Diving the Land of Smiles
Diving in Thailand offers a rich and varied experience, from the bustling training centres of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand.
Pelagic encounters and colourful reefs of the Similan Islands in the Andaman Sea.
The Similan and Surin Islands, secluded and undisturbed, provide a habitat for a wide array of marine life. From majestic manta rays, elusive whale sharks, and sizable tuna to minuscule macro-critters like seahorses, ghost pipefish, and harlequin shrimp, these islands have it all.
Hin Daeng (Red Rock) and Hin Muang (Purple Rock), Southern Andaman Sea
Hin Daeng boasts a towering pinnacle covered in soft corals of various shades of red, teeming with marine life. It's a familiar spot for manta ray sightings and the occasional whale shark.
Hin Muang offers Thailand's highest vertical wall adorned with vibrant purple soft corals.
Ko Ha (5 Islands), Southern Andaman Sea
Situated 25km west of Koh Lanta, these islands are a breathtaking sight both above and below the water's surface. Towering limestone karsts dominate the skyline, while underwater, you'll find a profusion of vibrant soft corals weaving through a network of caverns and swim-throughs.
Hin Pusa (Elephant Head Rock), Similan Islands
Named after a rock resembling a half-submerged elephant, this site features immense granite boulders creating a mesmerizing array of swim-throughs, tunnels, and caverns.
Richelieu Rock, Surin Islands
Thailand's most famous dive site, this horseshoe-shaped pinnacle is covered in vibrant coral and surrounded by a cloud of marine life. Divers can encounter harlequin shrimp, ghost pipefish, and vast schools of barracuda, snapper, and jacks.
The Gulf of Thailand
Diving in the Gulf offers a range of experiences, from granite pinnacles and rocky seamounts to lively coral reefs. While whale sharks frequent the deeper pinnacles throughout the year, their presence is more likely in April-May when plankton levels rise.
Signature Dive Sites.
Sail Rock (Hin Bai)
With few nearby pinnacles, Sail Rock becomes a magnet for fish. The coral-encrusted pinnacle itself is a sight to behold. Alongside larger fish, you'll find colourful smaller species darting in and out of the reef, with currents luring hunting trevally and barracuda.
Angthong Marine Park
This park features sea caverns, swim-throughs, overhangs, and sloping reefs. The marine reserve offers an abundance of coral diversity and a range of marine life, from sizable snappers to blue-spotted stingrays, schools of fusiliers, and yellowtail barracuda.
Chumphon Pinnacle
Home to batfish, giant grouper, trevally, and massive schools of barracuda and snapper, this site features stunning granite pinnacles covered in coral.
When to Dive
Planning a dive trip in Thailand requires consideration of the two distinct seasons. In the Andaman Sea, the dry season runs from November to April, while the southwest monsoon season falls between May and October. In the Gulf of Thailand, the wettest period is from September to December, making November and December less ideal for diving.