Diving Activity in Thailand

Diving Activity in Thailand

by Jour ~ Friday, July 28, 2006

Thailand is a wonderful country with some excellent diving. To the west of Thailand is the Andaman Sea, and to the east the Gulf of Thailand. The best diving is on the Andaman Sea side, both in the south and further north in the Similan Islands. The best time to visit Thailand is from October to April. Heavy rainfall hits the Andaman coast in May and continues until September. From May to October, therefore, the Gulf of Thailand to the east would be a better option. The best diving on this side is around Koh Tao. Thailand has very clear waters and an average sea temperature of 28oC.

Diving in Phuket and liveaboards in Thailand, the Andaman Sea offers dive sites considered to be among the top ten scuba destinations in the world. Phuket is often referred to as the ‘Pearl of the South’ and for scuba divers it’s certainly the crown jewel of the Andaman Sea. This island paradise lies only 8 degrees north of the equator; it enjoys a tropical climate with average water temperature of 28°C/78°F and has an amazing variety of aquatic life.

The Similans are another excellent diving destination in Thailand. They are a national park comprising nine small islands 90 km Northwest of Phuket. There are no dive operators on the islands: to do them justice you need to take a liveaboard. Khao Lak is the closest place from which to travel, but boats also operate out of Phuket and Ao Nang.

For group or family travelers, all good live aboard operations will take non-divers along at a substantially reduced fee. Friends and family can relax, swim, sunbathe, snorkel and still enjoy the food, trip, scenery and experience of sailing in some of the world’s most beautiful waters.