Andaman Sea Dive Spots from the Phuket Region

[Lateralus]

Se



I have dived with Sea Fun Divers, based in Phuket, who run a daily day-trip boat to the best dive sites in the area. Lunch & soft drinks provided. A first class operation. They will collect and drop you at your hotel.

I have also done live aboard trips to the Similans and Richelieu. It's possible to do a shuttle boat to the live-aboard and stay for 1-3 nights. Check the season as Similans Marine Park closes for part of the year.

So if I only wanted to dive one day, how would that work? Would I have to get to the liveaboard the night before? Thanks for the info by the way, I'm contacting them.

 

[stevenl]

same area, so yeah mr keyboard warrior...

Time to get your geography straight.

 

[stevenl]

So if I only wanted to dive one day, how would that work? Would I have to get to the liveaboard the night before? Thanks for the info by the way, I'm contacting them.

That would not work, in order to dive Richelieu Rock you need a minimum of 3 days. Daytrips are your only option.

 

[Umuntu]

So if I only wanted to dive one day, how would that work? Would I have to get to the liveaboard the night before? Thanks for the info by the way, I'm contacting them.

I agree with @stevenl . To do the Similans takes time! They are remote. You couldn't really do it in a day.

There are the logistics of travel to the port, the boat transfer to the live aboard (plan on 1 day), diving, and boat transfer back to port, and travel to your next destination. Maybe a night dive on arrival day, if you have the energy. Stay on Liveaboard for 2 nights. Dive the next 2 days and return in the evening of 3rd day.

Equipment rental on the liveaboards is expensive. Take you own or rent on mainland.

Here's a couple of examples:

3 Days/2 Nights - North Tour - Sea Bees Diving

3 Days/2 Nights - Similan Islands - Sea Bees Diving

.

 

[Lateralus]

I agree with @stevenl . To do the Similans takes time! They are remote. You couldn't really do it in a day.

There are the logistics of travel to the port, the boat transfer to the live aboard (plan on 1 day), diving, and boat transfer back to port, and travel to your next destination. Maybe a night dive on arrival day, if you have the energy. Stay on Liveaboard for 2 nights. Dive the next 2 days and return in the evening of 3rd day.

Equipment rental on the liveaboards is expensive. Take you own or rent on mainland.

Here's a couple of examples:

3 Days/2 Nights - North Tour - Sea Bees Diving

3 Days/2 Nights - Similan Islands - Sea Bees Diving

.

I'm going to Thailand for our honeymoon. It's going to be hard to sneak in a liveaboard on the schedule. Max we can do is 2 days of diving.

2 Questions

I'm thinking the only option that makes sense is to do a day trip. I did some research last night on getting there for the day and most of my research says you have to make it Khao Lak. It seems all the boats depart from there. I also read that there is a minimum of 4 people needed to make boat trips out to the Richelieu Rock. If we are only 2 people, how will that work? I'm sure the time we are going in (2nd week of December) will help.

Me and my wife are not advanced open water certified. With that said, we spent a week diving in Cozumel and almost every day we dove to at least 90' on the first dive. I was wondering, how strict are they in Thailand for having that AOW? I would hate to make it all the way to Richelieu Rock and have them say something like "we can't take you deeper".

BTW, here is the video I made of my week long scuba trip to Cozumel in 2015.

 

[Umuntu]

I'm going to Thailand for our honeymoon. It's going to be hard to sneak in a liveaboard on the schedule. Max we can do is 2 days of diving.

you don't have time for a trip to Similans.

focus on having an enjoyable couple days diving near Phuket & Ko Phi Phi

OW vs AOW ? I don't know. It depends on the DM or Operator. There are plenty of good shallower dive sites, but equally many of the dive sites are deeper than 18 metres. Many you have a choice as to how deep you go.

 

[Lateralus]

you don't have time for a trip to Similans.

focus on having an enjoyable couple days diving near Phuket & Ko Phi Phi

OW vs AOW ? I don't know. It depends on the DM or Operator. There are plenty of good shallower dive sites, but equally many of the dive sites are deeper than 18 metres. Many you have a choice as to how deep you go.

Most research I've done says day trips to Similans and even further north to Richelieu Rock are possible for a day trip. Even members here have acknowledged that. It will be a long day though, so it's not advised.

 

[gr8jab]

To optimize your fun, Sea Bees used to run a 4-tank boat from Phuket out toward Koh Phi Phi. They stopped half way for a morning dive, then two afternoon dives near Phi Phi, and then a twilight/night dive on the ride home. Nice big boat, good food, 4 divers per guide, and they drop each group at slightly different locations for a less crowded dive.

 

[Wingy]

Tbh I'm not a fan of the four tank sea bees dive purely because of the time you will get back to your hotel at - midnight in my case - and leaving super early. The diving isn't the tiring part it's the transport. My only suggestion if you took this option would be to schedule a do nothing/do honeymoon things for the next day - you will be very tired.

 

[Umuntu]

Most research I've done says day trips to Similans and even further north to Richelieu Rock are possible for a day trip. Even members here have acknowledged that. It will be a long day though, so it's not advised.

As someone who did DM'ing there a few years ago, I would say its possible provided you are at the port of departure early in the morning. The speed boats don't leave from Phuket. Logistically, that requires more than a day, with the distances and Thai transport. But by all means, give it a try.

Sea Bees, Sea Fun Divers (links earlier) and a number of other companies run day trip boats out of Phuket to excellent dive sites locally. All equipment can be rented from them. They provide a concierge service more in keeping with a honeymoon experience.

I dived Richelieu many times. I have never seen Manta or Whale Shark there. On the other hand at Koh Bon, one of the sites on the day boat iteneraries, I have seen Manta many times and whale shark once. There is no guarantee that you will see anything other than wonderful coral, clown fish and with Poseidon's grace maybe something more interesting.

But if you want a greater than 40% chance of seeing whale sharks I know some great spots in the Maldives ... I heard that it's a great honeymoon destination too ...