Thailand scuba diving with Phuket's Most Experienced Dive Center

The latest scuba diving Thailand news is on Santana's   scuba diving Thailand home page  

03.08.2007

The Similan Islands & Surin Islands Marine National Parks authorities decided to rise the general entry fee from the 01st of November 2006 from 200 Thai Baht to 400 Thai Baht. Children between 3 and 14 years are 200 Thai Baht. The scuba diving fee of 200 Thai Baht per diver and day will remain unchanged.

26.02.2005

We still have spaces available on our forthcoming 3-day trips to Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Koh Ha. These sites feature a huge diversity of life and are a magnet for whale sharks over the next 3 months. We have added the   Phuket liveaboard - diving Hin Muang dive Hin Daeng page   with more information about this fascinating area.

16.02.2005

Great news this week. Repairs to our beach shop are complete and we have now moved back in. Our normal telephone numbers have also been restored. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us during the difficult time since the tsunami.

30.01.2005

Due to early booking enquiries we have published our 2005-06 liveaboard schedule earlier than usual. The season will feature our usual choice of destinations and durations, along with some special early and late season deals. See Santana's   Thailand Phuket liveaboard schedule page   for details.

Yesterday we participated in a clean-up dive at Kata Noi beach. Many beach umbrellas were recovered, along with all sorts of other items. A short movie of the event can be downloaded from Santana's   Thailand scuba diving underwater videos gallery  

22.01.2005

We have added Santana's   scuba diving Thailand recent tsunami pictures   page.

Rebuilding of the office is progressing fast. As insurance pay-outs come through, the pace of repair of properties in the beach area is accelerating. Like most, we have been hard hit by cancellations , but our schedule continues. MV Discovery is currently on safari in Burma as planned with a group of customers. Enquiries are picking up for March and April. so we are still hopeful of a stonger late season, but with a team of staff to support through low season, we badly need customers.

Current visitors to Patong are discovering, beautiful, clean, quiet beaches, fast, excellent service, excellent diving and of course beautiful weather. And those who look for lively nightlife, it's business as usual. So make the smart choice and come on down!

17.01.2005

The rebuilding of the Santana office is progressing at a blistering pace. The walls and ceiling have been replaced already. We expect to move back in during February.

15.01.2005

Today we participated in a clean-up dive at Patong Beach. The reknowned Buddhist monk Bhikkhu Buddha Dhatu was on board to pray and to bless divers as they entered the water. The remarkable man was born in Vietnam. As a child during the Vietnam war 70% of his body was burned with Napalm. He survived and became a Buddhist monk at 13. He joined the Barefoot World Peace Walk with the Dalai Lama, covering over 9,000 kilometers through 19 countries in 3 years. At the Sydned Olympics he released 3000 doves. More pictures soon!

13.01.2005

We made a liveaboard trip as planned to Burma via the Similans from 3rd to 11th January. We are pleased to report that we observed zero damage attributable to the tsunami at Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, the Burma Banks and the Mergui Archipelago. There was a little damage in the shallow parts of East of Eden on Similan Island number 7, which we usually dive once on our way to Burma. Most fragile corals there such as gorgonian fans are still intact, marine life is as diverse as ever, and the site is still a great dive. See for yourself... we have made a short online movie of the East of Eden dive which can be downloaded from Santana's   Thailand scuba diving underwater videos gallery  . Meanwhile we can't wait for our next liveaboard trip, which leaves on 18th January.

Local dive operators are angry with media reports that distort the facts or simply lie in order to paint a negative picture about the quality of diving in the Andaman since the tsunami. CBS were one of the main culprits. The truth is that the diving here is still world class. Our loyal customers who dive with Santana every year are reporting that they see no deterioration whatsoever in the quality of the dive sites since the tsunami.

The Dive Operators Club of Thailand, of which we are a member, have made an official statement regarding the tsunami. It can be viewed at   http://www.doct-phuket.org/  

02.01.2005 update

This site has good information about the condition of the area:

  http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=23917  

02.01.2005

Tomorrow some of us are off on a liveaboard safari to Burma and the Similans. There will be no more news updates here during that time but we will report back with news of the diving after we return on 11th. Andrea and team will remain on shore.

30.12.2004

Yesterday we dived at Shark Point, Anemone Reef and Koh Doc Mai. We found the dive sites in good condition. Visibility was a very clear 20 metres and, as normal, plenty of reef fish and soft corals. These photo galleries illustrate how quickly things are improving:

29.12.2004 update

While we organise a new office, All 4 Diving have kindly agreed to act as a reception point for Santana customers. All 4 Diving is a large dive shop on Soi Sawatdirak, the same road where the Santana office was located until October 2004. They are just outside the affected zone. If you arrive at All 4 Diving, the staff will contact us on your behalf and we will collect you. Please do not directly contact All 4 Diving regarding your diving with Santana.

All 4 Diving, 5/4 Sawatdirak Rd., Patong.

29.12.2004

The clean-up effort continues here. Shops, bars, restaurants and hotels are re-opening rapidly and there is a great sense of community in dealing with the situation. Power was yesterday restored to many parts of the affected zones, including Soi Bangla, allowing the clean-up process to accelerate.

Santana ran a daytrip yesterday to Racha Yai and today we are diving at Shark Point, Anemone Reef and Koh Doc Mai.

Many people have asked how they can help. The best way to show your support is to come to Phuket! It is still possible to have a wonderful holiday here. This disaster hit at the worst possible time for the Phuket tourism industry and holiday cancellations are the last thing people here need.

28.12.2004

We can also report that our partner hotel, the Patong Pearl Resortel, was just outside the affected zone and is open as normal. The clean-up operation is now fully underway. Last night the Tiger entertainment complex as normal was open and very busy. There is no power in the area closer to the beach than Tiger. The main road through Patong, Rat-U-Thit, is rapidly getting back to normal.

We have lost most of our email records. If you have a booking with us, or you were in discussion with us, please get in touch with us again as soon as possible (see news from 27.12.2004 for details).

27.12.2004

We express our utmost sympathy with the victims, their families, friends and loved ones of the tragic disaster that hit our region on 26th December.

Our office in Patong was destroyed by the recent tsunami, however we are pleased to report that both our liveaboard and day-trip boats are undamaged and all our staff and customers are unhurt. Our forthcoming diving schedule remains unchanged.

Our email and contact page are still working. If you cannot reach our normal telephone or fax, please call Andrea Hinrich's mobile +66(0)18913579 or house on +66(0)76292332.

We are currently arranging an alternative office. Please check back for further news when we have it.