My husband and I are in the initial planning stages of a trip to Thailand and Cambodia. We have decided to include some time diving while we are there, and I am interested in opinions on where the best places to dive are.

If you've done a liveaboard, how long would you say is too long?

How have the Phi Phi Islands fared since the tsunami?

Has anyone dove Tarutao National Marine Park?

I'm sure I will have more questions, but I'll start with these!

The best places to dive will depend on the time of the year you are going. There are two differnt monsoon seasons in Thailand, depedning on which coast you are visiting. Do you have a time of the year in mind, or are you willing to schedule your vacation around the weather in a particular location?

Right now we are thinking about going in late Dec.-early Jan. It's the busy time, I know, but that's when we can take enough time off to go and do it right.

Our other option would be mid-August, but I'm not sure that would be the wisest time to go.

I'd welcome any advice you may have!

I just got back from Thailand and had the best diving experience to date (granted that my experience is very limited). I only dove 8 dives before going, so I was a bit nervous. But the warm water and great weather makes it really easy.
I went to Ko Similan and used a great diving company. I highly recommend them and would definitely use them again: www.similan-scuba.com
The great thing about this company is that their liveaboard stays at Ko similan all the time. There's a speedboat that goes to the liveaboard every day, so you can choose to do day trip -> 7 days long trip. You can start any day you want. Which is different than normal liveaboard where there's a scheduled sailing time which might not work with your schedule.

For diving on Andaman sea, the season is Nov-Mar. so if you're going in August, it won't work for you.

Thanks for the info. How long did you stay on the liveaboard? Can you tell me a little more about it? I'm not thinking I would want to do more than a couple days...but then again I've never stayed on one before!

August is definitely NOT our first choice of times to go, but we're just in the beginning phases of our planning and I am concerned about things being booked around Christmas.

Dec-Jan means you'll have great weather on the Andaman Sea side, which includes Phuket, PhiPhi, Krabi, etc, and Ko Similan mentioned above. You'll have a lot of options at that time of the year and on that coast - lots of diving companies!

Thanks, Kathie. Have you done a liveaboard? Not quite sure about it...but I understand it's the best way to see the Similans.

I also read the area around Phi Phi has really not recovered from the tsunami...is that true?

I didn't go to Phi Phi myself, but I talked to a couple that went about a week ago. They said that it was fine, it's recovered.

I only stayed 1 night on the liveaboard, I wished I stayed one more night now The only reason I didn't is because my ATM didn't work and this particular company only accept cash. There are 5 scheduled dives each day. The speed board arrives after #1. Day trippers get to do #2 and #3. Boat leaves after dive #3. If you stay aboard, you have a choice of #4 or #5 (both if you want to pay B1000 extra) and then you do dive #1 the next morning. So staying 1 night gives you the opportunity of 6 dives. For each additional night you stay, you get 4 more dives.
They have dorm style rooms on the first floor - which was OK for me - especially since there weren't that many people living on board. They also have "master cabin" for B1000/night extra. This one is on second floor, with a queen bed for 2 - much more airy. Some people just slept on top on the sun deck at night since it's warm and nice.
The diving was very nice. The boat move around from day to day, so you get to try different dive spots - repeat after 7 days.
They also have another speed boat that goes elsewhere for daytrips only. I didn't do this. For beginners, the liveaboard is better, I think. Each dive master get at most 6 people that they lead. And since I told them I was a newbie, she paid more attention to me, which made me feel better.
The food was pretty good and water/coffee/tea is free. You can also buy soda/beer with very reasonable prices on board.
I think it's a well run operation, operated by Germans. A LOT of Germans use them. On my first day, I was the only one that didn't speak German. But most Germans speak English. Most importantly, all the dive masters speak English.
Most importantly, the sights underwater is awesome. I'm kicking myself for not buying an underwater camera case for my digicam.

Thanks for all the good information! This is very helpful!

I have another question...what about your luggage? I cannot imagine the boat having very much room for luggage. Is there somewhere they keep some of it? We'll be away for 2-3 weeks, and I know we'll have at least one suitcase for scuba gear and one each for clothes...

You need to check in for the dive trip a day before the trip and it starts at 7am. Which means, you're staying in Khao Lak the night before. You should leave your luggage at that hotel because you would probably stay at that hotel the day you get back too. Remember, you can't fly within 24 hours of your last dive.

August would actually be a very good time to dive off the EAST coast of Malaysia or Thailand, i.e. the Perhatians or the Koh Samui area, which has some really excellent diving. Also, you can find good diving off Bali and Lombok in August, and those areas are very good for live boards, as you can get out to more remote areas. Remember that if you go to Phuket in December, that is THE high season and you will be paying top dollar for hotels, diving and flights.

I have done a number of private boat charters, not the larger tour boat liveaboards. I like living on the boats as (i) you can get to further and remote spots that the day boats cannot get to, (ii) you can do night dives very easily, (iii) you can usually fit more dives into a day than day trips. Even on the nicest private boats, I find 5-7 days is about as much as I can take, however, because it IS a boat and things are cramped, showers are brief, etc and you want to get on dry land. A short trip of 2 nights and about 3 full days would be pretty ideal. If you have 2-3 weeks you might break this up into several trips.

Private boat charter is more expensive, but you do get to set your own itinerary, and you can often get to a dive site before the big tour liveaboards arrive. I think you would find that the accommodations and food are much better too. It is also really, really relaxing. The answer to everything you want is always “yes”. However, if you are a new diver, and if you feel you would want a dive master, a private charter may not be for you, because you would have to hire your own as well, the boats usually do not come with one. If you want info on chartering in the Phuket area, I can provide some contact info. I have done charters in the South China Sea, i.e. off the east Malaysian coast, but not in many years so would have to get some reccos from Singapore friends for that.

