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.

March 19, 2024
Embarking on a liveaboard is the key to accessing more remote and untouched dive sites.
Embarking on a liveaboard is the key to accessing more remote and untouched dive sites.
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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

Koh Tao. Credit Adrian Stacey
Koh Tao. Credit Adrian Stacey

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

Koh Ha Coral cod arch credit Pete McGee
Koh Ha Coral cod arch credit Pete McGee

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

Similan Islands. Credit (c) Tourism Authority of Thailand
Similan Islands. Credit (c) Tourism Authority of Thailand

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.

Similan Islands (c) Tourism Authority of Thailand
Similan Islands (c) Tourism Authority of Thailand
Similan National Park Diving (c) Tourism Authority of Thailand
Similan National Park Diving (c) Tourism Authority of Thailand

Richelieu Rock, Surin Islands

Richelieu Rock Blue-ringed Angelfish. Credit Pete McGee.
Richelieu Rock Blue-ringed Angelfish. Credit Pete McGee.

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.

Richelieu Rock orange fan coral grouper. Credit Pete McGee
Richelieu Rock orange fan coral grouper. Credit Pete McGee

The Gulf of Thailand

Koh Tao. Credit Adrian Stacey
Koh Tao. Credit Adrian Stacey

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.

Green moray eel hides amongst the reef.
Green moray eel hides amongst the reef.

Chumphon Pinnacle

Home to batfish, giant grouper, trevally, and massive schools of barracuda and snapper, this site features stunning granite pinnacles covered in coral.

Soft coral with divers in sillouette credit Pete McGee
Soft coral with divers in sillouette credit Pete McGee

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.

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