Best Dive Sites in Asia

We all have our favorite dives sites in Asia. It´s also easy to find many 'Best dive sites in Asia' in internet. Like always the result of the list depends of course who has done the list.

Here are few Best of lists:

• Sport Diver: Asia Pacific - Top20 Iconic Dives
• CNN Travel: 10 Best Dive Sites in Asia
• PADI: 10 Great Scuba Diving Sites in Asia
• Ambersand's Travel: 12 Best Sites to go Scuba Diving in Asia
• Go Asean: Best Dive Sites in Southeast Asia
• UW Photography Guide: Best Diving and Photography Locations in Southeast Asia

The lists include many great dive sites where I have dived also. Komodo in Indonesia, Similan in Thailand, Tubbataha in Philippines, Mabul and Sipadan in Malaysia and many other awesome places.

What do you think? What are your favorite dive sites in Asia?

Regards,
Mika

Remote beaches and diving places - Rent a motorcycle

Southeast Asia is a paradise for people who loves beaches, snorkeling and of course scuba diving. There are anyway many nice places, where is not so easy to go. Also inside the area moving can be difficult or just have to take always some kind of taxi. For that problem motorcycle or scooter is a perfect solution. Just find the motorcycle rent company and check the bikes. After you have found the good one, check especially that tires and breaks are ok. 

If you have plan to ride longer trip, check and confirm there are also enough oil and other liquids. Check the bike has needed papers and confirm you have the phone number for the owner. After that you are ready to go. 

Palawan in Philippines has lots of beautiful remote beaches and it´s also good place for scuba diving. Beach in Port Barton. 

Puerto Princesa area is good place for scuba diving. Whitetip reef shark in small cave. 

There is possible to go snorkeling with whale sharks in Puerto Princesa. The season is usually from end of April to October.

Bohol area in Philippines is also great for motorcycling. Beautiful white sand Alone Beach.

There is possible to see rare tarsiers in Bohol.

Balicasag Island near Alona Beach is great place for scuba diving. There is possible to see lots of big sea turtles.

Phuket in Thailand is also very good place, where you can combine motorcycling and diving. The island is quite large, so motorcycle/scooter is very usefully way to go from place to another. Phuket has also many beautiful beaches around the island.

There are many diving destinations in Phuket area like Racha Yai, Racha Noi, Koh Phi Phi and Shark Point. Here is Leopard Shark in Shark Point.

Indonesia has also many interesting place to explore. One of those is Labuan Bajo in Komodo, where you can find twisty mountain roads for motorcycling and beautiful views. 

Komodo is also amazing diving destination. Huge schools of fishes, lots of shark and big rays. Also manta rays. 

Komodo dragons are of course also one must see in Komodo. 

Using motorcycle/scooter it´s so much easier to reach many places. As a bonus you will see so much more on the trip even the scuba diving is the main focus. 

Regards,
Mika

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Similan diving safaris, Thailand

Best diving place in Thailand - that's how people usually describe Similan Islands. Similan National Marine Park was established in 1982. Similan Islands have nine islands and it's 100km from Phuket to northwest in Andaman Sea. Diving season is from October to May. Best time for diving is from January to March.
I have been diving on Similan three times. Twice on Similan diving safaris and ones on day trip. Best way to dive there is to go safaris. I was on diving safaris on Feb 2006 and Feb 2007 by Chalong Sea Sport. Diving safaris are very relax way to dive on Similans. Just dive, eat, sleep and relax on the boat. Usually the safaris have four diving days four dives a day and five nights on the boat.

