Maldives, Similan Islands or Andaman Islands?

[threeopus3]

After a long haul in Toronto doing my routine, I'm taking some time off in November and December and heading to India. One of the key motivators on this trip, however, will be to find some great diving. These are the three best options that I seem to have: Maldives, Similans or Andamans.

The least expensive option would actually be to fly from India to Thailand and to take a live aboard trip there in the Similans. And the diving looks great.

Does anyone have opinions about how the Andaman Islands and Maldives would compare? I'm guessing that Maldives would be the preferred destination of the three, but it's so bloody expensive. Nevertheless, if money wasn't an object, is it safe to say that Maldive diving is better than Similan diving?

And here's the wildcard: from what I'm reading I'm getting the impression that the Andamans might just be as good, if not better, than the Maldives (in particular, Havelock). I have found some discussion on this board, but very little comparison.

Are the Maldives really the bee's knees? Are the Andamans the next Maldives?

 

[threeopus3]

Hmm, so , Lakshadweep is an extension of the Maldives. So, that could be another option as well.

 

[Quero]

It rather depends on the sort of experience you are looking for. If you would like to just step off onto a house reef and get some great dives in, I would recommend Maldives. You're correct, though, that diving there is really expensive. I've been twice (once land-based and once on a liveaboard) and have been happy with both trips, but I can't say that I found the diving "better" than in Thailand's Similans/Surins National Parks, just "different." If you are looking for a "frontier" sort of experience, head for the Andamans. I've not yet been (it's expensive for me and a hassle to get to from here even though it's "right over there"), but I've heard from my own customers that it's less "fishy" than Thailand, however also much, much less crowded with divers. Thailand is easy to access and affordable; the diving is great. When you put ease of access, cost, and quality together, you will find that there are lots of people coming here. If you're not bothered by that, it can be great fun to meet lots of other divers from all over the world.

 

[threeopus3]

Quero, thanks for the reply. If I dive in Maldives it would be on a liveaboard. That would also be the case if I go to Thailand. But I think that you've confirmed my suspicion: a Similan liveaboard trip may be a better all around experience - more fun. I'm a solo traveler in my 30s. In any case, thanks for you perspective that one place isn't drastically "better" than the other.

 

[Quero]

Quero, thanks for the reply. If I dive in Maldives it would be on a liveaboard. That would also be the case if I go to Thailand. But I think that you've confirmed my suspicion: a Similan liveaboard trip may be a better all around experience - more fun. I'm a solo traveler in my 30s. In any case, thanks for you perspective that one place isn't drastically "better" than the other.

As a new diver living and working (not in scuba) in Kuala Lumpur years ago, I traveled with my family to spend a couple of weeks at a Maldives resort--this was right after my daughter and I were first certified--and while we were at the resort, my teenaged son was certified as well. I remember quizzing his instructor about the dive destinations he had most enjoyed, and that was the first time I even heard of the Similans in Thailand. The fact that a dive pro living and working in the Maldives (which as a new diver had simply blown me away) had been impressed with the Similans, so close to where I was living, instigated my first trip up here for diving. I wasn't disappointed, even in comparison to my trip to the Maldives just months beforehand. And I have to say that I still enjoy every trip I take to the Similans.

 

[threeopus3]

And yet, you live so close to the Similans, and you have those islands at your doorstep, but you've recently made a trip all the way to the Maldives. So there must be something pretty special about those islands.

 

[Luko]

I may have a different opinion on the three destinations.
I have been to Maldives once landbased on Male south atoll, to the Andamans once landbased in Havelock and to THailand... errh... probably 6 times or more, LOB or landbased.

Maldives, firstly I would have to say it was a big disappointment, very expensive and where everything is done to milk the customer (it's for instance customary to buy a dive package and then being asked to pay on top a 10€ "boat supplement" per dive...). Land wise it's a non-travel experience, like taking holidays in your hometown beamed on a caribbean island with no locals.

Maldives' big thing is the profusion of sharks and rays, I had a good visibility too but it depends on the period of the year, otherwise most of the sites I have dived where pretty mundane in terms of coral, hard and soft, and very short of fish variety compared to anywhere in south eastern Asia, though they could be packed with the same species (billions of blue triggerfish for instance).
Overall I stated that diving was much overrated, probably because european tour operators started the hype twenty years ago with the Red Sea, because they already had infrastructures ready, while "real" Asia was too far and too unknown for them.

Andamans' diving is very different, this is where diving is still like an adventure with 2 hours ride on noisy long tails. Masala tea and curry samosas in between the dives. Some dive sites are still pristine and you must push the fish schools to go forward (Dixon's pinnacle, Johnny's Gorge...). You should be sure to be the only dive boat on your site.
Vizibility is not that good, probably the least of the three, I found fish life was abundant, thicker in density but not as varied as Thailand, it lacked the macro fauna. Hard coral was excellent to outstanding on some sites (South Button), soft coral was good but not as colorful as in Thailand, though it might lack the number of charted dive sites.

Thailand probably host the most variety of the three. Coral, fish and even sites variety : there is littel to compare between Elephant head rock, Richelieu, East of Eden, Kingcruiser wreck or Anemone reef to name a few. Visibility can be Ok to excellent, 40/45m Maldives like. Most of the guides are very professional, the dive boats are usually very comfortable and Thailand in itself is a feast (countryside, food, massage, atmosphere...).

 

[Quero]

And yet, you live so close to the Similans, and you have those islands at your doorstep, but you've recently made a trip all the way to the Maldives. So there must be something pretty special about those islands.

Well, the first time I went to the Maldives, we didn't choose the destination primarily for the diving--we were seduced by the marketing imagery of sandy, donut-shaped atolls scattered in a cerulean sea. The second time, I was offered a great deal on a liveaboard and went for the big-fish dives. It was a good trip, but I doubt I'll go back--twice was enough.

 

[kiwidiver.com]

Firstly I haven’t dived the Maldives (too expensive for me) but I would have to agree with Luko on his comparison between The Andaman’s and The Similan’s.

I dived the Andaman’s a little differently because we sailed a yacht over last year and spent two weeks sailing, diving, snorkeling and exploring the islands before sailing back. So we dived all over the place not just the “regular” dive sites. It was a massive adventure and really nice to dive pristine untouched locations that probably had never been dived before.

I have also been lucky enough to dive The Similan’s many times and it is world class diving. It would be the best bet for guaranteed value for money and ease of diving. Having said that I would love to repeat the Andaman’s trip if I could.

 

[threeopus3]

Thank you so much for the answers, people. I'm happy to hear that Similans hold up as world-class diving, even if two of you who've answered are living in Thailand, and so are obviously biased. (Joking!) Honestly, that was just the information that I was looking for, cheers. Though I'm surprised that there wasn't more love expressed for the Maldives, even though I knew it was pricey, and suspected that there wasn't much to it other than diving (i.e. no curry, spice, culture or adventure).