MV Oktavia improvements and itinerary change

MV Oktavia Liveaboard

The weather in the Andaman sea is perfect at the moment. The sea is flat and the sun is shining. The forecast for November is for more of the same. So with that in mind MV Oktavia have added Richelieu Rock and Koh Tachai to their 4 day 4 night trips in early November. Previously these trips were only going to dive Similans and Koh Bon.

The trip dates are 4-8 Nov, 9-13 Nov, 14-18 Nov. All the trips are confirmed and have some space still available. The diver price is 21,500 baht.

I was on Oktavia last week for a look around. She's got an improved dive platform, a shiny new dingy and some new sun loungers. She's been completely repainted and all the soft coverings has been replaced. She's looking good. The crew are the same as last year with Bernie as tour leader.

More Oktavia details here

Phuket Teen Dancercise Contest, Jung Ceylon Patong Beach

I was in Jung Ceylon shopping centre, Patong Beach with the family yesterday and took a couple of videos of this contest promoted by the Thai Princess as part of her To Be Number One campaign. It seemed to be a contest between schools from all over Thailand and some of them were very good.

Jung Ceylon always has little events going on, I'm sure they'll have something for Halloween tomorrow. There is a nightly sound and light show in the central open air arena and there are loads of good restaurants to eat at in the day and in the evening.

Jung Ceylon also has a cinema with 4D shows, a magic theatre (Joe Conrad the illusionist) and a nightclub (called Famous nightclub). It has it's own brewery (hidden away behind the Junk boat) and a 16 lane bowling alley. It is also attached to the Millenium hotel.

MV Hallelujah Blessed

MV Hallelujah was blessed by a Buddhist monk on it's relaunch this week.

I hope he prayed for Manta Rays and Whale Sharks.

World's largest solar powered boat at Phi Phi dive site

Turanor. Photo: planetsolar.org

As I surfaced from a dive at Koh Bida Nai on Saturday I saw this beautiful boat, named Turanor, about 100 metres away. It has such a low profile that it was hard to see it from sea level with a slight chop on the water but back on the boat we got a better view.

It's a really impressive looking vessel. Swiss flagged Turanor is 13 months into a round the world voyage that started in Monaco, with the aim of highlighting renewable energy technology. You can get more info at planetsolar.org.

I would love it if all the dive boats here were powered by electric engines, it would be a lot quieter underwater.

Last Minute Similan Liveaboard - MV Hallelujah

MV Hallelujah has a last minute price for her first trip on 1-5 November. Only twin bunk cabins are still available.

Boat: MV Hallelujah
Dates: 1-5 November 2011
Destination: Similan, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu
Price: 22,700 bah per diver (reduced from 27,700 baht)

For more details about MV Hallelujah see here

To book contact us

MV Hallelujah

10% Off Dive Race 14-18 Nov

Dive Race is offering 10% off it's first trip of the season for bookings of 2 people or more.

Boat: MV Dive Race
Dates: 14-18 Nov 2011
Destination: Similan, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
Price:
Master cabin: 26,100 baht per diver (reduced from 29,000 baht per diver)
Deluxe cabin: 23,400 baht per diver (reduced from 26,000 baht per diver)
Standard cabin: 20,700 baht per diver (reduced from 23,000 baht per diver)

To see more details about the boat click here.

To book contact us

MV Dive Race

Phuket Food Shortages and Price Rises

Tesco Lotus fruit section at 10am this morning

I've just got back from 4 days on a liveaboard so I've been out of touch with the news.

On returning I find that the flooding in Bangkok and central Thailand has got worse and produce supply lines have been disrupted. Phuket residents are stocking up on essentials and shops are struggling to meet the demand.

Tesco Lotus shelves were almost bare this morning for many goods including fresh fruit, rice, bottled drinking water, UHT milk, condensed milk, toilet rolls and babies nappies. Lotus was rationing customers to a maximum three of each item.

Prices are expected to rise for all the items that are in demand. Inflation is already high in Thailand. Expect your holiday beer to cost a bit more this year.

MV Jazz sold and leaving Thailand

So long and thanks for all the fish

We have just been informed by the owner of MV Jazz that the boat has been sold to a Singaporean group who will take the boat to Singapore where it will be refitted as a tec diving boat for wreck diving.

When I say we were informed I mean we received a brief one paragraph email saying sorry for the inconvenience. No phone call, no prior warning.

Now all the customers who are booked on the Jazz for this season, which starts next week, have to try and find a new liveaboard or completely change their travel plans. Not cool. It's particularly difficult for divers booked on the Burma trips as there is only one other boat diving Burma and the Nautica runs on different dates and is more expensive.

