Apart from the rewarding beauty, diving
in Thailand is very economical. The average four-day, full
certification course costs around 6,000 - 8,000 baht including
all instruction, equipment and several open-water dives.
That works out at about US$160 - 200. So it's no great surprise
that so many amateur divers have turned professional here.
Some have even turned into dive shop operators and run diving
schools in Thailand.
In recent years, dive operators have increased
enormously at several popular dive sites including Pattaya,
Phuket, Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao.
On Ko Tao, you can find diving centers,
schools and shops, mostly owned by foreigners, mushrooming
on this tiny eastern island. It's possible for a dedicated
beginner to start from scratch and climb the ladder all
the way up to the instructor level here, something that
usually takes years to accomplish. The reputation of Ko
Tao has blazed across the world during the past few years.
But Thailand has many more diving sites
for your choice. If you are looking for sites that are less
crowded but equally wonderful, then you can check out the
hundreds of islands in both the Gulf of Thailand and the
Andaman Sea.
Gulf of Thailand (eastern coast)
Situated 60 km off the coast of Chumphon province, Ko Tao
is the queen of dive sites off the eastern coast - the Gulf
of Thailand. The fantastic marine ecology of the island
provides a home to various rare species. You can feel the
urge to get in the water at every bay and inlet of this
tiny island. Ko Tao has a concentration of almost 20 diving
schools and over 30 dive sites. You may spot rays, giant
triggerfish and, if you are lucky, a harmless whale shark
- the largest fish in the oceans.
Further north from Ko Tao, some islands
in Chonburi, Trad, Rayong and Prachuab Khiri Khan offer
an excellent diving experience. These islands are quite
close to Bangkok for those who don't wish to travel so far.
Many diving schools or diving centers can
be found in these areas and will happily arrange a trip
offshore. Challenging and rewarding underwater sights include
several ancient shipwrecks, an indication that the area
was once an important trade route.
The Gulf of Thailand has a year-round dive
season. Tropical storms sometimes occur but underwater visibility
is only temporarily affected.
Andaman Sea (western coast)
The Andaman Sea off Thailand's west coast possesses a much
greater number of dive sites. A wide variety of stunning
marine species inhabit the islands here. Sharks, the enormous
manta ray, sea turtles, whale sharks, spectacular coral
reefs and sea anemones are all resident to the Andaman.
Phuket is the center for the booming dive
industry in the Andaman Sea. Prime dive sites in the vicinity
of the island are Shark Point, Ko Yao, Ko Hai and the twin
islands of Ko Raya.
The Surin archipelago is considered the
star of the Andaman Sea, as it offers the most beautiful
underwater ecology in Thailand.
The Surin Island group, off Phangnga, is
a marine national park, protected from commercial exploitation.
Perhaps the ultimate dive can be found in these islands,
with their rich underwater diversity and crystal-clear waters.
The best time to visit the Surin Islands is between December
and April. The park is normally closed during the monsoon
season.
Another dive site admired throughout the
world for its natural beauty is Phi Phi Island. Its underwater
world dazzles with diversity and the sheer spectacle of
the corals.
Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, (meaning red rock
and purple rock) are underwater rock formations where a
variety of corals thrive along with the attendant fish and
crustaceans. Whale sharks are often seen in the seas around
here.
The best diving conditions in the Andaman
Sea are between December and April. Monsoon conditions disrupt
the diving season between May and November.
