Colourful diving from two of Thailand's most popular destinations
Tara North
Diving in Phuket has always been hugely popular due to its ease of access and choice of dive centres. It is one of Thailand's top tourist spots.
Phi Phi Island is equally popular. Actually two main islands - Don and Lae - they are truly spectacular with limestone cliffs rising into the sky.
Highlights of the diving from Phuket and Phi Phi Island include the Bida Islands, Shark Point and the wreck of the King Cruiser. Both destinations are popular for learning to dive. It is also possible to dive the Similan Islands from Phuket with a liveaboard.
Highlights
Best diving spots
Part way between Ko Phi Phi & Phuket are a group of three spectacular sites - Shark Point, Anemone Reef & the King Cruiser Wreck.
Shark Point is actually two pinnacles - a main pinnacle that just reaches the surface and slopes down to 25 metres and a second submerged pinnacle to the south. The pinnacles are adorned with a forest of colourful soft corals and are teeming with life, from schools of Snapper & Silversides to numerous Cuttlefish, Lionfish & Morays. Macro life here is also fantastic and this site also offers a good chance to encounter Leopard Sharks.
Anemome Reef is a fully submerged plateau that is equally spectacular & diverse, while the King Cruiser is the best wreck dive on Thailand's Andaman Coast. The wreck was once a large car ferry and came to a sticky end in 1997 when it collided with Anemone Reef. It now sits in 30m of water and has become a refuge for all manner of large & small marine life.
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To the south, just a short ride from Ko Phi Phi are the islets of Bida Nok & Bida Nai. These two rocky outcrops receive a good flow of nutrient rich waters and, as a result, boast very healthy corals & Seafan gardens, plus a fantastic diversity and abundance of marine life, from Seahorses & Ghost Pipefish to Turtles, Reef Sharks & Leopard Sharks.
Ko Phi Phi's scuba diving also has some good dive sites, such as Maya South on the west coast of Phi Phi Lae. Karen Heng, a few kilometres east of Phi Phi Lae is also an excellent site. There are a number of other diving sites on the eastern coast, which offer protection in the low season from June to October, meaning it is possible to dive around Ko Phi Phi all year round.
Closer to Phuket are Ratcha Yai & Ratcha Noi, two small islands with diving opportunities. Ratcha Noi, the smaller of the two, has the best of the diving. The northern tip of the island offers the chance to see larger marine life, while the southern end has nice drift diving. There is also a small wreck, lying in around 28m, which is home to plenty of reef-life.
Ratcha Yai, to the north has more gentle, relaxing diving and is great for beginners & snorkellers. Rocky, sloping reefs are full of fields of hard corals and colourful reef-life. This site can be dived year-round, as the protected eastern coast offers the better diving.
Diving the Similan Islands from Phuket is also possible with some liveaboards departing from the south of Phuket. Other liveaboard operators at based at Tap Lamu, closer to Khao Lak
When to dive
Diving from Phuket and Koh Phi Phi is best from November until April, although certain sites are protected and can be dived all year round.
Getting there
There is a well-connected international airport on Phuket, with flights to destinations in Asia & Europe and the Middle East. The airport is in the north of the island, while most of the tourist facilities are in the south. While the island is busy, it has excellent roads so getting from the airport to the resorts is no problem.
Ko Phi Phi is reached by boat from Phuket, with regular departures from Rassada pier.
There are also ferry connections from Ko Lanta and Krabi to both Phuket and Ko Phi Phi. Phuket can be reached by road Bangkok, Khao Lak and Krabi.
Activities
There are many beaches to explore on Phuket, plus vibrant nightlife & great restaurants. It is a great place for shopping, with numerous malls selling Thai & western goods. There are many watersports available and even a zoo for kids.
Ko Phi Phi is famous for its lively nightlife, with many bars remaining busy into the small hours of the night. This can easily be avoided by staying at one of the more secluded, higher end resorts. Due to the numerous limestone cliffs around the island, rock-climbing is also popular activity.
Resort and liveaboard options
Both Phuket and Ko Phi Phi have resort options to suit all tastes and budgets. There is also a large number of well established dive centres to choose from.
Liveaboards offer itineraries from just two nights to six nights that head up to the Similan Islands, Surin Islands, or both. Most liveaboards depart from either Chalong on southern Phuket, or north of Phuket en route to Khao Lak at Tap Lamu pier.
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Choosing the right dive center
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If you are learning to dive or taking a diving course, it is important to have the right people around you and to learn in the right environment. Likewise, if you are already a diver who is planning a diving break, you want to make sure your dives are remembered for all the right reasons.
Lombok & Gili Islands
In north-west Lombok, the Indonesian island to the east of Bali, are three idyllic islands known collectively as the Gili Islands.
These small islands, as well as being beautiful above water, also offer a visual feast below the waves, with plenty of turtles & other great marine animals.
The islands, which have no cars and a very relaxed way of life, have become the most popular spot in Indonesia to learn to dive.
Puerto Galera
Originally a safe harbour during typhoons, Puerto Galera has become one of the Philippines' most popular tourist & diving destinations.
Situated only 150km south of the capital Manila, the curious geography of the area has created not only a perfect natural harbour, but also many picturesque beaches and coves to enjoy.
Tioman & Aur
Around 40km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, not far from Singapore is the picturesque island of Tioman.
A popular holiday resort for Malaysians & Singaporeans, the steep-sided jungle clad slopes of the island rise straight out the water and smaller islets dot the coastline, making for a spectacular tropical dive spot.
A little to the south is the tiny island of Aur, which while difficult to reach, has good diving.
Redang
On the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just a little south from the Perhenthians, is Palau Redang.
This island is a relatively recent entrant on the dive map and is proving to be an increasingly popular destination, with healthy corals and abundant marine life, including Turtles, Sharks & Rays.
The diving is generally easy, while the island's lovely beaches & quiet ambience ensure a very relaxing stay.
Perhentian Islands
