Diving day trips out of bangkok

[TheFox]

Hi guys,

Anyone can recommend a shop doing daily day trips out of Bangkok, preferably with a hotel pickup?

I suppose destination would be Pattaya in most cases but I'm open to anywhere as long as I'm diving.

The only I could find by a quick search shows transfer to Pattaya at 1700BHT one way - quite the ripoff given that this is more expensive than a regular taxi, while the shop would be moving all customers in a single minivan.

Honestly I don't want the trouble of having to checkout from my BKK hotel, hauling everything to Pattaya, and then doing the same in reverse, for just 1 day of diving.

[NomadJoe]

There are no shops running pick-up as you describe from Bangkok. It's too far.

Generally speaking, Mermaids is the biggest with shops in both BKK and Patts, and they have a good reputation.

[h90]

Diving in Pattaya is not one of the best in Thailand and the dive shops aren't that good as well. The questions is if it is worth it.

[TheFox]

There are no shops running pick-up as you describe from Bangkok. It's too far.

Generally speaking, Mermaids is the biggest with shops in both BKK and Patts, and they have a good reputation.

Thanks Joe. That would explain why I couldn't find anything on the web.

Sad, I would have liked to mix in a day of diving in my BKK work trips.

[craigt3365]

Diving in Pattaya is not one of the best in Thailand and the dive shops aren't that good as well. The questions is if it is worth it.

I use to think that also. For sure it's not like the top dive destinations around the world, but it's not too bad. I was at one of the outer islands a few months ago and the water was very clear, corals were vibrant and there were even quite a few fish around. I was pleasantly surprised.

OP: you might consider taking the bus the night before and staying in a cheap hotel in Pattaya. Plenty around for 500B or so. Total cost would be some 800B and you wouldn't have to check out of your BKK hotel. Just a thought.

[h90]

Diving in Pattaya is not one of the best in Thailand and the dive shops aren't that good as well. The questions is if it is worth it.

I use to think that also. For sure it's not like the top dive destinations around the world, but it's not too bad. I was at one of the outer islands a few months ago and the water was very clear, corals were vibrant and there were even quite a few fish around. I was pleasantly surprised.

OP: you might consider taking the bus the night before and staying in a cheap hotel in Pattaya. Plenty around for 500B or so. Total cost would be some 800B and you wouldn't have to check out of your BKK hotel. Just a thought.

Last time I went, the dive companies didn't had many customer so they decided that it is very windy (in fact it wasn't) and went only to the near islands for 2 shallow dives.

There was absolute nothing. The only coral I saw were where the boat anchored and broke them.

It was so bad that I expected that someone apologize and hand out vouchers for a free future day trip....obviously that didn't happen.

Even with these few people on the boat it was in style like mass-production.

It seems that most of the scuba companies did the same on that day. So I don't know if any of them is better than the others.

But true the outer islands aren't that bad and the wrack is nice.

(The idea that the companies could speak together and go together on 1 boat instead of 5 boats, offer something better for the customer and make some profit / save diesel isn't realistic I think)

[cwdavi1]

Take a look at the meetup http://www.meetup.com/BangkokScubaDivingTravelClub/. The organizer, Alex, schedules periodic dive trips to Pattaya and other locations. The Pattaya dives are almost always to the far islands and the diving is worth it. When needed a shared van is arranged and/or members car pool. I've been a member of this group for about 2 years and highly recommend it.

Wayne Davis

[kbelyeu]

I've found this company but never used them:

http://www.thewildplanet.com/scuba/daytours/

I would also suggest you consider going a little farther like Koh Samet and stay one night on the island then you could do a couple evening dives, morning dives the next day and transfer back to Bangkok by bus.

Regards,

Kurt

[PhuketdashScuba]

Why don't you contact Seafari, sponsor of the forum and operating in Pattaya.

[thenamesisbond]

Hi

I am not aware of anyone running regular trips form Bangkok. I am a co-owner in Seafari dive centre and i don't know why h90 feels he/she can say the dive shops is Pattaya are good. Nearly all the shops I know are very well run and work hard to ensure customers are looked after. They can only dive on the available sites - at Seafari we nearly always go to the far islands if the weather allows - although sometimes we will go to the near islands to dive the wreck or for our seahorse courses which are best on the nr islands.

At Seafari we are offering a free nights accommodation at the Tarra Court hotel fro every days diving with us - so long as booked in advanced.

[h90]

Hi

I am not aware of anyone running regular trips form Bangkok. I am a co-owner in Seafari dive centre and i don't know why h90 feels he/she can say the dive shops is Pattaya are good. Nearly all the shops I know are very well run and work hard to ensure customers are looked after. They can only dive on the available sites - at Seafari we nearly always go to the far islands if the weather allows - although sometimes we will go to the near islands to dive the wreck or for our seahorse courses which are best on the nr islands.

At Seafari we are offering a free nights accommodation at the Tarra Court hotel fro every days diving with us - so long as booked in advanced.

First of all, the dive shop I went was not Seafari. I actually never went with you guys. So definitely I am NOT complaining at your business.

As well I never saw any badly serviced equipment or oil in the air in Pattaya (but saw this in several other dive shops) so all good on that.

The wreck is also good. But I have seen DC go to the near islands to safe fuel with the excuse of wind, even there is none. Or having 5 open water students and 1 experienced divers so 2 dives on the near islands.......

Again: Such things may never happen with Seafari...but they do happen with others, I have a couple of bad experiences.

Btw. for Expats maybe a deal like go 5 daytrips get one for free or something similar might be a good idea?

Btw2: do you go the other places...close to Satthahip? Don't know if they are good or not?