"Privat" Diving Asia (Thailand/Indonesia)

[KIbuu]

Hello,

i want to ask, where in south east asia it is possible to do "privat" diving without a dive shop. Only rent a tank (or boat for non shore dives) and dive with a buddy.

Backround.

I´ve been to the philippines for 9 month and i come to south east asia in october again and stay for 6 month. Main reason is diving. Over a time of month it is a little bit expensive to do all dives with a dive shop.

I´am DiveCon certified (DM and AI), so i dont need a guide every time. In the philippines i found a few places where i could rent the tank and sometimes a boat myselve (Dauin and Sabang).

During my next journey i want to visit Thailand and maybe Indonesia first time.

Are there places, where the privat diving is possible? Some has experiences with that?

At best are here buddys to join?

Thanks for replys

 

[japan-diver]

In Okinawa you can rent tanks and dive without a shop no problem. There are also many active local divers that would welcome a buddy to come along for dive.

 

[Quero]

Most places here on Phuket won't rent you tanks, but on the smaller islands you might get to know a shop by talking with the staff and explaining your background, and then maybe they'd let you take their tanks. If you're going to be in the area for 6 months, you could just buy a couple of tanks and get fills pretty easily then sell them. We don't do much shore diving in Thailand, though it's possible to get a longtail boat if you're staying at a place with dive sites nearby enough to drive out to them in a small boat.

I can't say much about Indonesia and the customary procedures there, but there is an SB member who has been active on the board recently and who's based in Indonesia at a place where there's plenty of close-in diving--instructorinasia is [-]his[/-] her username. I'll let [-]him[/-] her know about this thread and maybe [-]he[/-] she can offer some insight.

 

[instructorinasia]

Thanks for bring this to my attention Quero...Just to let you know that I am a her!!

Some places in Indonesia will allow you to rent tanks and go off for dives on your own - I did this with a group of friends in Tulamben though Tulambeh Wreck Diver. The coast around Tulamben/Amed/Seraya lends itself to this type of shore diving.

A lot of places you would definitely need to rent a boat to get to the sites - Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, Padang Bai (all Bali) Bunaken & Lembeh (North Sulawesi) for instances.

There would be some places regardless of how experienced you are that it would be best to go with a guide for at least the first few dives as many places in Indonesia are subject to some CRAZY currents and they can help you understand themThere are other areas where having a guide is a great help as they can find the cool critters, Lembeh for instance.

Lots of Resorts have house reefs and dives on these are often included in the packages so you could still get some 'private' diving in.

I hope this helps

 

[KIbuu]

At first thanks all to all for the fast reply.

In Okinawa you can rent tanks and dive without a shop no problem. There are also many active local divers that would welcome a buddy to come along for dive.

Unfortunaly I dont plan to go to Japan, but who knows. I change my plans sometimes. Its nice to know, that it is easy to do the same way of diving, I do here in Germany.

Most places here on Phuket won't rent you tanks, but on the smaller islands you might get to know a shop by talking with the staff and explaining your background, and then maybe they'd let you take their tanks. If you're going to be in the area for 6 months, you could just buy a couple of tanks and get fills pretty easily then sell them. We don't do much shore diving in Thailand, though it's possible to get a longtail boat if you're staying at a place with dive sites nearby enough to drive out to them in a small boat.

I can't say much about Indonesia and the customary procedures there, but there is an SB member who has been active on the board recently and who's based in Indonesia at a place where there's plenty of close-in diving--instructorinasia is [-]his[/-] her username. I'll let [-]him[/-] her know about this thread and maybe [-]he[/-] she can offer some insight.

Thats my experience at other places to, that the dive shops dont want to rent out only tanks, specially at top dive areas like Phuket.

If I stay for 6 month at one place, it will be much easier, but i want to travel around. Only if I find a job in a dive center, i stay longer of course. But I have no hope to find find one. And only travel around and have free time isnt so bad.

Thanks for bring this to my attention Quero...Just to let you know that I am a her!!

Some places in Indonesia will allow you to rent tanks and go off for dives on your own - I did this with a group of friends in Tulamben though Tulambeh Wreck Diver. The coast around Tulamben/Amed/Seraya lends itself to this type of shore diving.

A lot of places you would definitely need to rent a boat to get to the sites - Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, Padang Bai (all Bali) Bunaken & Lembeh (North Sulawesi) for instances.

There would be some places regardless of how experienced you are that it would be best to go with a guide for at least the first few dives as many places in Indonesia are subject to some CRAZY currents and they can help you understand themThere are other areas where having a guide is a great help as they can find the cool critters, Lembeh for instance.

Lots of Resorts have house reefs and dives on these are often included in the packages so you could still get some 'private' diving in.

I hope this helps

Of course this helps.

And of course i take time to time a guide. For the first dives in an area, areas with tricky current or if I want to see a lot of small stuff.

But at easy spots or spots I know I could do it my own.

The advice with the own tanks is good but I try to travel around, so it is not easy to take it with me.


Thanks again for the first answers, I hope for some more.

 

[Quero]

It sort of depends on how you travel. If you are flying, then no, taking a tank or two along isn't practical, and of course if you are going to split your time between Thailand and Indonesia, that will be a consideration. But if you are staying inside one country and go by train or bus or ferry, then, at least in Thailand, you can carry the tanks with you. So you could stay one month at Khao Lak, one month at Phuket, one month at Lanta, one month at Lipe, one month at Samui and one month at Tao, and actually take your tanks along with you. The same is true for Indonesia with the public ferries that link the various islands.

 

[KIbuu]

But if you are staying inside one country and go by train or bus or ferry, then, at least in Thailand, you can carry the tanks with you. So you could stay one month at Khao Lak, one month at Phuket, one month at Lanta, one month at Lipe, one month at Samui and one month at Tao, and actually take your tanks along with you. The same is true for Indonesia with the public ferries that link the various islands.

Thats true, I agree.

But in the moment I guess, I go to Thailand one month, Indonsia one month and four month Philippines. I need planes and ferrys.

But speperate from the transport, even if I have my own tank, it isnt sure that I can find always a shop who fill me a tank, if they dont want to rent out the tank, they also dont want to fill the tank.

But whatever, the own tank is an option. I have to reduce my luggage it bit more...

Hey, only 5 month to go and i am back to Asia.

 

[Quero]

Getting tanks filled on Phuket isn't any problem at all. I pay THB 40 for a fill on my tanks (cheaper than owning and maintaining a compressor). Not sure how it works elsewhere, though.

 

[KIbuu]

Very good to know.

40 THB is around 1 Euro, in the Philippines i payed 2,10 - 2,80 Euro incl. the tank.

Are there fees to pay in Phuket? In the Phils are some places you have to pay around 1,80 - 2,70 Euro/dive to the goverment.

But it sounds nice about Phuket.

 

[Quero]

There are daily fees to dive the national parks in the Similans and Surins, but those aren't places you can go on little boats. There is also a national park fee for Phi Phi, and if you show up on a longtail boat at a place like Maya Bay, you may get charged this fee. It's THB 200/day AFAIK.