Last Minute Similan Liveaboard - Maybe not

As already posted there are fewer liveaboards going to the Similans and Burma this season. So I don't expect to see so many last minute offers this year.

Over the last few seasons canny divers who visit Phuket and Khao Lak regularly have come to know that it's quite possible to wait until the last minute to book your dive liveaboard and benefit from 10-20% last minute discount.

With fewer boats around this year (especially mid range) and booming pre-season bookings we expect to see far fewer discounts on offer. Some dive boat operators have even told us that they will not be offering last minute prices this year as a matter of policy.

There will always be spaces on low budget boats as long as you are a little flexible on your dates but if you have fixed dates, particularly at the height of the Phuket tourist season, we recommend booking soon to be safe.

Fewer Burma Liveaboards this season

Nautica Liveaboard to Burma

As well as there being fewer Similan liveaboards for this coming season there are also far fewer boats planning to dive Burma. Mermaid 1 has moved onto Indonesia. Saimai, FahYai and Giamani all plan to stay in Thai waters (except for private charters). So that leaves us with just MV Jazz (low budget Burma liveaboard) and Nautica (high budget Burma liveaboard) with set schedules for Burma next year.

The reputation of Burma diving has suffered in recent years. Burma used to be a destination for big sharks but most of those have been fished out now. Marketers selling Burma liveaboards on the promise of shark diving are deceiving their customers but that isn't to say that Burma diving is no good. Burma diving is excellent with amazing critter life, probably just as good as Indonesia diving. And it's not all small stuff. There are still a few sharks around, plus manta rays and if you are lucky squadrons of mobula rays. Plus on a Burma liveaboard that departs from Phuket you also get to dive the best of the Similans, Richelieu Rock and Koh Bon along the way.

One of the great things about Burma diving is that you are almost alone among the thousands of islands of the Mergui Archipelago. That will be even more true this season.

More info about Burma Liveaboards here
More info about Burma Dive sites here

Fewer Similan Liveaboards this year

Yesterday I wrote that Black Manta liveaboard is now diving in Indonesia not Thailand. She is not the only boat that has made the move. Also changing destinations are Queen Scuba, Mermaid 1 and Mermaid 2.

Why have these liveaboards moved from Phuket to Indonesia? For the past several years these dive boats were flagged in Thailand and dived the Similan Islands from November to May. During the Similan off season the boats would sail down to Bali and dive Komodo, returning to Phuket again in November for the new season. That was until the Indonesian government changed the law. They now require all liveaboards operating in Indonesia to sail with an Indonesian flag. So with Komodo and Raja Ampat diving becoming increasing popular with traveling divers all these boats decided to relocate permanently to Indonesia.

There are several implications to this move and it's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out. The competition for divers in Indo has now increased massively. The traditional Indonesian dive operators really didn't like the Thai flagged boats diving Komodo for five months of the year so I reckon they are a bit worried now that four more big and well run dive boats are going to be competing with them year round. (This is a case of be careful what you wish for as it was the Indonesian operators who lobbied the Indonesia government to only allow Indonesian flagged boats).

Pawara liveaboard - set for a good season in the Similans

A question in my mind is whether there is a big enough market for all these dive boats in Indonesia. I can see that the Komodo bookings are good but Raja Ampat is a different story. Sorong, Ambon, Alor are all harder places to get to than Phuket or Bali. More flights are involved on hard to book Indonesian airlines. Raja Ampat trips tend to be long and therefore only of interest to really dedicated divers. This is not the case with Phuket liveaboards which are usually just 4 days 4 nights but can be as short as one night. There is a much bigger market for short dive trips with more casual divers in Phuket and Khao Lak. Thailand also has so much more to offer traveling divers besides just diving. Certainly there are lots of dedicated divers around, especially in Asia and the diving is superb, especially for underwater photographers but only time will tell if all these new boats can make a success of Raja Ampat or if some will fall away.

What does this mean for Similan Islands Diving? The first thing to say is that the boats haven't left Thailand because of the quality of the diving. All the dive operators are committed to Thailand are have plans to build newer, better boats for the Similan Islands. However as yet only one operator has done so with the introduction of White Manta into the Similan liveaboard market.

So for this season at least we will be seeing fewer dive boats in the Similan Islands. This is especially true of the mid price range boats. This will benefit the boats that remain. I expect Pawara to have a very good season, as well as Giamani and Scuba Explorer.

There are still plenty of budget Similan liveaboards available, particularly departing from Khao Lak but divers wanting a mid range liveaboard with double bed cabins, en-suite cabins, nitrox, hot water showers etc need to think about booking earlier this year to avoid being disappointed. This especially applies around Christmas, New Year, Easter and Golden Week busy periods. We are already struggling to find spaces over Christmas.

