The best scuba diving in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia offers the most diverse and varied diving opportunities in the world. With so many great places to dive, it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start.

Our comprehensive diving guide makes choosing your next dive destination that little bit easier, with detailed information on Southeast Asia's best scuba diving destinations, country profiles, interactive maps, what to see, when to go and more.

Here are just a few of the reasons Southeast Asia is widely regarded as the best scuba diving in the world...

✓ Endless opportunities

South-east Asia has a complex geography with a staggering 130,000km of coastline. The region also has 25,000 islands to explore. For scuba divers and lovers of marine life, that translates to almost limitless opportunities.

Whether you love snorkelling, reef dives, liveaboard diving, wreck diving, or muck diving, wish to learn to dive in colourful coral gardens or immerse yourself in world-class dive sites as an experienced diver, Southeast Asia has something for you.

✓ Highest biodiversity

Ever heard of the Coral Triangle? This is a region encompassing much of Southeast Asia that is known to have the highest marine biodiversity on earth. The region has 34% of the world’s coral reefs, or to put that another way, close to 100,000 square km of reefs to enjoy!

Southeast Asia also has 600 of the 800 known species of reef-building coral, 6,000 species of fish, 6 of the world’s 7 species of Turtle.. and endless beauty, creating an incredible playground for scuba divers and snorkelers.

✓ Options for everyone

Looking for luxury? Travelling on a budget? Love liveaboards? Prefer to be resort-based? You are sure to find what you are looking for. The variety below the water is matched by the wealth of options for eager divers and snorkelers to avail of, no matter what your situation.

Southeast Asia has a greater choice of diving operators and options than anywhere else in the world. From larger operators to simple dive shacks, incredible liveaboards to outstanding dive resorts, we are sure you won’t be disappointed. Whether you are searching for the luxury splurge option or on a shoe-string, you are sure to find great value for money too. Allied with the superb diving and snorkeling, it is a winning combination.

✓ World-class dive sites

Go for a dive almost anywhere in Southeast Asia and you can be fairly confident of a good experience. There are certain dive sites that are really special, standing out from the rest as a truly world-class diving destination.

There is no doubt that Southeast Asia has more than its fair share of dive sites that can match the best in the world. From the magical walls of Sipadan to the awesome liveaboard diving at Komodo and Raja Ampat, the beautiful dives sites of the Philippines to Thailand’s Similan Islands, incredible dive sites are waiting to welcome you and show off their beauty.

Diving the Philippines

Sebastian Pena Lambarri

Highlights

» Swimming with Whale Sharks

» Liveaboard diving at Tubbataha

» Asia's best wreck dives in Coron Bay

» Magical coral reefs in the Visayas

» Thresher Sharks in Malapascua

From wonderful coral reefs to Asia's best wreck diving, superb liveaboards to swimming with Whale Sharks, the Philippines has something for every diver and snorkeller.

Head to Malapascua to dive with Thresher Sharks, Dauin for excellent muck dives, Tubbataha for the Philippine's best liveaboard diving or Balicasag in Bohol for wonderful turtle encounters. The choice is yours.

Read more about Diving the Philippines

Indonesia Diving

Dorothea Oldani

Highlights

» Thrilling diving in Komodo National Park

» Incredible biodiversity in Raja Ampat

» Turtles in Bunaken National Park

» Muck diving in the Lembeh Strait

» Manta rays in Borneo

Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, with an incredible 17,000 islands to dive, snorkel and explore. Sitting at the heart of the Coral Triangle, this island nation has world class dive sites at every turn.

Komodo National Park and Raja Ampat offer some of the best diving in Indonesia and are excellent for liveaboard adventures. Sulawesi & Bali offer plentiful resort based diving choices, while adventurous divers and snorkellers can enjoy many more remote dive spots.

Read more about Indonesia Diving

Diving Thailand

Enjoy some of the best scuba diving in Thailand on the Andaman coast

Tara North

Highlights

» Colourful reefs and marine life

» Great place to learn to dive

» Good introduction to liveaboard diving

Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in the world for scuba-diving - and for good reason.

