Would recommend going to Ko Tao (http://www.43places.com/places/view/203533/ko-tao-thailand). It’s not as touristy as Ko Samui and it provides good access to good diving as well.

Enjoy your trip!

Please try to stay at Column Residence, a spacious serviced apartment with full kitchen and homey feeling, better than boring hotel. Please check http://www.columnresidence.com

You may join some diving activities in Phuket. Please check http://www.diving.phuket.com/

I would be pleased to provide additional guidance here in Bangkok if needed.

Regards

Ken

I agree with gubbe. I really enjoy diving in Koh Tao and the island itself is adorable. You’ll have a great time here. We took the bus from Bangkok and then a boat to the island, so be prepared for a good day of travel. Have fun! :-)

Hi Koh Tao is a excellent choice. I can recommend a quite beautiful place called Shark Bay, there is a fantastic accommodation and food there. And not so full on diving if you want a break.

have fun .G

I thought Ko Tao to be a bit overexposed to divers and tourists … Having to be the first boat out to be able to see sharks is not exactly dream diving. However the vibe on the island is good and there’s good restaurants, nightlife and spas if you desire so.

Unfortunately I haven’t had the chance myself yet, but I heard the diving in the Andaman Sea (so on the other side, around Ko Phi Phi) is much better. And particularly a live aboard to the Similan Islands is supposed to be the best you can get as a diver in Thailand. It’s definitely what I’m gonna do next time.

I’m a diver who grew up in Thailand and recommend a 5-day liveaboard trip leaving from Phuket to the Similan Islands (Koh Similan). Koh Tao is nice but is only one island; with the Similans, you get the Andaman Sea, several islands, and options to go to Richelieu Rock and even up near Burma. There’s bays with shallow reefs, shelf dives, and open ocean as well, which is rewarding for intermediate to advanced divers. If you’re lucky you’ll see whale sharks and manta rays. Koh Tao is also great but more relaxing (shallow reef, turtles, etc). You can fly to Phuket from Bangkok and the boat takes 6 hrs overnight to get out into the ocean.

You can also dive in Phuket, which has nice beaches and islands but the reef is much more damaged there. Lots of cool leopard sharks, though.

Thank you all, for your answeres! Very kind of you. We will probably go to Koh Tao (we have also been thinking of Koh Chang). None of you have meantioned the weather, and I’ve understood that there might be some “bad” weather (much rain and storms) this time a year. Any thoughts on the weather?