Experience: Diving In Thailand

With the variety ofLeopard sharks, whale sharks, silvertips, manta rays and year round scuba diving really is unmissable. Scuba diving is possible along both coasts of Thailand – each complementing the other and allowing scuba diving when the other is unsuitable because of the conditions. Liveaboards and shore based scuba diving from the mainland and the array of smaller islands around Thailand provide plenty of marine life and corals plus a few good wrecks. Fringed by coral reefs as well as deep water offshore pinnacles, it’s not hard to see Thailand’s popularity among backpackers and members of the dive community alike. Sheltered sandy bays provide the perfect depths for learner divers, while the more adventurously inclined can visit deeper spots and perhaps even live the diver’s dream of spotting a whale shark or two. The  sunk HTMS Khram shipwreck is sited just south of Koh Phi and has fast become popular among local divers. An incredible amount of marine life has already been attracted to this wreck in a relatively short time. The Samae San / Sattahip area supplies similar diving conditions, with the added benefit of two large intact shipwrecks. The Petchburi Bremen is an old freighter sunk in 60 feet of water in the Khram Channel (Sattahip). It acts as home to many Grouper and Barracuda. The Hardeep is a cargo ship sunk in 90 feet during the World War II era. This ship is completely intact, and can be dived from bow to stern entirely inside!! With a large hole torn through her belly the King Cruiser sank in under an hour and gave the Phuket Diving community, at long last, with her own artificial reef. At 25 meters you’ll find the engine room and car deck. Ascending to 60 meters you’ll find the passenger section which has the heads, bar and lots of tables and chairs. Even with a relatively low ceiling it is relatively safe to penetrate as the doors are broken off. At 15 meters you’ll find the captain’s cabin and wheel house. The reef is teeming with life and its proximity to Shark Point and Anemone Reef has undoubtedly had a lot to do with its rapid population growth. The wreck is an extremely popular dive and thought of as one of the best in location. In Shark Island dives range from 28 meters and above at the southern tip to the surface and at the deeper depths you may discover Leopard and Reef Sharks. At the shallow end you will see pretty gardens of vividly colourful corals and anemones and at high tide it is even possible to cross from one side of the southern island to the other. This site provides a magnificent range of fish including the Blue Ringed Angel, Long Fin Banner, and if you are lucky the odd resident Hawksbill Turtle.