Thailand in february??

[jopperdepopper]

Hi,

I'm leaving for Thailand in february. I hope to travel around for several months, and because of that, I've not had too many season/monsoon considerations, yet...

But feb. is approaching, and I have to decide where I want to go to from Bangkok. I'm looking for a place to relax and unwind, and do some diving. Diving doesn't even have to be top-of-the-list or totally amazing, an OK operator would be cool...

I was thinking about Koh Chang, but I don't really know how the weather is overthere?
Any tips or suggestions?

Thanks,
Job

 

[jiveturkey]

There are 2 Koh Changs. I'm not certain what the diving is like at either of them. I would assume that the one south of Bangkok is affected by the monsoon and that the one one the west coast would be good weather wise.

 

[jopperdepopper]

I guess that would be Koh Chang south-east of Bangkok, towards the Cambodia border...

As I've never been there before, and am still in the 'Thailand for Dummies'-phase, I don't really know what the monsoon means... is it pouring days on end, or an hour of rain and some wind every day, and I don't know how it affects diving...

 

[milktrayman]

Pattaya's dive sites are good... Koh Samet has some average sites but then again it has beaches

 

[Thaidiver]

February to end of april the west coast is the place to be. Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi for the chill out factor, Similan islands for the diving. Monsoon generaly kicks in around end of may on the west coast & get some heavy showers but rare that it rains for days on end. May to october is the east coast high season & should be good weather but the diving is average at best.

 

[drbill]

Watch for the differet monsoon cycles in the Gulf and the Andaman Sea. I dove both of these regions (Koh Tao and Koh Phi Phi) in February-March and had good weather in both areas.

 

[jiveturkey]

I guess that would be Koh Chang south-east of Bangkok, towards the Cambodia border...

As I've never been there before, and am still in the 'Thailand for Dummies'-phase, I don't really know what the monsoon means... is it pouring days on end, or an hour of rain and some wind every day, and I don't know how it affects diving...

It rains everyday but only for a few hours. Dives may be cancelled because of winds but worse, the vis will be bad. If you're going to dive, don't miss the opportunity to go west. The diving there is far superior anyway in my opinion.

 

[danno]

Pattaya is a good place to dive, it has some good wrecks that are in 25-30 meters. Excellent nitrox dives but easy on air as well. Outer islands are good for corals and reef fish, fair chance to see sea horses and near islands have fair chance to see some turtles.
Now through April is Similans, Phuket, Krabi etc down south, don't miss that but Pattaya is only 2 hours from Bangkok and worth the trip.

 

[istin]

..is not the best choice for diving.
Only small stuff and sometimes visibility is under 5 m.
Better diving on the west coast, Similans, around phi phi, south.

 

[Batfish]

Try Koh Lanta. Relaxed. Quiet and has the advantage of being close to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang - 2 of the best dive sites in Thailand.