Diving in Thailand

[Pimelodous]

I'm planning a trip to Thailand and would like to do some diving. I plan to do one of the 3/4 day liveaboards out of Phuket to Similians but wanted to know if anyone could recommend some good day trips from other parts of Thailand.

Thanks

 

[Zept]

What time of year are you planning to travel?

 

[neosw]

Do check out Dive Asia Phuket at www.diveasia.com. They have daily trip out as well as Liveaboard to Phuket and Burma Banks.

Mention Living Seas to them and they will know who recommend you.

cheers!

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Pimelodous,

Contact John Williams, co-owner of Siam Dive n Sail & co-author of Lonely Planet's "Diving & Snorkeling Thailand,"
at info@siamdivers.com. Can visit the company website at http://www.siamdivers.com.

Tell him that I sent you.

Do enjoy.

DocVikingo

 

[cmdasia]

One of my favourites is Jean Kingston of Kingfisher Diving - has one of the smaller boats (way better than the cattle class diving you can experience with the bigger boats), very personal service, very good food and excellent diving (Jean will try to find what you want - none of this "lets go here because I use less fuel" diving).

Highly recommended - no need to tell him I recommended you - I have no association with him, just like diving on his boat with him (he is an owner/operator which makes a huge difference in service).

www.kingfisherdiving.com


Re day trips - do you mean in the Phuket area or do you mean in other areas of thailand?

 

[Batfish]

You've chosen well. The Similan/Surin trips give you the best diving in Thailand. There are many boats available, so shop carefully.

I would also maybe do a Phi Phi overnight trip out of Phuket - this gives you the best Phi Phi dives, plus the King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and the excellent wall of Koh Doc Mai.

Other parts of Thailand - depends on what time of year you are diving. There's a couple of dive sites around Koh Tao, but if you're here in the Phuket sunny season (November-May), best to stick around the West Coast.

Happy Diving!

Sunrise Divers - Diving in Phuket

 

[magicpixie]

ut:
hey have a great time on the similian islands i've heard that they're some of the best for diving in the world! i was in thailand just a month ago and did my padi certificate there, unfortunatly i didnt make it out to those islands coz of the monsoon season. definatly check what the weathers like on both the different coasts coz it varies.
i dived @ koh tao which is on the east coast, a tiny island dedicated just for diving and it really is amazing, so beautiful and coz it's small the people are great.
i'd recommend koh tao divers on sariee beach(although the largest beach it really is one of the best) theres hardly any people on it and u get a great view of koh nangyuan.
theres masses of coral around this island and when i was there, white tip sharks would come in daily near buddha rock on the southern tip of the island.
i would say koh tao is a must....enjoy!!
xmagicpixiex

 

[Pimelodous]

Thanks to all who have responded.

I'm going to be in Thailand from mid-October through mid-November. I'm probably going to be in the south on the latter part of the trip.

Regarding which parts of thailand for diving, I'd really like to know about any good spots.

Thanks

 

[clive francis]

on phuket side at that time of the year, you may catch the tail end of the rainy season, i was out there last november/december and then in january (my wife is thai and lived in phuket).

the vis around phi phi is not going to be any where near as good as the similans, check my web site for some pictures of what to expect around phuket/phi phi.

marina divers do 3/4/5/6 and day trips to the similans there is a link on my site.

most of the other dive places use marina as they have the boats, so it is best to go straight to them.

one warning though, do not rent a bike, as you are responsible for ANY damage!

i have told the story before:

my brother hit a swedish woman who walked out in front of him, he fractured her skull (needed several drain holes drilled!), 5 ribs (one of which punctured her lung), pelvis, wrist and she stopped breathing at one point and needed zapping.

this cost him in excess of £1500 to buy his freedom back from the police (x1.5 for $).

 

[cmdasia]

Pimelodous once bubbled...
Thanks to all who have responded.

I'm going to be in Thailand from mid-October through mid-November. I'm probably going to be in the south on the latter part of the trip.

Regarding which parts of thailand for diving, I'd really like to know about any good spots.

Thanks

At that time of year just stay with the "Phuket/Sims" area diving - as said by others the west coast is out of season, Chumpon is out of season, Pattaya is in season all year round but is nothing compared Phuket/Sims at that time of year (or any other time of year when a force 9 gale is not blowing!), Samesan has a very nice wreck - but not worth the trip for this one dive, Samet is not worth a @#$(*&^. Chang/Kood is in season but I have not been there yet so cannot really give an opinion (although 100% it is not Phuket/Sims standard).

There is also diving south of Phuket, that cannot be accessed on a day boat from Phuket (lanta/Turatao) but again I have not been there.

My honest advice - Sims with a couple of Phuket day trips thrown in (Racha yai/noi - king cruiser)