Phuket or Khao Lak?

[JJN]

I will be in Thailand for 6 days in mid-November. My schedule will not allow a liveaboard trip to Similans (either boats are fully booked on the days I'll be there or disembarkment dates too late for onward travel commitments). Would it be better to make day trips from Khao Lak or from Phuket (on one of the "fast" boats)? Any recommendations for dive operators (who consider safety paramount) and "nicer" places to stay would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Captain Cho]

Hi. If you want to dive the Similans on a day trip then try Khao Lak. You can get speedboats to the Similans in under 90 minutes. And then whenyou book you can literally choose where you want to go. Try Coral Grand- Nice big comfortable speedboat and you can get off during your surface interval and have lunch on one of the islands. Contact info@queenscuba.com for more info.
You can also try them for liveaboards if you haven't already. Look at www.queenscuba.com for their schedule dates.
Good luck & happy diving.

 

[stevenl]

If you only want to make daytrips to the Similans, than Khao Lak would be your best choice. If you also want to dive at other places like Phi Phi, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, King Cruiser, Racha Islands, than Phuket would be best.

Are you sure about the liveaboards though? It is getting full at the moment, but most boats still have some places left. Check www.thailand-scuba.com for quite some boats.

 

[Batfish]

I will be in Thailand for 6 days in mid-November. My schedule will not allow a liveaboard trip to Similans (either boats are fully booked on the days I'll be there or disembarkment dates too late for onward travel commitments). Would it be better to make day trips from Khao Lak or from Phuket (on one of the "fast" boats)? Any recommendations for dive operators (who consider safety paramount) and "nicer" places to stay would be much appreciated. Thanks!

If you really can't find a liveaboard - come on, give us your dates and we'll find one - then stay in Phuket as you get more choice of day trips. You can go to Similan direct from Patong beach on the "Flyer", and plenty of local trips to Shark Point, King Cruiser, Racha Yai or Racha Noi.

If you are there over Friday/Saturday then there's a Phi Phi overnight trip (7 dives).

Like stevenl I doubt that all boats are full, sure there must be a boat to match your dates. If you want a "nice" boat, OK maybe you can't find something. If you are happy to be on a liveaboard for 3-4 days, then something like the South Siam 3 will be possible, as you can start and end any day with speedbopat transfer. basic boat, quite crowded, but actually not a bad boat.

As for places to stay. Hate to suggest. Phuket has hundreds of places to stay from cheap rooms with fan up to 5 star resorts like Laguna Phuket or Hilton Arcadia..

Happy Diving