Phuket, Phi Phi & Similan Islands Dive Sites

Depth: 5 - 40m

Visibility: 5 - 40m

Currents: Can be strong

Surface Conditions: Calm to moderate

Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C

Experience Level: Beginner - advanced

DAY BOATS

Phuket

Koh Racha Yai

Koh Racha Yai is the larger of the two islands south of Phuket. The better diving is off the east coast where good drifts can be done along the hard coral walls. Many species of coral can be spotted here with staghorn predominating in many places. The island often attracts some bigger visitors such as barracuda and the odd reef shark as well as the usual array of reef inhabitants. There are several interesting places to dive around Koh Racha Yai including Lucy's Reef where you may come across stonefish and catfish and Marla's Mystery, a wreck that is now home to morays, groupers and lionfish.
-
Koh Racha Noi

Further south is Koh Racha Noi, a smaller island that also offers some good dive spots. There are two submerged pinnacles on each end of the island that are teeming with marine life. For the more inexperienced diver there are shallower spots. The southern pinnacle offers underwater boulders and scenery similar to that seen in the Similan Islands, often with visibility to match. Big schools and barracuda of hunting jacks are common to see. At certain times of the year it is even possible to see a Manta ray.

Anemone Reef

This dive site starts from a depth of around 25m. It is a rock outcrop deriving its name from the numerous anemones that cover the top. The dive is usually started at depth and it is possible to spot leopard sharks on the sandy bottom. You can then slowly rise, circumnavigating the reef while keeping a lookout for morays and other coral inhabitants. Take in the beautiful anemones and playful clownfish as you approach your saftey stop.

Shark Point

An easy dive down to a maximum depth of around 18 metres. It called Shark Point because of the leopard sharks that frequent its waters and you are extremely likely to see them here. The rock just breaks the surface and the coral extends to the north and south of it, and you can see a different selection of reef visitors.

Koh Doc Mai

A tiny jungle covered island between Shark Point and Phuket, its name meaning "Flower Island" in Thai. It gets this name from the "flowers" beneath the surface, namely the hard and soft corals covering the vertical outcrop. It forms a good wall dive dropping down to 30 meters and can be easily circumnavigated several times during one diveIt can make a good dive and there are also a number of caves to try and see what you can find.

King Cruiser Wreck

A perfect clear, calm and sunny day with a flat ocean and great visibility, a route that has been travelled hundreds of times before ... May 4th 1997. Nobody knows how the 85 meter passenger ferry strayed off course in perfect conditions and hit Anenome Reef tearing a gaping hole in her hull ... welcome to Thailand. We do know that she sank in around 2.5 hours and all 600 passengers aboard were rescued. She now lies upright in 32 meters of water and has evolved into a fantastic natural reef. Big open passage ways, car deck and bridge area make for easy exploration, take care though as surfaces have become encrusted with coral and barnacles and are extremely sharp. This said the wreck may have disintegrated further since we last dived it so penetration may not be possible. On the upper levels you'll spot lionfish and big schools of fusiliers and around the hulk you may see barracuda and jacks patrolling.

Koh Phi Phi

-Koh Bida Nai

The little sister of Koh Bida Nok is made up of different terrain. More boulders and fallen rocks here make some interesting swim-throughs that are often hidden by large shoals of glassfish. There are also scores of bearded Lionfish on the bottom.. Upon closer inspection of the walls and caves you may be lucky enough to spot a ghost pipefish or boxer shrimp. There is a coral outcrop called Fantasy Reef where you can spend some time and a staghorn garden where you may come across leopard or black tip sharks.

-Koh Bida Nok

This small islet is around 2km south of Koh Phi Phi Ley, it is one of the better dive sites in the area. There is a shallow bay on one side with colourful coral gardens and a drop off on the other side with a dramatic hard coral wall housing several specias of moray eel. You will also find a few caverns and overhangs here where bearded scorpionfish and lionfish can be seen lurking in the dappled light. At the right time of year (December to February) mantas and whale sharks have been spotted at Koh Bida Nok.

-Gareng Heng

A small submerged reef off the east coast of Phi Phi Ley. Plenty of schooling fish to be seen here such as snappers and fusiliers. Soft coral predominates here along with anemones and barrel sponges. Theres a good chance you'll see a leopard shark on this dive.