Koh Tao, Phuket and Ko Phi Phi are very popular places to learn to dive, while the Similan and Surin Islands make a fantastic introduction to the world of liveaboard diving.

The best scuba diving in Thailand is concentrated along the southern peninsula, with options on both the east and the west coasts. When conditions on one coast are not ideal, the opposite coast often has good conditions, providing options for divers throughout the year.

Read more about Diving Thailand

Malaysia Diving

Tara North

Highlights

» World-class diving in Borneo

» Huge diversity of marine life

» Good diving for beginners

From the wonderful marine life of Sipadan and Mabul Island in Borneo to the dive sites of Peninsular Malaysia, scuba diving in Malaysia has something for everyone.

Geographically, the country is split into two separate regions. Peninsular Malaysia lies on mainland between Thailand and Singapore, while the states Sarawak and Sabah are on the island Borneo.

Peninsular Malaysia is the more developed, offering very good dive sites for less experienced divers such as the Perhentian Islands, Tioman & Redang. On Borneo, Sabah has some of the best dive sites in the world to explore.

Read more about Malaysia Diving

Papua New Guinea Diving

Highlights

» World-class reefs

» Incredible biodiversity

» World War II plane wrecks

Papua New Guinea, or PNG as it is often known, occupies the eastern half of New Guinea; an island it shares with Indonesia. To the north is the Pacific Ocean, to the south Australia’s Coral Sea and to the east the Bismark & Solomon Seas.

The area is a melting pot of marine life and has some of the most diverse and spectacular scuba diving on the planet. Explore vibrant coral reefs, plunging seamounts and World War II wrecks with resort diving and liveaboard diving options.

For the adventurous, it is the ultimate travel destination where remote, pristine rainforests tumble down from towering peaks into crystal clear waters teeming with life.

Read more about Papua New Guinea Diving

Diving Myaynmar

Highlights

» Colourful reefs

» Remote dive sites away from crowds

» Possibilty of big fish encounters

Myanmar lies to the north of Thailand facing the Andaman Sea. Its coastline is dotted with myriad tropical islands, most notably the Mergui archipelago. These islands, along with the Burma Banks, form the focus of Myanmar's diving scene.

The area is usually dived by liveaboard from Thailand to the south, however there are some resort options on remote islands with diving too.

Expect beautiful islands, colourful coral reefs and fascinating marine life ranging from Seahorses to majestic Manta Rays.

Read more about Diving Myaynmar

Vietnam

Jarda Malek

Highlights

» Coral gardens

» Fascinating smaller marine life

» Great for beginners

Vietnam is the most easterly of South-East Asia’s mainland countries.

Its entire eastern coastline faces the South China Sea, from the Gulf of Thailand in the south to the Gulf of Tonkin in the north. To the west, it borders Cambodia & Laos, while to the north it borders China.

The length of the country means that it spans different climates, with hot, tropical conditions in the south and more temperate conditions in the north. It has nearly 3500km of coastline with many beautiful bays and numerous small islands.

The best diving spots tend to be in the south & the east of the country where the seas are warmer.

Read more about Vietnam

Guide to scuba diving in Asia

Discover the best scuba diving in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia offers the most diverse and varied diving opportunities in the world. With so many great places to dive, it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start.

Our comprehensive diving guide makes choosing your next dive destination that little bit easier, with detailed information on Southeast Asia's best scuba diving destinations, country profiles, interactive maps, what to see, when to go and more.

Here are just a few of the reasons Southeast Asia is widely regarded as the best scuba diving in the world...

✓ Endless opportunities

South-east Asia has a complex geography with a staggering 130,000km of coastline. The region also has 25,000 islands to explore. For scuba divers and lovers of marine life, that translates to almost limitless opportunities.

Whether you love snorkelling, reef dives, liveaboard diving, wreck diving, or muck diving, wish to learn to dive in colourful coral gardens or immerse yourself in world-class dive sites as an experienced diver, Southeast Asia has something for you.

✓ Highest biodiversity

Ever heard of the Coral Triangle? This is a region encompassing much of Southeast Asia that is known to have the highest marine biodiversity on earth. The region has 34% of the world’s coral reefs, or to put that another way, close to 100,000 square km of reefs to enjoy!

