Palau or Phuket

[gregmoeck]

I will be in Tokyo late June for a week. I have a free week afterwards and was thinking of doing some diving in Palau or Phuket Thailand. Anyone suggest anything? I would like to do some easy diving and relaxing. I understand Palau is the very best but its adventure diving. I might prefer a more shallow relaxing dive vacation.

Divers thoughts please..

Greg

[toph]

dont go to Phuket,
i spent a 2 months in Thailand in 2004. I travelled from North to South and round+ someislands. an absolutely beautiful country.
Phuket is full of Hookers, ladyboys, dregs of society, and is dirty. There are still nice hotels mind you.

Try Krabi or other resort destinations.

[Jede]

Originally Posted by toph

dont go to Phuket,
i spent a 2 months in Thailand in 2004. I travelled from North to South and round+ someislands. an absolutely beautiful country.
Phuket is full of Hookers, ladyboys, dregs of society, and is dirty. There are still nice hotels mind you.

Try Krabi or other resort destinations.

I spent 3 months in Phuket last year. Hookers, ladyboys and drugs belong to Patong Beach and especially Bangla Road. The culture is different, and should not be judged by western standards. Once you learn to cope, the island has very nice neighborhoods and the people are friendly despite of ignorant tourists acting like idiots 24/7 all around. You'll get exactly what you search for in there, and with a little time and effort the experience will be a whole lot different.

That said, best diving in Phuket will be in Raya islands. Otherwise I'd try Similan islands further up north. It's a national park with some best sites in Thailand.

For some real unspoiled and remote diving experience, Indonesia is the winner. I won't specify the exact places I've been to (the research is an essential part of the experience), but there are so many great sites. Northern Sumatra, Sulawesi, Borneo..

[toph]

Originally Posted by Jede

I spent 3 months in Phuket last year. Hookers, ladyboys and drugs belong to Patong Beach and especially Bangla Road. The culture is different, and should not be judged by western standards. Once you learn to cope, the island has very nice neighborhoods and the people are friendly despite of ignorant tourists acting like idiots 24/7 all around. You'll get exactly what you search for in there, and with a little time and effort the experience will be a whole lot different.

That said, best diving in Phuket will be in Raya islands. Otherwise I'd try Similan islands further up north. It's a national park with some best sites in Thailand.

For some real unspoiled and remote diving experience, Indonesia is the winner. I won't specify the exact places I've been to (the research is an essential part of the experience), but there are so many great sites. Northern Sumatra, Sulawesi, Borneo..

Yes, fair point, i was probably a bit harsh. BUT i was really just trying to emphasise that there are a lot more preferable places to go in Thailand. Culture is culture and i loved it but the rowdy tourists and certain other things make Phuket quite undesireable in my opinion.

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by toph

dont go to Phuket,
i spent a 2 months in Thailand in 2004. I travelled from North to South and round+ someislands. an absolutely beautiful country.
Phuket is full of Hookers, ladyboys, dregs of society, and is dirty. There are still nice hotels mind you.

Try Krabi or other resort destinations.

Agree. Thailand is great. Phuket is skanky and disgusting. Lots and lots of creepy sex tourists. Avoid it.

[Captainz]

Originally Posted by gregmoeck

I will be in Tokyo late June for a week. I have a free week afterwards and was thinking of doing some diving in Palau or Phuket Thailand. Anyone suggest anything? I would like to do some easy diving and relaxing. I understand Palau is the very best but its adventure diving. I might prefer a more shallow relaxing dive vacation.

Divers thoughts please..

Greg

Greg,

I hear gr8 things about Palau

[skyedog]

for sure Palau !!!

[TheVTCGuy]

Been to both places, albeit many years ago. Try Palau. If you want to go to Tailand, I'd go to Pattia Beach.

[DCgator]

Palau for sure!

[toolr]

Oh Phuket, just go to Palau

[Starwalker]

Think about Koh Samui?

[joeychitwood]

The diving in Palau and Micronesia is outstanding. I dove the shipwrecks of the Japanese WWII fleet in Truk (Chuuk) and the corals are incredible. There are plenty of shallow, easy-going dives in Palau.

[gregmoeck]

Palau it is.. I cant wait to do some great diving and check out Jellyfish Lake

[akiruno]

Guilty As Charged…back in my younger days I was one of those drunkards in the go-go bars and discos

[Roja]

I heard that getting certified is pretty cheap in Thailand... Anybody know any facts on this?