A getaway to Thailand is perfect if you’re looking for an abundance of culture, delicious cuisine, and lush natural scenery. As well as all that, it’s also one of the best diving destinations in the world. Here is a list of the most exciting seabeds one can explore. Thailand offers a number of awesome dive sites: Phuket, Ko Tao, Similan Islands, and the Surin Islands to name a few. While you can pretty much go diving anywhere here and still have a blast, the best diving is found near Ko Tao and up near the Similans.
Koh Tao
The waters around Koh Tao are a haven for aquatic life. Colorful fish cruise the reefs, and green and hawksbill turtles are spotted regularly. Of course, the ultimate highlight for any diver is swimming with a whale shark. These beautiful creatures regularly frequent Koh Tao dive sites and share the water with our diving visitors. Whether you want to try it out for the first time, get your certification, or join a fun dive trip, scuba diving on Koh Tao is a spectacular experience. Dive sites are generally no more than a one-hour boat journey away and boast calm conditions for most of the year.
Scuba diving on Koh Tao is safe and fun! All Koh Tao dive centers offer ‘Try Scuba Diving’ experiences where you can take your first breaths underwater under the careful supervision of a professional instructor. This one-day program starts with a safety briefing and a gentle introduction to all the basic information you’ll need to have a safe and enjoyable experience. After this, you’ll progress to a swimming pool or shallow, sandy bay to master a few beginner skills and take a dive around one of our stunning coral reefs to explore the wonders of the marine world. If you enjoy your day, you can continue directly to get your full Open Water Diver certification
Hin Wong Pinnacle, Aow Leuk, Japanese Gardens, White Rock, and Shark Island make for some of the best diving spots.
Best time to visit – February to April
Koh Phi Phi
The Phi Phi Islands lie within the famous “Coral Triangle” which is home to over 75% of all known coral species and it is a biodiversity hotspot. Great wall diving is possible underwater due to the stunning rock formations as well as the nooks and crevices that keep critters tucked away. With a series of underwater excursions that integrate with the activities of the Marine Discovery Centre, including coral propagation and clownfish breeding programs, guests can witness its environmental projects firsthand at the SAii Phi Phi island village, a five-star resort with a free-spirited approach.
Best time to visit – February to May
Phuket
Phuket in Thailand offers the opportunity to indulge and experience the rich marine habitat with much vicinity and impact. Some of this region’s best dive spots are – Phi Phi Islands, Racha Noi Islands, and Racha Yai Islands. To experience the pelagic ecosystem, one requires to comply with some rules before diving into the sea. Many companies provide courses for scuba diving in Phuket to guide individuals on this journey. Several resorts have expert dive teams to cater to all needs of guests that are keen to explore waters such as The Slate in Phuket.
Best time to visit – Can be dived all year round, but most ideal from November to April
JAPAN
An island country stretching from the subtropic to the subarctic zone, Japan offers a large number of diverse diving opportunities from coral reefs to shipwrecks, schools of manta rays and hammerhead sharks, volcanic terrain, and even drift ice diving.
Japan’s most popular diving destinations are the southern islands of Okinawa, including Miyako, Ishigaki, Iriomote, Yonaguni, and the Kerama Islands, where water temperatures are pleasant from April to November and the seas are particularly colorful. But diving is also possible in Japan’s more northern latitudes, although the main season there is usually limited to the summer months. Destinations include Miyazaki, Kochi, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands among others. Joining a tour is the easiest and most common way to enjoy diving in Japan. Dive tour companies typically offer introductory diving, fun diving as well as diving certification courses.
Hokkaido Island
Scuba diving in Hokkaido brings about a unique experience to seasoned divers. The diving takes place in the region called Shiretoko peninsula and in Lake Shikotsu to be specific. This is one of the best diving sites in Japan to those who want to experience ice diving. Penetrating the ice caps on this clearest lake leads the divers into the world of clione. Cliones are also commonly known as sea angels and are unique to this diving spot. They are transparent slugs with wings that float about near the ice melts. One can also spot some shrimps, salmon and sea urchins.
Ishigaki island is recommended for those who are looking for a fun dive with no experience. The island has the maximum number of coral reefs and each is named based on the fish found in the area. This spot has various marine life among which manta rays exceed in numbers. Scuba guiding companies on the island take care of the insurance, lunch, tanks and other necessities.
Shiraho Reef, on the southeastern shore of Ishigaki Island, is home to the largest community of blue coral in the Northern Hemisphere, and there are glass-bottom boat tours to the reef. Maesato Beach in the south has lifeguards and an array of facilities and activities. It is one of the closest beaches to Ishigaki Port.
Huge reef mantas frequent the waters around Ishigaki Island throughout the year, with the summer months (July to mid-October) offering the best chances to see one. Scuba divers can enjoy the underwater scenery while encountering manta rays and a variety of other marine life, including sea turtles, anemonefish (clownfish), damselfish, and nudibranchs.
SEYCHELLES
Year-round diving in Seychelles is off the beaten track in pristine and protected waters where steep granitic and flat coral islands offer exceptional diving opportunities for experienced and novice divers. The ‘Inner Islands’ provide granite swim-throughs, channels, hideouts and spectacular wrecks home to as many as 800 different marine species. Granite reefs support Soldierfish, Squirrel fish and Sweepers as well as Rays, Octopi, and, of course, Turtles. The remoter, coralline, ‘Outer Islands’ offer spectacular cave, canyon and wall dives amid glorious corals where larger marine species inhabit waters where few have ventured. Land-based, live aboard and island resort dive centers make diving a pleasure.
