Scuba Diving In Phuket

[sadman]

After much prevarication and procrastination, my wife, son and I are commencing our scuba qualification tonight with our first confined dives. However, I have a nasty feeling that when we come over to Phuket (later in the month) the rainy season will mean that carrying on with open water dives will be out of the question.

Am I best leaving the diving until Christmas, or are there places it will be safe to dive (under supervision)?

[skippybangkok]

You might consult the guys who live and dive down there alot, but my 2 cents worth are that there are most likely places (bay area's ) which might be protected and dive-able, and thus u can do ur training. Generally going out on the open sea is a no-no this time of year.

Depending who u speak to the season opens from about december till may, but even then there have been people caught out in the similans in April due to high seas.

I will never forget my first liveaboard ( about 10 years ago ) ..... the side of the boat was about 30 cm from the water. Beginners luck we had a sea as flat as a mirror.

[easy_jim]

I have been told that if you go to the sheltered east side of Phuket there is safe diving available around Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai. I have never tried so I can't promise anything.

Diving conditions in open water at this time of year is variable. It is probably not a good idea for novice divers to try.

[Chantal]

I have been told that if you go to the sheltered east side of Phuket there is safe diving available around Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai. I have never tried so I can't promise anything.

Diving conditions in open water at this time of year is variable. It is probably not a good idea for novice divers to try.

We dive all year round off Phuket. During the low season months between May - October the diving at the daytrip dive sites are IMO actually better than during the high season due to less divers (as during the high season months) and boat surface traffic etc. Also we tend to see more marine life then.

From October - mid May there are more options for diving around Phuket. Shore dives off Kata/Karon beaches, local boat dives to sites 10 minutes off the westcoast, the daytrips as well as the Liveaboard cruises to the world renowned Similan Islands, Burma etc.

Hope this helps.

[Chantal]

Also forgot to mention that we do Open Water Course training throughout the year. Koh Racha Yai (located 1 and 1/2 hours south of Phuket by boat) is ideal for OW training dives. The daytrip boats go to these sites everyday.

[Eugen]

Made a couple of dives last year , the operators know where to go and where it is safe at this time of year.

But there is always a risk that some rough water can spoil the trip.

[sadman]

Many thanks for that, everyone. With a bit of luck we might be able to get our 4 OW dives in to get qualified, and with even more luck, to get some more diving in.