Most Similian liveaboards are a SCAM

[Jason Ooi]

Hi all,
I just came back from Similan diving trip live aboard, After Tsunami nothing much change underwater but the big changers is No big stuff Manta Ray, wheal Shark, Leopard Shark, Koh Bon is the best dive site but NO BIG FISH can compare with year 1998 I went to similan, so impresive a lot fish.
I more prefer dive in Hin Muang and Hin Daeng good visibility and better dive site more Manta Ray.

Cheer
Jason

 

[Ringo]

Really rotten luck for you. Our customers saw Manta's there only 2 days ago!

 

[Batfish]

After Tsunami nothing much change underwater but the big changers is No big stuff Manta Ray, wheal Shark, Leopard Shark, Koh Bon is the best dive site but NO BIG FISH can compare with year 1998

Since your last trip was 8 years ago, I think the tsunami is not the reason. Must have been a poor trip for you. Normally there are a LOT of fish in general. I have been diving here since 1999 and Similan has never been great for big fish, sharks etc.. People say (the old timers) that there used to be (way back in the distant past) many more big fish. I don't know, for me it has not changed since 1999.

Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are currently way better for manta rays. Did you get to Richelieu Rock, Jason? What boat were you on??

Going to the Similan islands in January and hoping to see a whaleshark is unfortunately a bit of a dream. The best time is March - April - early May, but I heard that some people saw 2 whalesharks a couple of days ago at Racha Yai (close to Phuket)! Still the best sites for them will be Richelieu Rock and Hin Daeng / Hin Muang. AT THE RIGHT TIME OF YEAR.

If you want BIG FISH try Hin Daeng and Hin Muang or elsewhere like Layang Layang or Sipadan or Tahiti

 

[Vie]

Another good site for whaleshark(s) is Lo Sin in the Gulf of Thailand.

 

[MoonWrasse]

Last season it was because of the tsunami. This season it's supposedly because they didn't pick up enough trade when they started up again in December. It's sad really because that's twice I have been booked with them, and twice it's fallen through. It seems a strange way to do business if you ask me! The problem now is that I'm getting rather late to book other things and the flights already paid for so can't be changed.

I think they weren't running after the tsunami, as I met a cute diver who normally used that boat and said it wasn't running last February.

When I was still there in early last December, it seemed a bit slow, maybe with the prolonged monsoon season discouraging people as it seemed to rain every day. That didn't stop me from diving, sometimes to water was warmer at 30meters than on the surface.

I wouldn't be surprised to see more fallout of the tsunami, businesses have been waiting for a long time to see a return to pre-tsunami levels and I have a feeling that's still a way off due to several factors, including the (wrong) perception that they're still recovering from tsunami damage.

For example, there's a big boat parked at Chalong pier that no longer provides evening dinner cruises post-tsunami. Everyday I left Chalong to dive, you'd pass by this giant ghost ship.

You'll still have great diving, just please don't eat the whales

 

[Ringo]

Met a couple last night who were also supposed to go on Viking and when they arrived they were told that they had been transferred onto The Junk. Nevrtheless they enjoyed the cruise and the boat (1 of my personal favorites).

 

[Batfish]

Funnily enough we just transferred a booking for 2 people onto the Junk because the boat they had booked for next week was (accidentally due to an oversight by the boat manager) OVER booked. And I'm sure they'll have a great trip on the Junk. Some boats are doing very well. I do not know why Viking is having so much trouble or indeed why they cancelled everything last season when everyone else tried to keep running...

 

[Kim]

I do not know why Viking is having so much trouble or indeed why they cancelled everything last season when everyone else tried to keep running...

Last season I think that they might have been influenced by the fact that a lot of Scandanavian people were lost to the tsunami (or at least that's what I understood). This season I don't understand what the problem is. The price they were charging this season was probably the best deal on all the boats - however quite a few agents websites didn't reflect it and were quoting the old prices.

 

[Jason Ooi]

Hi,
Live a board MV Le Mahe diving trip Month November 2005, We dive Richelieu Rock gorgeous but No Whale Shark. No second time consider go Similan, maybe Bad luck for me similan trip spend 4 days 3 knight for none.
I went to Hin Muang and Hin Daeng the best dive site I knew in Thailand, many Manta Ray I saw it last year very impresive.

March going to PG Philippines doing my Tech and Trimix dive, hope have a great trip.

Sipadan and Layang layang is the best dive site I knew, I work in Sipadan couple of month, Mabul and Kapalai very nice for macro stuff.

I consider go to Red Sea for diving, but Asia diver need spend a lot monies for the diving trip, too far. Do you know which resort and the best dive site?

Thank

Cheer
Jason:05:

 

[Jason Ooi]

Hi,

Which part of Location and dive site?
How the diving environments and marine life?
Cheer
Jason:06:

Another good site for whaleshark(s) is Lo Sin in the Gulf of Thailand.