Dive Review of Sea Bees/Palm Garden Khao Lok in
Thailand/Andaman Sea

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Sea Bees/Palm Garden Khao Lok, Mar, 2007, by Bob Sivak, ca, usa . Report 3257.
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	Went to Thailand to see the renowned Similan and Surin Islands during whale shark season. Overall disappointing trip due to poor visability and zero whale sharks. Sea Bees dive center has a very user friendly website with tons of info. I booked a 3 day "north tour" aboard their liveaboard M/Y Genisis and did 2 day trips from their Kao Lok based day boats. The M/V Stingray is a nice catamaran able to hold about 45 divers. We dove 27 divers going to Similan island #9. The mostly German guides were knowledgeable and friendly. After a 3+ hour ride (each way) we did 2 dives with 90 minute surface interval. A green algae bloom is all over the Andaman Sea right now. Guides say they have not seen visability this bad. Tons of fish at all sites, but I found the coral to be a bit on the thin side. The next day I went on the M/Y Runaway to the "Boonsung" wreck. About 90 minutes each way this time and 2 tanks. This was by far the most monchromatic wreck I have seen as it was covered in silt. The only item of interest was a couple of crocodile fish. This day was a complete waste of time and money. The "North Tour" included Richleau rock and Koh Bon. Every site in the Surins had at least 8 other packed liveaboards at them. Again, the viz was terrible. I found Richleau to be rather unremarkable. Beside a couple of ghost pipefish, not that interesting. Koh Bon salvaged the liveaboard portion producing a few large mantas. It also had a very nice reef. But with the crowds it reminded me of Molokini crater. The M/Y Genisis was a simple but nice liveaboard, especially for $600. The Palm Garden resort in Khao Lok was also simple but nice. Tasty food and friendly staff. Given the travel time from the west coast, long boat rides, the overall cost and medicore diving, I don't think I'll go back anytime soon.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	CA, HI, Mexico (pacific), Carribean, Philippines
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy, dry	Seas	calm, currents
Water Temp	80-83°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	10-30 Ft/ 3-9 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	50 bar and 30 meters
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	1 or 2
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	M/Y Genisis had a good charging station and inside camera table.

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Dive Review of Sea Bees/Palm Garden Khao Lok in Thailand/Andaman Sea

Sea Bees/Palm Garden Khao Lok, Mar, 2007,

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 Sea Bees/Palm Garden Khao Lok in
Thailand/Andaman Sea