-Wang long

This site is well known for its underwater cave systems and is only recommended for experienced divers. The caves tunnel into the rock face in two places and open out into a larger cave where surfacing is possible.

-Hin Dot

These submerged pinnacles, often called Chimney Rock, are located just to the south of Phi Phi Don. The formation drops to a depth of 30 metres and has several coral shelves for exploration upon your gradual ascent. Light at the depths can be obscured by the schooling fish above as this site is well known for attracting them. Look out for nurse sharks under the rocks near the bottom.

-Maya Bay

Made famous by a number of movies, the most recent being "The Beach", Maya Bay is just as impressive below the surface as it is above. A shallow, gently sloping bay with clear waters and abundant coral formations make this a suitable spot for inexperienced divers. There are plenty rocks to look under droping to a depth of 18 metres. As you leave the bay the surroundings start to change with caves and walls dropping off to 30 metres.
Maya South For the more experienced diver this area just outside the bay offers an exciting 30 metre wall dive with caves, valleys and swimthroughs created by underwater rock formations.

-Lohsamah Bay

The bay is an ideal night dive site; a sandy bottom with patches of brain coral for nocturnal reef critters to hide amongst. During the day better diving can be found at the island at the entrance to the bay where there are soft coral covered walls and overhangs. There is a spectacular 15 metre deep canyon just wide enough for single file swimming on the eastern side. Oysters and clams can be found scattered around the sandy bottom.

LIVEABOARDS

-Richelieu Rock

This world class dive site is probably the best place in Thailand to spot whale sharks however since the last El Nino their numbers have diminished. Sightings are a lot more common during the March to May season. The splintered rock can just be seen above the surface at low tide around 18km east of Koh Surin and huge schools of pelagics can be seen on any given day.
All manner of marine life is in abundance here, octopus and cuttlefish can be spotted along side yellow boxfish, morays and cleaner and mantis shrimps. There are many rock crevaces and cracks for marine life to hide in so take it slow and keep a look out. Also look out into the blue where large schools of snappers, jacks and trevally can be seen circling the rock above the thermoclines. Boat traffic and numbers of divers on the site can be heavy during peak season.

-Koh Bon
Considering that Koh Bon is only 40 kilometres north of Similan Island number 9 it is surprising how much different the rock and reef composition is here. It is one of the few true wall dives in the Kingdom, the vertical rock dropping down to around 34 metres with coral ridges going even deeper. Although the soft coral isnt as abundant as the in the Similans you will notice different shades of blue, turquoise and yellow here. Koh Bon is one of the best places to spot manta rays, usually in the months of April and May. An exposed pinnacle lies to the west of Koh Bon, this also attracts big current feeders.
Boats usually moor up in the secluded bay where an arch through the island can be used for navigation. Look out for octopus and small critters hiding in the crevaces of the wall on the dive. Mantas can be found feeding or visiting the cleaning station here at the right time of the year. Also be aware of strong currents and down surge as the waves hit the wall face.

-Koh Tachai

Twenty five kilometres north of Koh Bon lies Koh Tachai. This is one of the finer dive sites Thailand has to offer with an underwater plateau teeming with marine life and coral. As well as the plentiful regular reef inhabitants there is always the chance of spotting something larger in the waters here such as manta rays, nurse sharks, leopard sharks and hawksbill turtles. Whale sharks have been known to visit around April May time. Koh Tachai also boasts a breath taking beach on its eastern coast.
Most of the diving is one around a plateau of rocks off the southeastern side of the island forming cracks, caverns and beds for coral and marine life, currents and surge can be quite strong here.
Koh Tachai Pinnacle Around 500 meters south of the island are two submerged pinnacles that drop to around 35 meters. There are plenty or rocks forming swimthroughs and cracks for marine life to hide. Mantas have been known to visit the pinnacles and there are always large schools of fish here. Currents can be strong at this spot.

Similan Islands

The Similan Islands are located off the coast of Khao Lak or around 100 kilometres north west of Phuket and provide arguably the best diving in Thailand. There are islands covered in thick tropical jungle, fringed by powder white beaches surrounded with clear blue water.