Normally if i'm headed to Tioman I would leave after work. Say leave around 8pm you would reach mersing by 12~1am (depending on how fast you drive, if wack under 4 hours is possible). From there, get a cheap room, sleep and get on the ferry the next morning.

Dr Paul is it? I know about him too. He lectured for a few of my lectures. Hopefully I'll be getting him this semester in some lectures.

From what I heard, he does bring students to take up dive course and I've also heard that there's this plan to open up a diving club in Monash, but so far no news about it yet. Would love to join if there was one.

Anyway, look around first and decide properly, the last thing you would want is an instructor who only wants your money and not teach you all the skills properly. You actually just missed out MIDE which was in early July. The best rates can be found there if you ask me.

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Added on August 3, 2011, 5:04 pmThat's a good idea. At least can rest for few hours before leaving for the island.

This post has been edited by munkeyflo: Aug 3 2011, 05:04 PM

LOL you might be tired, but I just realised that Transnational have buses that goes from Mersing (I'm assuming that you're in KL).

Btw, anyone here dived at Krabi (or islands surrounding it) before? How is the vis?

This post has been edited by peppermilk: Aug 3 2011, 05:31 PM

this is what i used to do before for 2d/2n trip to tioman on weekend but now getting old edi so only looking for relax dive trip

Bus takes 6 hours le...

Anyone heard of Pulau Weh? It is in the northern tip of the Sumatera island. The island is off the northernmost tip of Sumatera and facing the Andaman and also the Indian ocean. During my times in Langkawi, I have with a yachter sail to this island for a recce trip with him. At that time, the island was almost unheard of and very very isolated. I slept on the yacht the whole 10 days trip, very claustrophobic! The water was fantstic though and now there are tours to this island and it is quite affordable too. I saw in another ad where it was only 600 plus for the ground transfer to the from Aceh plus food and lodging but off course very basic kind.

http://www.mudah.my/Acheh+Pulau+Weh+Diving...9319.htm?last=1

Sleep on the bus lor. I used to take bus to KT everytime I go to Redang few years back. Leave Shah Alam around 10pm, reach there 5-6am then wait for their hotel shuttle bus to pick us up to jetty around 7am+. But I find it quite tiring also.

Wanna ask...do you all normally bring your booties and fins along when you travel by plane? If so, how do you guys carry it? Do they charge extra as sports equipment?

i got a 28" luggage bag for it. Just put everthing inside and check in. Act like dunno. Air Asia will lepas without problem...

LOL...I supposed Air Asia is quite lenient about it. I actually bought a fin bag. Can carry like bag pack and put some other diving gears inside too but it's designed is like fish net so can see through. Not sure if can get past or not hahaha....

Same. Mine's a big hard luggage roller bag as well. Throw all my BCDs and everything inside and stuff whatever extra clothing in. Wetsuits usually stuff it into another bag cause it takes up quite a lot of space by itself. Regulator hand carry.

If you don't declare it as sports equipment then they won't charge you as long as you're below the weight limit. But if you bought that type of netting dive bag, they might charge you for sports equipment, Scuba gear is under their sports equipment category. I'm not sure about this but I wouldn't try to take the risk.

Hmm, aiyar I bought my netting dive bagpack in MIDE for RM90 only but never thought of the see through (put as check-in at people can see the things inside) coz it was last day so a bit rushed. Couldn't find a good covered bag for fins alone. Besides, I'm using power fin so it's quite long and needed a big bag

I have dove Krabi using Kon-tiki as my guide. Visibility around 20-30m and Hin Daeng/Hin Muang or Shark point are top spot there. A bit far to travel but its worth the journey.

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Added on August 9, 2011, 12:12 amI bring complete set and using dive bag. Whether AA, MAS, SA or Berjaya Air never charged extra for dive equipment.

This post has been edited by Putraskyline: Aug 9 2011, 12:14 AM

Dive bag is duffel type or the netting type? Just lock and check in or hand carry? I saw video of how Air Asia people handle luggage. Scared liao...

mine duffel type, also check-ed in AA before. should be pretty ok lah, unless you have the luggage type. i'm pretty sure your dive equipments can handle the throwing around part...but not your reg i think

I'm going to Lang Tengah in a week time. It's my first trip there. Excited!

Anything I should know of or keep a look out for? Or is it just the same as Redang?

I think if you're using the see through net type very high chance to get charged. However there was one time a friend of mine used the net type of dive bag with his fins all in there got through without paying. I guess it really depends if they want to enforce the ruling.

I believe its duffel. Yeah I saw AA staff throw the bag from their airplane on my own eyes too. But mine I just check in and get plastered as fragile. So far, no problem. Only hand carry my beloved regs

do let me know your experiences when you get there..how much are your packages?

Do they charge extra if you ask them to label it fragile?

Will do. I'm not sure. My bf settling everything. RM300+ I think. 3D2N.
I'm actually just tagging along my dive instructor as he has a few rescue and open water students to certify. I go to kacau them. lol.