Phuket Liveaboards

[appleseed024]

I'm thinking about doing a liveaboard in Phuket in late October this year.
Would you recommend I get my AOW before I head out on a liveaboard, or will it matter much?
I know going to some of the 'nicer' dive spots might require you to dive a bit deeper, which is fine, i simply just want to go and blow bubbles and get as comfortable in the water as i possibly can before i begin my further dive training to rescue, divemaster...etc.
i only have an open water certification, and only 4 logged dives. I am VERY inexperienced but am planning to make diving a career, and just want to get myself underwater as much as possible before i go onto more training.

any suggestions for liveaboards on phuket in late october?or the first week of november?
I don't want to be on a boat with 30 other divers though! anyone know of any smaller, but still reasonably priced liveaboard trips?

thanks!
appleseed024

 

[Bowmouth]

Appleseed,

You should definitely do an AOW course before you get out on a live-aboard and try to get in at least another 10 to 20 dives or so before you go on your trip.

The more dives you have under your belt before you go the more comfortable you will be on your cruise and the more you will enjoy your dives.

 

[stiggy]

If you can get some more experience all the better,try some of the local diving I hear from Phuket Scuba Club that the local Kata beach point has good days during the monsoon season just keep an eye on the weather and pop down. Alternatively a trip to koh phi phi is fun and normally will not break the budget.

As for the advanced training decide what interests you and do specialty training, ie: Nitrox , photography , navigation its far more productive for you then the so called advanced courses that are really just tasters and give you limited experience (one dive) in a few areas.

Enjoy your live a board.

 

[appleseed024]

ok. thanks for the replies guys.
maybe i should hop on a few day trips, then go on to AOW, maybe another day trip or 2, and then off for a liveaboard experience.
i definitely want to do the peak performance buoyancy, nitrox, and navigation courses, as these seem the most worthwhile to my direct diving education and practical experience.
that seems reasonable enough...but might get a bit expensive (for my budget). but if that's the best way i'll have to consider it!

 

[Bowmouth]

If you're still located in Srisaket (as your profile info says) your best (cheapest) option may be to dive Pattaya and/or Koh Chang.
If you do your AOW another elective dive you may want to go for is the "night-diver" elective dive. On your live-aboard you will have a chance to do night dives as well and having done at least one during your AOW course will prepare you better for those dives.

Most Live-aboard vessels will not allow you to dive with Nitrox unless you are Nitrox certified. The AOW elective Nitrox dive can hold credit towards the Nitrox Diver certification but is in itself not enough. If Nitrox is available on the boat you are going to do your live-aboard on and if you want to dive with Nitrox you must get certified first. Some boats may offer the Nitrox Course at a discounted rate. It's worth checking first.

 

[Quero]

Since you live in Thailand and still have time to get some dives in before late October/early November, you should do as much diving as you can manage before your liveaboard. One option for doing your AOW is to do it aboard the LOB. The studying is minimal, and you get intensive opportunity to put into practice your enhanced skills.

 

[appleseed024]

great! thanks for the advice.
another question i have is about accomodation. does anyone know the cheapest price i could find for renting a bungalow or room on phuket.
i am more than comfortable living very simply(ie cold shower, thai toilet, fan room type of thing) and hoping i might find some place to stay between 5,000 and 8,000 baht per month.
would this be possible on phuket?
i guess some diveshops could point me in the right direction once i've signed up for a course, but i think it would be cheaper if i can find accommodation on my own.

if any other divers have accommodation pricing advice on a per month basis, especially koh tao, koh chang, phuket, or around krabi, please chime in on this thread!

 

[surinboy]

Hey appleseed.

I am curious your motivation for staying in Phuket. Work or play?

I listened to your "travelin man and a passerby"...I like it!. I think you might have more fun in the smaller islands. Lots of opportunities to hook up with local musicians and jam. Being based in Krabi town is a good idea. You can get accommodation there for 3-4000Bt a month. There are lots of travellers going through (as opposed to tourists in Phuket) and is easy to get to a range of islands. There is also a solid group of young local farang who work as teachers. If you want further advice on this then PM me.

Again...because I assume you are on a budget then ,as Quero suggests,you can do the AOW from a liveaboard. Similarly, why restrict yourself to Phuket as departure point for your liveaboard adventure. I know of few very good value (and quality) options out of Khao Lak.

Finally. If you can make it over to our island in November/ December (or later) AND bring your guitar. I'll throw in a couple of free local dives to add to your tally.

Cheers

 

[appleseed024]

hey! glad you enjoyed my music surinboy!
As for the reasons I have for being based on Phuket, there are many!
I already have a few contacts on the island, and it's always good to know people wherever I'm going to be living for a while. I've also never been to Phuket, so I'm interested to see what it's like. Also because I'd like to find a dive center that does both day trips, and liveaboards, so when I end up doing my DMT in the future, I may have more options.
The only downside I see for me about Phuket is the tourism. I'm sure there might be low-key places on the island, and although I do like the occasional party, I think I would enjoy the smaller/quieter places.
But then again, I don't know yet!
It will be best to get down south and ask around for advice and different opportunities.
Things have worked out pretty well so far!

I've also thought about Krabi, as I've been there quite a few times and know the area pretty well. And I love it, lots of musicians and interesting places.
Hopefully I can head out on some day trips before doing my AOW . The AOW on a liveaboard seems like a pretty good option for me at this point.
And so I continue to research!
Thanks again for all the suggestions everyone.
Cheers,
appleseed

 

[Quero]

There are lots of travellers going through (as opposed to tourists in Phuket) and is easy to get to a range of islands. There is also a solid group of young local farang who work as teachers.
Cheers

Surinboy, please do continue to encourage people to go to Krabi. It's a great place.

But at the same time, please don't discourage people from coming to Phuket. It's also a great place. We have plenty of 'travelers' (just as Krabi also has plenty of 'tourists'), there are tons of young English teachers and young dive pros, and we have open jam sessions as well (and Job2Do is a fairly common presence at one of them).

Every place has its charms and its drawbacks, and these quite often depend on who's making the evaluation (one man's meat is another man's poison, as they say).