TROPICAL PARADISE WITH GREAT DIVE OPTIONS

Thailand is a hotspot for divers and offers a great variety of dive spots. The Gulf of Thailand on the east coast offers fringing reefs and in the Andaman Sea on the west coast, you can encounter the big stuff.

Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam, is a country in Southeast Asia. Located at the center of the Indochinese Peninsula, it is composed of 76 provinces spanning 513,120 square kilometers.

Thailand offers flourishing reefs with a great amount of marine life and great visibility. It is also a great spot to see whale sharks, leopard sharks, manta rays and other big fish. But also macro lovers will be satisfied by seeing frogfish, nudibranch, ghost pipefish or different types of seahorse.

Diving is possible on both sides of the country. On the east side, you can find the Gulf of Thailand and on the west coast the Andaman Sea. The underwater landscape contains of drop-offs, caverns, pinnacles and tunnels.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DIVE IN THAILAND?

Thailand offers good diving conditions year-round. The air temperature ranges between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius while the water temperature hovers around 29 degrees Celsius. The visibility in the Gulf of Thailand is best between May and September. The diving season in the Andaman Sea starts in October and ends in April. Between March and June, it´s the best time to see whale sharks and from Mid-October through Mid-May, you have the best chance to dive with manta rays.

WHAT ARE THE BEST DIVE SPOTS IN THAILAND?

Richelieu Rock is probably the most famous dive spot in Thailand and known all over the world. Here you have a great chance to spot whale sharks. However, the best way to explore this dive site is by liveaboard. But day trips are possible too. The dive site itself is very big and can be explored in at least two dives. Other marine animals here are barracudas, dogtooth tunas or manta rays. Due to its exploited location, the currents can be a bit stronger here.

The Similan Islands is another world-famous dive spot. It is only accessible by liveaboard and can be visited only between October and May. Leopard sharks can be seen here as well as manta rays and reef sharks. The reefs are very healthy and contain a lot of table corals and staghorn corals. The water is very clear, which makes it a famous spot for underwater photographers.

Other great dive spots closer to the mainland are Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi or Phuket Island. The chances to dive with whale sharks here are also pretty good.

LIVEABOARDS IN THAILAND

The best way to explore all the great dive spots of the Similan and Surin Islands is by liveaboard. The trips last from 4 days up to two weeks. Many liveaboards also operate in the Andaman Sea and sometimes combine Thailand with the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar.