheless at Sail Rock we went down through a chimney from 8m drop us down to 18m. Depends on the current though, you can see huge school of barracudas, and if lucky enough whale shark might visit also.But we havent seen any. Next time maybe.
Another good site is Chumphon Pinnacle..nice drop off wall could never see the bottom with nice colourful fishes and soft and hard corals. As viz concern it probably 20m-25m.
As the island is small little island in the Gulf of Thailand, so basically there's nothing much to do except diving, and diving, day or night.By the time you reach to the shore, tired enough to party and just crash on the bed for tomorrow..
Most of the operators are competing with each other.Some trying to go out as early as possible to see better and to avoid crowd at the dive sites. There's full of divers anyway.I had a night dive once and all i can see was another diver's torch..that's pretty dissapointing. And the guide took us round and round searching for barracudas feed on fish but nothing in sight.
Hope those pros and cons helpful.
I went diving in Koh Tao about a month ago. And the experience it's awesome! Everything is cheap, the food was outstanding, the dive sites was excellent. We went to Sail Rock one day before we leave but unfortunately i injured my knee after the first dive on my last day in Koh Tao. But nevertheless at Sail Rock we went down through a chimney from 8m drop us down to 18m. Depends on the current though, you can see huge school of barracudas, and if lucky enough whale shark might visit also.But we havent seen any. Next time maybe.
Another good site is Chumphon Pinnacle..nice drop off wall could never see the bottom with nice colourful fishes and soft and hard corals. As viz concern it probably 20m-25m.
As the island is small little island in the Gulf of Thailand, so basically there's nothing much to do except diving, and diving, day or night.By the time you reach to the shore, tired enough to party and just crash on the bed for tomorrow..
Most of the operators are competing with each other.Some trying to go out as early as possible to see better and to avoid crowd at the dive sites. There's full of divers anyway.I had a night dive once and all i can see was another diver's torch..that's pretty dissapointing. And the guide took us round and round searching for barracudas feed on fish but nothing in sight.
Hope those pros and cons helpful.
I dove Koh Tao three years ago. It was a nice introduction to Thailand. I enjoyed the location and the diving was generally decent. Dove Chumphon Pinnacle but we were down at the base. The only "big pelagics" I could see were all the divers from other groups circling at various depths above us. Apparently we missed a whale shark due to our depth.
Diving there tended to be crowded while I was there. Rental equipment needed to be checked carefully. I had several BCD's that were so shredded that I wasn't sure where the arm holes were. The operator always complied when I asked for one in better condition. I did have one unusual incident with the equipment- for some reason my first stage started free flowing after some sort of a pop. We were just going down so we went up and swapped out for a new reg and tank and all was fine. Watch the gear you're given.
Dives were very cheap... on the order of $10-15 each (in a package) including rental gear and a few nights "free" lodging (which was nice).
I'd go back there with my video camera. Lots to see. Met some nice people that I'm still in touch with. I did enjoy Koh Phi Phi more though.
Dr. Bill
Diving there tended to be crowded while I was there. Rental equipment needed to be checked carefully. I had several BCD's that were so shredded that I wasn't sure where the arm holes were. The operator always complied when I asked for one in better condition. I did have one unusual incident with the equipment- for some reason my first stage started free flowing after some sort of a pop. We were just going down so we went up and swapped out for a new reg and tank and all was fine. Watch the gear you're given.
Dives were very cheap... on the order of $10-15 each (in a package) including rental gear and a few nights "free" lodging (which was nice).
I'd go back there with my video camera. Lots to see. Met some nice people that I'm still in touch with. I did enjoy Koh Phi Phi more though.
Dr. Bill
squaltigre
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I stayed in Tao for a week last august and it was a wonderful experience. The island is a sort of divers community with ca 30 diving centres in a place which is 2 miles long and 1 mile wide... I dove numerous times at Chumpon Pinnacles and enjoied lively pelagic action including numerous black tip sharks and a huge manta. Other people during the week saw one whaleshark. because of the number of "human" pelagics present during the day in the 12 or so dive sites of the island, the early morning dive (6am) was the only choice to have lonely dives... Another very nice dive spot is the Japanese gardens, with a beautiful pink coral garden. General diving standards are pretty poor and service too. Bring your own equipment. Dive instructor are not very professional generally (I did 12 dives and on 5 of them my group lost some of the divers in the current somewhere...)
The place is cheap (cost per dive around 10 USD) , accomodation is very nice, food wonderful. I stayed in a place called Sensi Paradise Resort which is among the more expensive ones (40-50 USd per room); you can find a room for 3 USd and ìdecent food for 2 if you want...Night life was intense, particularly if you like the so called full moon parties.. (sort of revival of the hippies parties of the 60s).
In the island there are no traditional western style hotels or resort, so you have to like this kind of holiday.
