Mid October: Where to go for a short trip?

[pakman]

HK has a public holiday coming up in mid Oct. on a Tues so I might be able to squeeze in a 5 day trip. Any suggestions on what's in season that might be a short flight? Easiest would be philippines although Oct should still be typhoon season...

Layang Layang (end of season)
Sipidan/Mabul (been there before - connecting flights from KK might be a hassle)
Phuket - catching the end of the wet season...
Manado (been there before but would like to go again... but might be tricky with connecting flights thru singapore...)
Or roll the dice with the weather and hit the philippines (maybe do PG again or do some wreck training at subic or coron)
Palau (wrong season)
Tioman (is it easy and quick to get to from Singapore?)

Tell me if I'm missing any other major dive sites...

 

[Zippsy]

Tioman (is it easy and quick to get to from Singapore?)...

Tioman is easy to get to from Singapore. Most Singapore & KL dive shops offer weekend trips up there and you can easily stay on for some extra days. It's also easy to DIY a trip. Accommodations range from cold water & fan shacks to air-con, en-suite resorts. Mid-October is almost to the end of the dive season there so weather may not be great but it's also the best chance to see big critters like mantas or whale sharks. These are often around, particularly the Seven Skies wreck, in October but you may have to arrange a trip to the wreck seperately.

 

[pakman]

Thanks Zippsy. You've peaked my interest by mentioning the wrecks... Seventh Skies tankers looks awesome... But I noticed some comments that Malaysian dive boats won't go there as its in Indonesian waters and the Indonesian navy has a history of impounding Malaysian dive boats going there? Too bad. I see that MV White Manta does a liveaboard...

Shame the HMS Repulse is beyond recreational diving boundaries 55M? Maybe a quick peek on air... And the Prince of wales (70M)... oh well, time for some tech training...

Transportation question: Singapore to Tioman - how long does the land route take. Is there a daily flight? Maybe fly Sing-tioman and take the land route back to kill some of the no fly time...

 

[Zippsy]

Here is some information on Tioman as well as how to fly there: http://www.tiomanguide.com/getting-air.htm

The Repulse is 55-57M to the bottom. The top is 34M and, if you can get to 40M, you to at least see the superstructure, radar and guns. It is much better with tech training but it's a cool (although short) rec/wreck dive if you only have some decent amount of experience. I would not recommend it for an OW diver or someone with less than 100 dives in a variety of conditions. The Prince of Wales is definitely a tech dive. Some Singapore based shops that dive the Repulse are Penetration Divers (MV Grace), the White Manta and occasionally Friendly Waters. In Tioman, B&J Divers is a good outfit and I believe they dive there. There would also be other shops based in KL that do trips there.

Re: the Seven Skies, I believe you may be right. I think only the White Manta sailing from Singapore goes there now and that doesn't look like it fits your schedule. There is a shop that sails from Bintan but I don't recommend them at all. (and the reason for that has nothing to do with the fact that I sometimes work on the WM!)

 

[reefgarden]

another option for you : come to Miri, Sarawak... Singapore has direct flight to Miri, both MAS and airasia. Try contact the local dive operator there miri.cocodive@gmail.com for fantastic dive packages

 

[Quero]

Reefgarden, you have resurrected a thread that is seven years old only to "pimp" your resort? Doesn't make the best impression, I must say.