Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JennyJJ]

Summertime is low season in and around Phuket (thus Phi Phi too) as it is the monsoon season. The sea will be rough and the water clouded. Visibility, obviously, will be poor. There will be many dive joints willing to take your money this time of year, but understand that dive conditions will not be good.

[Bulsajo]

I went to Phuket end of July/beginning of August. Yes, it was monsoon season, but it usually only rained for an hour or so in the afternoon. Low Season meant a great deal at a hotel/resort I normally wouldn't have considered (Kata Thani- opulent is the word that comes to mind). Monsoon season did mean some rough water at the beaches- no crystal blue placid seas, and on some days there were 'no swimming' flags up due to surf and undertow. Didn't stop us from doing a bit of body surfing though.

BUT the diving was just fine! (and believe me I know good diving- I've lived in the Caymans, dove Guam and the Red Sea as well as other less than great places like Canada, the US and Korea) Sure there were no shore dives to be had but I was under the impression there weren't very many good shore dives anyway. Boat dives about an hour from Phuket were just fine- seas not too rough and vis at 45-60'. Low season also meant less crowded boats, beaches, restaurants etc.

I wouldn't rule out going to Phuket during low season at all- it's still fine, and in some ways even better.

One of the freakiest dives I've ever had was off Phuket- we were on dive 2 of a 3 dive boat trip when a storm blew up- it was wild to see brilliant flashes of lightning lighting up the water at 60'! I was kind of freaked out by it but the divemaster didn't seem fazed at all; we just continued the dive. I guess it made sense: no point in surfacing- that's where the lightning is!

[Zed]

If you go to Cambodia via Ko Chang/ Trat can you get a visa at the border there? I crossed the other way last time but I don't know about getting a visa at the border there (Koh Kong). I know you can get one in Poipet but Koh Kong? Does anyone know?