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November 10, 2010 |
As befitting a tropical island, Phuket is home to several stunning beaches and is in close proximity to a number of surrounding islands. As a result, the ‘Pearl of the Andaman’ as it is otherwise known is a popular attraction for both domestic Thai tourists and international visitors.
Due to the year round warm, clear waters of the Andaman Sea, visitors to Phuket can dive at the numerous Phuket dive sites 365 days a year.
The best time to head beneath the waves is during the November to April high season where the winds are calm, the visibility is good and the water temperature ranges between 28-30° Celsius.
Diving is still possible during the monsoon season from May to October and, although the Similans National Park – one of the main diving attractions in the region – is inaccessible, there is still good diving to be enjoyed closer to Phuket.
The Similan Islands are often ranked inside the top 10 dive destinations in the world and several other sites – Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, Shark Point, Koh Bida Nok and Nai – are also hugely popular day trip destinations.
Diving Destination
The Similan Islands are Thailand’s premier dive destination and are one of the best places to enjoy the stunning marine life and corals of the Andaman Sea. The Similans are only accessible during the months of November and April when the weather is good, the seas are calm and the visibility is good and enjoy protection as a National Marine Park.
The Similan Islands are home to a number of famous dive sites including Elephant Head Rock, Christmas Point, Breakfast Bend, and East and West of Eden and because of the distance from Phuket or Khao Lak are best enjoyed by a liveaboard. Both Phuket are Khao Lak are serviced by numerous liveaboard companies who head out to the park on three-, four or five-night safaris.
Speed boat day trips are also possible if your time is scarce but to fully appreciate the Similans, it is best to take one’s time.
Dive sites of the eastern side of the Similan Islands are made up of gently sloping coral reefs on sandy bottoms, while the topography of those on the west side consists of towering undersea granite boulders which dwarf divers and all but the biggest marine life.
Because of the relative lack of current, good visibility and warm water, divers of all certification levels can enjoy what the Similans have to offer.
Bon Island (Koh Bon) is located approximately 20km north of the Similans and is another of the region’s more popular dive locations. Day trips to Koh Bon are possible but the site is best visited as part of a liveaboard.
Koh Bon is famous for the frequent manta ray sightings which take place along its steep walls which drop down to 33m. The best time of year to witness these magnificent creatures is between the high season months of November and April but mantas have been seen all year round.
Encounters with mantas are moments to be savoured but a trip to Koh Bon without mantas is still special because of the presence of leopard sharks, white tip reef sharks, moray eels, soft corals and more.
For advanced divers, a trip to the nearby Koh Bon Pinnacle, a site which plummets to depths of 40 meters, is also highly recommended for possibly sightings of black tip reef sharks, eagle rays and mantas.
Richelieu Rock, a dive site located in the Surin Islands, is widely considered to be Thailand’s best dive site and is visited by thousands of divers each and every year. The site is some 200km from Phuket and is best accessed by liveaboards that are four- or five-days long and is worth two dives at least.
Like The Similans and Koh Bon, Richelieu is only accessible during the high season months of November to April when conditions are favourable.
The site itself is a horseshoe shaped pinnacle covered in soft corals that rises up 35m from the sea bed to just beneath the surface. Richelieu Rock is one of, if not the best place to encounter whale sharks, the biggest fish in the world and is also home to several other species of pelagic plus an abundance of macro life which can be found hiding in the nooks and crannies of the rock itself.
Phuket dive sites, although perhaps not as spectacular as those in the Similans and beyond, still have plenty to offer keen divers. Shark Point and Anemone Reef are widely acknowledged to be the two best while good diving and snorkelling is available at Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi, Koh Waew, and Coral Island.
On the surrounding islands of Phi Phi and Lanta, popular day trips include visits to Koh Bida, Koh Ha, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang.
Phuket divers will experience an incredible array of hard coral reefs, soft corals, large schools of reef fish and some macro life in the form of nudibranchs, moray eels, pipefish, sea horses, cuttlefish, octopi and lionfish to name but a few. Sightings of leopard sharks, white tip reef sharks and turtles are also relatively common in the warm, turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea.
Thailand diving liveaboards to the Similan Islands from Phuket and Khao Lak are extremely popular and booking in advance is highly recommended. Choosing the right trip for you is very important to be sure to take your time to research the trip you plan to make to ensure you find the right charter.
