Diving in Thailand
Discussion
Hello all,
I have just got back from a holiday in Cyprus with the mrs and whilst we were away we thought we would try our hand at scuba diving. It was amazing!
It was just a beginners "give it a go" package really so we learnt the basics and dived for about 20minutes.
We are now planning to go to Thailand next year and do diving there. I have heard Ko Tao is a great place for us to do a PADI course. Does anyone have experience of great places to dive in Thailand?
Regards
I have just got back from a holiday in Cyprus with the mrs and whilst we were away we thought we would try our hand at scuba diving. It was amazing!
It was just a beginners "give it a go" package really so we learnt the basics and dived for about 20minutes.
We are now planning to go to Thailand next year and do diving there. I have heard Ko Tao is a great place for us to do a PADI course. Does anyone have experience of great places to dive in Thailand?
Regards
Firstly Koh Tao is a magic place, so just go whether you're diving or not 
Knowing, as I do, a few instructors & masters there you might find this interesting - they would generally say that there is better quality diving in the world (say the Phillipines), in terms of the wildlife you can see, but as a place to learn diving Koh Tao has it all. There is quite a lot of competition on the island and as such the standards of teaching are high. I would suggest Seashell Divers as a good place to start, simply because we stayed there a few weeks ago and two of my mates are instructors there. There is also Baans who are purportedly the biggest PADI instructor training school in the world, and they do beginner stuff too. But there are loads of schools there to choose from. I'd head back to Sairee beach in a shot.
(There's also a Swedish run restaurant called Papas Tapas who will do you an off the menu, 'chef showing off' 7 course dinner with drinks for 30quid each which you will remember forever).
Knowing, as I do, a few instructors & masters there you might find this interesting - they would generally say that there is better quality diving in the world (say the Phillipines), in terms of the wildlife you can see, but as a place to learn diving Koh Tao has it all. There is quite a lot of competition on the island and as such the standards of teaching are high. I would suggest Seashell Divers as a good place to start, simply because we stayed there a few weeks ago and two of my mates are instructors there. There is also Baans who are purportedly the biggest PADI instructor training school in the world, and they do beginner stuff too. But there are loads of schools there to choose from. I'd head back to Sairee beach in a shot.
(There's also a Swedish run restaurant called Papas Tapas who will do you an off the menu, 'chef showing off' 7 course dinner with drinks for 30quid each which you will remember forever).
Try contacting http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?h=0... his company specialises in diving holidays. Top bloke too (except he's a bit mental)!
Have you definately made your mind up about Thailand?
I was there (Krabi) in November last year, dived Shark Point, Phi Phi Islands, King Cruiser etc etc. Saw some leopard sharks which were great but overall the experience was a disappointment.
The divemaster kept saying how good the vis was, however I kept think how pants it was. My diving experience is limited, however I saw more more wildlife with much much much better vis when I was in the Seychelles in March last year.
Diving seems to be really cheap wherever you do it these days, so all I would say is make sure you really want to do Thailand first and better options aren't available to you.
I was there (Krabi) in November last year, dived Shark Point, Phi Phi Islands, King Cruiser etc etc. Saw some leopard sharks which were great but overall the experience was a disappointment.
The divemaster kept saying how good the vis was, however I kept think how pants it was. My diving experience is limited, however I saw more more wildlife with much much much better vis when I was in the Seychelles in March last year.
Diving seems to be really cheap wherever you do it these days, so all I would say is make sure you really want to do Thailand first and better options aren't available to you.
I'd concur to a certain degree with what has been said already. I went to Koh Tao in about 1986 and there were, if I recall, only three or four bungalow complexes on the entire island at that time, and no dive operators. We took the once a week ferry from Koh Samui (via Koh Phangan) with all our own tanks and compressors. While the diving was unspoilt it was not particularly exciting. Problem with the Gulf Of Siam is that it is not very deep, and has no fresh ocean currents to sweep clear water in every day, so viz is usually lower than on the west side of Thailand, and there is less biodiversity and less variety in the underwater topography.
The diving IS much btter on the west coast, BUT it is quite heavily developed now, and so there are lots of boats and divers on the dive sites, not as bad as the Red Sea, but not like it used to be in the "good old days".
However, if you are a beginner, then I would say Koh Tao would be a nice place to learn, with a great atmosphere and good food, scenery etc. I'd really not go to a "hot spot" to learn, you won't make the most of it, and you'd find yourself very spoilt for choice afterwards.
The diving IS much btter on the west coast, BUT it is quite heavily developed now, and so there are lots of boats and divers on the dive sites, not as bad as the Red Sea, but not like it used to be in the "good old days".
However, if you are a beginner, then I would say Koh Tao would be a nice place to learn, with a great atmosphere and good food, scenery etc. I'd really not go to a "hot spot" to learn, you won't make the most of it, and you'd find yourself very spoilt for choice afterwards.
Hello,
Yes my mind is made up on Thailand. We want to see other things whilst we are there, the diving is only part of the trip. I have been before a few years back. Amoungst other places i went to Koh Samui, but have to say i wasnt that impressed. Although the beach and the evening meals on the sand were lovely , the "strip" as such was tacky and reminded me of being on an 18-30's holiday on one of the greek islands.
What other islands or places in southern Thailand would you recommend? Im going with the mrs so want something a bit quieter and nicer than Samui.
