Thailand Diving in December - Need Help Please

[snowy123]

This is my first post so forgive me if this has been repeated elsewhere. (Am still getting used to this site )

I and my buddy are travelling to Thailand to go diving, arriving Bangkok 19th December for a 2 week stay. I have only dived around Koa Tao many years ago but this time like the sound of the maybe pitching up around the Krabi area and then perhaps going to Ko Phi Phi and or around Koh Lanta. However It also sounds like a really good idea to do further north west and thr Similan Islands from what I've read. It sounds like people get out to their from Khao Lak (am I right?). So people, I would really love to know which areas above are the best? And maybe some reputable dive operators too would be useful. Given I will be over there during the Christmas period! Am I nuts to go there at thus time and not booked with anyone?

I will be travelling by train down from Bangkok.. any advice on where to get a train ticket to for theses places above would be really appreciated also. A quick look at the map seems to indicate that to get to Krabi I'd have to get a ticket to Thung Song and then (I guess) hitch a ride on a bus.. Or if going to Kaoh Lak the best stop on the train would be Surat Thani?

Well a lot if questions sorry. But again any help would be much appreciated.

Karl

 

[Quero]

Nice that you are coming back to Thailand.

As far as the options you list of where to base yourself for diving, it depends on what you are looking for in your diving and how much you want to spend. Most people who take the train/bus to get around are trying to limit expenditures, so my guess is that you're looking for a low-budget experience.

If that's the case, then Krabi/Lanta/Phi Phi offer inexpensive lodging and daytrip diving. There's nice diving down that way, and excellent diving near Lanta at Hin Daeng/Hin Muang.

If you go north to Khao Lak, you will want to get on a liveaboard to the Similans/Surins because local daytrip diving is substantially more expensive for the number of dives you get and the sites you visit.

And not to leave out an Andaman dive base, consider Phuket as well. You can get an inexpensive place to stay, good daytrip diving, and also jump on a liveaboard to the Similans from here. It's the most central place to base yourself for the greatest variety of diving options.

 

[stevenl]

For the best diving, I would recommend a liveaboard trip to the Similans. There are excellent value for money options available, but these are also the first to be booked out. So if going on a liveaboard, especially at that time of year: book in advance.

If you don't want to do that, there are some very nice divesites in the Andaman Sea. For daytrips to Similans Khao Lak is most convenient, but you can also do daytrips there from Phuket. Ao Nang, Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe and Phuket all offer very nice daytrip diving.

 

[snowy123]

Thankyou guys, I am taking the train specifically because I like train journeys actually and that one sounds pretty cool to me - I quite like the rough and tumble in getting to a destination (its all part of the 'journey' - I wont mind paying extra for diving and it sounds like around the Similans could tick all the righ boxes. I have read elsewhere though that coral damage from overfishing + remnants of Tsunami damage are still prevalent around those parts but those stories seem to have been contradicted by locals - I am not sure who is being accurate or not but I will have to take my chances and see for myself I guess. as I suppose its where you go and who with. Thats why I asked aout the options further south Ko Phi Phi and Lanta for example.

I really dont fancy to be in a particularly busy spot and I am hoping Koa Lak is relatvely quiet while onshore. I will probably do a 3 days liveabord - I'm also interested in doing a dive rescue course too.. maybe onshore for that (as there's a bit of reading to do I guess)

As for connections I assume I can get a bus from Surat Thani to anywhere on the coast?

All the best

Karl

 

[Quero]

Karl, it sounds like Khao Lak would work for you as it's pretty quiet, really, and you can find both daytrip diving and liveaboard diving options to the Similans there. There are a few boats with 3-day scheduled trips, and there are also flexible-stay boats which you can get on and off on whatever day suits you. Most of these don't visit Richelieu Rock (though a couple do), and it would be a real shame to miss that particular dive site since you will be so close. So when you are making your enquiries, be sure to ask about it.

Yes, you can get a bus from Surat Thani to wherever you like--Krabi, Phuket, Khao Lak, etc.

 

[joeugly]

hi all. i am going to ask similar but different quesions. I've recently moved to china (shanghai) for work and i'm looking for a dive holiday venue over mid decemeber, maybe into new yr. unlike Snowy I will be trailing my 6 month pregnant wife so we need easy transfers, easy living and with the liitle one on the way reasonable prices. I'm a harden diver of many years and nothing phases me so i looking for interesting rather than run of the mill spots and any tips appriciated. Finding out simple things like where direct flights from SH go to outside of china seems hard enough!!! thx

 

[Quero]

hi all. i am going to ask similar but different quesions. I've recently moved to china (shanghai) for work and i'm looking for a dive holiday venue over mid decemeber, maybe into new yr. unlike Snowy I will be trailing my 6 month pregnant wife so we need easy transfers, easy living and with the liitle one on the way reasonable prices. I'm a harden diver of many years and nothing phases me so i looking for interesting rather than run of the mill spots and any tips appriciated. Finding out simple things like where direct flights from SH go to outside of china seems hard enough!!! thx

Easy transfer + Thailand's most interesting dive sites: Fly from Shanghai to Bangkok and onwards to Phuket. From Phuket you can go north to Khao Lak where you can do some daytrip diving to the Similans while your wife enjoys a spa treatment or a lazy day at the pool. You'll be back in time for sunset drinks and dinner with her. The transfer from the airport takes a couple of hours.

Easy transfer + the same dive sites as above or several very nice local dive sites: Fly to Phuket as above and go south from the airport to stay somewhere on Phuket island, cutting out the long transfer from the airport for your wife, who may be sick of sitting in a vehicle by then. From here (Phuket) you can get daytrips to the Similans (as above) but count on much longer days as the 2-hour transfer each way up to Khao Lak and back by mini-van means getting up earlier and getting back to the wife later, but still in time for dinner. If the long transfers don't appeal, try some daytrip dives from Phuket to sites like Anemone Reef, Shark Point, Koh Bida Nok.

Relatively easy transfer + same "best" daytrip dive sites as from Phuket: Fly from Bangkok to Krabi and stay at Ao Nang village. From there you can get daytrips out to the above-mentioned sites, and perhaps even south to Hin Daeng--a dive site too far away to be practical from Phuket.

 

[snowy123]

Thanks for your help Quero.

Karl

 

[alc16]

......Finding out simple things like where direct flights from SH go to outside of china seems hard enough!!! thx

Welcome to Shanghai!
Couple of websites to try
www.ctrip.com.cn
www.elong.net
Whilst both above have english speakers, a bit of patience will be required. I've used both in the past via the phone.
I just used another source for some airline tickets (not sure where their office is and have only emailed them - tickets delivered next day and paid cash without probs): leisure.sha@yuyutravel.com