Dive Review of Philkade in
Thailand

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Philkade, Jan, 2008, by Sherwin Isenberg, M.D., CA, USA . Report 3983.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Divers board from Phuket, Thailand which is easy to reach from almost anywhere in Asia, including Singapore or Bangkok. The boat is magnificent. It was converted from a pleasure craft into a dive craft. Diving is from a smaller tender. The tender is easily entered from the mother ship's stern. However, re-entry from the water involves lifting one' body up. At my age, this would have been difficult, if not for the assistance of a lift from an incredibly strong crew member. The one thing that would improve operations is a ladder on the tender. I have been on more than 20 liveaboard boats. The crew on the Philkade is the best I have ever encountered. It may be the famous Thai hospitality. When preparing for a dive, they handed you the equipment and even helped you in and, later out, of your wetsuit. In actuality, each diver had his (or her) personal dive valet! Every liveaboard should emulate the crew of the Philkade. The British dive masters were also excellent. The fish life seen and photographed include huge leopard sharks, turtles, octopus (including a pair mating), banded sea snakes, batfish, morays, pipefish, lobster, frogfish (both pygmy and normal), cuttlefish, sting rays, and many more. The boat cruises through the Similan and other islands. While there were often other dive boats on the same or nearby sites, we seldom encountered other divers. One highlight is Richelieu Rock. That day was the one day with strong currents. Never-the-less, we descended on the rope and enjoyed an amazing variety of underwater life. The food was good, although a bit repetitive at the end. Dinner was held on the lovely stern deck in the open air. Very comfortable. This boat and dive operation are highly recommended.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Australia, Palau, Hawaii, Cayman, Indonesia, Calif, St Thomas, Belize, etc
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	currents, no currents
Water Temp	80-83°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	40-100 Ft/ 12-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Max depth was recommended.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	Squadrons
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Cameras handled gently by crew. Into rinse tank and then onto table. They knew who possessed which camera and handed them off in the water.

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Dive Review of Philkade in Thailand

Philkade, Jan, 2008,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Philkade in
Thailand