Phuket Speedboat Diving

[AspenExtreme]

Hi y'all. I've been doing some reading here in advance of a long weekend in Phuket next month. I will be flying in from HKG on a Thursday night and leaving again late on Sunday afternoon, though, so the popular liveaboard options won't work for me.

Does anyone have experience with a speedboat operator in the area? It seems like a good option for getting to some of the better sites on a compressed schedule. I'll be traveling with one other experienced diver, and we'd both like to use Nitrox and avoid a boat full of OW students.

Thanks in advance for your advice - every little bit helps!

 

[AspenExtreme]

PS - We don't have to stay on Phuket, Krabi is an option too. Cheers!

 

[honeybanny]

I would recomment to take one of the 2 days / 1 nights offer, for example with South Siam or Khao Lak Scuba Adventure (Queen Manta boats). You go on your arrival directly to Khao Lak. (so you avoid a long transfer from Phuket to Taplamu pier). On Friday morning via speedboat to the main vessel to start your diving, stay overnight onboard, do some diving Saturday before leaving again. I am not sure if they have nitrox but you can check. Have a nice trip

 

[stevenl]

I don't like speedboat diving, so would recommend a bigger, slower boat. It will take you to the same destinations as a speedboat but much more comfortable and relaxed. You won't be able to see more divesites by going on a speedboat.

Friday and Saturday diving would be perfectly possible for you. IMO at the moment the diving on the daytrip sites like Bida Islands and Shark Point area is nicer than Similans.

We'd be able to give you a private guide, so no other divers at all to worry about.

 

[lord khram]

I agree. For me the use of speedboats as a dive platform would be a last resort or only option available to consider it again. I have been on some speedboat trips in the past that have turned out most unpleasant and the boat ride completely ruined what would have otherwise been a pleasant days diving.

 

[Quero]

There are limited speedboat options from Phuket, but at the moment none of them is really ideal from a planning standpoint. The operator I used to use routinely has this season decided to focus on full charters, so the availability of join-in trips is sporadic. Another speedboat daytrip operator started up this season, but they won't confirm trips much ahead of time, so it comes to the same thing--you just don't know from a planning perspective what you'll be doing. It's rather frustrating, to be honest.

For a Friday/Saturday stay, you could consider a Phi Phi 2-day/1-night trip with 7 dives. It's not a speedboat, but it fits your schedule!