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Home » Reader question » Reader question: Diving and snorkeling in the south of Thailand
Reader question: Diving and snorkeling in the south of Thailand
Dear readers,
We plan to return after 6 years for a holiday to Thailand. Visited the middle and north at the time. Now we want to go to islands in the South of Thailand, where we want to snorkel and dive.
Now I read that relatively many Muslims live there. Absolutely no problem with that, but we just don't want to go to areas in Indonesia where we are bothered by the noise of the mosque (especially early in the morning).
Can you tell me if there are any islands where we don't see them? And which islands do you recommend where the underwater world is beautiful for snorkeling and diving?
Regards,
Jeanette
Have visited Phuket, Phi Phi and Krabi myself in recent weeks and there are several different beaches at each location, but despite the fact that snorkeling is praised everywhere, it was not possible due to the waves. Whether this is due to the season, that I visited exactly the wrong beaches or that you simply really have to book an excursion to get to the right locations, I don't know. Of course it could also just be a sales pitch, but the fact is that my newly purchased snorkeler from Decathlon is still unused….
I have been to Thailand many times and as a diver I can recommend this country. Many, many, many organized diving trips depart from Phuket to different locations. Usually overcrowded at the point of arrival in the open sea. However, you should not be in Thailand for snorkeling. There is no nice snorkeling spot anywhere from the coast, no matter what people say. For snorkeling you also have to go to those places by boat. You can forget everything that is said and shown about snorkeling places from the beach. Nice sales talk, don't let anything fool you. Phuket does not have a nice snorkeling location anywhere (too many people everywhere, so no coral or fish). The only place where there is something to see is Koh Tao, but everyone knows that, so a lot of people, but still beautiful. If you really want to snorkel you have to go with the boat. Have fun in otherwise beautiful Thailand.
Koh Tao has more divers than fish. It is popular because of the extremely cheap diving courses it offers, not because of the quality of the diving.
You can certainly enjoy snorkelling in many places, including Phuket, where I am best known (I have a diving school there for more than 15 years).
Our son was also there in recent weeks and he also said that there was a lot of waves. Is also still rainy season with the accompanying storms
Hey Jeanette, you can also choose the other side of the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodia side.
Koh Chang, for example, is ideal for a beach holiday.
You will hardly encounter any Muslims there…
For diving and snorkeling, however, it is best to go with the boat.
From the side you don't have that many suitable places.
But you already have day trips there, including lunch and snorkeling equipment for +/- 500 Thb.
You have dozens of providers and / or diving schools for this.
They depart every day from Bang Bao, on the south side of the island.
They can handle a bit of rough weather though. In strong winds they take you to the sheltered east side of Koh Rung where you can snorkel without any problem, even if there are waves up to two meters elsewhere.
If you are already a certified diver you can also do wreck diving.
The most famous wreck there is the HTMS Chang.
https://www.facebook.com/KohChangWreckDiving/
Have fun…
Hello Jeanette… you will find the most beautiful water at Similan and Surin islands… but don't go with an overcrowded speedboat, a waste of your money….Take a look at the Snorkling Thailand site for a lifeaboard.
3 or 4 days and nights with a small group on a boat ... really SUPER !!
Lots of fun !
The period determines suitable weather (and therefore waves). The location is also very different.
My experience is that in December and January the west coast, Andaman Sea is usually calm. Islands where we had good experiences are Ko Racha, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Kradan and Ko Lipe. I'm not ruling out other places. We haven't been everywhere yet.
From Phuket or further north, for example Khao Lak, you can go snorkeling by speedboat to the Simulan Islands, Ko Surin, or Tachai. Definitely worth it, but not cheap, and the sailing is long and bumpy! Just take 1h30 to 2 hours, and the same back to the coast.
We did this on a 3-day liveaboard, which is often offered by diving clubs. 4 to 5 dives a day in the (in my opinion) most beautiful area of Thailand.
The Gulf of Thailand, on the east coast, only becomes really quiet from mid-February. Ko Tao has several bays where you can snorkel. Rent a motorbike to get there, but drive very carefully. Taxi is abnormally expensive there. Diving clubs are present in large numbers.
Off the coast of Pataya we once stayed for a few days on Ko Lan. The water was clear there, but I can't understand why we saw almost no fish.
Never snorkel with those big masks from the Decatlon. Those UFO masks, where you don't have to use a mouthpiece... People have already lost consciousness and drowned due to prolonged re-inhalation of exhaled carbon. This phenomenon is discussed in a diving course.
Koh lipe . deep in the south, good snorkeling and diving opportunities, and entertainment on the island and many restaurants
However, the question concerned the Muslims in the south.
As far as I know there are no noisy mosques in puhket
I'm going to Phket for the 4th time in November. I go there to dive. I have done liveaboards to South Andaman and similans really great. I can recommend it to you. Certainly not with a speedboat for a day. costs a lot of money and you have 2 short dives.
from Rayong an hour by boat to Koh Phayam, a not yet very touristy island without cars, and there you can book a reasonably priced live aboard to the Similan Islands. Just google it yourself!
sorry, Rayong should be Ranong of course!!