Thailand: Surin Islands or Ko Tao?

We are planning a trip to Thailand the end of March/beginning of April
and we cannot decide whether to go to the West Coast or East Coast.

I've heard good and bad things about both ideas, and I just don't
know.

We are looking to dive, snorkel and just relax on a nice, relaxed
beach.

I've read some about Ko Tao and it sounds both interesting... and
unsure.

I feel like we'd be missing out on the Similans/Richleui if we don't
go there, but I'm terrified of spending 4 days on a liveaboard if we
end up hating it.

We'd like to keep the cost reasonable.

Recommendations?

Is there somewhere else that we haven't thought of?

-Thanks!

flowerpainter@hotmail.com (Darcy) writes:
> We are planning a trip to Thailand the end of March/beginning of April
> and we cannot decide whether to go to the West Coast or East Coast.

FYI, in case you aren't already aware, you'll be flirting with the
beginnings of the rainy season, but might be okay, and get a good
deal.
http://thailand-adventure.com/weather_calendar.htm

> Recommendations?
> Is there somewhere else that we haven't thought of?

Caveat: I have no first hand knowledge, but a dive master who used to
live there was talking with me about Thailand just last month, as I'll
be going sometime next winter...and he highly recommended the diving
in Phuket, and also Phi Phi island where the film "The Beach" was
made.

Pronunciation tip: Thai words spelled in the western character set
pronounce a "ph" as a regular old "p"--not and "f."

This will keep you out of trouble pronouncing Phuket. But you can
still have fun saying Phi Phi island. You go Phi Phi?

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

flowerpainter@hotmail.com (Darcy) wrote in message news:<d3eaf2a7.0403011235.5604bf4d@posting.google. com>...
> We are planning a trip to Thailand the end of March/beginning of April
> and we cannot decide whether to go to the West Coast or East Coast.
>
> I've heard good and bad things about both ideas, and I just don't
> know.
>
> We are looking to dive, snorkel and just relax on a nice, relaxed
> beach.
>
> I've read some about Ko Tao and it sounds both interesting... and
> unsure.
>
> I feel like we'd be missing out on the Similans/Richleui if we don't
> go there, but I'm terrified of spending 4 days on a liveaboard if we
> end up hating it.
>
> We'd like to keep the cost reasona
> Recommendations?
>
> Is there somewhere else that we haven't thought of?
>
> -Thanks!

I've ben to both, Koh Tao August 2002, Simlan/Surins December 2003.
IMHO the diving in the Andaman sea blows the Koh Tao diving out of the
water. Better vis, critters, corals, etc. But it's mostly liveaboard
access because of the distances involved. Koh Tao is a great place
to hang out but the diving is only mediocre compared with the West
Coast. We did a six day trip on the Colona VI and had a great time.
Tim

"Darcy" <flowerpainter@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:d3eaf2a7.0403011235.5604bf4d@posting.google.c om...
> We are planning a trip to Thailand the end of March/beginning of April
> and we cannot decide whether to go to the West Coast or East Coast.

(snip)

> Is there somewhere else that we haven't thought of?

You really might want to take monsoon season into consideration. While the
diving may be better on the West Coast, the weather is likely to be better
in Koh Tao.

I really enjoyed it there (though not all that thrilled with the diving) and
the prices were certainly right.

chilly wrote:

> I really enjoyed it there

I'm saving this for future use. :o)

Steve Kramer
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Five years, six months, one week, four days, 1 hour, 13 minutes and 25
seconds. 60631 cigarettes not smoked, saving $15,157.88. Time used for a
better purpose: 30 weeks, 12 hours, 35 minutes.


--
"The real voyage of discovery is not in seeking new lands,
but in seeing with new eyes!" Marcel Proust

"Steve Kramer" <steve@seatraveler.com> wrote in message
news:4045233E.41986C88@seatraveler.com...
>
>
> chilly wrote:
>
> > I really enjoyed it there
>
> I'm saving this for future use. :o)

I've said that before. :^) In fact, I believe I said as much right up
front in my trip report. Of course, that had little to do with the diving.
There were only two or three dives that I particularly enjoyed.

flowerpainter@hotmail.com (Darcy) wrote in message news:<d3eaf2a7.0403011235.5604bf4d@posting.google. com>...
> We are planning a trip to Thailand the end of March/beginning of April
> and we cannot decide whether to go to the West Coast or East Coast.
>
> I've heard good and bad things about both ideas, and I just don't
> know.
>
> We are looking to dive, snorkel and just relax on a nice, relaxed
> beach.
>
> I've read some about Ko Tao and it sounds both interesting... and
> unsure.
>
> I feel like we'd be missing out on the Similans/Richleui if we don't
> go there, but I'm terrified of spending 4 days on a liveaboard if we
> end up hating it.
>

For the season, you will probably find Koh Tao more enjoyable though
most people agree that diving is better on the Similans.

If you go to Koh Tao, I would recommend staying in Koh Nang Yuan
resort. It is established on a small island a few hundred meters off
Koh Tao proper.

The advantage (beside the beauty of the island) is that the owners
take good care of the island (no plastic bottles and trash laying
around etc), and that it is quiet.