20% Discounts on Indonesia Diving

Black Manta Liveaboard - Previously in Thailand, now in Indonesia

Black Manta was one of our favourite Phuket dive boats over the last few years but this year she has changed flags and now sails and dives in Indonesia. She is one of several liveaboards that have left Phuket this year (more on this in a future post) and we wish her well. The Komodo trips from August to October are filling up quickly. Then in October Black Manta moves round to Raja Ampat and there are discounts available on the transition trips. The trips have pretty exciting looking itineraries with the combination of world class macro diving at Alor or Ambon and diving the Banda Sea which is still a great place to see large pelagics.

The discounted trips are:
22-31 Oct 2011: Alor-Banda Sea-Ambon (27 dives) US$2,080 (reduced from US$2,600)
3-13 Nov 2011: Ambon-Banda Island-Raja Ampat (27 dives) US$2,400 (reduced from US$3,000)

More information here: Black Manta Indonesia Liveaboard

Black Manta will be replaced in the Similan Islands Thailand by a newer bigger dive boat White Manta. White Manta is already running dive liveaboard trips in Malaysia and getting good reports. As she hasn't arrived in Phuket yet I can't give a report but hope to see the boat before the season starts so I'll post a review then.

Thai Non Imm O (Marriage) Visa in Vientiane

As a follow up to yesterdays post on Vientaine some Thailand expats may be interested in how I got a non immigrant O visa in Vientaine.

It seems to be getting harder and harder these days to get a Non Immigrant visa for Thailand in a neighbouring country but with the right papers it's easy enough in Vientiane. I just got a single entry 90 day Non Imm O visa (I didn't need a multiple entry so I can't say if they are possible to get or not).

I turned up at the consulate at 8.30am on the dot, that's the time the consulate opens. It took my taxi about 20 minutes in morning traffic to get from the Mongkol (riverfront) hotel to the consulate. (Note that there is an embassy and a consulate in Vientaine and visas are done at the consulate. Even if you say embassy to a tuktuk driver he'll take you to the consulate). By the time I arrived the queue was already long so my ticket number was 139 and there were at least another 100 behind me, so arrive early. The queue took 3 hours to get to me. After I had submitted my papers there was a further 45 minute wait to make payment and collect a receipt.

I arrived with a pile of papers. These are the ones they took from me:
Completed Form (freely available inside the embassy, ignore the guys outside the gates)
Passport
Copy of passport
2 passport photos
Copy of wife's passport
Copy of wife's id card
Copy of wife's tabien baan
Copy of marriage cert in Thai and English
Copy of marriage registration dov in Thai and English
Copy of my son's birth certificate in Thai and English
A letter from my wife (in English and Thai) asking that I be granted a visa because I support her and my son.
Copy of my drivers licence
Copy of my bank book showing over 400k baht
All my wife's papers were signed by her, all papers were signed by me.

I'm not sure if you need all these docs but I had them just in case and the consulate took them. I also had photos of our family and our house and a map of our house location. These were given back to me.

The Visa fee is 2000 baht for a single entry and you collect the visa the following day in the afternoon from 13:00 to 15:00. People start queuing to collect their passports outside the gate at about 12 noon but it's not really necessary. I arrived at 1pm and got ticket number 107 and collected my passport within an hour, the queue moves quickly. There is no shelter from the midday sun or rain for those who queue outside the embassy.

I hope this is of use to someone. By far the biggest hold up on the day was muppets without the proper papers arguing with the embassy staff.

Interestingly the guy next to me at the counter was only after a tourist visa. The embassy official asked him conversationally if he was married to a Thai. He said he was and she asked where was his marriage cert? He said he only wanted a tourist visa but she handed him back his papers and said if he was married to a Thai he should apply for a marriage visa and if he didn't have the papers he would have to get a visa on arrival (just 15 days at the Friendship Bridge).

Another thing I noticed for tourist visas is that they say they require proof of onward travel from Thailand. Not sure if this is enforced but it could catch some people out.

Mini-break from Phuket: Udon Thani, Nong Kai and Vientaine

Sala Keaw Ku - Nong Khai

Udon Thani is a 90 minute flight from Phuket direct with Air Asia. From Udon Thani airport it's just 56km down a good highway to Nong Kai and the border with Laos. It's an ideal weekend getaway from Phuket and an option for Phuket expats doing a visa run. Flights, food and accommodation can all be had cheaply. The Isaan area of Thailand is visited by only about 2% of tourists so if you want to experience real Thailand away from the crowds it's highly recommended. Isaan people are friendly with a real sense of fun.