Southeast Asia also has 600 of the 800 known species of reef-building coral, 6,000 species of fish, 6 of the world’s 7 species of Turtle.. and endless beauty, creating an incredible playground for scuba divers and snorkelers.

✓ Options for everyone

Looking for luxury? Travelling on a budget? Love liveaboards? Prefer to be resort-based? You are sure to find what you are looking for. The variety below the water is matched by the wealth of options for eager divers and snorkelers to avail of, no matter what your situation.

✓ World-class dive sites

Go for a dive almost anywhere in Southeast Asia and you can be fairly confident of a good experience. There are certain dive sites that are really special, standing out from the rest as a truly world-class diving destination.

Diving the Philippines

From wonderful coral reefs to Asia's best wreck diving, superb liveaboards to swimming with Whale Sharks, the Philippines has something for every diver and snorkeller.

Head to Malapascua to dive with Thresher Sharks, Dauin for excellent muck dives, Tubbataha for the Philippine's best liveaboard diving or Balicasag in Bohol for wonderful turtle encounters. The choice is yours.

Indonesia Diving

Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, with an incredible 17,000 islands to dive, snorkel and explore. Sitting at the heart of the Coral Triangle, this island nation has world class dive sites at every turn.

Komodo National Park and Raja Ampat offer some of the best diving in Indonesia and are excellent for liveaboard adventures. Sulawesi & Bali offer plentiful resort based diving choices, while adventurous divers and snorkellers can enjoy many more remote dive spots.

Diving Thailand

Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in the world for scuba-diving - and for good reason.

Koh Tao, Phuket and Ko Phi Phi are very popular places to learn to dive, while the Similan and Surin Islands make a fantastic introduction to the world of liveaboard diving.

The best scuba diving in Thailand is concentrated along the southern peninsula, with options on both the east and the west coasts. When conditions on one coast are not ideal, the opposite coast often has good conditions, providing options for divers throughout the year.

Malaysia Diving

From the wonderful marine life of Sipadan and Mabul Island in Borneo to the dive sites of Peninsular Malaysia, scuba diving in Malaysia has something for everyone.

Geographically, the country is split into two separate regions. Peninsular Malaysia lies on mainland between Thailand and Singapore, while the states Sarawak and Sabah are on the island Borneo.

Peninsular Malaysia is the more developed, offering very good dive sites for less experienced divers such as the Perhentian Islands, Tioman & Redang. On Borneo, Sabah has some of the best dive sites in the world to explore.

Papua New Guinea Diving

Papua New Guinea, or PNG as it is often known, occupies the eastern half of New Guinea; an island it shares with Indonesia. To the north is the Pacific Ocean, to the south Australia’s Coral Sea and to the east the Bismark & Solomon Seas.

The area is a melting pot of marine life and has some of the most diverse and spectacular scuba diving on the planet. Explore vibrant coral reefs, plunging seamounts and World War II wrecks with resort diving and liveaboard diving options.

For the adventurous, it is the ultimate travel destination where remote, pristine rainforests tumble down from towering peaks into crystal clear waters teeming with life.

Diving Myaynmar

Myanmar lies to the north of Thailand facing the Andaman Sea. Its coastline is dotted with myriad tropical islands, most notably the Mergui archipelago. These islands, along with the Burma Banks, form the focus of Myanmar's diving scene.

The area is usually dived by liveaboard from Thailand to the south, however there are some resort options on remote islands with diving too.

Expect beautiful islands, colourful coral reefs and fascinating marine life ranging from Seahorses to majestic Manta Rays.

Vietnam

Vietnam is the most easterly of South-East Asia’s mainland countries.

Its entire eastern coastline faces the South China Sea, from the Gulf of Thailand in the south to the Gulf of Tonkin in the north. To the west, it borders Cambodia & Laos, while to the north it borders China.

The length of the country means that it spans different climates, with hot, tropical conditions in the south and more temperate conditions in the north. It has nearly 3500km of coastline with many beautiful bays and numerous small islands.

The best diving spots tend to be in the south & the east of the country where the seas are warmer.

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