Phuket and Phiphi

[Kim]

It's about time the big stuff apeared now. The last couple of years April has been the "big fish month". Personally I prefer the ghost pipefish

I like them too! I wouldn't have minded seeing a whaleshark, or lots of mantas like last year, but the ghost pipefish were really great. They are quite hard to get a good picture of, but this one isn't too bad:

 

[Batfish]

I wouldn't have minded seeing a whaleshark

Yeh, who are we kidding by saying we like the small stuff? EVERYONE wants a whaleshark dive, very few get one. That's a nice photo, though.

Kim, I'd be interested to hear your comments on the Colona VI compared to the Mermaid II. You can PM me or tell the world...thanks.

 

[Kim]

Kim, I'd be interested to hear your comments on the Colona VI compared to the Mermaid II. You can PM me or tell the world...thanks.

I'll be working up an in depth trip report over the next few days which will also have some comparison in it about that. Give me a little time!

 

[Traminer]

http://patongtimes.com

...Just in case anyone is in any doubt, this is not real news...

Was hoping someone caught me out... I love the headlines "THAKSIN CAUSES RAINSTORM IN PHUKET" :05:

Thanks for your help Batfish.. will keep the daytrips in mind. Got some other ideas that I'll bounce off you later. In the meantime, I may just stay indoors and bask in the lovely rain.

Hope the visibility is nice with all this rain right now. Looking forward to your report, Kim..

 

[Ringo]

Lovely pic Kim!

 

[MoonWrasse]

I like them too! I wouldn't have minded seeing a whaleshark, or lots of mantas like last year, but the ghost pipefish were really great. They are quite hard to get a good picture of, but this one isn't too bad:

That's a very different looking ghost pipefish than all those I saw around Phuket last month. Where did you see it?

Here is one fish I'd love to see in the wild:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:WeedySeadragon.jpg

 

[Kim]

That's a very different looking ghost pipefish than all those I saw around Phuket last month. Where did you see it?

This one was at Hin Daeng. We saw them in many places this year - Richeleau, Hin Daeng, Koh Doc Mai. They come in several colours as well. Was the one you saw transparent? If it was then it was a juvenile - they gain colour as they mature.

 

[Traminer]

Here is one fish I'd love to see in the wild:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:WeedySeadragon.jpg

Sigh.. looks like you'll have to go to Queensland or Byron Bay for those. They look like a beauty!

 

[MoonWrasse]

Sigh.. looks like you'll have to go to Queensland or Byron Bay for those. They look like a beauty!

I've only seen them on a Jacques Cousteau episode, diving down in the Tasmanian sea.
One of the most bizarre creatures IMO.

 

[nitronarc]

Thanks Vondo.. was reading your report religiously but wondered if there was feedback about the other dive ops in Phi Phi eg Hippo Divers.


For what it's worth, I did my open water, advanced, and spent about a week after doing fun dives with Hippo Divers on Phi Phi, and they were absolutely brilliant! I dived with several other operators in my time in Thailand (not on Phi Phi), and none made me feel as safe, confident and welcome as Hippo Divers.

That said, from chatting to people I met out there I think in general the standard of operators on Phi Phi is pretty high, and does not vary so much as on Tao for example, where some are pretty shocking. I've heard good comments on Phi Phi Scuba in particular.