Now that most of January 2015 is behind us, many have recovered from the hangovers, given up on our New Year’s resolutions such as diets or learning something new, and are looking forward to the next big date in 2015. For some, this is a summer vacation, and for others it may be a promotion or graduation. However, many of the world’s population have Chinese ancestry and the Lunar New Year is a big deal, and an opportunity to go on holiday… including a diving holiday at The Similan Islands in Thailand.
This year, Lunar New Year is on and around February 19th, and many divers booked trips booked months ago, with some boats already full. There’s a lot less stress for trips at this time of year, especially when compared to International New Year from December to January. Many of the western diving staff and Thai boat crew don’t have much interest in Chinese New Year whereas January 1st is often a time when they begrudge having to work or do so hungover, and hotels and transportation are either full or overpriced, or both. Thai New Year is in mid-April, and at that time of year the seas are beginning to get rougher and the heat can be very intense. Therefore, diving in Thailand at Chinese New Year offers the best balance of perfect diving, weather & sea conditions, and the opportunity to get the best service and prices for transport and accommodation.
Manta Ray (Manta alfredi) Thanks to Lyle Turner at the Global Reef ProjectAfter an interesting start to the diving season in the south of Thailand, where we have seen all kinds of amazing marine life, including Whale Sharks, Manta Rays and even Orcas (Killer Whales), there has also been some less-than-perfect weather and even flooding in the southernmost provinces. However, now the weather is perfect. Temperatures are cooler than the rest of the year and the seas are calm, and still full of colourful and amazing life of all shapes and sizes.
In addition, the boat operators don’t fix or worry about diving schedules for Lunar New Year as much as they do for January 1st or Song Kran (Thai New Year). Therefore, there’s more variety of trips in all kinds of boats and for cruises ranging from 2D/1N to up to a whole week on board. We still have availability on several of our boats, including some of the ever-popular Manta Queen fleet, MV Sea Heaven, and even a special offer on MY Genesis’ exciting trip to the northern sites of Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon & Koh Tachai.
Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to enjoy the best diving in Thailand at the best time of year. You don’t have to be Chinese, or even work for a Chinese company, to realize that this is a great time to jump in the crystal-clear Andaman Sea during the day and then gaze from the boat at the unpolluted star-filled sky at night. Chinese and other Asian guests are more than welcome, but many of our customers come from Europe, Australia, & North America. Every trip is diverse and cosmopolitan, and under water, we all speak the same language!
