Similans recent experience

[stevenl]

yes from past experience, when diving in thailand, make sure the dive operators have there own boats,
done phuket day trips this year with a very bad dive centre, got loaded on a hired boat, with 50 divers,
absolutey terrible, gave them the sack, and done the rest of my diving with sea fun divers, there own boat
and only 12 on it with 2 guides, so a recommendation for them,
just had a very nice chat with a german guy at a dive show, who owns sea bees diving out there
seems to have a very professional out fit, and there own liveaboards, so may go in february 2017,

Take into account that also the companies that own the hired boats offer these boats to guests. So make sure the DC has their own boat' does not always help. Some DC's that book people on other boats will preferably use small boats with comfort, others don't, so again no guarantees there.
Some of the 'hired boats' take less people than some of the boats owned by a DC.

And since you mention them, last season Sea Bees got fined for putting more people on board than legally allowed, which is a lot more than comfortably possible.

It is IMO much more important to find somebody you can trust and who knows what he is talking about. Since you're happy with Seafun, why even consider changing? From what I read from you you'll be happier where you are now.

 

[Merequetengue]

Last April, I went to The Similan with The Junk. I had a really nice experience. The boat was beautiful and comfortable. The cabins were clean with a/c and with their own toilets. The food was incredible and the crew was very knowledgeable and helpful.
The cruise was departing from Khao Lak up to the Similan Islands (6 nights) and then finishing in Phuket.
Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock were the highlights of the trip!!! Especially Richelieu that was full of life on the 4 dives we did on that day there! Really worth it!
Even though we saw many boats during our trip, under water we barely saw big groups of divers.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I went with Wicked Diving out of Kao Lak and did both the Similans and the Surins. (I like Wicked and have used them in Indonesia too). Very friendly great fun very safe.

Personally we preferred the Surins to the Similans, although we extended our trip to have 3 more days in the Surins because we were having, fun, the fact is the areas were nice but just okay for diving. We preferred Kao Bon to Richelieu Rock which we felt was over hyped. If I was in the area I'd go again but not make a special trip or vacation as there are much much better places.

But.. We went at start of the season, even though it's a marine park the fishermen still sneak in during the "off season" so it might take a few weeks or a month or so to recover. We're lucky to have really good warm water diving at home which can skew our perspective. But in no way does it come close to the Red sea of Indonesia. If however your local divign is a cold murky pit, of course you'll enjoy it

 

[chillyinCanada]

Diving Dubai, you've saved me a trip! Thanks.
I'll keep my money and time for Indonesia.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Diving Dubai, you've saved me a trip! Thanks.
I'll keep my money and time for Indonesia.

Chiily. Glad to be of assistance. To be fair we are hard to please, given that our local diving is warm water and pretty much un touched, with little commercial diving and fishing is just the locals from villages catching what they need.

In the summer we want to go somewhere cooler than here, which isn't difficult. We get excited about rain (only seeing it for 3 maybe 4 days a year). On the boat in Komodo, I did get a comment from an Australian (trying to be funny) with the fleece jacket I was wearing. He asked why I needed it given is was 28C. My answer was simply that it was 20C colder than is was at home (which it was) The look on his face was priceless

 

[Tippytoes12]

We have been to Thailand , Malaysia , Indonesia and the Philippines for diving. Each is wonderful both for diving and for a holiday. However I would rate Indonesia as the very very best , then very slightly behind I would rate the Philippines , then Malaysia and Thailand.

A liveaboard in Komodo or raja Ampat is awesome ,but last Autumn we did 3 weeks between Tulamben , Gili Air and Lembongan and had a wonderful trip for an excellent price.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[Haiawata]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I will think about this. I will cheek them out.

 

[Pearlman]

I would recommend Sea Bees too. I dived with them last year and I was generally impressed with the way the staff was going about organizing everything from early morning till drop-off back to the shop.I can tell the management runs a "tight ship" both on land and off shore and there is sense of professional discipline in the staff. The boat is good, equipment good and DM strives to make sure you are not neglected in any way.

For Similans If you dont do Richelieu Rock its not worth it IMHO and make sure you are on the boat for the one day of the week it is scheduled to head there. My first two trips I missed RR due to poor planning and went a third time last year just to cover that spot.

 

[Tomasz Burlaga]

I was at Similan Islands in April as well. Just did a day trip and it was great.
here is a video of that day.