Thailand
Similan Islands (Liveaboard Destination)
- Location: Andaman Sea, 70 km off Khao Lak
- Best Dive Sites:
- Richelieu Rock – Famous for whale sharks, manta rays, seahorses, and macro life.
- Elephant Head Rock – Underwater boulders, swim-throughs, and reef sharks.
- East of Eden – Vibrant corals, turtles, and reef fish.
- Marine Life: Whale sharks, manta rays, leopard sharks, reef sharks, nudibranchs, octopuses.
- Best Time to Dive: November to May (peak: February to April for whale sharks).
- How to Reach: Fly to Phuket International Airport (HKT) → Travel to Khao Lak (1.5-2 hrs by taxi) → Join a liveaboard or speedboat to the islands.
Surin Islands (Richelieu Rock)
- Location: Near Myanmar border, Andaman Sea
- Best Dive Sites:
- Richelieu Rock – One of the top dive sites in the world, famous for whale sharks, barracudas, and ghost pipefish.
- Marine Life: Whale sharks, frogfish, seahorses, giant trevallies, manta rays.
- Best Time to Dive: November to May.
- How to Reach: Fly to Phuket or Ranong → Take a boat from Khao Lak or Kuraburi Pier.
Koh Tao (Best for Beginners & Budget Diving)
- Location: Gulf of Thailand
- Best Dive Sites:
- Chumphon Pinnacle – Whale sharks, barracudas, and groupers.
- Sail Rock – Vertical rock formation, batfish, and trevallies.
- Southwest Pinnacle – Schools of fish, occasional whale sharks.
- Marine Life: Whale sharks, turtles, reef sharks, angelfish, stingrays.
- Best Time to Dive: March to September (calm seas, best visibility).
- How to Reach: Fly to Samui Airport (USM) → Ferry to Koh Tao from Koh Samui or Chumphon.
Koh Lanta (Hin Daeng & Hin Muang)
- Location: Andaman Sea, near Koh Lanta
- Best Dive Sites:
- Hin Daeng (Red Rock) – Manta rays, whale sharks, deep wall diving.
- Hin Muang (Purple Rock) – Thailand’s deepest drop-off, abundant macro life.
- Marine Life: Manta rays, whale sharks, pelagics, nudibranchs, moray eels.
- Best Time to Dive: November to April.
- How to Reach: Fly to Krabi Airport (KBV) → Ferry to Koh Lanta → Speedboat to dive sites.
Phuket (King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point)
- Location: Andaman Sea, near Phuket
- Best Dive Sites:
- King Cruiser Wreck – Artificial reef teeming with marine life.
- Shark Point – Leopard sharks, soft corals.
- Marine Life: Leopard sharks, barracudas, lionfish, scorpionfish.
- Best Time to Dive: November to May.
- How to Reach: Fly to Phuket International Airport (HKT) → Dive shops available in Patong, Kata, Karon.
Koh Phi Phi (Best for Scenic Diving)
- Location: Andaman Sea
- Best Dive Sites:
- Bida Nok & Bida Nai – Reef sharks, turtles, large schools of fish.
- Maya Bay (Shark Point) – Blacktip reef sharks.
- Marine Life: Reef sharks, sea turtles, cuttlefish, moray eels.
- Best Time to Dive: November to April.
- How to Reach: Fly to Phuket or Krabi → Ferry to Koh Phi Phi.