Since @hiloboy asked me in a separate message about this and I've just dived in Koh Lipe for the first time, I thought I'd add my updated thoughts here.
Koh Lipe is great! I'd definitely try to visit both Lipe and Lanta if you're looking to dive in that part of Thailand. In general, I think there are more good dive sites in Lipe (8 Mile Rock is awesome; Sarang, Yong Hua wreck (deco dive — only for experienced divers), and Pakacem are great; haven't dived others apart from Pattaya Corner, which is nice enough (big schools of fish), but Stonehenge is supposed to be beautiful and I've heard Yang is very nice) than near Lanta (Hin D and M are awesome; Haa is lovely; Bida is good). However, Lanta's best dive sites (Hin Daeng and Hin Muang) are at least as good as Lipe's best (8 Mile Rock, which is SUCH a great dive site). I didn't dive Stonehenge (it's closed at this time of year). Apparently it's very pretty, but the general consensus is that there are other similarly good sites for soft coral (Sarang is beautiful and is much bigger than Stonehenge; Pakacem is gorgeous; can't comment on others).
Re timing, I've heard October and May are best for Lipe diving (better vis, few divers), but the weather is very spotty. I dived Lanta last April, and conditions were perfect.
Otherwise, the islands are quite different. Lipe is very, very beautiful, but it's mini, so it must get rammed in season. Lanta is just lovely — not as pretty, but it's a very friendly, chilled place with more to do than Lipe. For whatever reasons, the weather is currently way better in Lipe than Lanta — I'm hoping to get to Hin D and M in the next few days, but the weather is rubbish on Lanta atm.
In case you want an idea of the dive sites, here are some vids:
8 Mile Rock:
Pakacem:
Sarang:
Yong Hua:
I dived with Forra. Very good prices, very nice people — not the best dive shop ever, but I'd happily recommend them!
Hope that helps!
Koh Lipe is great! I'd definitely try to visit both Lipe and Lanta if you're looking to dive in that part of Thailand. In general, I think there are more good dive sites in Lipe (8 Mile Rock is awesome; Sarang, Yong Hua wreck (deco dive — only for experienced divers), and Pakacem are great; haven't dived others apart from Pattaya Corner, which is nice enough (big schools of fish), but Stonehenge is supposed to be beautiful and I've heard Yang is very nice) than near Lanta (Hin D and M are awesome; Haa is lovely; Bida is good). However, Lanta's best dive sites (Hin Daeng and Hin Muang) are at least as good as Lipe's best (8 Mile Rock, which is SUCH a great dive site). I didn't dive Stonehenge (it's closed at this time of year). Apparently it's very pretty, but the general consensus is that there are other similarly good sites for soft coral (Sarang is beautiful and is much bigger than Stonehenge; Pakacem is gorgeous; can't comment on others).
Re timing, I've heard October and May are best for Lipe diving (better vis, few divers), but the weather is very spotty. I dived Lanta last April, and conditions were perfect.
Otherwise, the islands are quite different. Lipe is very, very beautiful, but it's mini, so it must get rammed in season. Lanta is just lovely — not as pretty, but it's a very friendly, chilled place with more to do than Lipe. For whatever reasons, the weather is currently way better in Lipe than Lanta — I'm hoping to get to Hin D and M in the next few days, but the weather is rubbish on Lanta atm.
In case you want an idea of the dive sites, here are some vids:
8 Mile Rock:
Pakacem:
Sarang:
Yong Hua:
I dived with Forra. Very good prices, very nice people — not the best dive shop ever, but I'd happily recommend them!
Hope that helps!
