Ko Tao or Phi Phi

[ChristyBug]

The diving is DEFINITELY better on the west coast. I did my DMT on Koh Tao a few years ago, and just came back from a Similan/Surin liveaboard and a few weeks on Koh Lanta.
Other than Ang Thong Marine Park, which can be done from Koh Tao or Samui as a day trip, there just isn't that much spectacular diving. Of course, once monsoon sets in on the west, it just isn't worth going. So if you will be going after April, head to the Gulf or, better yet, pop down to the Pherentian islands in Malaysia. They have the opposite season as Thailand.
I, personally, don't care for staying on over-priced and over-croweded Koh Phi Phi. Koh Lanta is the better choice. Lanta Dive Centre has the best boats, staff and food. The dive groups are always small, and you are always paired off with someone of similar diving experience. Stay on Long Beach. It's the most fun.
Or if Koh Lanta isn't your thing, stay on Ao Nang or even Rai Lay. You can dive Phi Phi from all those places, and there are excellent boat trips and rock climbing to keep you happy on land.

Thanks for that elaborate awnser. I know the Andaman side pretty well but know nothing of the Gulf Coast. My trip last year did include Ko Lanta and Ao Nang but I wasnt to crazy about eiter of them. My dive master from Ko Lanta took of by himself and I never saw him again and this in extremely rough water at Hin Muang and Hin Duang. I forgot the dive company but it was some Swiis owned dive shop at Ko. Lanta

Phi Phi is indeed a bit over crowded but I did like a lot and it ll be a good place for my friends to learn and for me to be based (and get plenty of great massages at the Massage place called Chrismas). Thanks a lot for your respons though
!

 

[ChristyBug]

I've never met a dive site I didn't like (with the possible exception of the King Cruiser wreck in Thailand, but that was due to a DM error in reading the tide tables). I've dived both and would recommend Phi Phi over Koh Tao.

Dr. Bill

Did you like the King Cruiser though? I might do that dive.

 

[Mako Mark]

Tao is WAY better for living and meeting cool people, and in reality is probably better for learning to dive..

PhiPhi is prettier above water and probably better place to go when you are already certified.

I would go to both, but Koh Tao first..

 

[jiveturkey]

Tao is...probably better for learning to dive..

I would go to both, but Koh Tao first..

Ummm...maybe. As long as you stay the heck away from factories like Bans and Buddaview and the other ones. Too big and too much confusion.

Chumpon Pinnacle has lots of sharks so I totally agree with the last sentence.

 

[drbill]

Did you like the King Cruiser though? I might do that dive.

Well, due to the current and turbidity we could barely see the King Cruiser so it wasn't a good experience at all. In fact, we got blown off it into the dark by the strong tidal current. However, if you dive it at the proper tide, I heard it can be quite nice.

Funny you should ask... my DM was Dutch. In fact, you may know of her as the author of the book Zoenen, which I gather is quite popular in the Netherlands right now. I'm hoping for an English translation soon! Other than misjudging the tide at that one dive, I really enjoyed diving with her the two weeks I was on Phi Phi.

Dr. Bill

 

[alexcttan]

Hi. I am going to Phi Phi Island on 31/12/04 to do my DM. Any good dive operator to recommend? Also, I will need a place to stay for 16 days. My budget is around USD10 per night, any suggestion??

p.s. I don't know how to create a new post, which is why I have to "park" my question here.

 

[ChristyBug]

Hi. I am going to Phi Phi Island on 31/12/04 to do my DM. Any good dive operator to recommend? Also, I will need a place to stay for 16 days. My budget is around USD10 per night, any suggestion??

p.s. I don't know how to create a new post, which is why I have to "park" my question here.

If you have 10, just for yo9ur hotel you'll be fine, if you have 10 per day to spend in total it's gonna be tough especially travelling alone in the high season. Unless you are ok with the lowest of the lowest of the lowest (and it gets pretty low and noisy) you'll probably pay around 8-10 dollars a night on sleeping. I was able to find something for 8 but had to really look around.

I have a friend who used to work at Moskito divers as an instructor and said it was
great. I dove with Barrakuda and had a good time with them.

Hope this helps.

 

[ChristyBug]

Ummm...maybe. As long as you stay the heck away from factories like Bans and Buddaview and the other ones. Too big and too much confusion.

Chumpon Pinnacle has lots of sharks so I totally agree with the last sentence.

Which would you recommend then?

 

[ChristyBug]

Well, due to the current and turbidity we could barely see the King Cruiser so it wasn't a good experience at all. In fact, we got blown off it into the dark by the strong tidal current. However, if you dive it at the proper tide, I heard it can be quite nice.

Funny you should ask... my DM was Dutch. In fact, you may know of her as the author of the book Zoenen, which I gather is quite popular in the Netherlands right now. I'm hoping for an English translation soon! Other than misjudging the tide at that one dive, I really enjoyed diving with her the two weeks I was on Phi Phi.

Dr. Bill

Can't say that I read the book, but I did hear of it. We Dutchies are weird. You can take zoen courses her.

What Dive center was she with?

 

[Beppe]

Having been to Thailand last year I'm still amazed by the underwater beauty I've seen. I have no choice but to return and this time I'm dragging a friend of mine along. She still needs to learn how to dive and everwhere I read that Ko Tao is the plae to go, but the word on the quality of diving rages from poor and boring to excellent and plenty of whaleshark sitings). Last year I dove the Andaman coast (Hin Muang, Hin Duang, Similans, Surins etc), where I was spoiled with gorgious diving and great vis.

I've never been at the Golf Coast and so I don't know what to expect. I originally thought we'd go to Phi Phi to start of so she could get her open water while I dove some local sites. I was a little worried that the diving of of Ko Tao and the island itself might no entail enough to keep me satisfied for about 5 days.

Can anybody tell me what would be the better option for the both of us (keeping the season in mind)?

I dived Phi-Phi a couple of years ago in February.It was a surprise,I didn't expect it to be so nice.Lots of leopard sharks and black tip.That King Cruiser wreck is cool too,although it's completely empty it's quite big with lots of life around(beware of the stonefish!!!).The best dives to me were the ones around Phi-Phi Leh.Enjoy.