Dec - Jan 2010 / Thailand, Philipines or Indonesia

Hi

I am trying to make a decision between Indonesia, Philipines and Thailand for my vacation between 27/12/2009 - 09/01/2010.

There are already many topics on all three locations, lots of helpful information but i decided to choose the easier way and to write here what i am looking for.

My constraints are:

1. Since i will flying to Singapore with a quite long flight(i guess around 20hrs including the change at Dubai), i prefer the final destination to be accessible relatively easy from Singapore. (like one more flight and 1-2 hours trip by car or both)

2. I need to arrange a land based accommodation with several other attractions in addition to diving like SPA etc(for family reasons)

3. Good diving regardless of 1 and 2 above

In Indonesia one resort which looks like meeting all above conditions(due to info in internet) is Kimo Bajo Resort - Easily accessible from Singapore, good SPA and other attractions available and still looks like having quite interesting diving and diver friendly. ( diving in groups not more than 4 divers/guide, camera storage at jetty etc)

In Philipines there are very nice dedicated dive resorts but based on the information available in internet they may be quite boring for a non-diver. Or dedicated SPA resorts with no information regarding diving. Several resorts in Philipines I found during my google searches having both SPA and Dive Centers were accessible via 2 flights and several hours of car/boat transportation which might be quite difficult following our flight to Singapore.

For Thailand i have similar situation like Philipines with info i found within 2 days of web search. Either dedicated diving resort or pure SPA. I also am not sure whether Phuket would be a good location or should i better base myself at Khao Lak and hire a speedboat and dive guide to dive around Similans every day.

Briefly i am very confused, have limited time to decide and would appreciate to hear any recommendation that may help me to make my decision(just like previous vacations).

PS - Previously i dived in Egypt(Sharm El Sheikh 3 times & Hurgada 1 time), Bali(2 times), Sipadan, Maldives(2 times)

I understand your problem.

1-Puerta Galera is a (miserable except on Sunday) 3 hour drive from Manila, then a 1 hour boat ride. I like the Portifono on Little Sabang beach becaue I am an eat-sleep-dive type. It is a very nice hotel but not spa-class. Diving is about a C+, B-.

2-Tulamben on the North Coast of Bali is about a 3 hour trip from the airport. I prefer Tulamben werck divers for simplicity and cost but there are other more upscale spa-class resorts in the area. Bali is awesome for landlovers. Diving is about a B-.

You can stay at resort hotels nearer the airport which are absolutely first rate. I stayed in the Puri Santrian in Sanur twice. Very nice and closer to many land attractions but you endure a long drive to the dive sites.

I don't know about Thailand.

Well consider Bohol/Panglao Island. It's harder to get there (the best way being MNL-Tagbi-something (sorry I can't remember the name) then a taxi to Panglao island. There are a few nice resorts there. The Alona Palm Beach is very decent and has nice massage. It's a little big for my taste but it was on Alona Beach which is gorgeous if a bit crowded. Quite a few older men with their young pinay/pinoy escorts so if that's not your thing I suggest you go to the new Eskaya Resort, which is much more private and smaller. I spent a weekend there last year but the spa wasn't open yet. Buddies have gone back and the majority loved it but one didn't. I felt it was very nice for Panglao but I didn't pay anywhere near the rack rate

The diving around Bohol is very good, especially around Balicasag and Cabilao. There's also stuff to do topside with the chocolate hills (best during early morning/ late afternoon for light) and even the local endemic tarsier is cool. I think it's a nice place for a change.

For ops, I used Alona divers and Sea Explorers. Both were very decent and the guys learned quickly how to handle cameras. As for guides, I tend not to follow them so I can't judge but they were professional and they did come get me when they found something cool (for them) .

Since you'll be going over new years, consider the Philippinos party hard over New Year. Gun shots at midnight are not unknown in some places. And those long wee hour parties are loud! So be ready for that.

Sulawesi is much more subdued but the diving is more geared towards colorful reefs and macro. Ganga and Bangka islands are quite nice but I think Balicasag and Cabilao beats them on fish biodiversity and coral. And there are more big schooling fish like trevally in the area. Lembeh is killer for muck but the Bunaken area is a notch below the Bohol well the good sites anyhow.

Tulamben would be my pick staying at the Villa Markisa resort; they have a unique diving policy: you dive when you want, where you want and as long as you wnat !!!! More info at www.villa-markisa.com .... We stayed there two weeks in August 2009 and we have already booked our second trip for June 2010.

All the Best ........ Francesco

North of Bali would be my choice too but I haven't been there around Dec-Jan so I can't confirm about the weather.

For diving in Thailand during Nov to May period, it's better to be on the west side (Andaman side) of the peninsular as it is sheltered from the south east monsoon. Most of the best dive sites in thailand (i.e. Similan islands, Richelieu Pinnacle, Hin Dang Hin Muang) are accessible by liveaboards leaving from Phuket. If you go with the non-diver, it's probably best to stay at a resort and take a dayboat trip to the local dive sites. A lot of resorts in that region can offer scuba diving as part of their services.

For diving at similan Islands you should stay around Phuket or Khao Lak areas as Similan Islands is part of the National Marine park so there isn't any private resort or dive ops on the island. However, you can stay in bungalows or tent run by the national park on Island no.4 (and 8??) but they are pretty basic without a/c. Electricity comes from the generator which is turned on for a few hours after sunset. Depending on what you're after - Khao lak is a smaller,quieter and less develop place than Phuket. However, there are more to do around Phuket.

