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  1. #1
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    Diving on Koh Chang....

    Hey everyone!!! So here's our predicament....

    my boyfriend and i have been traveling around SE Asia for the last 6 months, and dove on Koh Tao a few times while we were in Thailand. His parents, hearing how great our diving experience was, decided to book a flight and come over to do some diving with us for the last leg of our trip. We dove on Koh Tao in July, which was great, but have heard after a bit of research that it's not exactly "prime" season for diving in early December on Koh Tao. So. we looked into going to phuket, and down to Koh lak, but when it comes down to it, not only is the diving quite expensive in the similans, but the trip from bangkok would take a few days (they dont want to fly down there). So, we started looking at koh chang, seemingly a great (close) choice for all parties involved. the only problem is, we've never been, and don't know much about the diving, the cost, or the dive operators on the island.

    has anyone dove on koh chang? any good experiences? any recommendations of dive operators, or must-see dive spots while we're there? any help at this point is MUCH appreciated, as we have spent far too long looking at the computer, and not finding great (or many) reviews.

    Thank you SOOO much in advance. we really just want his parents to have a great time, and don't want to have them feel they have wasted their money, etc etc.

    cheers!

  2. #2
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    I've never dove on Koh Chang, but have gone on snorkeling trips quite often. The coral and sea life is mediocre at best. I've done a five day live aboard dive trip off the coast of Khao Lak and Burma. One of the best experiences of my life. Did three shark dives in a place called Burma Banks. In my opinion the coral and sea life is way better in the Andaman sea on the west coast of Thailand. The extra costs of diving in the Phuket and Khao Lak area are worth it. If you do decide to come to Koh Chang, BB divers seems to be a good outfit.

    Their website is here:

    About BB Divers - 5 Star PADI IDC Center - Koh Chang - Thailand

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by lindsaygt View Post
    Thank you SOOO much in advance. we really just want his parents to have a great time, and don't want to have them feel they have wasted their money, etc etc.
    cheers!
    Yeah, I've dived it - its, well OK comes to mind as a general rule, although sometimes exceptional (but was not when I was there).

    In general, its a level above pattaya, but well below koh Tao or the phuket side. as I recall, its pretty cheap with several dive operators. Quite place, not much nigh life etc.

    You don't mention pattaya, which is a major dive center (plus close to bangkok), around this way (and nearer to bangkok than Koh Chang). It has several good wrecks (esp hardeep) but they can be quite hard diving. Corals etc in pattaya below koh Chang, but some times prove worth while. be warned however that pattaya itself is not for the easily shockable.

    problem is, not much great diving up around bangkok and environs - all the good stuff is where you have mentioned - Phuket and samui/koh tao.

  4. #4
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    diving on koh chang is generally pretty shallow, 20metres or less and each dive site has mostly the same kind of fish.
    some operators offer speedboats and some offer slow boats, depending on what type of day you want as to where to go for your diving.
    They all advertise in the koh chang magazine which is free all over the island or make your way down to Bangbao at the bottom of the island where they mostly all have their main shops/ equipment and dive staff instead of throughout the island where it is normally just a sales person selling you diving.

    I have dived with Ploy scuba diving, small speedboats that arent very comfy.
    Scuba dive thailand - big speed boat that is much more comfy and does half day trips with 2 dives per half day.
    I cant remember the name of the other one i went with but it is situated just off lonely beach at nature resort and doesnt really advertise but was run by a german guy. not the most up do date taxi/equipment but the guy that runs it genuinely wants his divers to have a nice time and not just take the money off them and get them out the door.

    Hin Rap and Hin Luuk Bat are the closest dive sites but depending on the weather you may not get to them. they are rocky outcrops with quite a lot of fish.

    If not then you will be heading out to the islands where there are a couple of fairly good sites and a lot of pretty average ones.

    Generally the quality of the sites is lower than that of koh tao. Never been to phuket, seen the pics, not even slightly as good as down there

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by pickel View Post
    I've never dove on Koh Chang, but have gone on snorkeling trips quite often. The coral and sea life is mediocre at best. I've done a five day live aboard dive trip off the coast of Khao Lak and Burma. One of the best experiences of my life. Did three shark dives in a place called Burma Banks. In my opinion the coral and sea life is way better in the Andaman sea on the west coast of Thailand. The extra costs of diving in the Phuket and Khao Lak area are worth it. If you do decide to come to Koh Chang, BB divers seems to be a good outfit.

    Their website is here:

    About BB Divers - 5 Star PADI IDC Center - Koh Chang - Thailand
    Super diving in Andaman Sea and Similan Islands area. Agree with Khun Pickle that live aboards are a great option. I've done 4 or 5 live aboard trips all around Christmas time and had a fantastic trip each time. A great experience and well worth the expense. As I recall I booked the trip with Sea Dragon but last time I went with them was pre Sunami. Wreck dives, manta rays, sharks, lots of sea creatures, night dives, and great food on board. Bring a book.

