Racha-Yai vs pattaya dive site

[stevenl]

Racha Yai is about 1,5 hours bij slow boat from Chalong, Similans are about 1,5 hours by speedboat from Tab Lamu.

Yes, Similans really are beyond compare to Racha Yai, as are Hin Daeng and Hin Muang BTW.

 

[Zeeman]

Every time I dive Racha Yai, vis was 30m +, always had lots of cool critters, and you can't complain about that. but that's just MHO..

Z...

 

[Diver_City Boys]

right, my mistake, it's 1.5 hour by diving boat, since we were busy eating snacks for BF and later listening to instruction for Discover scuba dive, i didn't notice it

That means 1.5 from chalong bay and again 1.5 from tab lamu? total 3 hours

What is vis at those places, I don't think racha-yai was realy 30m+, i remember it
20-25 somthing

 

[stevenl]

For Similans: 1,5 hours from Tab Lamu, plus first the transfer from Phuket to Tab Lamu, also about 1,5 hours by minibus, also depending on from where on Phuket you leave.

 

[save-money-diving]

If you stay in Khoa Lak .. you can take speed boat to Similans .. but only 20 min. ride back to your hotel instead of 1.5 to Phuket ... best bet is to a Liveaboard and cut out those long travel times ... most sites in the Similans have 10-40 meters. Are you a OWD yet ? Have you done your advanced? Many of these dive sites you will go below 18 meters.

www.save-money-diving-thailand.com

 

[MoonWrasse]

Every time I dive Racha Yai, vis was 30m +, always had lots of cool critters, and you can't complain about that. but that's just MHO..

Z...

It depends on the dive site. You will also see different critters at the different sites, as this little island has 6 or so dive sites.
Bungalow Bay doesn't generally have great vis, Staghorn or Lucy's can be much better.

 

[orangelemon]

yes staghorn (bay 2) has very good vis (was there already this week) journey time on a normal dayboat from phuket (Chalong) is about 1 hour 30, obviously speedboads are quicker, but more expensive

 

[nondive]

Going from Ao Chalong to Racha Yai takes approx.1 hours and 20 minutes. dive depth 24 meters and up to 10 meters. The visibility is always good. *from 15-30 meters the entire year* Dive here is easy for beginners. On the east coast there are a small wreck at about 24 meters, covered with schools of lionfish, groupers and a family of batfish.

 

[orangelemon]

Was on this wreck couple of days ago, its one of those 'nice to find' but not amazing dives that you can explore if you want to see something different on racha yai as you 'think' you have seen it all already.
As well as the fish mentioned by nondive, a Ghost pipefish is now resident on this wreck and its the first one I have seen on an artificial reef, plenty of marine life on it but dont expect a big wreck that you can explore, this is a small metal boat that offers nothing more than a casual swim around and poke your head inside dive. Reasonable current on this wreck whenever I dive it.

 

[Traminer]

As well as the fish mentioned by nondive, a Ghost pipefish is now resident on this wreck and its the first one I have seen on an artificial reef, plenty of marine life on it but dont expect a big wreck that you can explore, this is a small metal boat that offers nothing more than a casual swim around and poke your head inside dive. Reasonable current on this wreck whenever I dive it.

This is the wreck. It is very small, barely 10m in length.. see if you can spot the puffer fish inside.

View attachment 33550

And this is one of the Pipefish.

View attachment 33549