There is a (good) dive operation on the island as well and the resort
is popular with divers.

That being said I have not been there for a few years so you may want
to get more recent info.

They have a website http://www.nangyuan.com/

Cheers,

Froggy

"froggy" <hub666@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7eef9eb8.0403030241.40ffa8da@posting.google.c om...
>
> For the season, you will probably find Koh Tao more enjoyable though
> most people agree that diving is better on the Similans.
>
> If you go to Koh Tao, I would recommend staying in Koh Nang Yuan
> resort. It is established on a small island a few hundred meters off
> Koh Tao proper.

It's a bit expensive for the area, is it not?
>
> The advantage (beside the beauty of the island) is that the owners
> take good care of the island (no plastic bottles and trash laying
> around etc), and that it is quiet.

It was pretty quiet where I stayed for considerabley less and I don't
remember seeing any trash laying about on their beach either. The other
upside to my location was I could easily walk all over Sairee Beach area,
and visit a few other restaurants and really get a feel for the place. I
also enjoyed some night life from time to time.

(snip)

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message news:<t%k1c.675764$X%5.628671@pd7tw2no>...
> "froggy" <hub666@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:7eef9eb8.0403030241.40ffa8da@posting.google.c om...
> >
> > For the season, you will probably find Koh Tao more enjoyable though
> > most people agree that diving is better on the Similans.
> >
> > If you go to Koh Tao, I would recommend staying in Koh Nang Yuan
> > resort. It is established on a small island a few hundred meters off
> > Koh Tao proper.
>
> It's a bit expensive for the area, is it not?

Probably, based on what you report. I never stayed in Koh Tao itself.

> > The advantage (beside the beauty of the island) is that the owners
> > take good care of the island (no plastic bottles and trash laying
> > around etc), and that it is quiet.
>
> It was pretty quiet where I stayed for considerabley less and I don't
> remember seeing any trash laying about on their beach either. The other
> upside to my location was I could easily walk all over Sairee Beach area,
> and visit a few other restaurants and really get a feel for the place. I
> also enjoyed some night life from time to time.

Clearly not an option when staying in Koh Nang Yuan. Now I will admit
that I was not a great fan of nightlife in Thailand's beach resorts,
but other people may feel differently.

That being said I would at least recommend going on Koh Nang Yuan for
a day, just for the beauty of the site. However, avoid the day a
cruise ship has launched a thousand lifevest-clad pseudo-snorkelers,
or the day the coast guards' ship has decided to purge its gas tanks
behind the island (after having sold all its fuel to the fishermen it
was supposed to monitor) ... all of which can unfortunately happen.

Cheers,

Froggy

Hi Darcy,
I'm just back from a diving holiday around the Similans and Phuket.
All the replies you have had (eg: Andaman Sea is superior to Koh Tao
diving and the weather at that time would be better in Koh Tao) are
corrct.
If I was you I'd go for the weather and book Koh Tao on this occasion
BUT prepare to go to the Andaman sea in Jan/Feb next year.
You don't have to do live-aboards if you don't want to,- there are now
fast boats to the Similans from Patong in Phuket for day dives. The
Flying Boat (hydrofoil) takes under 2 hours and you are back in Patong
after 2 dives in the Similans before 5pm. However, I and I know
others, prefer the catamaran speedboat operated by Kingfisher. It
takes a little longer but is not as uncomfortable as the hydrofoil and
you can get fresh air and a view which you dont get on the hydrofoil.
They even stopped the boat on the way back to Patong as we came across
a pod of 20/30 spinner dolphins ! You are more likely to get a bumpy
sea in April so i'd leave it until next year.
Some of Phuket's traditional day dives are still really good Anemone
Reef and Shark Point are beautiful. At Koh Bida Nok off PhiPhi we saw
optopus, turtles leopard shark, juvenile sweetlips etc all good and
covered from Phuket as daytrips by many companies. ( i would avoid the
boring King Cruiser wreck). I dived with Kontiki who were really good
and sharing a big comfortable boat with SouthEast Asia Divers.
As you will be underwater for only about 2 hours a day the weather is
all important hence my suggestion to go for Koh Tao but if you did go
for a liveaboard to Ko Bon and the Surins you will certainly have some
brilliant diving and fingers crossed the other divers on board are
good company.
Hope this helps.
Mike


flowerpainter@hotmail.com (Darcy) wrote in message news:<d3eaf2a7.0403011235.5604bf4d@posting.google. com>...
> We are planning a trip to Thailand the end of March/beginning of April
> and we cannot decide whether to go to the West Coast or East Coast.
>
> I've heard good and bad things about both ideas, and I just don't
> know.
>
> We are looking to dive, snorkel and just relax on a nice, relaxed
> beach.
>
> I've read some about Ko Tao and it sounds both interesting... and
> unsure.
>
> I feel like we'd be missing out on the Similans/Richleui if we don't
> go there, but I'm terrified of spending 4 days on a liveaboard if we
> end up hating it.
>
> We'd like to keep the cost reasonable.
>
> Recommendations?
>
> Is there somewhere else that we haven't thought of?
>
> -Thanks!