This is frustrating to say the least but it's not the first time and I doubt it'll be the last. Grrr....

Karon Beach today

On my way back from Scuba Market in Kata I stopped and snapped a few photos of Karon beach. They are not great shots, taken with my phone, but they give an idea of what the weather is like at this time of year. While the rest of Thailand is flooded, Phuket is basking in sunshine.

What I like about Karon beach is that it's very long, great for walking or running on, especially at low tide. You can always find a quiet area of beach away from jet skis if you like. The path along the beach road is also good for strolling along in the evening. It's an uninterrupted path all the way, no need to step on to the road or over drainage holes. That makes a change in Phuket and is especially nice if you are pushing a pushchair. I noticed that the beach road has had the power cables put underground and the road resurfaced in  an ongoing beautification project for Karon.

At the north end of the beach near the football stadium are some nice seafood restaurants. They are always busy in the evening. There are also so cheap Thai restaurants further south by Karon Park.

In the high season Phuket Scuba Club have a small set up at the south end of the beach near the Karon Beach Resort. They offer beach dives on the shallow reef there. Or you can do a long tail boat dive to Karon Rock, a submerged rock just offshore.

In the low season when the wind is blowing onshore it's common to see kitesurfers on the water. Swimmers need to take care on Karon in the low season, when strong rip currents can easily overpower the unwary.

In the first week of November this year Karon beach is hosting an international volleyball tournament with the top female teams from around the world competing.

South end of Karon beach restaurants

Karon beach road

To the beach

No lifeguards on duty today

Karon centre

Karon circle

Liveaboard trips this weekend

The Thailand liveaboard season gets into full swing in about two weeks time but if you are in Phuket or Khao Lak now and you want to go diving, here are two trips departing this weekend:

Mantas are common at Hin Daeng

MV SaiMai
21-25 October
4 days 4 nights 14 dives
Phi Phi, Koh Haa, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang

This'll be the first liveaboard to Hin Daeng/Muang this season so it'll be interesting to see if Mantas are there yet. There is one cabin left. If no one books this cabin I'm going to go on this trip so if you want to ruin my weekend...book now.

MV Daranee
22-24 October
3 days 2 nights 9 dives
Phi Phi, Koh Haa, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang
16,400 baht per diver

This is a lower budget, shorter trip to Hin Daeng / Hin Muang and Phi Phi Islands. Twin bunk cabins are still available.

Diva Andaman under full sail

Yannick at Diva Marine just send me these wonderful new images of Diva Andaman under sail in the Andaman Sea. What a beauty!

Nautica Liveaboard announces new prices

MV Nautica

I posted a while back that Nautica planned to raise prices on 1 October. Well, it took them a bit longer than that but the new management released the new prices today.

Prices are up between 6 and 9 percent! You can see them here. At first sight the price rises seem steep but actually it's just bought them more in line with some of the other boats on the market.

Pre season bookings have been good for Nautica, I think that they have benefited from a gap in the market left by the departure to Indonesia of Queen Scuba, Black Manta, Mermaid I and Mermaid II.

More details about Nautica liveaboard here.

Phuket Sunshine

Since I posted about the rains last week it's been bright sunshine and clear skies all the way in Phuket.

I took these pictures on Kata beach yesterday. Kata beach is a favourite of our family because it's lined with trees so you can find space in the shade to snooze or have a picnic. I also really like Kata Seafood restaurant at the far south end of the beach for it's good cheap food and great location. Next to the restaurant on the rocks is the tiny Ska Bar which is nice in the evenings. I'm not so keen on the hawkers who now appear every night on the beach selling fireworks to tourists who should have more sense. The paper lanterns are ok but the fireworks make me nervous. More than once I've seen them fall over in the sand and fire off horizontally. But I guess as long as people buy them they'll keep on being sold.

Later as I was driving past Patong beach I stopped to take a couple more snaps (below). The photos don't show it too well but I was surprised how browny green the sea of Patong Bay looked compared to the bright blue water at Kata beach which is only about 15km south.

Phuket Floods

Rathutid Rd, Patong - Floods every low season

Just a quick post about weather here at the moment because it seems to be what most people are interested in.

I  like to tell people that Phuket is an all year round destination, which it is. Usually when it rains in low season we get short sharp tropical downpours that clear quickly.

But it's not like that at the moment, in fact it feels like it's been raining non stop for weeks. Anyone who booked a holiday for the first two weeks of October is going home with less of a tan than when they arrived.

Thailand along with much of South East Asia is experiencing the worst rains for decades and it's causing severe flooding in much of central Thailand. As I write this the ancient city of Ayuthaya, north of Bangkok, is underwater and the floods have reached the outskirts of Bangkok, forcing families to flee their homes and businesses to close.

