Koh Tao Diving Quality (for example vs Anilao or PG)

[John Trecker]

Considering a week in Koh Tao and trying to understand quality of reefs / marine life.
Spent 10 days earlier this year between Anilao and PG which was amazing.
How does Koh Tao compare especially for January.
Thanks.

 

[Barmaglot]

There isn't nearly as much cool macro stuff, but on the upside, you get substantial schools of fusiliers, barracudas, etc. It's also much easier diving, with no currents worth mentioning, as opposed to Anilao/PG (and especially Verde Island) where currents tend to range from annoying to vicious.

 

[Efka76]

I dived in Koh Tao and PG. These diving sites are not comparable. Koh Tao is famous for backpacker scuba students. Usualky there are many divers on every dive site. Night dives are a bit nightnare as many groups mix and it is is hard to see where is your group.

Koh Tao is very good for training but for fun diving you have to choose PG, which is one of the best dive locations in the world. It is full of macro creatures, turtles, fishes, etc. Also, number of divers is not big. When i dived usually there was only one dive group on dive site. Also, all dive cebters are located on a sea shore.

 

[UFOrb]

We were on Koh Tao in August and stayed on the east side of the island on Tanote Bay. We dived with Calypso who were excellent. They are laid back but very professional and do not like diving with the crowds and know how to avoid them, so there were no crowds on the sites we dived on the eastern side of Koh Tao.
Having said that Jan may not be the best time of the year for the east of Koh Tao due to the winds coming from the northeast at that time. You would probably be better off on the Andaman side of Thailand, and the diving is better on that side too.
Also, I’ve never dived PG or Anilao, but I would’ve thought the quality of diving (eg greater biodiversity etc) would be better there than Koh Tao.

 

[drbill]

I have dived all three. I enjoyed Koh Tao but it doesn't compare with either Anilao or PG in my opinion. Also, the rental gear in Koh Tao was awful... a BCD I could barely find the arm holes for and a reg that failed at 100 fsw.

 

[dirtfarmer]

No comparison in my experience, Ko Tao is for getting cheap certs and getting drunk with others getting cheap certs. Anilao and PG are for quality diving. The only thing Ko Tao offers that's better Anilao and PG is food.

 

[John Trecker]

IS THERE ANYPLACE IN THAILAND WITH THE QUALITY OF DIVING LIKE ANILAO OR PG?
I HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE YEARS TO SIMILAN LIVEABOARD AND THE QUALITY OF THE DIVING JUST NO LONGER SEEMS TO BE THERE AROUND SIMILANS/ETC.
VERY LITTLE TO SEE EXCEPT DAY TRIPPERS.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I have been to Thailand several times but never bothered to dive there because comments like those in this thread have dissuaded me.

 

[dirtfarmer]

No comparison in my experience, Ko Tao is for getting cheap certs and getting drunk with others getting cheap certs. Anilao and PG are for quality diving. The only thing Ko Tao offers that's better Anilao and PG is food.

I forgot, while your there you can add in after getting drunk with others getting cheap certs you can take your chances with getting a STD while smashing.

 

[drk5036]

IS THERE ANYPLACE IN THAILAND WITH THE QUALITY OF DIVING LIKE ANILAO OR PG?
I HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE YEARS TO SIMILAN LIVEABOARD AND THE QUALITY OF THE DIVING JUST NO LONGER SEEMS TO BE THERE AROUND SIMILANS/ETC.
VERY LITTLE TO SEE EXCEPT DAY TRIPPERS.

Diving in Similan Islands out of Phuket is very good. South Similan, koh Lanta is also very good.