Thinking The Caribbean Now

[candy jade]

Febuary 2007 Dive Trip. I was looking to do a month in Thailand but now looking at the diving in the Carribean.
I would love to hear anything as I have now gotta spend another $40 on a lonley planet book for that area. From what I'm picking up from the forums, out of all the places to dive Thailand isn't in the top 5. I'll go for a week ,We're looking to go Krabi and that area.( any tips would be loved).
So Cuba< Jamaica< Bahamas with 30m Vis you gotta go. I have heard of places that have villas from US$900 a week. My Great Great Ect, Uncle Sir Henry Morgan was governor of Jamaica after gettting a pardon from being a privateer. so love to see the land and under the sea.
Cheers
Candice

 

[MarkUK]

Hi Candice,

Not being funny, but nowhere in the Caribbean can hold a candle to the better areas of Thailand. Not that the diving in the Caribbean isn't good, it is in its own right, but the Indo-Pacific has far more fish and coral species, so you will get more colour, more variety and more chance of big stuff. Plus, Thailand is nice and cheap!

If you are looking at February, go for Phuket and do a bit of dayboat diving (which is awesome, leopard sharks everywhere!) and a liveaboard up to the Surin and Similian Islands and Richelieu Rock – you will be around the right time for potential whaleshark and manta ray encounters, plus loads of little stuff, like ornate ghost pipefish, leaf pipefish, frogfish, etc.

If I had to choose between Thailand and anywhere in the Caribbean, it would be Thailand every single time.

JMHO

Mark

 

[candy jade]

:lol2: Clap Clap Lol, Thanks, I Love fish and I am planing to go to that part of Thailand where before I was going to do Koh Samui area. Then reading up on it and chatting to people we are thinking we could split the trip. I want to go to Krabi and Phuket could sway me. The fish are alright after the wave arn't they? Hope that didn't sound bad. Phi Phi area is all a boat ride from Krabi and Phuket anyway with out the price. Tell my your pick for accomodation mid range> xx
Thanks your a gem
Candy

 

[Doc]

Not being funny, but nowhere in the Caribbean can hold a candle to the better areas of Thailand. Not that the diving in the Caribbean isn't good, it is in its own right, but the Indo-Pacific has far more fish and coral species, so you will get more colour, more variety and more chance of big stuff.

Mark

Maybe so, but where else can you get a Carib Beer ?

Each Ocean's realm, each Sea- hold its own special delights.

In the Galapagos, the guides blow right past the Nudibranchs and the Frogfish just to show the guests what they think they want to see.

Maybe someone feels the urge to log their first Toadfish, and it was a Splendid Toadfish, at that! http://www.gma.org/fogm/Opsanus_tau.htm (which has technical inaccuracies)

There is so much diversity amongst the puddles of water that seperate our land masses.

Mark- as the Caribbean is to us Continental Rebels, so is the Red Sea to Royal Subjects such as you and your unwashed masses of beezak kinsmen. Why, a veritable Chicago PADI gangster such as I would kill to go to the Red Sea... a once in a life-time trip. I can envision your jaded Westminster lifestyle right now, "Penelope, call Jeeves and have him pack the boot of the Rolls with our sub-aqua kit. I've called the aerodrome and the Hawker-Sidley is all gassed up... we're off for the weekend to :150: Egypt to visit the Colonies!" Well- at least you can get your warm beer. :1poke:

Man, we think going for a dunk in a flooded rock quarry or abandoned lead mine is high entertainment. I hear they got a missile silo in Texas. This is very similar to diving in Jamaica. The best of that has long passed, even before :2ar15smil James Bond. The Bahamas? Look past Nassau and Grand Bahama and you'll be happier.

They dont speak no Trindad or Jamaican style Carnival back home in Thailand, "M:coolrainbN"!

It's all good.

 

[drbill]

I've dived the western Caribbean (Belize, Bay Islands) and Thailand (Gulf, Andaman Sea) and loved them all. Different diving, MarkUK is right on species diversity... but both are pretty interesting dive locations IMHO.

My favorite was Koh Phi Phi (before the tsunami), but that was a matter of the friends I met in addition to the diving. I wanted to go to the Similans, but a month in Thailand was just not enough time to do it all!

I loved Belize, but many of my dives were at Half Moon Caye wall and the Aquarium off Long Caye on Lighthouse Reef.

Not sure what the status of the Thai coral reefs is now, but I do know the eastern Caribbean reefs are experiencing problems due to the warming event there.

Of course you have some pretty awesome diving right there in your own country. Hope to get back there soon... but with my camera this time!

 

[MarkUK]

Heh, Doc, who needs Carib when you've got Thailand's Chang??? Brewed to the old Carlsberg Elephant beer receipe, don't have too many, otherwise you get a 'Changover'...

Yes, I am spoiled that I can hit the Indo-Pacific quicker than you guys can get to a flooded quarry, but that's the luck of the draw. Believe me, once you've had your week out on VIP One with me and the gang in July, you'll never want to dive anywhere else...

Well, alright, you will, but it will still blow you away. Ras Mohammed on breeding season – bring it on!

I did say that each place has its own attractions, but Candy is coming from Oz, and to be honest, I wouldn't want to travel halfway around the world to dive the Caribbean when Thailand is a lot closer (and cheaper!).

Speaking of cheaper, Candy, I dived with Scuba Cat (they do day boats and liveaboards), so look them up. They are based right on the waterfront in Phuket (and they have a nice new shop now after it was rebuilt following the tsunami. And don't worry about the diving – there was hardly any damage done to the offshore reefs, the waves just rolled over the top of them. Some of the liveaboards out there didn't even know what had happened until they got back to shore.

Mark

 

[candy jade]

:classic: :classic: Hay I'll drink whats going. Have to try all. Can't be as bad as Kava (fiji). Still I brought some home with me. Yes I got roped into one of the shops. Lol. Bought the bowl and all. Know I know.
Well my other half was thinking of going to Hawii to chill for a week and have to have a dive, LA, Vagas ( I want to see "O" the cirque du soleil show) Then to the Carribean. We kind of went off the idea of hanging in Thailand for a month. Thought we would do it the year after instead. Thankyou all that take the time to give ideas.
The liveaboard thing he definately wont do. He doesn't like the idea of being stuck on a boat cause you can't get away from people if they annoy you. Me I'm probly the annoy people, but he like me. LOL. Anyone dived Hawii. God this why I'm planning now. So exciting though. I want good diving. I love fish.
XXX candy

 

[MarkUK]

O is an excellent show - I went to see it last time I was in Vegas for DEMA. I also got a backstage tour - that was cool as well!

Definitely do Thailand next year, you will love it. Can't comment on Hawaii, that is one place I haven't been yet...

Have a good time wherever you end up!

Mark