Malaysia/Indonesia/Thailand area in December Any suggestions?

We are planning a trip here in the last two weeks of December. Any recommendations on weather, viz, etc , especially places to avoid, will be appreciated. We also need your thoughts on accommodation and dive centres. We have just done a trip to Bali so would exclude it although we loved it so much that it has centred our attention on the region. We are not looking to spend a lot on accommodation but want better than backpacker level of comforts and definitely aircons

Look at ECO- Divers, Lembeh Cottages. About US$1.222/week , 3 dives/day all inclusive.

Most employees are from KBR.

See:http://tinyurl.com/3c8fg2e

Send P/M for more info.

If you like the small stuff - Lembeh shouldn't be missed. I've been to Lembeh 4 times, and would go back tomorrow. The one time I went in December, we saw a blue ring octopus as well as all the usual Lembeh creatures (frogfish, pygmy seahorses, harlequin shrimp, zeno shrimp, ghost pipefish, banggai cardinal fish, clown fish, mandarin fish, morays, rhinopius scorpionfish, zebra crabs, nudis, flamboyant cuttlefish, coconut octopus to name just a few). The north end of Lembeh also has some nice coral at the North end of the straight (California Dreaming, and Angels Window). Manado is a decent airport with good service from Singapore - you can dive muck in Lembeh and the north end of Sulawesi is beautiful reef diving (Banga Island). Bunaken (on the west side of north Sulawsi) has some nice diving also. There are tons of choices for dive resorts in the area - from low end ($50 US/day) to however much you want to pay.

Raja Ampat also has great diving that time of year - but liveaboard is the best way to see that area. Definately more expensive than North Sulawesi, and the airport at Sorong is really horrible.

Monsoon season from November til January in Malaysia.

So east coast (perhentian,redang,) NOT the place to go.

In december time, how about :

- A liveaboard in the Similan islands/Richelieu Rock and continue south to Hin Muang/Hin Daeng.

- Lembeh is Ok but I wouldn't recommend Manado/Bunaken in december, might be raining a lot.

- Maluku, Far east Indonesia : Ambon (check out Maluku divers) is the only serious contender to Lembeh for muck diving + incredible coral dives in the south. You can also check out even remoter diving in Saparua at Cape Paperu, although not that far from Ambon.

- Raja Ampat (read above) though expensive.

- Sipadan is OK too, although december might not be the best season, spent Xmas there last year, always good. I like Sipadan because it's a combination of blue water pelagic dives around Sipadan and macro in Mabul/Kapalai.

- A little early in the seaon but you can also try a safari in the Visayas/Philippines : Moalboal, Apo Island, Balicasag, Cabilao, Malapascua. probably some of the best coral spots anywhere, loads of macro, a sardine run in Moalboal (for me Pescador is the most spectacular dive site in Asia, it has EVERYTHING) and the special thresher sharks cleaning station in Malapascua (be aware they forbid strobes for the shark dives) .