Thailand Diving in January-February 2015 ?

[drdaddy]

I thought I'd better update this.

We went diving with Scuba Cat at Phuket - they were wonderful !!!

Scuba Cat not only took my novice daughter and me out diving, they also helped arrange accommodations and transportation around the Island. We also ate where they recommended and found the food great and reasonably priced.

There were 4 adults (2 parents & 2 Grandparents) and 4 little Grandchildren. We also did John Gray's Sea Canoe trip - Fantastic, and a crazy unguided longgggg hike through the Jungle (if interested - ask us).

Hopefully, next visit/September 2015 to Thailand, with week in Chiang Mai, we will find time to go back for a day trip to Mermaids/Jomtien Beach/Gulf of Thailand.

 

[penguintom]

Thank you all very much.

What I heard was that I could dive both places and that the conditions will be good.

And I heard you all, loud and clear, that if I was given a choice I should chose Phuket. I would very much like to do that.

I am not going to Thailand to dive, but to see 4 beautiful Grandchildren and our Daughter & Husband who live in Bangkok (for at least the next year). If they had the time/money to go to Phuket then I would love to go. We have a 2 week stay, and as it turns out, we are going to Chiang Mai (we just received an email today from our daughter) and therefore we will only have a few days left to go to a beach and dive. So we will hire a driver, leave early in the morning and all play on the beach until evening. The next morning, my son-in-law & I will be picked up by Mermaids and we'll go out to sea and dive and eat and enjoy the great fellowship with fellow divers while my Wife, Daughter, and Grandchildren play on the beach.

For you that would never think of diving Pattaya (and I would never really want to hang out in Pattaya - I've got a wife and beautiful daughter and Grandchildren) - well, re-read what I dive in year around. Cold, murky, and much of the time stormy Oregon Pacific NW, USA.

Thank you all again for the advice (you too Lord Khram)

p.s. It was SB's advice last year that led me to Mermaids! Mermaids is a great outfit who kept all their promises - and more !!!

I suppose It all depends on what you are looking for from your diving, but my opinion of Mermaids is very different, having been with them a good few times now, whilst generally an OK day out and never any serious complaints, I have also never been especially impressed with anything they do. Just the same standard procedures you can expect from most of the Pattaya shops.

I am most surprised coming from the Pacific Coast of NW USA you seem so impressed with the Pattaya beaches. Personally the odd times I have sat there I find them to be quite filthy and disgusting places covered in litter, broken glass, used syringes etc etc. You should take a walk down there and watch all the rats on the sand in the night time, I really do not think they are suitable beaches for children to play on.

For a family destination, give me South West Thailand any day.