Something different in SEA?

[tangfish]

I've just finished diving 2 weeks in the Visayas and 2 weeks on N. Sulawesi. I thought Bunaken was very similar to the great diving in the Philippines. Lembeh Strait was different but I'm not one for muck diving. Can anyone suggest a region or dive destination that is somewhat different from the diving I've seen in SEA so far? I was planning to go to Sipadan but then some friends of mine who have been there said that it is very similar to what I've already been seeing. I just want to try something a little different, even though the diving I've been doing has been splendid.

By different I mean in terms of marine life, corals and reef dwellers. I have about 10 days to a week to spend on my next trip. I'd like to go somewhere that has a great bang for the buck like Philippines, so that rules out Maldives or Micronesia I suppose as those are really expensive destinations.

Thanks!

 

[ilandeemdst]

The Andaman Sea has many great dive destinations and offers a differrent variety of marine life.
The are plenty of options of visiting the Andaman sea. The best diving is probably out in the Andaman Islands, although trips there are very pricey.
There is Pulah Weh in the north of sumatra, this is a very remote location only for experienced travellers, but offers probably the best diving i have seen in my life. There is nothing exlusive there, just basic bungalows, and the costs are very cheap.
There is also liveaboard diving from Phuket in Thailand, during high season (oct - may) there are regular trips to the Similan Islands or for something more adventurous to the Burma Banks and Mergui Archipeligo.