    I'd stay away from Pattaya dive sites as any dive I've made there was truly uneventful. Have a nice dive trip. Ciao!
    "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff....and it is all small stuff"

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by SEA Traveler
    Super diving in Andaman Sea and Similan Islands area. Agree with Khun Pickle that live aboards are a great option. I've done 4 or 5 live aboard trips all around Christmas time and had a fantastic trip each time. A great experience and well worth the expense. As I recall I booked the trip with Sea Dragon but last time I went with them was pre Sunami. Wreck dives, manta rays, sharks, lots of sea creatures, night dives, and great food on board. Bring a book.
    I went pre tsunami as well and totally lucked out. We didn't book in advance and just checked around a few places in Khao Lak with little notice. Found one that had a 32 person boat leaving the next day with only 14 people booked on it, they were desperate and we got on for half price. Didn't do the similans though, but the shark dives made up for that. Saw a manta ray that had a wingspan of about 5 meters, incredible sight. Night dive was great too. Plus the boat would anchor at night just off the shore of beautiful uninhabited Burmese islands. Stars came right down to the horizon.

  7. #7

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    Diving with whale shark at Koh Chang, Thailand

    Diving with whale shark at Koh Chang, Thailand





  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by dirtydog View Post
    Diving with whale shark at Koh Chang, Thailand





    Seeing and diving with Whale Sharks is truely an amazing event. To do it just once is an occasion never to be forgotten. If I'm not mistaken, Mar/Apr time frame is when the are usually in the Koh Tao area. Not sure when they are in Koh Chang area. Nice video's Khun DD.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by SEA Traveler
    Seeing and diving with Whale Sharks is truely an amazing event. To do it just once is an occasion never to be forgotten. If I'm not mistaken, Mar/Apr time frame is when the are usually in the Koh Tao area. Not sure when they are in Koh Chang area. Nice video's Khun DD.
    I didn't even realize Whale sharks existed near Koh Chang. The place I did the shark dives off the coast of Burma has frequent whale shark sightings, as well as schools of Hammerhead sharks. Unfortunately, they weren't around when I was there.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by pickel View Post
    I've never dove on Koh Chang, but have gone on snorkeling trips quite often. The coral and sea life is mediocre at best. I've done a five day live aboard dive trip off the coast of Khao Lak and Burma. One of the best experiences of my life. Did three shark dives in a place called Burma Banks. In my opinion the coral and sea life is way better in the Andaman sea on the west coast of Thailand. The extra costs of diving in the Phuket and Khao Lak area are worth it. If you do decide to come to Koh Chang, BB divers seems to be a good outfit.

    Their website is here:

    About BB Divers - 5 Star PADI IDC Center - Koh Chang - Thailand



    Good advice from Pickel.

    The only decent diving at this time of the year is live aboard out of khao lak or day trips out of pee pee or phuket.

    You can do a three day live aboard out to the similans for Approx $ 300 or less.

    Jump on airasia, fly to phuket and bus it straight out to koh lak, cost you piss all and you'll dig it.

    Cheers.

  11. #11
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    Amazing videos! That shark is massive! How would the diving in Koh Chang compare to Koh Tao diving if you are aware? Cheers

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by terry57
    The only decent diving at this time of the year is live aboard out of khao lak or day trips out of pee pee or phuket.
    Yep. Khaolak is great this time of year.

  13. #13
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    Whenever we get any enquiries about diving in Koh Chang up here in Pattaya, we generally refer them to Scuba Zone. Great service and a nice bunch.

  14. #14
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    latest dive wreck near Koh Chang (Nov 2012)

    latest dive wreck off Koh Chang - HTMS Chang

    HTMS Chang sunk Thursday 22 November 2012




    Pre 1962 HTMS Chang was USS Lincoln County

    LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship
    During WWII USS LST-898 was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 2 April to 10 June 1945

    During the Korean War USS LST-898 participated in Korean War Campaigns 1950 - 1952

    USS Lincoln County received one battle star for World War II service and six battle stars for Korean War service

    Transferred to Thailand and commissioned into the Royal Thai Navy as HTMS Chang (LST-12), 3 August 1962


    more here and here

  15. #15
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    Diving the Similans was great ( out of Khao Lak ). Diving Pattaya not very good, but Kho Chang a little better.

  16. #16
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    a non-wreck

    heard of another ship being prepared for sinking, inland 7km up a river, found it ok, but wrong story, it is being restored as a navy educational vessel. HTMS Phosamton a Canada-built Algerine-class, started life as a WWII minesweeper in British Navy, the HMS Minstrel. One site said it is the last steam-turbine WWII warship still in existence (can't confirm that)



    another one that went into service for Thai navy early 1960s. Understand it was used as a training vessel till a few years ago and later sunk at its mooring in Chonburi. Refloated and now moored being sandblasted and repainted.
    Last edited by trabant; 26-11-2012 at 01:04 PM.

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