OK so I have made a lot of headway with next year's trip and it is looking a lot like it will be Thailand.  We will not be living in absolute luxury but it should cost no more than the same time (2.5 weeks from leave YYZ to arrive YYZ) in Bonaire.  It will end up costing more and will come with less diving but it will be amazing to see Thailand and to interact with it's culture.  It will be a while before any tickets are purchased of course, but I am already excited and dying to go.  The diving would be GREAT but the rest would be GREAT as well.  I have found a number of places that could be good to stay but will be finding ways to interact with people that have the experience of the area.  Wait and see (story of my travelling life darn it all).

Have you ever been to Thailand?  Do you have experience with dive shops in Thailand?  More specifically Phuket is where we would go.  I am sure the great diving would be off liveaboard only (like the Similian Islands) but I am not yet sold on it.  I still hold that as a possibility as long as leaving a "resort" for X days and coming back will not be a problem (while not being charged for the days absent....I do not ask for too much do I?).  What day trip excursions did you do and how were they?  This can be land or sea based.

ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, UNDERWATER = HEAVEN.