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Easily one of the best dive sites in the world, these nine
virtually uninhabited islands boast some of the most brilliant
coral reefs to be found anywhere in the world. Lying approximately
100 km off of the coast of Phuket, the Similans
are a very popular destination for liveaboard trips and can
even be reached by speedboat for day trips. Despite their
popularity, these fantastic dive sites remain in pristine
condition thanks to protection under Thai law and the efforts
of the local dive community.
Still fairly unexplored, the Andaman Islands lie between
Phuket and India in the Bay of Bengal. These islands have
only been open to diving for a relatively short period of
time after 50 years of near-total isolation. The islands lack
a modern fishing fleet and foreign fishing licenses are granted
very rarely, meaning that the islands are simply teeming with
large fish and sharks. Drift dives and extinct underwater
volcanoes round out the highlights of this primal underwater
haven.
Located about 20 km (12 miles) north of the Similan Islands,
these two islands offer some variety on liveaboard trips to
their more famous cousins and also make for excellent day
trips. Koh Bon is the home of one of the few vertical walls
in Thailand and is an excellent place to encounter manta rays.
Koh Tachai, 'the perforated island' and features one of the
finest reefs in all of Thailand. Rays, nurse sharks and hawks
bill turtles are some of the stars of this show.
The Surin Islands are famous for some spectacular isolated beaches, bays and coves.
For divers, the real attraction is a little rock 18
km (11 miles) off the coast of Phuket. For some mysterious
reason this rock draws whale sharks like cops to a donut factory.
Sightings of the world's largest fish are as frequent as 70
percent at the right time of year. The highest number of sightings
occur during the months of February, March and April.
Located just south of Krabi province, Trang is an off-the-beaten-track
dive area that has some excellent diving to offer up. A series
of islands near Koh Lanta are filled with caves and caverns
that can be easily and safely explored by divers. The real
treats of Trang, however are Hin Daeng and Hin Muang (Red
Rock and Purple Rock), two pinnacles that offer incredible
vertical drops, colourful coral gardens and an abundance of
wildlife, enough to rival even the Similans.
While technically located in Krabi waters, Phi Phi is easily
reached from Phuket and its powder soft beaches and dramatic
limestone cliffs make it a popular excursion for visitors
to both provinces. The diving around Phi Phi is not as mind
boggling as the Similans or Hin Daeng but it does offer a
huge variety of dive experiences concentrated within a small
area. Longtail boats abound to take you to sites filled with
caves, swim-throughs and coral gardens.
Located off of Phuket's east coast, the Racha Islands (Racha
Yai and Racha Noi) provide excellent diving year round and
are particularly suited for beginners. Sometimes called the
Raya Islands, and featuring mild currents and shallow depths,
these islands are perfect for those who've just finished their
certification and are eager to explore the undersea world.
The smaller of the islands, Racha Noi, also has some more
challenging dive sites for the experienced diver.
So named for the large numbers of docile leopard sharks that
can be found around its base, shark point is a lovely dive
site that absolutely teems with life. Fairly strong currents
sweep the site's two pinnacles, providing ample food for the
large populations of coral that cling to the rocks. Although
visibility is sometimes impaired, on a clear day it is one
of the most densely packed ecosystems in Phuket.
Located a short distance north of Shark Point, Anemone Reef
is another densely packed ecosystem and many dive operators
offer day trips that cover both sites. Obviously, Anemone
Reef sports thousands of anemones and anemone fish, but it
also hosts its share of leopard sharks as well as a huge population
of spectacular lionfish.
The King Cruiser was a ferry boat that plied the route between
Phi Phi and Phuket. Then one fine day with no wind, no waves
and no inclement weather it inexplicably sunk (no one was
killed) and created a perfect wreck dive. Resting in about
32 metres (104 feet) of water, the wreck has attracted quite
a bit of marine life since it went down in 1997 and is now
a bustling artificial reef.
An inexpensive way to get your feet (and everything else)
wet, Phuket's west coast offers some surprisingly interesting
dives. Although nowhere on the scale of he offshore islands,
there are some nice reefs located just off the tourist beaches,
particularly Kata. Hire an inexpensive local longtail boat
and see what you can see.
These flat topped underwater plateaus are one of the best
places in Southeast Asia to have some serious shark encounters.
The Banks are known primarily as a big animal hot spot and
the mounts are frequented by large numbers of nurse sharks
and sliver tips as well as the schooling fish that they prey
on. The odd hammerhead or tiger shark will occasionally turn
up as well.
The Mergui Archipelago, of which the Burma Banks are a part,
has only become known to divers in recent years. After nearly
50 years of total isolation, the 800 islands of the archipelago
have started being explored by intrepid divers looking for
a new experience in Southeast Asian waters. The undersea terrain
consists of coral reefs dotted with fans and soft corals with
the added bonus of a very dense shark population.
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Similan Islands
Andaman Islands
Koh Bon and Koh Tachai 
Richelieu Rock
Hin Daeng and Trang
Phi Phi Islands
Racha Islands
Shark Point 
Anemone Reef
King Cruiser Wreck 
West Coast 
Burma Banks 
Mergui Archipelago
