Rock climber torn between August dive options...

[zinshui]

i am a avid climber and diver. Did the liveaboard Similans few years back.

This August, heading to Krabi to get my rockclimbing fix.
Of course, even though its a "climbing trip", i cant possibly ignore the great underwater explorations stonethrow from where i would be.

1 have set apart 10 days of climbing and extra 4 days of diving, weather permitted.
I am inclined to stay on Krabi area to chance upon "good diving days" on the last 4 days of my trip, when my dive buddy shows up to join me for the diving part.

But reading and reading all about monsoon on west and the better conditions on Koh Tao/Samui on east (i have never been), i am torn apart on the decision. As experienced certified divers, naturally we want to see the best- alright who doesn't but when you have seen a lot, you tend to be more picky...

Votes please:

Should i....

-stay put and risk good weather for dives in Krabi area?

-imagine a chance to see hin daeng and hin muang may be low, from what i read on the forum... so am i setting myself up to a big disappointment if i choose to miss KT and stay Krabi and hope?

-after 10 days climbing, move to Phi phi so as to be better situated for diving around phi phi/lanta?

or should i

- take a leap of faith and spend extra few hundreds dollars to fly me from Krabi to Samui and buddy BKK to Samui (if we stick to Krabi, buddy flies BKK-Krabi on cheap air asia tic)? we both start our trips from BKK but need to fly to SIN (from Krabi/Samui) to catch our flight out. My research show flights out of Samui either have terrible connections (via BKK/Phuket) or cost a bomb (silkair direct). Is this extra money to move to Samui/ KT worth it?

my buddy who dove with me in Similans have never been to Krabi and he is just as contented if we do not end up diving at all. But if the weather sucks, is there much to do on and around krabi (on monsoon weather)?

hope this isnt too complicated.... cast your votes pls!

[stevenl]

Stay put, or maybe move to Phi Phi.

[Quero]

You could move to Lanta--no flights needed for that as the ferries leave from near Krabi anyway. From there you'll have the best chance of diving at Hin Daeng, if you get good weather and can find a boat going out there when you are free.

[zinshui]

OK, i will take the stay approach...
if i fly touchdown BKK 3.15pm, is there enough time for me to navigate the BKK airport, immigration, pick up luggage at carousel and then check in air asia to get on a 5.15pm flight to krabi? is that connection too tight?

[Quero]

It's pretty tight, but you might make it on a very good day when you've arrived on time (or early). In my experience, baggage claim at BKK takes about 45 minutes for the first bag to come up to the carrousel, and in that time the plane will taxi and park, you will deplane and walk to Immigration and wait in the queue to get your passport stamped. Air Asia close their check-in counters 45 minutes before the flight, so you need to be up there by 4:30 at the latest. Any delay at all--a late arrival, long queues at Immigration, or bags that come out last could easily make you miss the flight. I would personally recommend a 3-hour window between an ETA on an international flight and a connecting Air Asia flight. Unfortunately, that Air Asia flight FD 3167 is the last one of the day from BKK to KBV.

[zinshui]

Hello everyone! got back and thot i'd drop a line to say thanks again all all your input and a quick report on my trip for anyone who happen to research in future!

Quero was pretty close in her airport estimates/timing. love Krabi airport - small and super fast and easy to get in and out.

stayed in Railey and Tonsai for 14 days. Most dive shops closed for diving in July and by Aug, some bother only opening few hours a day...left my name at one dive shop for a trip from Railey to Phi Phi for day dives (helps if you have a local mobile number for them to contact you) but becos they only go out once every so many days, the wait list grew long and by the time they finally decided to go (weather Gods were cooperating), boat was full.
i really dont think i miss much cos the waves were so high - not that the ride would be a problem (said the dive shop cos the longtail boats were "comfy") but i cant imagine with so much stir up the vis would be anything to wow about. i did go Deep Water Solo on a day when the waves were rocking high, and it was indeed comfortable on a longtail boat, unlike in a speedboat - one would have gotten so sick!

Rock climbing in Tonsai was phenomenal - probably not the right website to yell about. when my partner arrived, he too decided to stay put to climb (instead of moving to phi phi or lanta for the diving). i love diving, but given the circumstances, the climbing was too good to give up, and the diving was not the best time of the year to go for... so, it wasnt a hard decision. plus, it was so cheap in railay and tonsai. i would def go again in this "off season" - lower prices, NOT crowded, and the rain showers only last a short while before sunshines again. yay!!!