Thailand in June?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Mixxa

Registered
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
United States
# of dives
50 - 99
Hi!

I've been reading ScubaBoard for a few years now and I've planned past dive trips using the friendly information here. I figure it's about time that I join! I'm planning a trip to Thailand this year and I wondered if the fine folks here had any advice. I have a few questions as I know very little about Thailand, only that it is incredible and it has excellent diving.

1) At the moment I'm planning on going to Thailand in June for two weeks as my work schedule is very tight this year. I have concerns about June weather and diving. I found this helpful site on another post: June weather and diving Phuket dash Scuba dot Com, scuba diving Phuket and Similans Thailand
Is June a decent month to come dive/visit Thailand? It looked like the number of sunny days was quite low.

2) What dive locations are the best this time of year? I've considered both day trips and live aboards and I'm starting to like the idea of a live aboard for at least a few days during my stay. Does anyone have recommended operators that I could get in contact with and look into?

3) Any other general Thai travel tips and things not to miss (even if it's above water) would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
 
June is not the best month to visit Thailand for diving. The liveaboard trips to the Similans end in May and don't resume until mid October. If you want to dive in Thailand, it would be better to make sure you can take a trip to the Similans. Compared to the Gulf of Thailand, the Adaman Sea has greater variety of marine life. Phuket makes a good home base, as it has fun day trips to the southern islands available in addition to the Similans.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi!

I've been reading ScubaBoard for a few years now and I've planned past dive trips using the friendly information here. I figure it's about time that I join! I'm planning a trip to Thailand this year and I wondered if the fine folks here had any advice. I have a few questions as I know very little about Thailand, only that it is incredible and it has excellent diving.

1) At the moment I'm planning on going to Thailand in June for two weeks as my work schedule is very tight this year. I have concerns about June weather and diving. I found this helpful site on another post: June weather and diving Phuket dash Scuba dot Com, scuba diving Phuket and Similans Thailand
Is June a decent month to come dive/visit Thailand? It looked like the number of sunny days was quite low.

2) What dive locations are the best this time of year? I've considered both day trips and live aboards and I'm starting to like the idea of a live aboard for at least a few days during my stay. Does anyone have recommended operators that I could get in contact with and look into?

3) Any other general Thai travel tips and things not to miss (even if it's above water) would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
Don't know why you think the number of sunny days is quite low in June, was in 2014 e.g. 25 (after a wet 2012 and 2013). Even more important, in 2014 at 5 days we were restricted in diving destinations from Phuket. So June is normally a hit, but it can be a miss if you're unlucky.
 
Always hot and humid in Thai :) just some months get a little more rain than others. If you're still planning...ticket prices are much cheaper when you are not flying during the summer months (US summer) but avoid US holiday times. I was just checking prices the other night and RT from SFO to BKK in March is about $1000, June is about $1700, November is about $900. But if you plan to do a live aboard, you have to travel on their schedule.
If you're never been to Thai before, make to you save some time to travel a bit in country and enjoy it. See some beautiful temples, beautiful beaches, have an elephant ride in the jungle, drink some Singha (Thai beer) on a beach chair watching the sunset, make friends with locals (very friedly people!), get a Thai massage everyday, eat lots of great food! (before sure to eat some mango sticky rice) have fun!
 
Hi all! Thanks for the advice. I did not know basically all of this information. From what I can tell, it isn't possible to make it out to the Similans which I understand due to weather. Unfortunately I've come to the conclusion that it isn't possible for me to change my vacation schedule, June is about it for me. That being said, where are the best dive spots for June? Is it possible to do day trips out of Phuket (assuming the weather cooperates that day) or is it best to stay in the east side? I've learned the Andaman Sea is considered better diving, but as Daz88 recommended, I will be seeing other parts of the country so I suppose this isn't a 100% dive trip like my usual holiday.

I've read mixed reviews about places like Koh Tao, Ko Pha Ngan, and Ko Samui. I know this is the mecca for new diver training, but are the places in the Gulf of Thailand that I could get away from the crowds and see the best dives the east has to offer? I'm now considering doing a mix of day trips from Phuket to see the Andaman while planning some time somewhere on the east side to have a better chance at great weather. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

p.s. my apologies stevenl, I didn't mean to be offensive when I spoke about Phuket in June, I have no personal experience with Thailand. I'm just trying to read as much as possible and I heard that June wasn't Phuket's ideal time for weather, but I am glad to hear that it is normally a hit!
 
Hi all! Thanks for the advice. I did not know basically all of this information. From what I can tell, it isn't possible to make it out to the Similans which I understand due to weather. Unfortunately I've come to the conclusion that it isn't possible for me to change my vacation schedule, June is about it for me. That being said, where are the best dive spots for June? Is it possible to do day trips out of Phuket (assuming the weather cooperates that day) or is it best to stay in the east side? I've learned the Andaman Sea is considered better diving, but as Daz88 recommended, I will be seeing other parts of the country so I suppose this isn't a 100% dive trip like my usual holiday.

I've read mixed reviews about places like Koh Tao, Ko Pha Ngan, and Ko Samui. I know this is the mecca for new diver training, but are the places in the Gulf of Thailand that I could get away from the crowds and see the best dives the east has to offer? I'm now considering doing a mix of day trips from Phuket to see the Andaman while planning some time somewhere on the east side to have a better chance at great weather. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

p.s. my apologies stevenl, I didn't mean to be offensive when I spoke about Phuket in June, I have no personal experience with Thailand. I'm just trying to read as much as possible and I heard that June wasn't Phuket's ideal time for weather, but I am glad to hear that it is normally a hit!
No worries, the main problem is that the weather overviews in general give a complete wrong view of what is really happening, which is the main reason I started with my own.
 
I have spent a lot of time in Thailand- most if it topside and I can assure you that you will want to peel your own skin off at this time of the year.

I did train to dive from Phuket, but if you aren't going to the Similans, it did get a bit samey samey in the Phuket area. Not totally helpful info, but just my experience.
 
The best diving I've done recently in Thailand has been the Southern Gulf and South Andaman. I just got back from a North Andaman trip. The diving in the Similan and Surin Islands was so-so. Richelieu Rock and the Boon Sung Wreck were both superb. I did three South Andaman liveaboards last year and all were excellent. I did one Losin trip (Southern Gulf) and that was also superb, with three whale sharks in one day at Losin.

Try not to generalize about Thailand weather. It is not always hot and humid. The first few weeks of this year saw morning lows of 14-15ºC (high 50s F) and air so dry my lips cracked. We lit a fire in the garden at night to keep warm. And, I live in a part of Thailand (Isaan) known for its hot weather.

I understand that the Tapana will be doing liveaboard trips in and around Koh Tao (Sail Rock, Chumphon Pinnacle, etc.) this summer. They haven't posted their schedule yet, be we've been offered a trip in August which departs from Chumphon.
 
I haven't been back to Thailand since I spent a month there in 2001. My understanding was that the weather is quite different in the Gulf Region and the Andaman Sea. I dove in both areas and had a great time, but I was there during the northern hemisphere winter.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom