Where to stay

[ChuckP]

I currently live in Cozumel but for one reason or another I'm seriously thinking of spending one month in Phuket diving and looking at possible oppurtunities.

I'm not looking for business advice - I am looking for ideas of the best places to dive out of - east side or west side? I love the diving here in Cozumel and tend to like the more agressive type of diving.

I'd much rather prefer just renting a condo for a month verses resorts, beachy would be nice but not top priority........

Any ideas?

 

[Centrals]

1. Diving season in Phuket is from Nov onward.
2. Beside Phuket you can also check Koh Lanta which is over in the Krabi province.
3. AFAIK you can NOW(?) enter Thailand if you have proper document but will require quarantine in hotel for a fixed period. Please check with Thai Consulate in Mexico for detail.
4. Phuket is planning to open to the tourists, without quarantine required, from 1st July. Unfortunately the Kingdom is under a huge surge of infection at the moment especially in Bangkok. So anything is possible.
5. Most day boat leave from Chalong Bay. And you really do not want to commute every morning from your residence to the boat.
6. Diving sites for both Koh Lanta and Phuket are pretty far ie day trip.

I am pretty sure someone who is more familiar with Phuket will chip in with his expert opinion.

 

[ChuckP]

1. Diving season in Phuket is from Nov onward.
2. Beside Phuket you can also check Koh Lanta which is over in the Krabi province.
3. AFAIK you can NOW(?) enter Thailand if you have proper document but will require quarantine in hotel for a fixed period. Please check with Thai Consulate in Mexico for detail.
4. Phuket is planning to open to the tourists, without quarantine required, from 1st July. Unfortunately the Kingdom is under a huge surge of infection at the moment especially in Bangkok. So anything is possible.
5. Most day boat leave from Chalong Bay. And you really do not want to commute every morning from your residence to the boat.
6. Diving sites for both Koh Lanta and Phuket are pretty far ie day trip.

I am pretty sure someone who is more familiar with Phuket will chip in with his expert opinion.

I understand monsoon season and bad weather, it looks like they don't get a ton more rain than we do per year but there is a diving season? Like a time when they don't dive? We have high season but we dive year round here...... Much appreciated

 

[Centrals]

Best diving in the Kingdom is on the West coast and from Nov to Apr. Other time is also possible but (1) weather (2) demand. A lot more popular in the East Coast eg. Koh (Phangan, Samui and Tao) in the summer. Low season in Phuket/Lanta in summer.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Let me know where you end up and I'll come be your house boy.

 

[drk5036]

I understand monsoon season and bad weather, it looks like they don't get a ton more rain than we do per year but there is a diving season? Like a time when they don't dive? We have high season but we dive year round here...... Much appreciated

Diving in the Similans and Andaman sea is generally from November to April-May. Effectively no diving outside this period, at least to the major sites that people travel there for. Farther south of Phuket you’ll have more luck. The oceans are super rough, many stories of boats sinking and people dying out of the diving season.

All year round diving can be done in Koh Tao, on the eastern side of Thailand. The scene traditionally is very...backpacker and crazy. Depending on how you feel about that, it’s an option.

 

[JonnieB]

I've been in Phuket since the beginning of March (see my trip reports in this sub-forum). What people have said is generally true...the weather has changed to surfing season the past week. A lot of shops and operators close for the next few months (in addition to the current Covid-19 restrictions...organized diving has been suspended since 18 April). This being said, when the weather allows, some boats do go out to the eastern side of the Racha islands, which are sheltered from the high wind/waves during monsoon season (maybe 1 week out of the month). The diving on Ko Tao, in the Gulf of Thailand isn't affected by the monsoons, however is markedly inferior to the Andaman Sea and is very student oriented.

As for places to stay...Air BnB is a good resource and so is FB Marketplace. Focus your search in the Rawai and Chalong Bay areas, as that's where the diving pier, shops, and most local divers are concentrated. One BR condos and small houses are easily found in the 8-12k baht per month range. The Title Condo in Rawai might be a good starting place.

Conditions this a.m. @ Kata Beach:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=488724219125974

 

[Centrals]

Phuket Covid 19: Gold necklaces, cash prizes offered in vaccination registration lucky draw

 

[Centrals]

Phuket News: Heavy weather warning for Phuket, Andaman coast

 

[ChuckP]

I've been in Phuket since the beginning of March (see my trip reports in this sub-forum). What people have said is generally true...the weather has changed to surfing season the past week. A lot of shops and operators close for the next few months (in addition to the current Covid-19 restrictions...organized diving has been suspended since 18 April). This being said, when the weather allows, some boats do go out to the eastern side of the Racha islands, which are sheltered from the high wind/waves during monsoon season (maybe 1 week out of the month). The diving on Ko Tao, in the Gulf of Thailand isn't affected by the monsoons, however is markedly inferior to the Andaman Sea and is very student oriented.

As for places to stay...Air BnB is a good resource and so is FB Marketplace. Focus your search in the Rawai and Chalong Bay areas, as that's where the diving pier, shops, and most local divers are concentrated. One BR condos and small houses are easily found in the 8-12k baht per month range. The Title Condo in Rawai might be a good starting place.

Conditions this a.m. @ Kata Beach:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=488724219125974

First off, thanks all, much appreciated.

We were a bit concerned at first about traveling there as my amiga speaks spanish and not much English - we are both doing Spanish/English classes together so a few extra months of that and we or she should be fine - from what you're saying, it looks like maybe the month of November which would be perfect and back here for high season....

I do want to dive there some but it's more about getting away, seeing different things and different culture, it's amazing how small an island can become and with the Covid thing, how trapped we feel. We were thinking more of the West side to stay like say Pa Tong or Karon - how far of a drive or I guess how long of a drive is it to the pier for diving? Maybe we have to overnight in town?? I dunno but first priority is relaxing, second is diving, tenth is looking at possibly relocating.

First thought was let's get to Bankock, eat dinner and head towards the ocean, we'll figure it out but it seems a bit more complicated then that - lol - oh well, if we have to plan a little I suppose that's ok. Cozumel is easy, sleep anywhere, the marina is no more than 15 minutes from everywhere and enjoy.....

@BoundForElsewhere - not sure about a houseboy but I bet we need supervision. Spread that airfare cost out over 4-6 weeks and get out of the resorts and look at airbnb/condo options and it's not that painfull... We are trying to get out of the Caribbean culture and see something entirely different....