1st Timer to Thailand...

[TightLines]

Considering taking a 2 week trip to Thailand in late January / early February of 2011. And plan to spend a minimum of 5-6 days diving. I understand that the better diving at this time of the year is off the western coast. As far as undebatable, best diving in Thailand, is it definitely the Similan Islands? Is my understanding that I live aboard is the only real solution for doing multiple days worth of diving in the area?

I am still in the very preliminary stages of planning the trip and will figure out the logistics, etc. in the coming weeks. My main priority is diving so I figured I would start there.

If my questions above are redundant (I have perused the forums) please feel free to send along any links you think may be helpful.

Any other information is greatly appreciated.

 

[TightLines]

On another note, any recommendation for a particular Thailand travel book, Frommers, Eye Witness, etc.?

 

[Molecule]

Hey TightLines,
Jan ~ Feb is the best time of year in many parts of Thailand, and of course the western coast. I am sure there will be another SB member who has a lot better info than me coming in and give you all good suggestions. Try to make arrangement in advance as it is high season for tourist.
Anyway, thanks for buying my wetsuits

 

[OnTheSpot]

Without question, Similan Islands diving is the best that Thailand has to offer especially during January and February. No other region offers such a number of excellent dive sites and such wonderful diving as can be found in this protected national park. The Similans are a chain of 9 tiny and verdant islands fringed with white sand beaches and surrounded by some of the area's richest waters.

Immediately to the north of the Similan Islands and covering Koh Bon in the south, up to Koh Tachai, and finally northwards on to Richelieu Rock, lies the famous stretch of Andaman Sea lying between the Similan and Surin Islands which well renowned as whale shark and manta ray liveaboard safari territory.

 

[Quero]

TightLines, you have synthesized the reading you've done on the boards very well! Yes to everything you mention...

• Yes, the west coast is home to the top diving destinations in the country.
• Yes, the islands of the Similan Islands National Park, together with the Surin Islands National Park are unquestionably where you should aim to go.
• Yes, a liveaboard is the easiest and best way to dive these parks.
• Yes, January and February are ideal months to visit.

As far as travel guides go, I can recommend one called Exploring Phuket & Phi Phi though obviously it doesn't cover the entire country.

 

[aquamarin]

Hm, call me old-fashioned but I still like the Lonely Planet guides

 

[lord khram]

Hm, call me old-fashioned but I still like the Lonely Planet guides

yes I same.

 

[Quero]

For Southeast Asia in general, I like Travelfish.org. Since it's an online resource, Travelfish is constantly updated, and if you want something more substantial, they have downloadable guides for purchase, which also tend to be more up to date than a hardcopy guide (since books take a while to print, bind, warehouse, and distribute).

 

[TightLines]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice, now the tough part becomes sorting through it and picking out what should/needs to be done in a very limited 2 weeks of total travel time.

The really difficult part will be budgeting non-diving time. Any non-diving absolute musts for a nature, culture, food enthusiast?

 

[Quero]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice, now the tough part becomes sorting through it and picking out what should/needs to be done in a very limited 2 weeks of total travel time.

The really difficult part will be budgeting non-diving time. Any non-diving absolute musts for a nature, culture, food enthusiast?

Yes.
Nature: Sea kayaking in Ao Phang Nga, a UN World Heritage area.
Culture: Ayutthaya, near Bangkok, for late-Angkor-era temple ruins.
Food: There's delicious Thai food all over .