Hi,
Will be in Krabi and Ao Nang after New Years' and really want to go for at least a day or two day dive trip. Any recommendations? Will only have a week in the area so anything quite close would be good. Similians are too far off, aren't they? Any thoughts on good diving companies and prices would be highly appreciated as well. :)
Hey D&C. I work out of Phuket, and if you were coming here, I'd be able to help more, but FWIW, here's a little information (since your post has been up several days and nobody down Krabi-way has yet offered any advice):
1) You cannot reach the Similans from Krabi (you can from Phuket, but Krabi is simply too far)
2) You might like a 2d/1n trip that goes over to Phi Phi (the best diving easily reached from Krabi) in which you stay overnight on Phi Phi Don. If you don't like that option, you can still go to Phi Phi for diving on a regular daytrip.
3) The top dive spot you can get to from Krabi is the Hin Daeng/Hin Muang pair of pinnacles. It takes quite a while to get there by speedboat, and you usually only get two dives, and it costs significantly more than a regular daytrip from Krabi, but maybe you would find the expense worthwhile if you're an avid diver.
Feel free to PM me.
you could also try koh lanta....
its cheaper and its closer to get to Hin Deng and Hin Muang - overall its a nicer expereince than phuket (my opinion) and it has a great range of accomm too -
if you want to day trip to the similans then you want to be leaving from Khao Lak which is a few hours bus ride up the coast from Krabi
just came back from lanta. hin daeng and hin muang cost about 3500 baht ( roughly $106 ).
there are dive companies in krabi town- i bet they take you out to phi-phi. didn't check with them when we were in town so cannot offer more info. the diving we did around phi-phi was so-so (koh bida). visibility was not so great.
the similans were awesome and if you are really into diving it is worth taking the bus up to khao lak and doing an overnight trip. i cannot imagine that you would regret it.