The beauty of Similan is not only crystal clear and rich marine life. There are also beautiful islands and beaches. One of the Similan landmark is Donald Duck Bay. Name of the place comes from this stone.
Up from the hill opens great view to Donald Duck Bay. I'm on the top on Feb 2006.
Diving safaris on Similan are very famous and if you have been there one you know why. Visibility can be more than 30 meters. Lots of different place to dive and rich marine life. Turtles are common especially on the Donald Duck Bay area.
Huge rocks and boulders with swim through.
Lots of different kind of reef fishes.
Moray eels are common. Also giant morays.
There are also few wrecks. This is Atlantis X.
Chinese wreck.
Some places is possible to see also something bigger like whale sharks and manta rays. I haven't seen whale sharks on Similan, but mantas many places. Best place to see mantas is Koh Bon area like I say this one in Feb 2007. Manta was playing with us about 10min before it disappeared to deep blue.
So all in all. Similan is best place for diving in Thailand and it's really worth to visit!!

King Cruiser wreck, Shark Point and Koh Dok Mai

More diving at Phuket. Three dives. King Cruiser wreck, Shark Point and Koh Dok Mai.

King Cruiser was used between Phuket and Phi Phi Islands as a ferry. It sank 1997 and there was 500 people onboard. Luckily nobody died. Wreck is 85 long and 25m width. Visibility is many times quite poor and there can be strong current. It's anyway very interesting place to dive.

Dive #: 187

Date: 24.2.2011
Place: Thailand, Phuket, King Cruiser wreck
Depth: 29m Average depth: 18,9m
Bottom time: 40min
Visibility: 5-8m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5,4Kg

Dive Center: Chalong Sea Sport
Price: 3700THB/90,20€ + Equipment rental 500THB/12,20€

Total: 4200THB/102,40€ (3 dives)

Toilet.

Quite big turtle on the deck.

Bridge has already collapsed.

Deck.

Sea urchins, scorpionfishes, lot of small reef fishes. Visibility was also this time quite poor and the was some current. I like to dive anyway on King Cruiser. Interesting place!

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Dive #: 188

Date: 24.2.2011
Place: Thailand, Phuket, Shark Point
Depth: 21m Average depth: 13,7m
Bottom time: 53min
Visibility: 8-15m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5,4Kg

Yellow seahorse.

A lot of small fishes.

Where is the diver?

Big fan corals, titan triggers, moray eel, nudibranches, very much reef fishes.

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Dive #: 189

Date: 24.2.2011

Place: Thailand, Phuket, Koh Dok Mai
Depth: 23,4m Average depth: 12,8m
Bottom time: 56min
Visibility: 6-10m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 4,5Kg

We dived to two small caves. Here is second one.

Two moray eels in the same places. Today we saw many morays here and there.

Beautiful nudibranch.

Giant pufferfish, yellow boxfish, Durban dancing shrimp, nudibranches.

Racha Noi and Racha Yai, Phuket

More diving. Today I had a diving day at Racha Noi and Racha Yai. Two dives at Noi and one at Yai.

Dive #: 184

Date: 22.2.2011
Place: Thailand, Phuket, Racha Noi, Marina Bay
Depth: 25,9m Average depth: 15,2m
Bottom time: 58min
Visibility: 15m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5,5Kg

Dive Center: Chalong Sea Sport
Price: 3700THB/90,20€ + Equipment rental 500THB/12,20€

Total: 4200THB/102,40€ (3 dives)

Porcupine fish try to hide.

One of the swim throu in Marina Bay.

Just before safety stop we saw leopard shark on the bottom.

Big rocks and boulders, nudibranches, lionfish.

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Dive #: 185
Date: 22.2.2011
Place: Thailand, Phuket, Racha Noi
Depth: 16,7m Average depth: 12,2m
Bottom time: 62min
Visibility: 15m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5,5Kg

Giant pufferfish.

Octopus hiding. It came also out from the hole, but when I went even little bit closer it went back to hole. This was quite big one.

Big rocks and boulders, very small lionfish, porcupine fish, lizardfish.

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Dive #: 186
Date: 22.2.2011
Place: Thailand, Phuket, Racha Yai, Bungalow Bay South
Depth: 13,7m Average depth: 8,2m
Bottom time: 58min
Visibility: 10m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5,5Kg

Carb.

Scorpion fish.

Zebra moray eel again. Last diving day I saw zebra first time and now again.

Cuttlefish.

Not so special diving day, but good anyway. Relax and long dives.