Job Discussion Forums

[The Great Toad]

Ha Ha... sorry just had to put the nude in there - my bad

Ok my final plans are near complete but I need a bit of help here please.

I am going to Bangkok for one day and then taking the train south to Koa Toa to snorkel. SO here is my question:

Where is the best place in Thailand to purchase a high quality mask and snorkel and a wet suit? (I lost my other mask and snorkel this summer)

Should I pay around 60 dollars for a new mask and snorkel in Korea? (one with a bilge / water purge system)

Or should I wait and find a cheaper one in Bangkok / Koa Toa?

Anyway thanks for any help and I hope none of you got hit with that fat wave that floated in on you guys.

[tedkarma]

Buy your mask and snorkel at a dive shop - you are likely to pay more - but you'll get good quality stuff that's more likely to really meet your needs. They can also give you good tips on usage and care. I would guess that it would take you about US$60 to buy a good quality set here.

Depends though on if you plan on keeping the equipment for years and years -or as a throwaway once you leave. I bought the best quality I could find - but it'll last me for a long long time.

No need to buy any of it in Korea - it's all available here and it'll be cheaper and probably of better quality here.

If not a dive shop - even places like TESCO probably have reasonable quality equipment.

Just my opinion.

Why a wet suit?

[The Great Toad]

Hey thanks Ted! I guess I will wait and buy my mask snorkel and wetsuit in Bangkok http://www.asiatraveltips.com/ShoppinginBangkok.shtml sorry I am lazy I thought maybe someone would say well:
"This exact store is the best after I lived in Thailand for 3 years I always but my dive gear at..."

Anyhow the reason I will need a wetsuit is because I do not want to get burnt again- after around 2 hours skin diving in Jeju in the summer sun burnt even though I had on a T-shirt. Oh my poor legs and lower arms.

Yeah I had a total of two 60-80 very good masks and snorkels- one I lost when it was washed from a rock as I rested the other here in Jeju I lost when I left it on the bus- brain storm! Ahhh but no I would keep it forever and ever.

And I plan on skin diving for hours every day on Koa Toa... http://r24.org/kohtaoonline.com/kohtao/bluediamond/ seems nice for 800 and has 24/7 electric ... and near town but maybe I should go for

I think I will stay here book ahead of time so I do not worry 20 bucks a night seems good...
http://www.asiabookings.net/index.cfm?typeid=-3&detail=detailhotel&hotel_id=190

http://r24.org/kohtaoonline.com/kohtao/blacktip/ this place is only 500 but not so and on the other side of the island hmmm not sure on which.

Hey any more advice would be sweeeeeeet I know yo local ESL masters got the lingo, shops, hangouts down- even if you still have not become Thai boxing champs - oooooo my head! He hit me with his knee again - now that's a scary sport you have to pay me millions to try.

[bluffer]

Try Larrys Dive shop on Sukhimwit Soi 22 for gear. No idea if its good bad or indifferent, just know its there.

Theres a couple round about there, another one is on Soi 23 .

[The Great Toad]

Larry Ahh righto I am leaning towards the dirt cheap dirt ball Kosung Street apartments as those seem the cheapest for my one or two nights in Bangkok - I suppose Larry�s might be close maybe ahh from what I read http://www.asiatraveltips.com/ShoppinginBangkok.shtml I should go to :

Emporium Sukhumvit
Central Bagna
Central Chidlom
Gaysorn Plaza
Siam Square

They are said to have a lot of shops o I should be able to find a back pack there in Korea nice quality backpacks range from 40,000 won to around 100 + so I think I could hardly be ripped off for one in Thailand - same goes for the mask and snorkel I paid 70k for a nice set so I could hardly do worse in Thailand.

[Sheep-Goats]

Buy a copied bag here on KSR (or somewhere chepaer if you have the time). Thailand's hot and the bags get nasty at the end of your trip, so you'll throw it out anyway. No sense in seeing a travel pack as an "investment."

[The Great Toad]

No way it be nice to buy a mega capacity hiker pack that could handle 80 pound loads. Like a North Face or Something- I could take it if I ever led boys and girls alone the wilds of America again- (Guess who had the monster 80 pound load cuz he would not risk a little teen girl springing her ankle - at least the ole vet wore Danner Hell Hound boots)
I just found and washed off a bar that was lying by a trash can - I was originally thinking of just taking a laundry bag to hold a few things until I booty loaded my bag with loot on my soon to come shopping spree. Anyhow I got no idea of a KRS is but I look into it. I thinkin I'll just kick at all the malls /shops by Siam Square supposedly I can find everything I need cheap in one of those stores.

Oh buy the way who knows a really high end bicycle shop with Campy parts?

I'm talking like way expensive bike stuff that only a bike fanatic would pay for - I need to buy some more shorts - ahhhh we seee his skin! The nice ones here are gonna kill me at 70,000 won (60 US). I could mail order a bunch from discount store but then there is shipping....