Help me decide between June Phuket and Vietnam

[NWDCGUY]

I'll be in Thailand the 1st week in June. I am very disappointed that this is the off season for diving, and thus I've been told the Similans is out of the question. I am thus left with 2 choices - please chime in on what you think I should do:

1.) Go on the Junk liveaboard with 4 days of diving in Phi Phi, Racha Ya, Racha Noi, shark point and Anenome Reef. Followed by 2 days of free time in Phuket (dive day boats)

2.) Tour Vietnam instead of the Liveaboard, then dive for 2 days on day boats from Phuket.


I've never been to Vietnam - however it doesn't seem as appealing to me as liveaboard diving. If it was the Similan Islands I would be an easy choice, but it being the rainy season I'm not sure the quality of diving is going to be good enough to be better than a Vietnam sidetrip. (keep in mind all of my diving has been Caribbean: Cozumel, Bahamas, Belize).

Thanks everyone -

 

[bcdannymalone]

Actually, unlike the Andaman sea, the diving on the Gulf side of Thailand is very good in June. It's a perfect time as the weather is excellent and it's right before the summer holidays for the kiddies. So not too many people. I'm not aware of any liveaboards running scheduled trips but these guys-www.worldwidediveandsail.com- bring one of their boats around from Phuket each year and do short trips of 3-4 days kind of on demand. they are based in Koh Tao for about 4 months each year. The diving is not as good as the other side, but it is still very nice with sites like Chumpon and Sail Rock offering great dives.

Never been to Vietnam, but I am told the diving there is nothing to write home about.

 

[NWDCGUY]

Yeah no the Vietnam part would be just sightseeing, eating and drinking (can you tell I'm pumped?)

I'm just concerned that I'm going to try and dive Phuket just have dives blown out by the weather.

Thanks for the tip concerning Koh Tao.

 

[stevenl]

You'd have to be really unlucky to get dives blown out by the weather, all normal daytrips are running from Phuket every day.

I think Vietnam is a nice country, so certainly worth a visit, just not for diving.

Besides the already mentioned Koh Tao option: there are liveaboard trips going to the Similans, there is e.g. one leaving at the end of June. Opinions on Similan liveaboards in the green season are always fiercly discussed here on the forum, me I love them: no other divers in the area and good visibility. You do run the risk though of the trip being cancelled if the winds are too strong to reach the islands. So far this has happened to our guests just once.

 

[Tom Smedley]

You poor soul - having to make that decision.

 

[Bowmouth]

I'll be in Thailand the 1st week in June. I am very disappointed that this is the off season for diving, and thus I've been told the Similans is out of the question. I am thus left with 2 choices - please chime in on what you think I should do:

1.) Go on the Junk liveaboard with 4 days of diving in Phi Phi, Racha Ya, Racha Noi, shark point and Anenome Reef. Followed by 2 days of free time in Phuket (dive day boats)

2.) Tour Vietnam instead of the Liveaboard, then dive for 2 days on day boats from Phuket.

-

Phuket: The Junk is a NICE boat with excellent dive crew. You'll have a great time and will see some of Phuket's best daytip diving and then some!

The Gulf of Thailand: Likely better weather than in Phuket and 2 sites that are well worth diving: Sail Rock and Chumpon Pinnacles. With a little bit luck you may see the bullsharks.....

Vietnam: Cheaper than Thailand and very interesting for travelling/sight seeing. Not all that great for diving though....

 

[NWDCGUY]

Unfortunately my dates are the one thing I can't change.

This is a compromise on a larger SE Asia vacation with non-divers - I'm tacking this on the end.
It's a challenge to get good dive trips in with a non-diving family demanding your time. Especially with a limited amount of Vaca-time. One dive trip a year just isn't enough.

I started looking into Koh Toh. It doesn't look too bad... I watched some youtube of the bullsharks at Chumpon and it looked pretty awesome.

That said my priorities are Coral and Macro stuff. I can see sharks in the Caribbean - but I can't see a living piece acropora or a clownfish or a cuttlefish.

I'm thinking the Junk - it should be laid back and I think they'll have a better chance of diving in bad weather than the day boats plus night dive etc. Diving shore based is always disappointing.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

I think you should consider Koh Tao that time of year too. In season the Andaman side is much better diving IMO but I had a great time diving Koh Tao as well. Just be prepared for a lot of divers squeezed into a very small place. I would avoid Pattaya