Thailand - where to dive?

[Robynn]

Hi Guys,

So I've booked my flight as far as Bangkok, with the idea of maybe going down to Koh Lanta as I hear it's very quiet there with reasonably priced resorts and good dive centres. Looking for mantas and whalesharks. I already do about 150 dive a year here in Oman, so not looking for the usual stuff. Anyone done this Hin Mueng they talk about as a day trip from Lanta?

Do you have any other ideas? Do you know Koh Lanta? Any advice about Koh Lanta (resorts or dive centres) or about other places to dive in Thailand? Have done Koh Tao and Phuket and the Similans - not wanting a live-aboard this time.

Please advise, thanks,
Robynn.

 

[Smirnoff]

I had dive on Hin Daeng and Hin Muang reefs. I liked that place. Depth from 8 before 50 metres, good visibility. Good reef, I recommend to dive there.
Have a good dives...

 

[Batfish]

Koh Lanta is indeed quiet, and is the best place to be for quick easy trips to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. Great dive sites, and a good chance of big fish. That's all I can say! Not a Lanta expert, so can't help with hotels and so on. I have a friend working there as an instructor, but he works as and when he likes rather than for a specific dive center.

Enjoy!

 

[stevenl]

Also Koh Haa in the area offers some very nice diving. Excellent for a nightdive, but also for daytrips really worth it.
From Lanta also the best of the Phi Phi divesites are within reach, Hin Bida, Bida Nai and Bida Nok. At Bida Nai there are a couple of seahorses at the moment, plus lots of ghost pipefish in the area.

 

[drbill]

I stayed on Koh Lanta for several days before heading over to Koh Phi Phi for two weeks back in 2001. Didn't dive there though. Lanta was very quiet, at least where I was. Personally I much preferred Phi Phi although it was more westernized. All my diving in that area was out of there, and I gather Koh Lanta trips hit many of the same dive sites.

Tell us more about SA when you can. That is on my list for future trips.

 

[Robynn]

Hi Bill,

What a fun idea - a place for singles and buddylesses to meet. Trying to join but glitches. Diving in South Africa, complete range of sites, from beautiful and calm to seriously hectic and not for the faint hearted. Depending where you go - ask me for more info if you like.

Am thinking of doing a trip to Mozambique later this year - apparently whalesharks on virtually every dive.

Thanks for the Koh Lanta info, seems like it's the place for me - peace and quiet and good day trips - did Reef Recovery work in the area after the tsunami so have a special place in my heart for Thailand.

Thanks again,
Robynn.

 

[drbill]

Hi Bill,

What a fun idea - a place for singles and buddylesses to meet. Trying to join but glitches. Diving in South Africa, complete range of sites, from beautiful and calm to seriously hectic and not for the faint hearted. Depending where you go - ask me for more info if you like.

Am thinking of doing a trip to Mozambique later this year - apparently whalesharks on virtually every dive.

Thanks for the Koh Lanta info, seems like it's the place for me - peace and quiet and good day trips - did Reef Recovery work in the area after the tsunami so have a special place in my heart for Thailand.

Thanks again,
Robynn.

PM me with your problems trying to join SD and I'll try to help, or at least put you in touch with the site owner.

SA sounds awesome from everything I've read. Definitely want to add Africa to my life's list of continents dived. Mozambique... awesome.

My stay on Koh Lanta was at a nice new "resort" recommended by folks I met in Krabi. They were friends of the owner. Waterfront bungalows with private bath were about $7 US and it definitely was quiet!

I wanted to return to Phi Phi to help with post-tsunami recovery there. The shop I dove with lost bothy its locations with one of the compressors carried out to sea.

 

[Robynn]

Yes, Moz sounds awesome. I've done Sodwana Bay, whihc is in South Africa, just south of the border to Moz, and it was brilliant, but Moz is meant to be even wilder and of course, the whalesharks.

If you want to go to SA let me know as can advise. Also my son is a doctor and also a divemaster there, so knows all there is to know - working as a doctor, qualified as a DM.

Personally I'm living in Oman because of the diving, but getting restless, ready for a change, maybe Moz, maybe else where, not sure yet.

Do you remember the name of the resort you stayed with in Lanta? At this point my plan is to fly there and go for a walk and choose somewhere to stay. I did that at the Red Sea and it worked well for me.

Dunno what's wrong with the singles site, it just keeps telling me to re-enter my data. After 5 times it gets a little frustrating.

Thanks for your help,
Robynn.

 

[limbo]

Robynn,

Koh Lanta may be too big to just walk, especially with your luggage but in real Thai style, folks (touts) will be waiting for you upon arrival on Koh Lanta from the various resorts on the island.

I've been twice to Koh Lanta and stayed at the same resort twice, in the most northern part. The beaches are great, they seem endless with hardly anybody on them.

Very quiet and relaxed indeed down there.

 

[Robynn]

Sounds perfect - would you mind telling me the name so I can contact them?

Thanks,
Robynn.