ashleyrobin
New
OK Friends,
Im outing myself as a longtime lurker. Ive definitely learned a lot from reading ScubaBoard. Recommendations and trip reports were largely responsible for a great trip to Utila last year. This year, we are lucky enough that work is taking us to Malaysia, but we just found out and time is fast approaching. Ive read many of your trip reports and banter and have enjoyed it very much, thank you!
A bit about us and our diving my husband is a DM, not currently practicing, but a pretty solid technical diver. I am AOW and Rescue certified. We both have 250+ dives. We dove a lot when we were in the Pacific NW. We are now located north of Atlanta, GA, and have been diving mainly on vacation (~2x/year) for the past 3 years. Well dive locally and check and refresh skills locally before we go. Without diving regularly, Id put both our skills in the intermediate range.
What wed love to do is enjoy our time together, dive great sites, be a pit pampered, be on the beach or water, enjoy good food, have a little down/non-dive time, and enjoy the local culture. Preferences are pretty much in that order and I understand we may have to sacrifice some of the latter wishes to get the more important ones. I am 99% sure we dont want to do a liveaboard. I have read many of your trip reports and glowing reviews of the liveaboards in the area, and they are tempting, but I think wed rather be land based for this trip. If were lucky enough to get to go back, well seriously consider it, but after flying for a day and ½, wed like to appreciate some of the land and locals if possible. Also, I cant make any of the 2/3 day liveaboard itineraries jibe w/ our arrival/departure days. From reading your reports, I know Im sacrificing some of the best diving, but it sounds like in this area, 2nd best is pretty darn good!
So, from a bit of research and reading here and around, I *think* Ive narrowed things a little bit. Many of you on the Asia section are lucky enough to live in the area, so feel free to throw in your .02 if you feel Ive overlooked a great opportunity.
Our timeframe is ~April 14-19, departing to our dive area from Kuala Lumpur. We will be arriving from the US on the 13th, departing for ?? on the 14th and returning to KL for a weeks work on the 19th (gotta pay for these trips somehow ;-). It appears that in Sabah you are more likely to find all-inclusives, which have their up and down sides. Whereas, in the Phuket area you are more likely to find a variety of hotels and need to book diving and eat separatelythere are pros/cons for both scenarios and were ok w/either one.
In current order of current preference (but willing to be swayed)
1. Sabah. I like the look and reports of the Marbul Water Bungalows. Impressions are its pampering, good dives, good staff, good food. Potential downside is isolation-which we can live with if its really all that. Im also very interested in Sipidan Water Village. My impression is that they are both very nice. Upside of Marbul is that its a bit more pampering, whereas the upside of SWV is that its a bit more established and there is some opportunity to go into the local villages? Please feel free to give me your opinion or point out errors, or tell me if Im missing a great opportunity elsewhere.
2. Phuket area, Phi Phi/Krabi or Ao NangI have picked this area primarily b/c it seems to be a reasonable distance after we fly into Phuket, the area seems close to good dive sites without being profoundly overcrowded. I had bookmarked several sites that dont appear to be functioning now. Honestly, I dont have a good perspective on the distances between areas. I am assuming that Phi Phi and Ao Nang is an either/or proposition and that both are within commuting distance (2 hrs) from the Phuket airport? I thought Id done my research on the area but tonight after looking again I came up with a whole slew of different/new hotels. Obviously the up/downside is more options than Sabah, but not being familiar w/the area Im a bit overwhelmed and confused and Id love any personal perspectives. Wed love a hotel on the beach w/ villas or bungalows. Wed gladly pay for the upgrade to a sea view or seaside bungalow/cottage if you have one to recommend.
A side note--While we'd like to stay in a comfy/nice place, we've done (and thoroughly enjoyed) sketchier living conditions for the better "experience".
Ok, if youve read this far, thanks! If you have an opinion or advice to offer, thanks even more!! Im very interested in any/all local and/or experienced perpectives!
