Diving while based out of Bangkok.

[alphonsis]

I'm heading to Bangkok, Thailand for two weeks to attend a friend's wedding. We have about a week before the wedding to explore and see what Thailand has to offer. My friend and I would like to get some diving in during that week.

Looking for any tips on where to look to go diving. I've read about Kho Tao in the gulf and phuket on the coast.

Thanks

 

[lord khram]

The two options you mentioned are your best bet.

Pattaya is closer but it is really not a serious dive destination, KT or Particularly the andaman (west) coast around Phuket really would be worth the extra effort if you have time.

 

[Scuba Cat Diving]

What time of year is it that you will be here? The east and west coasts of Thailand have different monsoons and opposite seasons to each other, so depending on when you are here depends on the best place to go to. There is diving all year round in both places but conditions vary.

 

[alphonsis]

I'm headed in this weekend for two weeks.

 

[Scuba Cat Diving]

If you are coming this weekend then I would head for the Andaman side.
You can do daytrips from Phuket to all the local sites as far as Phi Phi, but if you want to dive the Similans then head up to Khao Lak. This will offer you the best conditions for the time of year.
If you are looking for multiple days diving then consider a liveaboard to Similan, Koh Bon, Tachai and Richelieu. All these sites are open now until the end of April and offering 40m viz and some larger pelagic life. These can be booked from both Phuket and Khao Lak and there is a big range of boats with many different departure dates.
If you need any further advise you can PM me.

 

[stevenl]

If you would like to do a liveaboard, do one of 4 days/4 nights. That is the minimum length to visit all highlights at the Similans, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock without the trip getting too rushed. If not, there are some excellent daytrips from Phuket to Racha Islands, Shark Point area or Bida Islands (Phi Phi area), you could also do an overnight trip there.
At the moment IMO the daytrips to these sites are nicer than the overnight trips to Similans only, if you want to go to Similans you really have to include Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.

 

[Quero]

Alphonsis, your post gives me the impression that you'd like to include diving amongst other sorts of activities in your Thailand discovery week, but maybe I'm misinterpreting you. If you would like to dedicate most of that time to diving, head for the Andaman Sea, which includes Phuket as well as points north and south of here and jump on a liveaboard for 3-6 days with the potential choice of going south or north or a combination of the two. But if you just want to do a little diving and still have plenty of time for other activities, perhaps daytrips out of Phuket or Khao Lak might be more attractive to you. With just a week, you probably would like your travel time to be as efficient as possible, and Phuket is the principal air hub for Andaman Sea scuba diving, but there's also Krabi, and you could fly into that airport and dive from Krabi itself or from Koh Lanta fairly easily. Getting to Koh Tao takes a bit longer since you need to factor in ferry schedules to get to the island. The same could be said of Phi Phi.

 

[alphonsis]

I'm not sure if we'll have the time for a live aboard, although that would be my preference! Thanks for all the great information. Sounds like we have an idea of what to do.

whee!