The place is cheap (cost per dive around 10 USD) , accomodation is very nice, food wonderful. I stayed in a place called Sensi Paradise Resort which is among the more expensive ones (40-50 USd per room); you can find a room for 3 USd and ìdecent food for 2 if you want...Night life was intense, particularly if you like the so called full moon parties.. (sort of revival of the hippies parties of the 60s).
In the island there are no traditional western style hotels or resort, so you have to like this kind of holiday.
cdninkorea
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I was actually living on Koh Tao earlier this year for a couple of months. I was doing my Divemaster course there. My best advice is to look very carefully at the resort you go with. I could suggest a couple if you email me directly. I personally loved Koh Tao as much for the out of water as in water. Koh Tao is a small island but it's well worth looking around and getting off the beaten path. There are a couple of beaches that are absolute paradise. As well the food is amazing and the people are even better.
I lived on Ko Tao for four months. The diving is crap, honestly. It's a great place for cheap diving and cheap courses, and if you're looking to rack up c-cards, it's good. There are a couple of okay dives, Chumpon Pinnacle and the daytrip to Sail Rock, but nothing to get excited about unless you see a whale shark, but the odds are not too high unless you're there for a long time and do a lot of dives. If you're young and enjoy the bungalow-style vacation on the beach, it's pretty nice and mainly a backpacker destination. There are some expensive resorts and also many cheap bungalows. Keep in mind a lot of places only have electricity at night and ask about it if it's going to bother you. There's nothing to do but dive and party though and the island has an enormous ex-pat population, so don't think you're going to see any Thai culture. If you can, save your money and go to the Similans on the other coast instead! They are really beautiful with great vis and have some nice cheap liveaboards. However, the season is winding down there and you'll have to wait until October before it kicks off again.
Chantana's right, the similans are far better but then that could be said about anywhere. I dived the gbr shortly after the similans and thought that was nowhere near as good!
In short, KT can offer mixed diving experiences but there are some fantastic sites. On Chumpon pinnacle if you work your way out along barracuda rock and then head out 'into the blue' for a 1-2 mins you are GUARANTEED to see sharks.. Every time I dived that profile I saw sharks every dive.. Grey reefs and occasionally bull sharks.
Other dive sites worth doing are Green Rock and Red Rock for the triggers (Beautiful fish as long as you respect them). South West pinnacle, like Chumpon P. offers great oppurtunities to see pelagics.
On a night dive on white rock for example, there's the VERY good chance to see large barracuda (1.5m long) and turtles feeding, as well as a whole host of other fish you'd never see nom on most dives.
So ok, it's not the similans but at the cheap prices they ask for it's more than good enough for me!
In short, KT can offer mixed diving experiences but there are some fantastic sites. On Chumpon pinnacle if you work your way out along barracuda rock and then head out 'into the blue' for a 1-2 mins you are GUARANTEED to see sharks.. Every time I dived that profile I saw sharks every dive.. Grey reefs and occasionally bull sharks.
Other dive sites worth doing are Green Rock and Red Rock for the triggers (Beautiful fish as long as you respect them). South West pinnacle, like Chumpon P. offers great oppurtunities to see pelagics.
On a night dive on white rock for example, there's the VERY good chance to see large barracuda (1.5m long) and turtles feeding, as well as a whole host of other fish you'd never see nom on most dives.
So ok, it's not the similans but at the cheap prices they ask for it's more than good enough for me!
OP
h3o
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Thanks for the info, I've changed my plans to check out the Similans and the other dive areas near Phuket. I've heard that the seas can be rough during that time in the Andaman area, but I'd rather dive those sites in possible rainy conditions than mediocre dives at Koh Tao in good weather.
Dorsetboy: if you dove the GBR on a day boat or a live-aboard that only went east to the so-called "outer reefs", than the chances are good that the dives were not so great, mediocre at best. The best dives are along the northern ribbon reefs and the Coral Sea.
Dorsetboy: if you dove the GBR on a day boat or a live-aboard that only went east to the so-called "outer reefs", than the chances are good that the dives were not so great, mediocre at best. The best dives are along the northern ribbon reefs and the Coral Sea.
Dived with 'Rum Runner' out on the coral sea, nothing wrong with it, just that the similans were a lot better that's all and a damn sight cheaper. Upto you but considering how cheap and easy it is to travel you could always give Koh Tao a try and make an informed oppinion.. just a thought lol.
You will definately love the Similans more, just check on the date you are going and how the weather is and what dive shops are open. I used to live in Khao Lak too, and some of our friends there said the season is winding down, maybe shut down now and it'll be a ghost town. Phuket will still be open though, but you should watch it as the Similan Islands close sometimes too.
I dove the GBR as well, in Townsville, and it was the most wonderful thing I've ever seen in my life. I'm going back in two months to Cairns this time because I keep hearing how it's so much better and I just can't imagine anything better than the last time I was in Oz!
I dove the GBR as well, in Townsville, and it was the most wonderful thing I've ever seen in my life. I'm going back in two months to Cairns this time because I keep hearing how it's so much better and I just can't imagine anything better than the last time I was in Oz!
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