All the best,
~Ashley
Im outing myself as a longtime lurker. Ive definitely learned a lot from reading ScubaBoard. Recommendations and trip reports were largely responsible for a great trip to Utila last year. This year, we are lucky enough that work is taking us to Malaysia, but we just found out and time is fast approaching. Ive read many of your trip reports and banter and have enjoyed it very much, thank you!
A bit about us and our diving my husband is a DM, not currently practicing, but a pretty solid technical diver. I am AOW and Rescue certified. We both have 250+ dives. We dove a lot when we were in the Pacific NW. We are now located north of Atlanta, GA, and have been diving mainly on vacation (~2x/year) for the past 3 years. Well dive locally and check and refresh skills locally before we go. Without diving regularly, Id put both our skills in the intermediate range.
What wed love to do is enjoy our time together, dive great sites, be a pit pampered, be on the beach or water, enjoy good food, have a little down/non-dive time, and enjoy the local culture. Preferences are pretty much in that order and I understand we may have to sacrifice some of the latter wishes to get the more important ones. I am 99% sure we dont want to do a liveaboard. I have read many of your trip reports and glowing reviews of the liveaboards in the area, and they are tempting, but I think wed rather be land based for this trip. If were lucky enough to get to go back, well seriously consider it, but after flying for a day and ½, wed like to appreciate some of the land and locals if possible. Also, I cant make any of the 2/3 day liveaboard itineraries jibe w/ our arrival/departure days. From reading your reports, I know Im sacrificing some of the best diving, but it sounds like in this area, 2nd best is pretty darn good!
So, from a bit of research and reading here and around, I *think* Ive narrowed things a little bit. Many of you on the Asia section are lucky enough to live in the area, so feel free to throw in your .02 if you feel Ive overlooked a great opportunity.
Our timeframe is ~April 14-19, departing to our dive area from Kuala Lumpur. We will be arriving from the US on the 13th, departing for ?? on the 14th and returning to KL for a weeks work on the 19th (gotta pay for these trips somehow ;-). It appears that in Sabah you are more likely to find all-inclusives, which have their up and down sides. Whereas, in the Phuket area you are more likely to find a variety of hotels and need to book diving and eat separatelythere are pros/cons for both scenarios and were ok w/either one.
In current order of current preference (but willing to be swayed)
1. Sabah. I like the look and reports of the Marbul Water Bungalows. Impressions are its pampering, good dives, good staff, good food. Potential downside is isolation-which we can live with if its really all that. Im also very interested in Sipidan Water Village. My impression is that they are both very nice. Upside of Marbul is that its a bit more pampering, whereas the upside of SWV is that its a bit more established and there is some opportunity to go into the local villages? Please feel free to give me your opinion or point out errors, or tell me if Im missing a great opportunity elsewhere.
2. Phuket area, Phi Phi/Krabi or Ao NangI have picked this area primarily b/c it seems to be a reasonable distance after we fly into Phuket, the area seems close to good dive sites without being profoundly overcrowded. I had bookmarked several sites that dont appear to be functioning now. Honestly, I dont have a good perspective on the distances between areas. I am assuming that Phi Phi and Ao Nang is an either/or proposition and that both are within commuting distance (2 hrs) from the Phuket airport? I thought Id done my research on the area but tonight after looking again I came up with a whole slew of different/new hotels. Obviously the up/downside is more options than Sabah, but not being familiar w/the area Im a bit overwhelmed and confused and Id love any personal perspectives. Wed love a hotel on the beach w/ villas or bungalows. Wed gladly pay for the upgrade to a sea view or seaside bungalow/cottage if you have one to recommend.
A side note--While we'd like to stay in a comfy/nice place, we've done (and thoroughly enjoyed) sketchier living conditions for the better "experience".
Ok, if youve read this far, thanks! If you have an opinion or advice to offer, thanks even more!! Im very interested in any/all local and/or experienced perpectives!
All the best,
~Ashley
