Diving Around Phuket

[bazmlb]

I am looking at coming to Phuket for a holiday, primarily to go Diving using Phuket as a base, I have some sites I have always wanted to dive, but would be interested to hear about what others I should include.

• King Cruiser
  
• Richelieu Rock
  
• Similans
  
• The cave on Phi Phi
  
• Koa Sak Caves
  
• Krabi Caves
  

Look forward to hearing peoples thoughts.

[Quero]

Since you seem to like caves and caverns, you can also take a look at the cave system at Koh Haa, though it's not easily accessible from Phuket other than by liveaboard. Since you also mention the King Cruiser, you might like other wrecks in the Khao Lak area, specifically the Boonsung tin-dredge wreck and the newer Thai Chart wreck (sunk in 2009). I personally like the boulder sites at the Similans, sites like Elephant Head Rock, North Point, Deep Six, and the pinnacle sites like Tachai Pinnacle and Koh Bon Pinnacle. Nearer to Phuket I like Shark Point quite a lot, but maybe you've already dived it before so it's not on your list?

[stevenl]

And don't forget Anemone Reef, IMO the cutest divesite in the area.

There are nice daytrip options on a 3-tank dive to Shark Point-Anemone Reef and King Cruiser.

[Poo Ying FeFe]

Maya Bay was great for spotting Turtles as its quite shallow. Sea snakes in Khao Lak was good too. I found Phuket quite pricey for diving.

[2long]

Different locations have their own benefits and drawbacks for different reasons and at different times of year. Phuket and Phi Phi are quite touristy, but can be fun. Similans are out in the sea and offer nothing much other than diving.

There's a good website with reviews and help regarding diving and the best sites. thailand-diving.net appears to be unbiased and informative.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

[NomadJoe]

The black tips are running on Palong Wall in Phi Phi at the moment. I had 30 sightings on a single dive there just over a week ago. Many of the same sharks passing by multiple times of course, but I did see 9 at one time.

King Cruiser is absolutely packed with schools of fish now. Truly breathtaking and I say that having dived on it practically since the day it sank.

Although we aren't seeing the Leopards at Shark Point at the moment, I had a great dive there the other day. Bamboo sharks sleeping in the cracks, seahorses, big cuddle fish, Kuhl's stingrays, and nearly 2m chevron barracudas.

Hin Deang and Hin Mueang are also great dive sites that, if time permits, you should dive. Easy day trips from Koh Lanta, long day trips from Phi Phi, or overnight liveaboards from Phuket service them. Usually includes dives at Koh Haa.

Also missing from the above list is Koh Doc Mai, a wall dive with two small caves. Lot's of bamboo sharks sleeping under rocks on the sand below the wall. I saw three in one hole two days ago. Also ghost pipe fish and seahorses. Lots of eels and sea snakes too.

Some operators run a Phi Phi overnight that I strongly recommend. Seven dives includes the afore mentioned SP, KC, KDM, plus Koh Bida Nok, Koh Bida Nai, and the Palong Wall shark dive, plus a night dive usually on Tonsai wall.

Check out Blue Label Diving for cave diving in the Krabi area.

Feel free to PM me for any more info.

And don't forget Anemone Reef, IMO the cutest divesite in the area.

There are nice daytrip options on a 3-tank dive to Shark Point-Anemone Reef and King Cruiser.

Steve do you know anyone that does those 3 dives on the same trip? I always see Koh Doc Mai as one of the 3 dives since it is on the way back from the AE, KC, SP location.

[stevenl]

Steve do you know anyone that does those 3 dives on the same trip? I always see Koh Doc Mai as one of the 3 dives since it is on the way back from the AE, KC, SP location.

Yes, I do.

[stevenl]

There's a good website with reviews and help regarding diving and the best sites. thailand-diving.net appears to be unbiased and informative.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

With 1 DC on Phuket mentioned, a DC well known for it working with instructors working without WP? Not informative and not unbiased.

[IrishIvan]

There's a good website with reviews and help regarding diving and the best sites. thailand-diving.net appears to be unbiased and informative.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

With 1 DC on Phuket mentioned, a DC well known for it working with instructors working without WP? Not informative and not unbiased.

Unlike yourself?

[IrishIvan]

All those are great diving spots and I am a keen recreational diver.

I recently purchased a small boat and I enjoy diving on a weekly basis. Before I purchased my boat I used to dive with a lot of different companies.

Richelieu Rock at the Similans is sensational. King cruiser was humming last time I went there. Ive always wanted to go to Koh Haa and I will go shortly.

Diving around Phuket is all dependent on what you enjoy. If I was interested in diving at Phi Phi, I personally would just go out to Phi Phi by ferry for a few hundred Baht and stay a few nights there and dive your heart out, do all of them. There is some great diving available a stones throw from the pier. There are plenty of dive operators to choose from on Phi Phi.

