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fishchaser · 12-08-2004, 09:02 PM,

Has anyone ever dove in the Similan Islands in Thailand? I may be able to swing a 3 day liveaboard (11 dives) while on a business trip to Singapore. Any comments or suggestions?

Thanks

divbum · 12-09-2004, 09:41 AM,

Great diving! I dove with Aquaone a few years ago. I normally go to the aquairum to see fish and the Great Lakes for wrecks. I enjoyed diving in Thialand. So if you have the chance make it happen it is worth it.

fishchaser · 12-13-2004, 11:30 AM,

Well, I booked the trip. Pretty exciting, as I will double my total logged dives on this trip! :o (can you say neubie?)

I also ebay'd a housing for my Canon A20, so I'll try to post some pix (if any turn out....suggestions how to improve my odds?) as well as a report on my return.

dfreeman · 12-13-2004, 08:21 PM,

If this is as early in your diving career as you indicate, go with Underwater Photo Rule #1 Do Not Drown.

Anything above this is gravy, you have to spend time underwater taking pictures to get good at it.

I have been to Thailand and it is great diving. Do not be afraid to slow down on the pictures and enjoy the dive. It is a blast to dive here.

Good Luck

Doug

Kirk · 12-26-2004, 03:13 PM,

I really hope this guy isn't over there right now. Khao Lak and Phuket got hit pretty bad by the tidal wave, as did Phi Phi and Krabi. My favorite diving over there is Pulau Weh, Sumatra, but I fear the worst for its residents and visitors.

fishchaser · (This post was last modified: 12-26-2004, 04:18 PM by fishchaser.)

Thanks, no....not yet. Leaving on the 4th. Trying to get a hold of the dive operator to see how things are.

For those that didn't hear:

Kirk · 12-26-2004, 05:47 PM,

If things are bad, which they very well may be, you might consider going elsewhere. The pacific ocean also has some good diving (in many cases much better than the Similians / Koh Surin / Richoleu Rock...though don't get me wrong Richoleu Rock is a lot of fun....). The Perhentians in Malaysia are really nice, though it may be the rainy season (though stay away from the Pacific Thai Islands further north.....Koh Chang (elephant island) -- good food and close to BKK, but boring and shallow diving.....Ko Samui -- reminds me too much of wisconsin dells without the water slides....Ko Tao -- cheap for learning and may have been nice a few years ago, ...today - trashed by thousands of open water students). Sabah, especially Pulau Sipadan is incredible, although a bit expensive (I may be biased, but I really like sea turtles). The Gili islands have good diving. Though I haven't been there, I understand Northern Sulawesi has some great diving (as good as Pulau Weh and Sipadan), and (for indonesia) cheap beer and direct flights from Singapore. Speaking of Signapore - check out Little India.. Really interesting neighborhood. The rest of the City (or is it a country) has great Chinese food, but no soul (although rather clean and orderly....It's a FINE city....no jay walking, no spitting, and put on that seat belt). - Have fun.

dfreeman · 12-26-2004, 06:50 PM,

You may want to look at Pattaya in Thailand as an alterantive. It is nearer to Bangkok than Phuket. It has good diving, but not as good as Phuket. I believe that this is the best time of year to dive this area. A lot of "day trips" from the Bangkok area go there as a water playground.

Check out

I contacted my friends in Phuket that I dove with January 2002. This is the message that I got:

"As you all heard in the news today, on the 26th of December a tidal wave caused by an earthquake in Indonesia hit Phuket. At this time the telephone system is overloaded and it may be difficult to contact friends and relatives. To our knowledge none of our guests where seriously hurt and all our divers are accounted for.

With best regards,
Your Dive Asia Team"

The Dive Asia group was a very good shop a crew and I wish them the best. The places that are mentioned in the news article are areas that I have dove. Patong Beach where 36 died is just north of where I stayed at Karon Beach. Patang Beach has a bay that is very much a horseshoe shape, this really increases the effects of a tidal wave.

Doug

Kirk · 12-26-2004, 10:18 PM,

I personally would avoid Pattaya. I'm sure it is a great dive shop, but frankly the diving near there isn't very good (there is much, much better diving closer to Singapore). The city of Pattaya is kind of annoying as well. Unless you are a fat middle age German male tourist looking to spend some time with a young girl or boy, there is not much to do. Don't get me wrong, Thailand is lovely. I've spent many months in Thailand. Pattaya, however, is...well....Pattaya.......

fishchaser · 12-27-2004, 09:26 AM,

Due to the short nature of my trip, I was only able to swing a short 3D/2N stay. I've previously checked out other locations, but flight availability (some locations are only every other day out of Singapore) and cost (my Singapore-Phuket round trip airfare is $92, versus $400-800 for other locations), and lastly schedule of other dive boats (most didn't have this short of a stay available), I've decided that it either has to be the Similans on South Siam boat, or nothing at all.

The good news is that I already heard back from my dive operator (Sunrise-Divers) and they said "All OK here. Your trip will not be affected." So I'll get to use a bunch of my Christmas presents after all!