Hi,

I'm looking into having a little break & get out of the saddle and into the water in Thailand. Would like to do some more diving courses there.

Does anyone have any first-hand experience about bike transport? Can I get my bike (F650 GS) onto a boat to, for example, Ko Tao? (Or any other island with good diving facilities)?

Thing is: I might do a Dive Master course and stay for 1-2 months in one location, so I really would like to have the bike closeby for safety reasons.

Cheers
Bjorn

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If there is no roro ferry I wouldn't bother. Find yourself a nice guesthouse or hotel on the mainland and ask to leave your bike there. If it's out of sight it's unlikely to get interfered with.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

Ko Tao is a pretty small place so taking a bike there would be limiting for riding - you could hire a Honda Cub there (try Mr J if he's still operating) for the daily commute to the diveshop. But if you stay on Samui then there's heaps more opportunities for exploring, but the divings not so good as on Tao... Getting a bike there shouldn't be any problem, the locals do it all the time!

I wouldn't want to take the bike on an island for riding. It is merely about keeping the bike safe & close-by (otherwise I'd get pretty paranoid about theft).
Leaving it with a guesthouse/hotel on the mainland is not an option I think (I take it they'd ask for storage fees).

Are there any good websites for roro-ferries in Thailand?

Bjorn

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http://www.panomoto.com

We went on a few days boat-trip in South India, left the bike at the back yard of a guesthouse, out of sight from the road, locked up and bike cover put on top of it. No problems. Unless there´s a ferry, I´d rather do that, than for example risk dropping it to the water from some small boat, that are often used to transport bikes. Just make sure its a well-established place with good reputation.

Nah, just tip up and ask - if no joy then try another operator/port, two ports service the Gulf islands - Chumpon and Dan Sak (the shortest route/best bet).

When I was in Chumpon I was told that there are only passenger boats. The roros leave all from Donsak and go to Koh Samui (two companies, Raja Ferries and Seatran) and Koh Phangan. I did find a web site or two with timetables, but the info was out of date. There are several roros to Koh Samui per day, I didn't have to wait long in either direction.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

in answer to the question in your original post - "yes" !

i am now in Koh Tao, the diving here is very good and there is a plethora of dive shops to choose from (over 40 actually).
the island is very small and mostly served by small scooters.

I fully understand and agree with your logic of keeping your bike close by.
It's a nice bike and i'm actually looking for one so let me know if you want to sell it or rent it to me ??

There are slow overnight freight ferried serving the island, I know one goes each night from Chumpon (maybe spelt wrong) which is the mainland port for the ferries serving the islands with the traffic from the North (Bangkok).

don't know the company, don't know the schedule, don't know the price but just turn up at port and expect to get on that nights ferry.

accomodation here can be from about 300baht per night for a hotel 1 room (would sleep two), or there are plenty of opportunities for longer term 'bungalow' rental, prices can be as low as 3 or 4,000 baht per month and up to about 12 to 15,000 baht.

Food - budget about £10 ($20) per day and that should cover everything.

Dive Master course is about 30,000 baht (SSI) you are unlikely (VERY unlikely) to get any income from the school you are with, but you will get as much diving for free as you want AND you can take as long as you want, so intheory you could take 6 months ! (that's a lot of diving).

hope this helps

Yes; There is a ferry from Chumphon for vehicles and construction equipment etc. A firend of mine brought his GS 650 here on it for a reasonable price. I have a small hotel on Koh Tao. If you get here, please drop by to say hello. We are about 200 Meters south of the pier in Mea Haad

website; Utopia Suite
email; willem@utopiasuites.com

Willem

hi there,
we stayed on ko phangan for a while, which is linked by roro from the mainland. right now we're on koh chang, pretty easy with ferries and also plenty dive shops. besides diving, here is a nice and winding road around the island and lots of beaches to enjoy!
if ever you decide to come over to koh chang, please contact me as I'm a working dive instructor for the next few months... taking a break from riding and refilling the budget!!!
cheers

darius