I was suprised that Monkey beach with the Tsunami memorial had Leopard Sharks last time I was there. Even Hin Klaeng is Ok, the night diving is fantastic and this isnt available from Phuket unless you do a live aboard. But there is no real point in doing a live aboard around Phuket. Do them all and its a lot cheaper on a long tail than getting the big 3 hour day boats out there from Phuket for 2 or 3 dives then 3 hours back with your eyeballs falling out of there sockets at 6pm then another hour to get back to the hotel.

When you go to the Similans I would reccomend one of the big dive companies like Sea Bees,West Coast or South Siam divers. They are boat owners as well as dive operators and are Thai/Farang owned and have been doing it for years. Do a liveaboard here 5 night trip at least it will blow your mind.

Now what I would strongly avoid is booking anything on the net. One guy I know is an SEO specialist (not a friend just an aquantence). He built a dive site as a hobby, he is right up there in the google rankings. He doesnt even have an office!!! He just reffers the customers on to one of his friends company's and gets a 30% commission.

All of the smaller dive companies in Phuket are commission driven, even if I refer a customer to a company I can get it (Im not in the industry) What I would also watch out for is people in forums like this one and others snooping around and sending PMs so they can cop a 30% commission or reccomending you their own company based on you being naive. These guys generally dont have any dive equipment and dont even have an office.

Avoid tour counters in hotel lobbys, just go direct to the dive shops.

Shop around and remember the 30%, when you go into the dive shops (even the big ones) the managers are on commission. You probably wont get a 30% discount for doing one trip, but you could get 5-10% off a single day. Its better in your pocket than a commision agents right? But they do need to make a living and I understand that. But 30% is a bit rich!

You also can do a lot more bargaining if you do a day trip and then a live aboard and a couple of courses. So if you were to do a King Cruiser 3 dive day go out of Phuket, for all the rest go directly to Phi Phi. Avoid Racha Yai and Racha Noi like the plague as they are like a wasteland these days. Another cheap little good dive is on Kata beach called Kohpoo. at the south end of the beach there is a little dive shop that rents surfboards and does dive trips. Ive been with them 4 times (name escapes me now) and they were all really good. I even saw a Nepolian Wrasse there, I think its still there.

Phuket has a tendancy to be very hot and cold. Sometimes the vis is great and others <deleted>. The Similans is always sensational visibility, you are certain to see mantas at Koh Bon be aware of the seasons though as the Similans closes for 5 or 6 months of the year. Enjoy

[stevenl]

There's a good website with reviews and help regarding diving and the best sites. thailand-diving.net appears to be unbiased and informative.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

With 1 DC on Phuket mentioned, a DC well known for it working with instructors working without WP? Not informative and not unbiased.

Unlike yourself?

No, I am not unbiased but don't pretend to be as well.

I do know what I'm talking about though. Some of the points you mention above are totally true, others not, others are debatable. I think you're about 50/50.

Edited January 7, 2013 by stevenl

[IrishIvan]

There's a good website with reviews and help regarding diving and the best sites. thailand-diving.net appears to be unbiased and informative.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

With 1 DC on Phuket mentioned, a DC well known for it working with instructors working without WP? Not informative and not unbiased.

Unlike yourself?

No, I am not unbiased but don't pretend to be as well.

I do know what I'm talking about though. Some of the points you mention above are totally true, others not, others are debatable. I think you're about 50/50.

Let me know buddy. Your being "Not informative and not unbiased."

[Simon1985]

I am planning on spending 6 months in Phuket and want to do quite a lot of diving at the weekends but wont be able to pay tourist dive rates. I have got all my own diving ghia. Is there any clubs you can join which makes the diving less expensive. I also like the thought of joining a dive club.

[stevenl]

I am planning on spending 6 months in Phuket and want to do quite a lot of diving at the weekends but wont be able to pay tourist dive rates. I have got all my own diving ghia. Is there any clubs you can join which makes the diving less expensive. I also like the thought of joining a dive club.

No, no diving clubs here,and with divesites being a reasonable distance from the island diving will always be quite expensive. There are some sites close by where you can go diving this time of year, like Kata Beach, Ya Nui Beach, Ao Sane beach, etc., so that would be cheap.

[Simon1985]

Hi Stevenl, thanks for the info. Are you saying the best dive sites are boat trip away and whats the shore diving like at Kata Beach,Ya Nui Beach, Ao Sane beach.

[IrishIvan]

If you get a few people together you can get a longtail out to the islands for a reasonable price from Rawaii.

Id love to see a dive club in Phuket

[Simon1985]

If you get a few people together you can get a longtail out to the islands for a reasonable price from Rawaii.