Yes my mind is made up on Thailand. We want to see other things whilst we are there, the diving is only part of the trip. I have been before a few years back. Amoungst other places i went to Koh Samui, but have to say i wasnt that impressed. Although the beach and the evening meals on the sand were lovely , the "strip" as such was tacky and reminded me of being on an 18-30's holiday on one of the greek islands.
What other islands or places in southern Thailand would you recommend? Im going with the mrs so want something a bit quieter and nicer than Samui.
OK I cant (medical) dive but the kids do, I think Ko Samui is very limited, for everything, it is just so small, I've never been there for more than 3 days, and I get board with that.
My youngest did an introduction dive in Patong a few weeks ago, (we had driven up for Phuket bike week). The other kids learnt to dive in Krabbie, (Ray Lai bay) and had a great time. Ah Nang is also OK, good instructors/faculties, and as it is on the main land there is more to do and see the Ko S. Without doubt this is the best bit of Thailand, not as poplar with the package trade, but getting there fast. Having lived in Asia for 12 years my advice to everyone is Ko S is overrated.
You also need to consider the time of year as the monsoon is different times on the Andeam Sea to the Gulf coast.
My mates swear by Tioman Island in Malaysia, never been. Again avoid lankowi, was there again two weeks for the first time in 5 years what a boring place, Ok fro the weekend, but I’d be real upset if I travelled 20 hours to get there.
My youngest did an introduction dive in Patong a few weeks ago, (we had driven up for Phuket bike week). The other kids learnt to dive in Krabbie, (Ray Lai bay) and had a great time. Ah Nang is also OK, good instructors/faculties, and as it is on the main land there is more to do and see the Ko S. Without doubt this is the best bit of Thailand, not as poplar with the package trade, but getting there fast. Having lived in Asia for 12 years my advice to everyone is Ko S is overrated.
You also need to consider the time of year as the monsoon is different times on the Andeam Sea to the Gulf coast.
My mates swear by Tioman Island in Malaysia, never been. Again avoid lankowi, was there again two weeks for the first time in 5 years what a boring place, Ok fro the weekend, but I’d be real upset if I travelled 20 hours to get there.
Yup, Tioman and Aur are fantastic dive sites, also the Anambas Islands (but you will need to charter a boat to get there and it will take you 30 hours from Singapore / Malaysia!!!
However, if you are just planning on starting out and doing your PADI and first "real dives" then Koh Tao is fine.
If you get the chance though take a tive trip out to Koh Rok Nok, that does have clear waters and lovely reefs to dive on!!
edit cos couldn't spell Anambas!
However, if you are just planning on starting out and doing your PADI and first "real dives" then Koh Tao is fine.
If you get the chance though take a tive trip out to Koh Rok Nok, that does have clear waters and lovely reefs to dive on!!
edit cos couldn't spell Anambas!
Edited by XJSJohn on Wednesday 27th May 06:11
Did my Open Water on Koh Samui and found training of a high quality but the visibility pretty bad. I subsequently did my advanced out of AO Nang and that was amazing, visibility was very good and the dive boat great.
Tioman is on the list for later in the year as is Langkawi. Hope to mae it to Sibu (Philipines) early next year as I've heard the diving aorund there is very good.
Tioman is on the list for later in the year as is Langkawi. Hope to mae it to Sibu (Philipines) early next year as I've heard the diving aorund there is very good.
If you wanted to go to Thighland and do some decent "beginner" diving then I would suggest heading to Krabi. It is less developed than Phuket, and you have access to dive sites such as Hin Daeng & Hin Muang. Hin Muang is a superb dive (well, it was when I last dived it about 14 years ago, so they may well have knackered it by now, I don't know!), and has lots of lionfish.
I took this piccie there:
There's a huge range of hotel accommodation there, to suit any budget.
I took this piccie there:
There's a huge range of hotel accommodation there, to suit any budget.
thisislife said:
Hello,
Yes my mind is made up on Thailand. We want to see other things whilst we are there, the diving is only part of the trip. I have been before a few years back. Amoungst other places i went to Koh Samui, but have to say i wasnt that impressed. Although the beach and the evening meals on the sand were lovely , the "strip" as such was tacky and reminded me of being on an 18-30's holiday on one of the greek islands.
What other islands or places in southern Thailand would you recommend? Im going with the mrs so want something a bit quieter and nicer than Samui.
It depends on how much time you have. If you're set on Koh Tao then the easiest way down there is to fly to Samui. From there, there are some decent boats running between Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Companies include the Lomprayah (a catamaran service) and the Seatran (conventional hull boat). Lomprayah also run a bus from Khao San Road in Bangkok down to their pier at Chumpon. Very long, though.Yes my mind is made up on Thailand. We want to see other things whilst we are there, the diving is only part of the trip. I have been before a few years back. Amoungst other places i went to Koh Samui, but have to say i wasnt that impressed. Although the beach and the evening meals on the sand were lovely , the "strip" as such was tacky and reminded me of being on an 18-30's holiday on one of the greek islands.
What other islands or places in southern Thailand would you recommend? Im going with the mrs so want something a bit quieter and nicer than Samui.
http://www.lomprayah.com/E/route.htm
Koh Phangan is large enough to still find relatively unspoilt areas. Just avoid Haad Rin like the plague (the home of the Full Moon Parties). But even HR isn't as bad as Chaweng or Lamaii.
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