East Coast of Malaysia gets my vote (Perhentians or Tioman). Amazing number of fish species.

Wow...all this info is very helpful.

Our plan is to do all our land travel first, then spend the last part of our trip diving. We're starting out in Thailand, making our way over to Angkor, then spending the rest of the time diving.

I'll have to do some research into diving in Bali...thanks again!

I feel I should mention that as you have 2-3 weeks, you might really want to consider going to Sipidan Island and the other neighboring islands off of the large island of Kalimantan (better known as Borneo). This is wall diving, and IMO is some of the very best in SE Asia. You don’t need to do a live aboard, and can get some really good diving experience here, the beaches and surrounding sea are also beautiful. It is a pain to get to, as several flights are involved and then a boat transfer, but as you have a good bit of time for this holiday, IMO it would be worth it. There are always dive masters at the resorts who can take you out. You can dive right from the beach or even your bungalow, which is not possible in Phuket or Bali. It may be a better choice than Phuket or Bali if you really want to get in some good diving. It’s really a place only for divers, there is nothing else to do, no shopping and no local culture.

When I last dived there, you could live on Sipidan itself, but as of 2005, they have turned the island into a preserve and you can no longer stay on Sipidan, you can only dive there; you have to stay on the neighboring islands of Kapalai or Mabul, which are about 15-minutes away by boat. The Kapalai Water Village supposed to be nice, kind of upscale (but it's not Aman or Four Seasons), take a look at http://sipadan-kapalai.com/. They have good diving there. There is a third island called Mabul which also has some resorts and good diving too.

A general website for information on diving in Malaysia is http://www.diveglobal.com/explore_de...a/malaysia.asp

I don’t know much about diving off the Cambodia coast, but I believe there are some sites there. You might look into that, it may be more convenient over all for the trip.

I cut off part of my post. Sipadan (that is the correct spelling) diving is best from late Jan and then Feb March and April. Summers and esp the fall months are quite rainy. You generally have to fly from KL, Hong Kong or Singapore to Kota Kinabalu (not sure about flights from Bangkok), then fly to the local airport in Tawau, then a drive and then a boat to the Sipidan area, so getting there from within SE Asia takes the better part of a day each way(not to mention the international flights). That is why it is a pain and really only makes send (i) if you have a longish holiday and (ii) if you are really intersted in diving because there is nothing else to do (although the snorkeling is excellent too and just chilling out with a book is always an option). You can also spend some time in the Kota Kinabalu area, i.e. climbing Kinabalu, seeing the rain forest, the "head hunters" and the orang utans.

There are two monsoons moving through SE Asia at different times of year, so when you can go will greatly affect where you should go. Take a look at weatherbase.com. This is vital for diving, as monsoon winds really affect the clarity and of course the drifts/currents.

I think I may need to clear something up...we are not spending the whole time diving. We are spending the last portion of our 2-3 week trip diving. Probably 5 days or so. I really would prefer to dive in Thailand instead of Bali or some other location. But those place will be kept firmly in mind for other trips!
I'm primarily looking for locations in the Andaman Sea.

Hello heymo, starting with your original post questions. 4 to 5 days I think, is the max for a liveaboard. You ask how the Phi Phi Islands have fared since the tsunami. Well I have visited 4 times since the tsunami and I can assure you that things are fine. Most certainly with regard to diving.

Can't offer any advise about Tarutao, but Dec/Jan will be great around Phuket, which of course includes Phi Phi.

With regard to liveaboard, I would definitely encourage you to consider Similan Islands. There are loads of tour options from Phuket and I would recommend a 4 day trip visiting both Similan and Surin Islands.

I can offer more specific advise if you wish,so please feel free to e'mail, or take a look at
www.leightravelclub.com
and follow the links on the Thailand page.

Thanks for the info Leigh...

I am just begining to compose a general itinerary. We had considered taking an organized tour, but really couldn't find one that fit all our travel wants. We want to visit Thailand and Cambodia, and dive. I just didn't feel like booking three different tours and HOPING there wouldn't be any conflict. I am somewhat intimidated by the process...just trying to decide where to go and what to do is overwhelming. It's our first time there...I WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING!

My extremely vague itinerary is as follows:

3 days Bangkok
3-4 days Chiang Mai
3-4 days Angkor Wat
5 days diving in Phuket or the Similans

Not sure how to get from Chiang Mai to Siem Reap, I'm sure there are places to stop along the way but I don't know what those are quite yet. I'd like to go to Tiger Temple, and would like to ride an elephant as well!

Am I alotting enough time in each place, and any suggestions between Chiang Mai and Siem Reap?

Your itenary looks fine.Adding more in between Chiang Mai and Siem Reap may be just too much.

One lesson we have learned after many years travel to SEA, is, on the homeward journey, get yourself back to Bangkok, just for one good nights sleep and to prepare for that awful flight home.
On our first visit to Phi Phi, we did the whole thing in one go and took around a month to recover!! It seems we can cope with anything on the way out and recover quickly,but that homeward journey can be very demanding.

Thanks, Leigh. Do you know of any companies that do private tours of Thailand and Cambodia reasonably? We took one in Egypt with a company called Gat Tours, and it was wonderful. I was hoping to find something similar, but so far have not had any luck.