Recommendations for Koh Tao in September?

[nwflyboy]

Me, Mrs. nwflyboy, and her sister will probably be making a short trip to Koh Tao in early/mid September for a few days. This will be sister-in-law's first post-certification dives; me and the mrs. will be coming off 2 weeks diving in Bali and North Sulawesi. I know that the Koh Tao diving won't compare to that, but we will be looking for the nicest diving available there at the time. Our priorities: good quality diving, preferably without big crowds (yes, I know, Koh Tao is popular); good viz and marine life (as best as there is on the Gulf side - I know the Andaman side is better but we figure there's a better chance of decent weather in the Gulf). We're also looking for a comfy resort, someplace nice (I like AC) but not excessively expensive. A nice beach is a plus. Don't care about night life (in fact, a rowdy, noisy bar scene is a turn-off...I'd rather sleep). I know Koh Tao may not be perfect for our tastes but that's what we've got (we're constrained for a variety of reasons).

Recommendations for dive operators and accommodations?

Thanks!

 

[limbo]

Me, Mrs. nwflyboy, and her sister will probably be making a short trip to Koh Tao in early/mid September for a few days. This will be sister-in-law's first post-certification dives; me and the mrs. will be coming off 2 weeks diving in Bali and North Sulawesi. I know that the Koh Tao diving won't compare to that, but we will be looking for the nicest diving available there at the time. Our priorities: good quality diving, preferably without big crowds (yes, I know, Koh Tao is popular); good viz and marine life (as best as there is on the Gulf side - I know the Andaman side is better but we figure there's a better chance of decent weather in the Gulf). We're also looking for a comfy resort, someplace nice (I like AC) but not excessively expensive. A nice beach is a plus. Don't care about night life (in fact, a rowdy, noisy bar scene is a turn-off...I'd rather sleep). I know Koh Tao may not be perfect for our tastes but that's what we've got (we're constrained for a variety of reasons).

Recommendations for dive operators and accommodations?

Thanks!

Hi nwflyboy,

For both dive operators and resorts there are plenty of options.

A good dive operator is Planet Scuba http://www.planet-scuba.net/kohtao/ not too big and not crowded. Obviously there are plenty of other ones on KT and shortly you'll get other options suggested by other posters.

Resort wise, there are now plenty of resorts available that are not linked to dive shops, one to look into may be Sensi Paradise in Mae Haad. Beach will be at the other side of Mae Haad though, a 5 minute walk.
Most dive shops will have rooms attached to their shops, but I', not sure about quality of rooms and a/c availability.

The bigger shops will have the nicer accomodation to go with their shops, like Ban's and Buddha View, but since you stated that you don't want to go with the crowds, they're probably not your first choice.

Good luck and happy diving.

BTW September should have very nice conditions around KT for diving, good viz and good weather conditions.

 

[Quero]

What about Nang Yuan resort? It's on the next island over from Tao (within spitting distance), and has just one resort with a dive center. It's modestly priced, rustic, and there is air conditioning. It is very quiet in the evenings. Divers get a discount on accommodations, so you can upgrade without spending much. The only downside (other than it *not* being the Andaman), is that there are daytripping snorkelers on the island for lunch. There's a dive center on site with decent big boats to get you out to the further sites, but several of the sites Tao ops go to are actually at Nang Yuan anyway, and you can do them as shore dives. My buddy and I did a whole series of 90-minute shore dives when we were there recently.

 

[nwflyboy]

Actually, I had been eyeing Nang Yuan since it lookd quite idyllic. But doing some online research, I came across many negative reviews (and some positive ones, but a lot more negative). The complaints typically fell into a few categories:

• bad attitude/indifferent staff/poor service
• feeling exploited by their "monopoly" e.g. guests being stranded after 5 pm (forced to use their restaurant, which is generally described as overpriced and not great), strict rules about what you could/could not bring to the resort (no outside food - reason given being "environmental" but other motives were suspected)
• lack of cleanliness
• air con is turned off at times and they won't turn it back on (may be due to general unreliability of electricty on Koh Tao, maybe some other reason)
• generally high prices for what you get

Now it certainly looks like a lovely place in the pictures, and I have no doubt that it's pretty. But the preponderance of negative traveler reviews made me wary. I think we're going to opt for someplace else and do Nang Yuan as a day trip (like everyone else apparently does).

 

[stevenl]

How about Coral Grand on Koh Tao? Good DC, and I hear good comments on the resort.

 

[adad]

I just came back from Koh Tao over the weekend, dove with Easy Divers.
I am impressed with their operation - friendly, professional, own pier, reasonably good boat etc.

I've just accepted the fact that there'll always be students on the boat [esp. the afternoon dives where they go to shallower sites, but frankly I don't mind the eye candy factor - Koh Tao is full of young and fit backpackers ]. And I normally skip the afternoon trips and just chill out.

I was fortunate enough to be there when Easy Divers organized a Sunrise Dive to Chumphon Pinnacles, leaving the pier when it is still dark [530am!] to catch sight of the sharks. When we got there, we were the only boat with a total of 9 divers in the water. The site is big enough so I didn't see the other dive group at all till the end of the dive.

The sharks are definitely there, and I sighted a few 2-2.5m [and fat] grey reef sharks cruising the area for breakfast [they keep coming back around us]. It's very cool to see them taking cover underneath the thermocline and then zoom up to stun the fishes above for a bite or two. Visibility was great at about 25m when I was there.

I don't know any other shops that organize sunrise dives but you must ask for this if you want to avoid the crowds and catch some cool shark action, plus Barracudas, Jacks, Tunas, and a STUNNING sunrise on the way. By the time our boat heads back to pier to collect the [normal schedule] morning divers at about 730-8am, about 6 full boats were heading towards Chumphon Pinnacles ! By 8-9am there will be at least 50-75 divers in the water ...

 

[nwflyboy]

Update: We're now in Thailand, staying with family south of Bangkok. We have booked a short stay at the Ko Tao Resort since it seems like it's reliable (they advertise 24-hour electricity...) and appears to be a solid, comfy place. Not the cheapest but that's OK. Me and Mrs nwflyboy are coming off 2 weeks diving in Indonesia (which was great - I'll post a trip report when I get home in a few more weeks). Sister-in-law just got certified, and we're taking her for her first real dives. I want to show her what a good dive experience is: a solid, safe boat with good service, a relatively small number of divers in the water, good ratio of divemaster to divers, etc. Yes, I know there will be crowds on Ko Tao, but am now looking to firm up our dive op - still seeking any specific recommendations for a good shop.

Is there any good reason for us NOT to simply wait until we show up and just pick one when we get there?

Thanks again for all the input!

 

[limbo]

nwflyboy,

There's nothing that should stop you and book your dives once you're on KT, you can visit shops that have been mentioned in this thread and make up your own mind about what you like and don't. You'll probably discover that there's a few more shops than those mentioned, so happy hunting!

 

[mase]

Good choice of a place to stay. I prefer Chalok Baan Kao to the scene in Sairee and Mae Haad. The Taa Toh Lagoon dive resort is located to the East of the Koh Tao Resort has a nice, friendly operation. Big bubble,Buddha View and Big fish are all located nearby. I see no reason why you can't wait until you arrive to pick a Dive op. That way you can scope them out and find an operation you like. Have fun. The diving may not be as good as Bali or North sulawasi but Koh Tao is a nice little Island, and some of the dive sites are quite good.

 

[stevenl]

Is there any good reason for us NOT to simply wait until we show up and just pick one when we get there?

This time of year: no reason at all.