Hi people,

Does anyone here have any experience in diving from Chumphon rather than Tao? Much quicker/easier to get to from BKK for short breaks and seems like it has the potential to be much less busy. Same water after all, no? I'd love to hear recommendations for any good dive shops/resorts?

Cheers.

The diving is fantastic in Chumphon. Some of the best diving around these waters. Chumphon is also a great place for a weekend. It has some fantastic beaches, cheap bungalows and very friendly people. There is a resort called Cabanna at Thung Waelen beach.link here

http://www.cabana.co.th/

A very nice resort though pricey for what it is. You can always get a bungalow a little further up the beach and just use them for diving ? They run trips out to the dives sites there. You also get to see the island where they collect the birds nests. Small bungalows perched on the rock faces. Stunning. When I was living there and diving we regularly saw 4-5 turtles a dive. Some nice pinnacles and lots of big fish. I remember leaning over the boat to tie onto the mooring line one day just as a 7 metre whaleshark cruised up to the boat and spent the next hour swimming around us.The bonus is most of the time you are the only divers in the water unlike some of the sites on Tao. There is also some fantastic freshwater diving an hour further south. Stunning scenery and some great caves and it makes a change from the warm waters of the Gulf. I'm sure you will enjoy your trip

Sold! Thanks for all the detailed info, somehow never managed to see a turtle in Thailand so that's an extra reason to go. If you happen to recall the names of any decent bungalow places on the beach so that I could call ahead, it would be welcome.

It sounds like you know the waters pretty well, any other tips manageable as a weekend away from BKK? It's always been Lanta or Tao up to now.

Thanks again, big help.

Try Kao Lak next time, they have day trips to the Similan islands in season.

If you fancy some amazing freshwater diving try Koh Sok. A beautiful place to stay and the diving is unbelievable. I'm hoping to get there next month to do my Tri Mix. I posted about the freshwater diving with some pictures in the diving section if you want to have a look. The link is here

Enjoy

Sounds pretty spectacular. Wonder if there similar cave networks elsewhere in the country? It's got me in the mood for an afternoon dip in one of the Bangkok khlongs.

Just went to Chumphon for the first time a few weeks ago, tried cabana and another diving company owned by a french guy. I waited to dive for 2 days but no one else there who wanted to dive, so did not get to go. Nice place, but very quiet and not much to do. When is the high season in Chumphon?

Just went to Chumphon for the first time a few weeks ago, tried cabana and another diving company owned by a french guy. I waited to dive for 2 days but no one else there who wanted to dive, so did not get to go. Nice place, but very quiet and not much to do. When is the high season in Chumphon?

beside the Cabana and the French guy there is this German guy: http://www.divechumphon.com/