Thailand Water Temps

I am off to Thailand in late March, early April and I need a new wetsuit.

What is the water temp, I can expect? Or more precisely what wetsuit is appropriate in the Similans/Richlieu Rock at that time of year? I will be doing long dives.

Last time I went at this time of year (2002) it was unusually warm (29-30ËšC) and the coral was bleaching. So that is not the best guide.

I am in the market for several new thin wetsuits and I want to make sure I get an appropriate one for Thailand.

Alex

I have been twice at that time of year. The first trip (also 2002) I used a 3mm shorty, and that was fine. I was there again in 2006 and had a 5/4/3 full. A bit over kill, but that's the only suit I have. My log book for the last rip shows 28 - 30 on all dives.

I was there in May 2003, and had the same temp range. I was very comfortable in a full microprene suit for 50-70 minute dives, though I added a vest toward the end of the trip. On the other hand, my wife wore a 3-5-3 full and came up shivering.

Edit: thread hijack alert/quick product plug: my newest suit is a 3mm Henderson hyperstretch full. My favorite wetsuit ever - super-easy donning/doffing, and very comfy. I put 2.5 wks of Indonesia diving on it last October. The biggest problem I had was it chafed the back of my neck for the first 4-5 days, but it turned out to be user error (the velcro flap wasn't on correctly).

Thanks guys. I will look at a 2 or 3mm and probably also take a hood + vest as an extra.

Alex

Alex, 28-30 is about right. Even I don't need a hood or a vest so I wouldn't bother bringing one. The area doesn't have too many deep sea currents. You won't be losing much heat topside either unless you stay in the room in 18°C. I would even suggest a 1-2 mm which I use all the time in Thailand. Perhaps the steamer from ScubaPro 1.5mm?

I normally always wear some sort of hood but even my 0.5mm Radiator short hood was too hot. Even after 75min dives. You're also going into hot and humid conditions.

Have fun.

Thanks Drew.

If you don't get cold then I will be fine. I have rather more in the way of inbuilt neoprene!

Alex

Opps I meant the 0.5mm steamer from ScubaPro.

I have rather more in the way of inbuilt neoprene!

I didn't want to say but I think it's called bioprene I would wear a hood for sun protection though. Just realize that Richelieu Rock and the manta sites can have 100 divers in the water at the same time if you count the liveaboards AND day trip boats. It's a bit of a mess especially when the whalesharks pop in. Sorry I won't be there.

I spent January in Ko Lanta and we had 28-29 degrees in the water. Expect the same in march in the Similan/Surin-area.

/christian

Just don't do what I did - got so warm one day I tried diving in just a pair of trunks. Spent the whole dive swatting at stinging sea lice. The videographer onboard got my gyrations on film; he was laughing so hard his mask kept flooding.

28-29? Minimum 5mm for me, maybe even a 7.. I am really skinny..

you can dive the similans in rash-guard and boardshorts. that's what i did for the past 3 trips. maybe a hooded vest under the rashguard if it gets chilly.

still, it's good to pack a 3mm along. i remember one trip where we were plagued by thermoclines. 21 degrees celcius in a rash guard is NOT my idea of fun!

Just got back yesterday from Similan and it was 27-28c with the odd thermocline, Richelieu Rk and Koh Bon were the chilliest. 5mm for me with a hood.

Alex if your gonna be around Phuket and you have time I could give Nick Hope a call and we could hook up for a few beers.

Just got back yesterday from Similan and it was 27-28c with the odd thermocline, Richelieu Rk and Koh Bon were the chilliest. 5mm for me with a hood.

I would suggest that if I dived in bath water for a season. However Alex is out there for 2-3 weeks in Mar/Apr. He won't likely acclimatize that quickly.

28-29? Minimum 5mm for me, maybe even a 7.. I am really skinny..

All that weight loss from dengue will come back Mike

Thanks for all the replies. Great manta Christian. What a funny colour it is! Only joking - I am just back from doing the big black mantas of Socorro on the Wetpixel trip. Mantas definitely look coolest in black.

Luckily I am not as tropical adapted as you, Mike. I know you needed a 7mm in these temps before your got even skinnier. It was 20-21ËšC in Socorro - you would have had to have a drysuit. I was so warm in my wetsuit that I wasn't wearing the hood. Although I might take a thin hood to Thailand to protect the bonce. Thanks for the reminder, Drew!

Thanks for the invite, Spencer. I'll stay in touch. I am already fully booked throughout this trip - but may well stay in Phuket on my first night, possibly diving there the following day.

Alex

Thanks for all the replies. Great manta Christian. What a funny colour it is! Only joking - I am just back from doing the big black mantas of Socorro on the Wetpixel trip. Mantas definitely look coolest in black.

 

Luckily I am not as tropical adapted as you, Mike. I know you needed a 7mm in these temps before your got even skinnier. It was 20-21ËšC in Socorro - you would have had to have a drysuit. I was so warm in my wetsuit that I wasn't wearing the hood. Although I might take a thin hood to Thailand to protect the bonce. Thanks for the reminder, Drew!

 

Thanks for the invite, Spencer. I'll stay in touch. I am already fully booked throughout this trip - but may well stay in Phuket on my first night, possibly diving there the following day.

 

Alex

Thank's for the comment Alex. Yeah, I saw you posted an image in another thread. They do look very cool in black indeed (and they don't burn out as easily)... We actually had one 'inverted' manta that day on Hin Daeng, but it was a lot shyer than the others and didn't come close enough... This one was the most sociable of the lot:

cheers

Kind off depends on your build. I am a 6 ft rugby playing type who weighs 220 lbs and I only use a pair of shorts and a rash guard for Thailand/Palau/Lembeh etc.

I also have a 3 mm shorty but that is only required when it gets below 26c. Oman/Bali.

I do get some funny looks from everyone though as they expect me to be freezing after 30 minutes and they are surprised when I'm not.

28-29? Minimum 5mm for me, maybe even a 7.. I am really skinny..

I think I must have gotten you confused with another Mike I met in Yap about 3 years ago?

He was a really muscular well built kind of chap!

He was a really muscular well built kind of chap!

Mike? Muscular? hmmm

At 28-30°C, I think many people would wear wetsuit/hoods just for protection against the stingy things and not for thermal reasons.

Although I might take a thin hood to Thailand to protect the bonce. Thanks for the reminder, Drew!

Just call me aunt naggy

Alex I am leaving again for Similans in 4 days and have 10 more trips planned between now and end of April. Closer to the time I would be happy give you the nod on where I have found the cool stuff if you are interested.

Spen

muscles is right

shut up drew