Hi....
Hoping you all can help. I am newbie diver who is potentially traveling to Thailand at the end of this month for a month of volunteering and relaxation. If the plan holds, I will be volunteering in the Surin Province (taking care of elephants!) for a week, maybe spend a few days or a week in Bangkok, but then want at least 2 weeks of relaxing vacation somewhere near a beach.
I have had a very mild case of the bends (1x) and out of shape, so I don't think I want my 're-entry' dives to be somewhere so remote. So, I am looking for: incredible snorkeling, clean beaches, inexpensive hotels/pensions, and no big tourism development. But at least a few restaurants/bars so that I don't go completely nutty being by myself for 3 weeks. Want to avoid chain hotels (I travel for a living) or $200_$500 per night honeymoon palaces...but I think I'm too old to camp for 2 weeks straight!
In terms of reference (for my definition of excellent) I have snorkeled/dove on Grand Cayman and Belize, and over the last 5 years, I have grown less enamored of Grand Cayman due to its dwindling fish population. And to give you a sense of what I like, SMB on GC is waay too busy for my taste (heck, even Rum Point/Cayman Kai is too busy for me!). I loved Placenia, Belize (where I learned to dive), but really don't want to return there on a once-in-a-lifetime trip (that's an easy weeklong trip for me).
If I stay in Thailand, was thinking about Koh Tao, Koh Mak or Koh Kood. But given that Thailand isn't known for their snorkeling, do you recommend I fly somewhere else for the remainder of my trip? (I'm willing to do it, if it's not prohibitively expensive). Had been thinking of Fiji..but I think that is too long of a connection.
Maldives might be an option...but it would either be a riduclously expensive ticket (Boston>Bankok>Maldives>Boston) or reasonably priced, but one heck of a long return flight (Boston>Bangkok>Maldives>Bangkok>Boston). Plus I was wondering if I shouldn't save Maldives for when I can feel safe diving again (hopefully a year or so)??
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated...From my reading, I also understand the coral health/ecosystem has changed dramatically over the last ten years, so recent experience would be a huge plus!
Thanks so much!
Jen
Hoping you all can help. I am newbie diver who is potentially traveling to Thailand at the end of this month for a month of volunteering and relaxation. If the plan holds, I will be volunteering in the Surin Province (taking care of elephants!) for a week, maybe spend a few days or a week in Bangkok, but then want at least 2 weeks of relaxing vacation somewhere near a beach.
I have had a very mild case of the bends (1x) and out of shape, so I don't think I want my 're-entry' dives to be somewhere so remote. So, I am looking for: incredible snorkeling, clean beaches, inexpensive hotels/pensions, and no big tourism development. But at least a few restaurants/bars so that I don't go completely nutty being by myself for 3 weeks. Want to avoid chain hotels (I travel for a living) or $200_$500 per night honeymoon palaces...but I think I'm too old to camp for 2 weeks straight!
In terms of reference (for my definition of excellent) I have snorkeled/dove on Grand Cayman and Belize, and over the last 5 years, I have grown less enamored of Grand Cayman due to its dwindling fish population. And to give you a sense of what I like, SMB on GC is waay too busy for my taste (heck, even Rum Point/Cayman Kai is too busy for me!). I loved Placenia, Belize (where I learned to dive), but really don't want to return there on a once-in-a-lifetime trip (that's an easy weeklong trip for me).
If I stay in Thailand, was thinking about Koh Tao, Koh Mak or Koh Kood. But given that Thailand isn't known for their snorkeling, do you recommend I fly somewhere else for the remainder of my trip? (I'm willing to do it, if it's not prohibitively expensive). Had been thinking of Fiji..but I think that is too long of a connection.
Maldives might be an option...but it would either be a riduclously expensive ticket (Boston>Bankok>Maldives>Boston) or reasonably priced, but one heck of a long return flight (Boston>Bangkok>Maldives>Bangkok>Boston). Plus I was wondering if I shouldn't save Maldives for when I can feel safe diving again (hopefully a year or so)??
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated...From my reading, I also understand the coral health/ecosystem has changed dramatically over the last ten years, so recent experience would be a huge plus!
Thanks so much!
Jen
