Cold water diver in Thailand (+)

[deepdiverbc]

This isn't local diving but I thought you guys might enjoy the pictures.

I just got back from three weeks in Thailand with my family and managed to do a few dives out of Phuket. The main site I went to was called Hin Muang and Hin Daeng. They are pinnacles 60 miles south of Phuket. Most divers go north to the Similan Islands on live aboards but this was a family trip so I chose to dive something closer.

Attached are two sample sheets of dive photos but if you want to download the slide show it will include a few more dive pics and photos of Thailand.

Slide Show - 13 megs (crank the music)
Thailand

 

[ChillyWaters]

Did you enjoy the diving? I was just in Thailand & Cambodia for September and October. Not for diving, but we did get a few dives in.

I didn't do those two sites, but I did Anemone Reef, KDM, and something else, around Phuket. We also did some diving around Koh Phi Phi and Koh Tao.

Hopefully you brought your own equipment, if not, I hope you did a thorough pre-dive check! The equipment around Thailand was HORRIFIC!!!

What did you think of the diving? It's not as good as home (in my opinion), but it is warm, and there are a lot of different things to see.

For the interest of the group, here are a few pics from when I was there:
http://www.stevenshelford.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=37

- ChillyWaters

 

[deepdiverbc]

I have almost no warm water experience but I thought the diving at Hin Muang and Hin Daeng was very nice. Pinnacles are a great formation for diving and the deep drop offs bring the larger marine life. There was lots of variety and color with great topography. What more could you want?

I did bring my own gear except for fins and suit. One less thing to worry about but I only dove two of the 21 days I was there so a lot to drag around.

I checked out your photos. Love the cuttle fish. I haven't seen one yet.

 

[nessum]

We were there at the same time. I almost checked out the sites you went to, but had just done a 4 day liveaboard in the similans/surins so we stayed even more local off of phi phi and did the cheaper dives to places like Hin Dot and Bida Nok, et cetera. Still beautiful!

 

[deepdiverbc]

We were there at the same time. I almost checked out the sites you went to, but had just done a 4 day liveaboard in the similans/surins so we stayed even more local off of phi phi and did the cheaper dives to places like Hin Dot and Bida Nok, et cetera. Still beautiful!

Small world. One day at the hotel I was checking out the snow online through a Vancouver weather cam. There was one other couple using the computers that day and I asked them if they would like to see some snow. Turned out they were from Coquitlam.

How were the Similans? I considered trying to find a day trip charter out there but decided it was too far to for only one day. I was also told that the Similan Islands are best March - May because local fisherman go there prior to the opening of the dive season in November and it takes a while for the life to rebuild. Not sure if this is true or not.

Thailand is a great spot to visit. I wish I could go back tomorrow.

 

[ChillyWaters]

Thailand is a great spot to visit. I wish I could go back tomorrow.

We went in the monsoon season, and I'd recommend to anyone to go then. It rains, but only for about 1/2 hour a day, when it POURS. But the rest of the time is great, and there's apparently hardly any tourists.

To be honest though, I would definitely recommend everyone to avoid the south. Phuket is obviously the worst, with an amazing amount of sex tourism. It's so bad that it's hard to believe. Though, Phuket town was actually quite refreshing, with all the tourists off to the beach towns. We caught the weeklong Vegetarian festival in Phuket town, which was quite amazing, even if it was disturbing -- firewalking, bladded-ladder climbing, and numerous processions with MILLIONS of firecrackers and self-mutilated individuals who are possessed by the gods. And the best part, there were so few tourists.

The way up North was fun, the South East (Koh Chung) was a little more of a Thai beach area, and the North East at moments felt untouched. We used our phrase book often, and were often the only tourists in many towns. Down South, the Krabi province was definitely our favourite (in Ao Nang).

And while I'm at it, we enjoyed Cambodia in a different way. The people were friendly and it was very educational. They are so eager to spread the word of the recent attrocities in Cambodia, not for pity, but simply to educate you. With a million dead in a past genocide, still 5 or 6 Cambodian's today apparently die by land minds. Though, I couldn't handle it for long, as it's hard handle the sight of 5-year old girls begging in desparation, and I can still hear the desparate cries in people's voices.


However, since we're on a diving forum, I'll say that Thailand's diving was cool. But I remember Australia to be much better. Thailand's cheaper though

- ChillyWaters

 

[deepdiverbc]

Sorry to hear about the kids you saw in Cambodia. Maybe one day stories like that will only be told in History books.

I am curious about what Ao Nang was like. I have seen a lot of Thailand north and south but had never considered visiting this area. As for Phuket I would like to add that it is easy to stay away from the sex tourism in Patong. We stayed on Kata Noi at the Katathani resort. The beach had half the people on it and was a nice area for a family.

Comparing cold water diving to warm water is difficult. They are very different. Of course one is cold with lower vis and vice versa with different gear requirements. This is what most people talk about.

If I were to paint a picture of my idea of a typical warm water scene the marine life would be diverse and interesting with pretty colorful fish everywhere. But the fish would be smaller and the background would have bursts of color in red green and blue from soft coral.

A cold water picture would also show diverse marine life with the fish less colorful and not as numerous. But the fish would be much larger and the background rocks would be covered in massive white plumose anemones or carpets of red strawberry anemones with large painted telias or encrusted sponges of green, orange or yellow.

I think cold water is my favorite but having not done much warm water diving the excitement of seeing new creatures will have me looking forward to warm water trips in the future.