In truth there is not much to see in Udon Thani town, I would recommend heading straight to Nong Kai and getting a guesthouse/hotel close to the Mekong river front. The river is nice to stroll along or just sit at one of the restaurants to enjoy the delicious food. Try the Isaan specialties of Somtam (Green Payaya Salad) and Larb (ground pork/chicken/duck with chilli). Both are eaten with sticky rice and go well with cold beer. Isaan spicy sausages are also great snacks.

For sightseeing in Nong Kai you could hire a motorbike or bicycle and explore the countryside. A must see attraction just a few kilometres out of town is Sala Keaw Ku, a bizarre statue park. (A tuk tuk will take you there and wait for you for about 150 baht).

There isn't a whole lot of nightlife in Nong Kai, not by Phuket standards anyway. There are a few beer bars around the Rimkong Road that are a little tired. An alternative is the Riverside Country Pub by the Thai-Laos Riverside Hotel with has live Thai bands each night and gets busy with locals on the weekend. It's a good atmosphere. They also serve food. Nearby is Bar Nana nightclub.

For those on a budget the Ruan Thani guesthouse with air-con rooms at 400 baht is well located on Rim Kong road. It's close to the covered market and the riverfront restaurants. The staff are friendly, the wifi is free.

The Friendship Bridge from Nong Khai over the border into Laos is just a few km's out of town (50 baht in a tuk tuk). Many travelers skip Nong Khai and go straight from Udon Thani airport to the bridge. Be aware though that the bridge is not open 24 hours, it closes in the evenings (no one seems to know the exact opening hours). When you arrive at the bridge and check out of Thailand you jump on the bus that takes you across the bridge (20 baht) to Lao immigration. Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival for about US$35 and a passport photo. Taxis and tuk tuks will be waiting for you outside immigration to take you to Vientaine (get ready to haggle).

Vientaine Riverfront Park in the evening

Vientaine is a sleepy capital city. If you stay somewhere near the centre you can stroll around most of the attractions. There is not much to see, a few temples, monuments and the odd National Museum. The main draw is again the riverfront which comes alive in the evening when locals and tourists alike come out to walk and eat. Street restaurants spring up along the road at dusk enticing you in with the smell of grilled chicken (Ping Gai). Because the restaurants are on the opposite side of the road to the river you can't actually see the river while you sit and eat which is a shame.

If you like beer, you'll love Lao beer, one of the best beers in the world and cheap at 10,000 kip (40 baht) for a big bottle. Don't expect any nightlife in Vientaine though, the place is pretty much dead by 11pm.

Lao people are friendly. If you can speak Thai they will understand you.

I stayed at the Mongkol hotel at one end of the riverfront road. I was very unimpressed and wouldn't recommend it. It's old and musty and the road is currently being dug up making for a muddy walk in the dark in the evenings.

I applied for a Thai Visa at the embassy while in Vientaine and will post separately on that for anyone interested.

All in all an excellent short break from Phuket. Although I'm glad to have seen Vientaine I don't feel the need to go back, two days is enough. I preferred Nong Kai which as well as the river restaurants also had some places to go in the evening. Travelers who skip Nong Kai in order to get into Laos quickly are missing out. I may visit Nong Kai again, maybe in October for the Naga fireball festival.

Whale Shark at Phuket Shark Point

A whale shark was seen at Shark Point on 16 July 2011

MV SaiMai has just returned from an overnight charter from Phuket to Phi Phi with 5 happy divers from Singapore. On the way to Phi Phi on 16 July they dived Phuket Shark Point and spent nearly the whole dive with a whale shark. It even followed the boat after the dive!

In all they had 7 excellent dives in great weekend weather.

This is what the guests had to say about Saimai and the Phuket/Phi Phi diving:

"Hi Paul,
 
I still owe you some pics of the whale shark. I will be sending them over later on today. Thanks, we all had an awesome trip!! The boat was great, the food was absolutely amazing and Andreas was a great dive master, all the staff were really friendly. The dives were challenging but amazing. It was a short trip, but def exceeded our expectations :) we cannot wait to come back and do another trip. 
Seeing a whale shark so close and getting to interact with it was a once in a life time experience. I have to admit i was a bit scared but looking back it was amazing! 
 
Thank you so much for all your help organising. We will def recommend you to any of our friends and hope to come back soon :)"

SaiMai is perfect for charters of 4-6 divers.

Bali Komodo Diving

May to October is the time of year when Phuket Divers like to head away on holiday to dive.

Bali Sunfish

Some dive staff head off to Koh Tao to work, some move to the red sea. Increasing numbers are taking advantage to the cheap flights between Phuket and Bali and going to dive around Bali and Komodo.