Id love to see a dive club in Phuket

Irishlvan, a diving club would be cool. How long would it take roughly on a longtail to get out to the islands?

[IrishIvan]

If you get a few people together you can get a longtail out to the islands for a reasonable price from Rawaii.

Id love to see a dive club in Phuket

Irishlvan, a diving club would be cool. How long would it take roughly on a longtail to get out to the islands?

Longtail out to the islands a good hour hour and a half, but a lot of them arent as good as going by dive boat. But as you will be here in low season it might be rough

Best ones accessable by longtail are Koh Poo at Kata Beach and Koh Mon. Koh Mon you could actually swim out to from Ya Nui Beach but you would want to get the tides right or you could find yourself being washed away. I havent dived Koh Mon for a while but last time I did a night dive there it was good.

Stevenl is right the pick of the bunch is Ao Sane beach for shore diving. Its easy enough to hire tanks in Chalong and just drive down there. The advantage of the bigger boats is that they take you direct to the hotspots as the divers and boat captains talk to each other. But if you were to stay on Phi Phi island for a night or 2 then you are really close to some of the best spots. Some are only 10 - 15 mins away. This is a lot cheaper by far for longtails but then you have to pay for accommodation on Phi Phi...bit of a catch 22

Are you mainly diving to get your hours up or diving for pleasure?

Bang Tao might be another option I heard there is a good dive spot just off the beach there, Ive been told better than Kata, Karon Rock and Ao Sane, but then you have to drive a long way up there.

[stevenl]

But as you will be here in low season it might be rough.

Bang Tao might be another option I heard there is a good dive spot just off the beach there, Ive been told better than Kata, Karon Rock and Ao Sane, but then you have to drive a long way up there.

These 2 statements don't go together. There is a reason the planes at BangTao were demolished in 1 low season. And Koh Puu and Koh Mon in low season? Not something I would recommend.

[IrishIvan]

But as you will be here in low season it might be rough.

Bang Tao might be another option I heard there is a good dive spot just off the beach there, Ive been told better than Kata, Karon Rock and Ao Sane, but then you have to drive a long way up there.

These 2 statements don't go together. There is a reason the planes at BangTao were demolished in 1 low season. And Koh Puu and Koh Mon in low season? Not something I would recommend.

Isnt there an island off Bang Tao? Not the planes. Ive dived Koh Poo in low season, no problem. I actually like the the west side better

[IrishIvan]

But as you will be here in low season it might be rough.

Bang Tao might be another option I heard there is a good dive spot just off the beach there, Ive been told better than Kata, Karon Rock and Ao Sane, but then you have to drive a long way up there.

These 2 statements don't go together. There is a reason the planes at BangTao were demolished in 1 low season. And Koh Puu and Koh Mon in low season? Not something I would recommend.

Ao sane is good all year round?

[stevenl]

Ive dived Koh Poo in low season, no problem. I actually like the the west side better

Again, these 2 statements don't go together. And no, no Ao Sane diving in low season.

[Simon1985]

I know the seasons to dive the Similian Islands is Nov - May as I looked at doing a liveaboard. Are all the other dive sites around phuket only diveable around these times of the year. Never dived in Thailand before.

[stevenl]

I know the seasons to dive the Similian Islands is Nov - May as I looked at doing a liveaboard. Are all the other dive sites around phuket only diveable around these times of the year. Never dived in Thailand before.

Similans and Surin national parks are opened November through April, so only in those months diving is allowed there. All other Phuket divesites are accessible year round, with the exception of (most of) the beach divingsites.

[Gangnamstein]

I hear Similan is THE place to go diving.... got a buddy there now, and he says he's having the time of his life.

He's not exactly a beginner, however.

[Simon1985]

I know the seasons to dive the Similian Islands is Nov - May as I looked at doing a liveaboard. Are all the other dive sites around phuket only diveable around these times of the year. Never dived in Thailand before.

Similans and Surin national parks are opened November through April, so only in those months diving is allowed there. All other Phuket divesites are accessible year round, with the exception of (most of) the beach divingsites.

HI Stevenl, Thanks for the info. Is the beach divesites not diveable because of rough condiions from May-Nov

[stevenl]

HI Stevenl, Thanks for the info. Is the beach divesites not diveable because of rough condiions from May-Nov

Yes, too rough to dive.

[Simon1985]

HI Stevenl, Thanks for the info. Is the beach divesites not diveable because of rough condiions from May-Nov

Yes, too rough to dive.

HI Stevenl, In May-Nov I read that the beaches can be closed due to the bad conditions. Don know how true this is. I was thinking about renting an apartment near a decent beach for a few months. Seems a waste of time in the off season if you cant use the beach. is there any beaches in phuket that are sheltered from the bad conditions.