Thailand Diving Close to Bangkok - Pattaya - Mermaids? Real Divers? Please recommend?

[drdaddy]

I am from the USA/Oregon (cold murky Pacific NW waters). We have been planning some medical work in Thailand for some time. Our M.D. daughter's family is in Bangkok for one year and her husband is doing academic research through Thammasat University. We are going over for a couple of weeks in April. Our time over there is not about diving or we would go to Phuket (SB's loss of Marcia, RIP, is still hurting). I am looking for a day trip from Bangkok to (probably) Pattaya.

I'm an experienced diver - year around cold-water w/7mm wetsuit, with also warm water dives in Red Sea Israel & Southern Japan. My son-in-law is a very inexperienced diver who got his Padi open water certification 7 years ago in the Red Sea Israel and has not dived since. I really want to get my son-in-law back in the water with some professional supervision. I am considering paying extra for an instructor to go along for some refreshing for my son-in-law. I do not want him just jumping off a boat with a group of people (I'd love this, but not this trip). He needs some real refreshing. I am willing to dive at any level. I've seen plenty of stuff over the years and I just want to get wet, wherever I go. And my 33 year old son-in-law wants to come along and I want him safe - and prepared for future dives. He's not ready for Advanced Open Water and he does not have the time now, but that could come later depending on the experience we give him.

Because of the nature of our trip is not tourism (at this time), all we really have time for is a couple of day dives. We would need to be picked up (probably around Thammasat University). We need:

1. Transportation from Bangkok and back
2. Good equipment (though I may bring my own Reg, Computers, Mask, Fins, and BCD)
3. Dive Instructor (not a divemaster/instructor in training) for personal refresher lessons and guide
4. And a couple of dives
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I have received some information about Mermaids and Real Divers. Do you have any recommendation about these shops or any others?

Thank you for any help.
​

 

[limbo]

A good idea and a good way to go about for your son-in-law. Why don't you complete a scuba review with him in Bangkok before you go out to Pattaya, that may be a very good refresher and will set him up with a bit more confidence once on the dive in Pattaya.
For what you're planning, the near islands or possibly the far islands (slightly better viz) should work just fine.

With regards to pick ups, the PTY (=Pattaya) dc's won't transfer you from Bkk (=Bangkok). You will have to make your own way, easiest probably to rent a car or get a cab/taxi. Should be approximately around 1,500.-THB each way by cab.

Since I dived a lot with mermaids, I can recommend them, others on here may recommend Real Divers, but I have no personal experience with them, yet.

 

[Wandersome]

While I enjoyed diving in Pataya, there appears to be only a few dive spots there. Most of them are advanced if I recall. I may be wrong.. I was only there once... You may want to check.

 

[drdaddy]

A good idea and a good way to go about for your son-in-law. Why don't you complete a scuba review with him in Bangkok before you go out to Pattaya, that may be a very good refresher and will set him up with a bit more confidence once on the dive in Pattaya.
For what you're planning, the near islands or possibly the far islands (slightly better viz) should work just fine.

With regards to pick ups, the PTY (=Pattaya) dc's won't transfer you from Bkk (=Bangkok). You will have to make your own way, easiest probably to rent a car or get a cab/taxi. Should be approximately around 1,500.-THB each way by cab.

Since I dived a lot with mermaids, I can recommend them, others on here may recommend Real Divers, but I have no personal experience with them, yet.

Thank you very much Limbo. This is the kind of information that I have been looking for - namely someone who has experienced either Mermaids or Real Divers personally.

About my son-in-law's confidence. I'm not so worried about this, as I am about his safety. A number of times I have been asked by our LDS if I'd mind someone going with me/us on a jetty dive - and when out with me, it is very evident that they should not be diving alone in open water. I'm patient, but I should not be helping them with mask issues, weight issues, grabbing them (or their BC air dump) in a tidal area. I'm actually relieved that they came with me.

In the case of Pattaya - who knows, maybe I'll have weight issues (since I haven't been diving warm water for some time) - but I do know how to recognize and remedy issues when they come. It's just better to have an "expert" along. Since we only have a day, my thought is to hire an Instructor to review and go along on a dive or two of the Instructor's choice. We will do our real dives at some later date, but we have only a day to get wet.

I sent an email to Mermaids and Real Divers - but so far have only heard back from Real Divers.

I appreciate the heads-up about the transportation issues. Real Divers mentioned this as well and suggested a motel, but I'm looking into a taxi and we'll leave Bangkok early.

I am hoping to hear from more SB friends.

Thank you again.

---------- Post added December 15th, 2013 at 04:18 AM ----------

While I enjoyed diving in Pataya, there appears to be only a few dive spots there. Most of them are advanced if I recall. I may be wrong.. I was only there once... You may want to check.

