From Wikitravel

This article is an itinerary.

[edit] Understand

This itinerary is for beginner scuba divers, who don't want 100% diving. If you're completely new to scuba diving, take a three or four day open water course during your first scuba stop, although this will mean spending a day or two in a classroom and at the bottom of a resort pool. Good food, culture and sights to be had, with three dive destinations.

[edit] Prepare

[edit] Get in

[edit] Go

• Fly to Bangkok, Thailand, 5 days
  • Get good, inexpensive Thai massages to get over jet lag or go to Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Pattaya, or Sukhothai around the Bangkok area.

• Fly to Phuket, Thailand and live aboard to travel to the Similan Islands, 4 days. Here you will find fantastic diving and it is possibly the cheapest place in the world to do a full service "live aboard."
  • If learning to dive here, you may wish to allow at least 5 or 6 days, as your course may take 4 days and you must not dive on the last day before flying.

• Or go to Surat Thani (province)'s main city by bus (9hrs), train (9hrs), plane (55mins) or ferry to Ko Samui, known as the paradise islands. Other beautiful yet touristic diving places include Ko Pha Ngan,Ko Tao and Ang Thong National Marine Park for scuba diving. Also see wet forest and Srivijaya Empire in Province.

• Fly to Chiang Mai north of Thailand from Ko Samui
• Fly to Kuala Lumpur from Ko Samui, Malaysor ia, 3 days
  • Side trip to either Penang or Malacca, 2 days
• Fly to Tawau from Kuala Lumpur, drive to Semporna and take a boat to stay on Mabul and go diving Sipadan island.
• Drive, ferry or fly to Tioman Island on the east coast of the peninsula of Malaysia for 4 days of scuba diving.
  • Go diving by speedboat, which means less time in transit and more in the water.
• Fly to Cebu, Philippines, 5 days
  • Ferry to Bohol for diving and dolphin watching.

• Fly to Singapore and enjoy civilization, 2 days
• Fly to Bali, Indonesia and experience culture with scuba diving at the north end of the island near Lovina, 1 week

[edit] Stay safe

Remember to allow 24 hours between your last dive at any location and getting on an plane! Also, travel insurance covering diving is a must for diving in Southeast Asia. Recompression chambers are privately run and expensive.

[edit] Get out

This is a usable itinerary. It explains how to get there and touches on all the major points along the way. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!