If you prefer a quieter place away from the hustle and bustle of Phuket with a decent dive, then try Koh Lanta. It's relatively close to Hin Dang Hin Muang so daytrip diving is possible. There are a few reputable dive shops on the island like godive lanta. There are also numerous resorts ranging from expensive like Pimalai to mid-range such as Baan Laanta to fisherman cottages. From Singapore you can take a flight to Krabi and get to the island by minicab (and ferry) in an hour from the airport. Alternatively, you can fly to Phuket and it takes 3.5 hours by boat to get there.

Another place you can also look at is Koh Raya. It is a smallish island on the south of Phuket with 3-4 upmarket resorts. It's a relatively very easy journey. The beach is pure white and the diving around the island is quite good.

Hope this help...

I see where it's coming to...

On the diving side, quality wise the two best places would be the Phils and Indonesia,

On the access to resort aspects, Indonesia and Thailand offer the most convenient,

Weatherwise Phils and Thailand would be better early Jan.

If SPA and the quality of the resort hits high on your list then forget the Phils. There are some serious dive options from Cebu City like Moalboal (3 hours drive) or Alona beach (2 hours ferry ride) but you won't find resorts up to Thailand or North Sulawesi quality.

Gangga island resort in North Sulawesi provides incredibly comfortable diving conditions, they have their own SPA plus the italian sparkle, Gaspare is a wonderful host. They are halfway to Lembeh and Bunaken, and right in the middle of the Bangka diving area. It's easy to get from Singapore : Manado then 2 hours drive and 1/2 hour boat ride.

Having dived both Bangka and Visayas, I don't totally agree with Drew's assumption (the name of the city on Bohol island is Tagbilaran), I think Bangka diving is better and more diverse than Balicasag area (nothing would beat Sahaung on a good day even though I reckon Black forrest is high on my list). That said my favorite in the Phils are Pescador and P/Galera. But anyway, I am sure we can agree you can't go wrong with either ones... it's now on deciding which of Lafitte-Rothschild or Cheval-Blanc is a better wine

Another option is Phuket, and if you want luxury : try MomTri Villa and ask any reseller in Kata like Stevenl to arrange your dives, local Phuket dives are worth and can compare to Red Sea coral wise like shark point or anemone reef, otherwise you may try a short liveaboard in the Similans for 3 days while your best half gets pampered in a spa in Kata or have day trips to KohBon & Similans with speed boats (from Phuket it's a 1,5 hour drive then a 2 hours speedboat ride).

On my side I would forget Lanta, except for Hin Daeng, Hin Muang (which is said to be destroyed) and Koh Ha, there are very few dive sites around.

Cheers

Luko

Thank you very much for the valuable information.

Regardless of my choice this time i will refer to these post during the next trips i will be organizing to this area.

I in the light of your comments and info i managed to find in the internet i decided that for me most practical and best value for the money would be Indonesia.

Since we have been 2 times already in Bali, North Sulawesi area sounded more interesting.

In a limited time i had to make my decision and proceed with booking flights.

I have chosen the Kima Bajo Resort based on its location near Bunaken national park and 30 minutes driving duration from Manado airport.

Since the resort is a resort for divers i think i shall be able to minimize my total surface interval time.

On the other hand based on available info in web they have a good SPA. So overall it looks like a satisfactory choice for a diver and a non diver SPA enthusiastic.

I only have doubts regarding the weather conditions. January-March are supposed to be the worse period for this area. I hope the best sites shall be dive-able during my stay.

I shall be crossing fingers for good weather.

Hi Mehmet, might see you there ! I'm at Tasik Ria for 17 nights from the 24th

Hi Paul. I think it would be cool to meet and exchange information of different dive spots etc. Based on the information at Kima Bajo's web site i we shall be staying ~30 minutes north of Manado. I just checked Tasik Ria web site you and found out that you'll be based also around 30 minutes drive from Manado but on the opposite side. If all these are true we shall be around one hour drive from each other. Once we shall be there we can get in touch if we exchange contact info in advance.

Did you have chance to check the expected weather and sea conditions there for this time of the year?

Kimo Bajo is next to Bunaken Marine Park, Tasik Ria is not. Because of this difference you return to Kimo Bajo for lunch, but do not for Tasik Ria. Tasik Ria uses a larger day boat that serves you lunch on board.

Elmer

Thanks Elmer, in that case Mehmet it may make sense if you book onto Tasik Ria's boat for a full day, I have all my dives already booked with them, if you do, you could ask them to book on a day that I am on the boat? Maybe around the 2nd Jan so we both would have a chance to explore a few places. I wont have my phone on when I am there so no point in giving you my number, and probably only on the web now and then, my wife will have a fit if she sees me on the web every day on our holiday! As to the weather, no I dont know. When is it you are there again?

My dives are all booked too.

Anyway i think we can exchange information at least after our stay there in order to take into consideration before the next trip.

I believe i will have chance to check my e-mails on daily basis.

I will be at Manado on 26th Dec and will be leaving on 8th Jan.

I read that Jan-March is a risky season there concerning the diving conditions with stronger currents lower visibility etc.

I hope the conditions shall be more or less OK when we shall be there.

Ok Mehmet I'll send you a PM whenever I'm online thru here, you never know! Lets keep our fingers crossed for the weather!

Eco divers used to run both dive operations at Kimo Bajo and Tasik Ria so they often tied the boats up together during the morning surface interval between dives. Since Eco divers has left Tasik Ria I dont know if they still do, but there are a few spots where all the dive boats hang out to do surface intervals.

Regarding communications, your Blackberry and cell phone will work in the marine park and the hotel internet works well.

Elmer

You could try Pura Vida resort, near Dumaguete. Excellent diving, particularly if you like Macro. Apo Island is a fantastic Marine Sanctuary, and is just a couple of miles off the coast. And the Pura Vida Resort has a Spa.

There are direct flights from Manila to Dumaguete twice daily - transfer time to the resort is around 30 mins.

Pura Vida Resort