Thank you Wandersome. I certainly do not want an advanced level dive - I will make it very clear the experience of my son-in-law and the level of dive we are looking for. That is a main reason I'm asking for recommendations - I want a trustworthy dive operation.

With who and where did you dive and what was your experience?

 

[Wandersome]

I dove with Mermaids. I thought they were great but have since started diving in Krabi Ao Nang with Poseidon Dive Center. All I've done in Thailand is Boat dives. Pataya seems to dive wrecks mostly and they are pretty deep. I'd have to check my dive log for more info. When I say advanced I may use the term wrong. It seemed like we dove the same 5 or 6 locations for the whole week. They may have other dives during the high season. I would not want to discourage you from diving there based on my one week. Only to check out the dive locations prior to going. I heard on this site that there are many dive shops in Pataya and that many use Mermaids boats. I found Mermaids a great operator overall but others have had noted not so positive encounters. Good luck and Good seas!

 

[limbo]

The Hardeep wreck is deep and advanced diving, the inner or outer islands near PTY are fairly shallow and easy dives and not really 'advanced'. Expect fairly low viz on all dive sites, unless you get lucky as some daft punks once said.

 

[lord khram]

While I enjoyed diving in Pataya, there appears to be only a few dive spots there. Most of them are advanced if I recall. I may be wrong.. I was only there once... You may want to check.

There are lots of dive sites around the Pattaya /Samae San islands, the vast majority of scenic dives are at depths of 5-15m and suitable for novice divers, the two original wrecks HTMS Khram & Kood are both around 23m to the deck, 30m to seabed and both can catch strong currents and indeed are only suited to Adv divers. There is now a further wreck that I believe is in shallower water but have no personal experience of this one.
With regards to visibility, if you expect 5m you will not be disappointed, in many cases I have experienced significantly less than that, but unlikely this time of year. Rainy season is over and the coming period is generally the most settled weather, couple that with reducing water temperatures, and we are entering, in my mind the 'best' time of year to dive Pattaya so you could be lucky and get better than the 5m I previously stated.

---------- Post added December 16th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ----------

It seemed like we dove the same 5 or 6 locations for the whole week.

This is a big failing of most Pattaya shops, they all simply seem to dive the same few dive sites regardless of conditions, or how many times they take individual customers to the same locations. There are many more than the 5-6 dives you experienced.

In my experience of Mermaids, everything is geared up to suit their Internship divers / IDC students, and the requirements of day diving customers come second. Interns are often more concerned about their own 'jollies' rather than the customers assigned to them. Understandably so, as they themselves are paying customers, and from the DC's point of view, internships are their core business.

---------- Post added December 16th, 2013 at 12:20 PM ----------

I sent an email to Mermaids and Real Divers - but so far have only heard back from Real Divers.

I appreciate the heads-up about the transportation issues. Real Divers mentioned this as well and suggested a motel, but I'm looking into a taxi and we'll leave Bangkok early.

I am hoping to hear from more SB friends.

Your response from RD will most likely be from one of the owners, they are quite 'hands on' and get involved with their customers. They do genuinely seem to want their customers to get the best from a days diving. They will also be most likely to help with any transport / acommodation issues. They also used to organise private days on a speedboat tailored to suit individial groups, but obviously that would involve additional cost.

As Limbo said, taxi's are relatively inexpensive, also there are a lot of acceptable cheap acommodation should you decide to travel to pattaya the previous day.

 

[limbo]

Leaving BKK later afternoon or early evening and stay a night in PTY would be my preferred option, plenty of cheap hotels and good restaurant options in town. In case you go for this option, maybe opt for Jomtien over PTY itself.

 

[lord khram]

Leaving BKK later afternoon or early evening and stay a night in PTY would be my preferred option, plenty of cheap hotels and good restaurant options in town. In case you go for this option, maybe opt for Jomtien over PTY itself.

Yes, by far the better option, this time of year Pattaya can be very busy, lots of Thai tourists now visit Pattaya around April for Songkran, as a result most of the better budget acommodation will be pre booked. Also both shops being discussed are located in Jomtien. In general Songkran will be best avoided from around 14th to 19th. In Particular on the 18th & 19th it is virtually impossible to do anything in Pattaya other than get drunk and throw water.

 

[daz88]

You might want to try and go different dates if possible, Songkran is crazy! Fun, but crazy. Another vote for Jomtien. Much nicer than PTY. I dove with Mermaids and had no issues with them. Wasn't great, but wasn't bad either. I remembered the lunch was great! If they reply to you, ask them their schedule for the week. They usually have the dive sites planned out for the week. Although it can change because or weather or whatever.
Taxi is super easy to get to PTY, and not real expensive. If you can spare a couple of days, head to Krabi area and dive there. You can catch flights from BKK for under 5000 baht roundtrip.