top 10 dive sites in Thailand?

[ssra30]

Hmmm, as far as Koh Tao goes, "once known as turtle island", uh, Koh Tao means Turtle Island in Thai, so it is still known as turtle island. The island was named so because of the shape of the island. I am not aware of naming because of large turtle colonies. I started diving in Thailand in 1985 and was never once seen long tail boat anywhere near divesites around Koh Tao except for the one that transport people from the beach to the boat, nor have I seen them much around other divesites. I am sure they are around, probably more around Krabi/south andaman area but they are not the norm at most divesites either.
Chumporn Pinnacle is a good 30 odd meters deep varying on tide a bit, so if an instructor is only keeping an eye on the students for 12m, I guess may be that's the instructor's problem! Hope someone else is keeping an eye on the students at the bottom 18m.
While I agree that there are way too many people at Chumporn Pinnacle but I would have to give it some credit. I still have fond memory of diving there 5 days straight with 3 different whale sharks (one at a time) on every single dives I did at Chumporn Pinnacle.

Whether Chumporn Pinnacle should be considered a top divesite or not, well that's depends on the person's preference. Unfortunately since it is a top ten list, I can't think of 10 other better divesites. May be we just don't have that many good divesites here

 

[MoonWrasse]

Yes, that's true. I believe it used to be a prison colony as well.

On the other hand, Ko Phi Phi doesn't mean "ghost" island inspite of what a halfwit journalist from Seattle wrote

 

[diversjobs]

I guess some great dives sites should be part of a secret society. So people don't ruin the dives sites so much. I was 7 months in Koh Tao... and well... turttles... may be one in White Rock... whale sharks... yep... one... if you are lucky.... really lucky...
they say the turtles died thanks of dive boats feeding their divers pineapples and trowing the pineapple skin to the sea.
It seems that stuff kills the turttles when they eat it.
May be urban story... or Koh Tao Story...

The thing is that I don't think such a small island can keep up with more than 35 dive centers... too many divers can't never be good for a Dive Site... otherwise look at the blue hole in Dahab. The coral near the blue hole is dead now.
Pity.

 

[ssra30]

Yes, that's true. I believe it used to be a prison colony as well.

On the other hand, Ko Phi Phi doesn't mean "ghost" island inspite of what a halfwit journalist from Seattle wrote

I suppose if the journalist has an ear for tonal language, he would not make that mistake Of course the more superstitious folks nowaday might want to change its name to ghost island anyhow
As far as prison colony goes, I think you might mean Tarutao National Park unfortunately lately of Survivors fame.

 

[ssra30]

I guess some great dives sites should be part of a secret society. So people don't ruin the dives sites so much.

The thing is that I don't think such a small island can keep up with more than 35 dive centers... too many divers can't never be good for a Dive Site... otherwise look at the blue hole in Dahab. The coral near the blue hole is dead now.
Pity.

Unfortunately with easy access to Thailand and popularity of scuba diving, looking back at my list of top 10 divesites, I would say tha 7 of 10 are consistantly overcrowded. Richeliue is not any better than Chumporn Pinnacle in that respect.
I have to say that nowaday I spend more than 50% of diving each year abroad, just to get away from the crowd.

 

[MoonWrasse]

I suppose if the journalist has an ear for tonal language, he would not make that mistake Of course the more superstitious folks nowaday might want to change its name to ghost island anyhow
As far as prison colony goes, I think you might mean Tarutao National Park unfortunately lately of Survivors fame.

I think the journalist got his info from a bar girl who was making fun of him

Ko Tao was a political prison from 1933-1947. Too bad for the prisoners OC diving wasn't available yet

http://kohtao.sawadee.com/

 

[ssra30]

I think the journalist got his info from a bar girl who was making fun of him

Ko Tao was a political prison from 1933-1947. Too bad for the prisoners OC diving wasn't available yet

http://kohtao.sawadee.com/

Cool, thanks for the info about the prison. I guess there is something new to learn everyday. I have never heard of prison there before. I guess when I hear political prisoners on island, Tarutao was always one of the more famous one. Nor did I know about turtles around the island. I was always told that it was the island's shape.
Oh well....