For anyone with an imminent holiday to Phuket I can tell you that Phuket is not underwater. There have been some flash floods in Patong beach and a couple of other areas. These happen every year and clear quickly. There have been some landslides which are troublesome to those of us that live here, causing traffic delays and pot holing the roads. But from a tourism point of view it's business as normal.

Today has been sunny all day so hopefully the weather Gods are smiling on us again.

October Liveaboard to Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Phi Phi

MV Daranee still has some spaces available on an early Hin Daeng/Hin Muang liveaboard trip departing Phuket on 13 October. It's the first chance to see Hin Daeng/Hin Muang this season, hopefully the manta rays are already there.

Manta Ray at Hin Daeng

Trip details:
Dates: 13-16 Oct 4 days 3 nights
Dives: 14
Dive sites: Phi Phi Islands, Koh Haa, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang.
Price per diver: 21,400 baht
Price per snorkeler: 14,900baht

For more details or booking please contact us

Diva Andaman Phang Nga Bay Getaway

Koh Phak Bia

Diva Andaman has introduced a new cruise for next summer between May and October.

She will still be doing the Phi Phi overnight cruises but will also be doing 4 night trips around Phang Nga Bay. These are non diving cruises that include snorkeling and kayaking. The cruise will first visit Krabi before moving into Phang Nga Bay.

It should be a great trip - Diva Andaman, one of the most beautiful boats in Phuket, sailing in Phang Nga Bay, one of the most beautiful sailing grounds in the world.

Phang Nga Bay Getaway cruise Itinerary:

Diva Andaman

Day 1: Board Diva Andaman in Chalong Bay, Phuket at 1pm for welcome cocktails then cruise 50nm to Koh Dam (Dam island) in Krabi which enjoying dinner on board.
Day 2: The morning is spent at anchor at Koh Dam so plenty of time for snorkeling and kayaking. After lunch cruise 10nm to the famous Koh Hong for an island exploration. More snorkeling and kayaking or just relaxing on the white sand beach.
Day 3: Spend the morning around Koh Hong then cruise the short distance to Koh Phak Bia where the boat will stay for the rest of the day. Relax, swim, snorkel, kayak.
Day 4: While enjoying breakfast cruise to James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay. Anchor at Koh Raya and spend the day exploring the wonderful caves and mangroves of Phang Nga Bay.
Day 5: Enjoy breakfast while cruising through Phang Nga Bay back to Phuket. Disembark at Chalong Bay at around 11am.

More details here: Diva Andaman

Krabi Liveaboards to the Similan Islands

Krabi-Phuket ferry transfer

We occasionally get asked if there are any liveaboard boats going from Krabi or Ao Nang beach to the Similan Islands. The answer is no, it's a very long way from Krabi to the Similans by boat. However if you are staying in a Krabi resort we can arrange transfers for you so that you can join a Similan liveaboard in either Phuket or Thap Lamu (Khao Lak).

The expensive way to transfer is by private car to Phuket or Thap Lamu pier. The cheaper route is by ferry from Krabi to Rassanda pier in Phuket. From there we will pick you up and either transfer you directly to the boat or take you to our office to away pick up from the dive boat operator.

Most liveaboards to the Similan Islands depart in the evening. So if you take the morning (9am) ferry from Krabi you'll be in Phuket by lunch time after a nice scenic ferry ride past the Phi Phi islands. That'll give you a few hours to relax and look around Phuket before joining your liveaboard boat.

So, don't let the fact that you are in Krabi prevent you from diving the Similans. Ask us about liveaboards with transfers from Krabi.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival

This last week's Phuket Veggie Festival has added colour to an otherwise pretty damp week. While driving around the island there is a good chance that you'll come across a procession of very wet worshippers dressed all in white, some with objects pierced through their faces, others in a possessed, trance like state.

First, this morning I tried to go to Phuket Immigration but was diverted by the festival:

Veggie Festival in Phuket City

Later, driving to Chalong I hit another procession:

Then just up the road from our house in Kathu, an area with a large Chinese Thai community from Phuket's tin mining days, is the Kathu shrine which is central to the festival and has had food stalls selling vegan food all week. I'm not interested in the food. Not only is it vegan, which I am not, but it is also devoid of chilli, garlic, onions and pretty much anything else tasty. It's all about spiritual cleansing apparently. I just like walking around the streets in the evening, soaking up the atmosphere but if you like deep fried tofu you'll love it.

If you want to see some good photos (including the obligatory piercing images) have a look at this excellent Phuket Photo Blog. If you want to see it for yourself you've got one more day, it finishes on 5 October.