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I just had an awesome dive trip. I live in Phuket, and I like it here, but there is traffic, noise, crowded dive sites... Then I found a new dive shop that just opened on Koh Yao.
From Phuket, I took a one hour ferry ride (the dive shop made all the arrangements for me) to Koh Yao. It only costs 100 baht ($2.75 US), but like I said, the dive shop pays. There is only one road on the island, but you can take your motorbike if you want (100 baht) or your car (I think it's 300 baht, or about $9 US).
When I got off the ferry, I was in paradise. Rubber, rice, coconuts, birds singing, no traffic. Amazing and peaceful.
The dive shop will send someone to carry you a few kilometers to their shop. It is right on a secluded beach. In two days, I did not see anyone else on the beach except local kids playing football. Next door to the dive shop, also right on the beach, is a backpackers lodge. Good, clean rooms, great showers, very quiet and private place run by a very nice family. I have been in a million of them all over the world, and I give this one an A+. If you take a SCUBA course, your room is free!
There is only one dive shop on the island, and none of the Phuket-based boats go there, so we had the whole place to ourselves. Nice to dive with 6 other people instead of 60! The divesites are great. The coral is pristine. I saw all the usual suspects, as well as a docile leopard shark that did not flee at the sight of humans, even when we got within 5 meters.
For the surface interval, the boat delivered us to a very small island with a beach, food, drinks (bikinis!). After an hour or two, we got back on the dive boat for more diving. Perfect.
At night, the dive shop owner built a driftwood fire on the beach and cooked the best food I have had after 6 months in Asia, and that's pretty damned good. I think he is going to make someone a great wife someday!
If you want to get off the tourist trail and discover the best SCUBA secret in Thailand, try to see this place.
I think SCUBA BOARD does not want me to put in contact info, but if you send me a Private Message, I will give it to you. Maybe I'll even go back to Koh Yao with you!
From Phuket, I took a one hour ferry ride (the dive shop made all the arrangements for me) to Koh Yao. It only costs 100 baht ($2.75 US), but like I said, the dive shop pays. There is only one road on the island, but you can take your motorbike if you want (100 baht) or your car (I think it's 300 baht, or about $9 US).
When I got off the ferry, I was in paradise. Rubber, rice, coconuts, birds singing, no traffic. Amazing and peaceful.
The dive shop will send someone to carry you a few kilometers to their shop. It is right on a secluded beach. In two days, I did not see anyone else on the beach except local kids playing football. Next door to the dive shop, also right on the beach, is a backpackers lodge. Good, clean rooms, great showers, very quiet and private place run by a very nice family. I have been in a million of them all over the world, and I give this one an A+. If you take a SCUBA course, your room is free!
There is only one dive shop on the island, and none of the Phuket-based boats go there, so we had the whole place to ourselves. Nice to dive with 6 other people instead of 60! The divesites are great. The coral is pristine. I saw all the usual suspects, as well as a docile leopard shark that did not flee at the sight of humans, even when we got within 5 meters.
For the surface interval, the boat delivered us to a very small island with a beach, food, drinks (bikinis!). After an hour or two, we got back on the dive boat for more diving. Perfect.
At night, the dive shop owner built a driftwood fire on the beach and cooked the best food I have had after 6 months in Asia, and that's pretty damned good. I think he is going to make someone a great wife someday!
If you want to get off the tourist trail and discover the best SCUBA secret in Thailand, try to see this place.
I think SCUBA BOARD does not want me to put in contact info, but if you send me a Private Message, I will give it to you. Maybe I'll even go back to Koh Yao with you!
