Bali, Koh Lanta or other

[Kobayashi maru]

I'm planing on heading to Asia somewhere May 2019 for my birthday. I'm a new and obsessed diver however others attending are not so enlightened. I'm after a location with great diving in may but activities for all topside with high quality accommodation and food. So far considering Bali and Koh Lanta as they are easy destinations from NZ. Koh Lanta may not be ideal in may for diving and Bali may be a bit touristy. Any comments or other suggestions much appreciated!

 

[Tippytoes12]

The diving in Bali is way better than Ko Lanta. Also the best diving areas in Bali are not at all touristy. Check out Padang Bai , Tulamben and Amed on Bali or the lovely Islands eg Nusa Lembongan or Gili Air.

 

[partha]

I'm a big fan of Lanta. I'm usually there every year in the low season, which is may to Sept/Oct. The diving is good but good spots are a long boat ride away so you end up spending the entire day out at sea sometimes. The vibe on the island is worth it though. Lazy beaches and amazing food. Not very busy and the crowd tends to be like minded laid back divers.

I'm also in Bali usually once a year The diving is easier than Lanta and the fish life is probably better. I stay in Lembongan to get away from the crowds on the main island. But it is very very quiet with few bars and everything shuts down by 10ish. So if it's your first time to Bali you might want to stay on the main island - I'd recommend Sanur beach. Plenty of restaurant's, not too far from the busier nightlife and you can explore the rest of the gorgeous island on your non diving days.

 

[CJS]

I've dived both and enjoy both, but would pick Bali at that time of year and simply because you have easier access to a greater range of sites. Where the diving is, is not where the over developed parts are (although I reckon Nusa Lembongan is getting too much development for the size of the island).

 

[UFOrb]

I've dived both and enjoy both, but would pick Bali at that time of year and simply because you have easier access to a greater range of sites. Where the diving is, is not where the over developed parts are (although I reckon Nusa Lembongan is getting too much development for the size of the island).

Agreed.
Lanta is great and would be my choice for beaches, food and atmosphere. The diving is good too. But the dive sites are a full day boat trip and some of the best sites may be off limits by May cos of the the beginning of the SW monsoon.
I would choose Bali at that time of year, and include some time at the Gili islands if you want the laid back beach vibe, eg Gili Air.
EDIT: in addition to Tippytoes suggestions above, you should also check out Candidasa. The beach is virtually not existent now but there are some good hotels and restaurants and access to great diving from there. And, there was a nice spot for a bit of snorkelling in front of our hotel (safe for kids if that’s a factor). PM me if you want more info. Cheers, Rob.

 

[ilaria]

I love this thread because these have been some of our best vacations. Love to find an island or coast that has topside and also great diving. Its a perk when its not a full day to get to the sites but sometimes its worth it and the ability to have combination is great.

Ko Tao was lovely for us because we hit quite a bit of dive sites within a close proximity and loved the vibe of the topside to accompany the diving. Well worth the day trip to see Sail Rock! Some days we did close dives and enjoyed the afternoon day laying around and others went out for the whole day. Good combination would just stay clear of the large mass dive boats.

Bail area favorite was Nusa Lembognan. It had the right amount but not too many tourists yet enough for restaurants to accompany the diving. Could jump on a scooter and go around as well. Nice combination and got to see Mantas and Mola Mola which are always perks. Quite a bit of current so ensure you are comfortable and experienced.

I would recommend Candidasa too and do not know why it is isn't spoken about more about in Bali. Tons of marine life from cuttlefish to a shark cave. Again good local restaurants and vibe in the area.

Amed in Bali on the north was a little too quiet of a town for us plus it was a lot of muck diving which we don't fancy. I would say do it because the liberty was amazing to see bump heads and found pretty cool mantis shrimp so worth it but a couple days 2/3 and it was time for a little more for us.

I would try the Gili Islands from everything Ive heard so far just ran out of time.

Koh Lak was also a good place for us. We did a little different and did a 3/4 day liveaboard which took us to some of the good sites but also spend several days on land to enjoy topside activities scooter, walking, and just laying in sun.

Kho Samui gave us a lot more top side but it was definitely not the choice for us to run to Sail Rock etc based on travel time. Great island though.

Does anyone have similar locations they like with both topside and good diving?

In other areas I would recommend Isla Mujeres, Mexico, Key West, Florida (and drive throughout) while I also like the Bahamas for such topside activities and diving. Would love to hear more locations in Asia which have the nice combination as I'm trying to decide on next trip too!

 

[Luko]

Alona Beach in the Phils, off Bohol island.
Balicasag is a top dive destination while you have more restaurants you can shake stick at on Panglao and the full range of accomodations from budget to 5*.

 

[divinh]

I'm a big fan of Lanta. I'm usually there every year in the low season, which is may to Sept/Oct. The diving is good but good spots are a long boat ride away so you end up spending the entire day out at sea sometimes. The vibe on the island is worth it though. Lazy beaches and amazing food. Not very busy and the crowd tends to be like minded laid back divers.

Do you find any issues with not having enough divers for the boats to go out or the weather being too rainy? I'm thinking about May. The last time I was there, the number of divers dropped significantly by late March and I was told that April was typically the beginning of low season.

 

[scuba kbell]

Do you find any issues with not having enough divers for the boats to go out or the weather being too rainy? I'm thinking about May. The last time I was there, the number of divers dropped significantly by late March and I was told that April was typically the beginning of low season.

Keep in mind that in May, Lanta has seasonal closures for certain dive sites (Ko Ha and Hin Daeng/Hin Muang). I was in Lanta last year right before the low season started, and the company we were with mentioned that they still go out. However, they usually partner and share a boat with other dive shops during this time.