Big Apple Dive Resort

★ 4 · Derek Chadderton · 2010-03-28

Stayed at the Big Apple in March 2010, The resort itself is cheap and clean with great staff. During our stay we did numerous dives, which worked out about £12 per day including kit, hire which is excellent value for money and probably the cheapest ive paid. On arrival the Dive office is at the rear of the resort by the pool. All the kits new and good quality. The Dive team themselves were great! On registering you get your kit issued and boxed then the team have it ready and transferred to the boat whilst your getting suited up and briefed before every dive. Andrew our dive master was totally professional and knew his business, unlike some dive operators ive used especially in Thailand They usually do 3 dives a day at 0900, 1100 & 1400 all ish and you can book sunset and night dives if wanted Once ready it’s just a matter of walking out of the resort onto the beach and 20 paces to the boat. The dive sites (and there are loads) we used were all within 5 – 10 minute boat rides. Once at the site the crew help you get the kit on and buddy check. Then into the water. We did 50-minute dives. As we couldn’t bother getting up early missed any 9am deeper dives (well I was on holiday). The 11am and 2pm dives were max depth 22/24 metre easy dives. Loads to see pygmy sea horses, blue ringed octopus, sea snakes etc etc etc. On the last dive “The Hole in the Wall” several of us caught site of a reef shark out in the blue. The boats are bancas a bit like very large canoes with bamboo out riggers everyone uses them, getting back on the boat is easy as the ladder drops down the side with the crew taking all your gear as its passed to them. Then back on the boat a short ride back to the resort, back across the beach and into the pool “magic” We took 3mm shorties with us, which were fine, but on all the second dives of the day we started to feel the cold. So if you’re an airhead doing as many dives as possible take a 5mm. All in all we had a great time with a thoroughly professional dive operator. I would recommend the Big Apple to anyone considering going