Several liveaboard boats that operate in Thailand's Similan Islands from Nov-Apr are now plying their trade in Komodo. Black Manta, Queen Scuba, Mermaid 1 and Mermaid 2 are all now sailing under an Indonesian flag.

Reports back from the Komodo diving this year have been excellent. One friend's comment was "beg, borrow or steel the money for a trip but whatever you do go, I saw everything I wanted to see."

My favourite spot has to be Horseshoe Bay in Rinca Island. It's got great divesites like Cannibal Rock and in between dives you can watch dragons on the beach or snorkel with dolphins.

July-August is also a good time to see Mola Mola around Bali. They can be seen on Bali daytrips at Nusa Penida among other places. I also love the Liberty Wreck dive at Tulamben, just metres from the beach.

New Daranee Itinerary for 2011/12 Season (Similan or Surin)

MV Daranee Simila/Surin liveaboard

The vast majority of Thai liveaboards run 4 day 4 night itineraries. These trips dive mostly around the Similan Islands but also include a few dives at Richelieu Rock (best chance to see whalesharks) and Koh Bon and Koh Tachai (best dive sites for Manta Rays).

For the coming season MV Daranee has decided to try something new. From November to May you can choose to dive either:

3 days 2 nights (9 dives) in just the Similan Islands
or
4 days 3 nights (13 dives) in Surin Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.

The 2 night Similans only cruise will suit divers on a budget and short of time.

The 3 night Surin trip is is great if you just want to focus on seeing bigger stuff or if you've dived the Similans before. Not many boats really dive Surin, it is much less visited than the Similans.

Also, a special offer. If you book the Similan and the Surin trip you can have one night free accommodation between the trips in their Patong hotel.

Details of the Daranee schedule, itinerary and prices are here.

It's nice to see a boat operator trying something new and we think divers are going to like the new format. Daranee has always been a favourite of ours in the budget category.

Guaranteed Whalesharks in Phuket?

Although we always tell Phuket divers that whalesharks cannot be guaranteed in Phuket, that is exactly what one dive centre was doing yesterday. It's been a while since we've had so many whale sharks around in July. A good sign.

Looking north along Patong Beach Phuket

While in Patong beach this morning I took a couple of photos of the beach just to back up what I wrote yesterday about the great low season weather that we are having. These photos looking north and south show clear skies and a clean, uncrowded beach. Patong beach can get a bit too busy for my liking in the high season but in the low season (I think I'm supposed to call it Green Season now) Patong beach is kept clean and is great for walking or running on. There are still some people around and all the bars and restaurants are open for business so there is no feeling of the resort being closed down for winter.

Looking south along Patong Beach

Still on the Phuket weather, we've had no wind for a few weeks but anyone in to kitesurfing will be glad to know that there is a steady 15 knots blowing since Thursday. I was at NaiYang beach yesterday and there were 6 kitesurfers on the water and a few more setting up.

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Phuket Low Season Diving

For my first post on this new blog I thought I'd write about Phuket low season diving because it's something that we get asked about a lot and as Phuket becomes ever more popular as a year round tourist destination it's even more relevant.

A nice whaleshark pic to start this  blog  off.

From May to October the prevailing weather pattern is the south west monsoon which brings can bring wind and waves to Thailand's west coast. The Similan Islands Marine National Park is closed until late October because getting there by dive boat at this time of year can be rough. Surin, Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai are out of the question for the same reason. When people read this and also see the weather statistics for this time of year it puts them off diving Phuket altogether but the fact is that Phuket daytrip dive boats are running daily to local sites like Shark Point, Racha Yai, Racha Noi and Phi Phi Island. And the diving is great. Actually it is often better than in the high season because there are fewer boats with fewer divers on the boats. We see far more Leopard sharks at Shark Point in low season, they come pack to the reef when all the divers leave.

Ok there are days when it's raining and the sea is rough. It happens. Occasionally the boats get cancelled. But most of the time the diving is great. The last month has been like high season weather with sunshine and flat seas. And whalesharks are everywhere everyday at the moment. We saw 4 whalesharks on one dive at Koh Doc Mai last Friday! That's four different whale sharks not the same whaleshark four times.

People always ask us, isn't it better to dive Koh Tao or Koh Samui at this time of year. We always say no, the diving is better in Phuket at any time of year. This is a hard sell. Because we are in the business of selling Phuket diving people assume that we are not being completely honest. But apart from Chumphon Pinnacle and Sail Rock the diving in Phuket really is far superior all year round.

If you are interested in booking a Phuket Diving daytrip check prices here.