Andaman Sea Dive Spots from the Phuket Region

[Wingy]

Can you explain what you mean by a "concierge service" please?

 

[Umuntu]

Can you explain what you mean by a "concierge service" please?

They pamper you ...

From outfitting you for your equipment, hotel pickup by the dive captain, taking care of your gear box, setup spot on the boat, gear setup for you, superlative dive briefings, small (4 max) dive groups with matched experience, experienced DMs, good local food for lunch, dive photographer on board, to hotel drop off at the end of the day. You are their guest. An extension of a 5 star hotel experience

 

[stevenl]

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.

There is no minimum required for number of people to make it from Phuket to Khao Lak, but you will pay more per person for the transfer.

If you give me your preferred dates I may be able to help you.

BTW, there is no 'this is how strict they are with depth limits' in Thailand, it really depends on the operation.

 

[Wingy]

They pamper you ...

From outfitting you for your equipment, hotel pickup by the dive captain, taking care of your gear box, setup spot on the boat, gear setup for you, superlative dive briefings, small (4 max) dive groups with matched experience, experienced DMs, good local food for lunch, dive photographer on board, to hotel drop off at the end of the day. You are their guest. An extension of a 5 star hotel experience

Oh...that's normal isn't it?

 

[stevenl]

Oh...that's normal isn't it?

Yes, it is, or should be.

I must admit though I don't do gear setup for the guests. provided they are certified, it is their own responsibility.

 

[Wingy]

Yes I know Steven -' you neglected to pamper me in that one small area - TWICE!- I had to look pitiful until a nice Slovenian man did it for me

Not sure if I should give you another chance - I feel you should make up for your inexcusable momentary lack of paying attention to me - I feel worshipping would go some small way to healing the psychological trauma you inflicted upon me by paying so much attention to those DSD people.

 

[Umuntu]

you neglected to pamper me

Another Wuss ?

South Africa diving - overview?

 

[Wingy]

No..I prefer the term "cunningly persuasive" when the opportunity arises. Don't think for a minute I haven't spent a lot of years hauling my gear around some pretty "no opportunities" places. I've carried my gear (I weigh 45kg) down steep hillsides on slippery mud goat tracks in Madagascar and battled along with three different languages none of which I speak fluently. Including English it seems.
I've crawled on my hands and knees across razor sharp reefs in Vanuatu fully geared up to dive a blue hole because - it's there. I will also freeze my arse off and sleep in a tent on a beach in NZ to get,a temporate zone dive in.
I'm perfectly capable of putting my own gear together and planning my own trips and dives.

You ever heard the saying when in Rome? I admit sometimes I suffer from Liveaboard syndrome and get used to the boatmen doing everything - I use the same LOB, they know me. When I feel the LOB syndrome sneak in I find it's never too long before I decide to head off somewhere where my "lazy comfort zone" is a fond memory while I'm trudging across sand dunes - makes me appreciate South East Asia where "valet service" is SOP and no I don't have to tip for it or pay extra.

Anyway, lighten up ... I bought the nice Slovenian Man dinner - what more do you want.