Thailand

DIVING THE LAND OF SMILES

Diving in Thailand is diverse, catering to divers of

all levels of experience. From the wonderful dive training centres at Koh Tao, to the pelagic action and vibrant reefs of the Surin and Similan Islands, there is something for everyone.

Some of the best diving in Thailand is on the more-remote northern reefs and islands of the Andaman Sea accessible by liveaboard, with many other great sites in the southern Andaman Sea accessible on day trips from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta. On the other side of the Thai Peninsula, there is also great diving to be found in the Gulf of Thailand, accessible from Koh Samui and Koh Tao. Thailand has two dozen official Marine National Parks (MNP) in the Andaman Sea, and several distinct dive areas, the pinnacle of which, Richelieu Rock, is considered one of the best dive sites in the world. Richelieu Rock is in the Surin Islands MNP, in the northern Andaman Sea, north of the well-known Similan Islands MNP, and south of another great dive area – the Mergui Archipelago – within Myanmar’s waters, but accessed by Thailand liveaboards based in Ranong, north of Phuket.

DIVING THE

Deborah Dickson-Smith embarks on a whistlestop tour of some of the diving hotspots in Thailand, from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand

Photographs by Adrian Stacey, Marc Strickland, Deb Dickson-Smith, Pete McGee, Sea Bees & Tourism Authority of Thailand

Thailand encompasses 1,430 islands. Many of these are tourist hotspots, while others remain uninhabited. You might remember scenes shot on the gorgeous Thai islands from blockbusters such as The Beach and The Hangover Part II.

Thailand has two dozen official Marine National Parks (MNP) in the Andaman Sea, and several distinct dive areas, the pinnacle of which, Richelieu Rock, is considered one of the best dive sites in the world

Best time to dive

Most important to note when planning a dive trip to Thailand is that there are two distinct seasons. In the Andaman Sea, the dry season is from November to April, and the southwest monsoon season is from May to October, when many of the offshore marine parks are closed for the safety of visitors.

In the Gulf of Thailand, the most rain falls between September and December, making November and December the least desirable times to be diving.

The Andaman Sea

Jump off points to dive the Andaman Sea include Phuket, Khao Lak and Ranong on the west coast of the Thai peninsula, with some liveaboards changing ports according to seasonal weather conditions. The remote and undisturbed location of the Similan and Surin Islands makes for a biodiverse ecosystem, home to everything from manta rays, whalesharks and tuna down to tiny macro-critters such as seahorse, ghost pipefish and harlequin shrimp.

The Smiling Seahorse liveaboard is based in the north in Ranong, running trips to the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar for some months of the year, and at other times runs trips from Khao Lak and Phuket to the Similan and Surin Islands

Similarly, the Junk and the Phinisi liveaboards, traditional Phinisi-style schooners, operate from both Khao Lak and Phuket to the Similan and Surin Islands from October to May, and then from Phuket to the southern sites including Hin Daeng and Hin Muang from June to September.

Signature dive sites

Shark Point, Phuket – Protected as a marine sanctuary since 1992, the site boasts incredible biodiversity. The site is around a pinnacle, which is encrusted with vibrant hard and soft corals. Expect to see lionfish, moray eels, hordes of kaleidoscopic reef fish and leopard sharks resting on the sandy sea floor.

The reefs are healthy and full of life

Thailand is home to over 16 shipwrecks that are open for scuba diving. The majority of these ships were intentionally sunk to create artificial reefs and dive locations. These wrecks range from being beginner-friendly all the way up to certified technical diver.

Thailand’s topside is stunning too

Manta ray

This submerged reef is famous for its fields of anemones, which cover the shallower areas

Anemone Reef, Phuket – This submerged reef is famous for its fields of anemones, which cover the shallower areas of the reef. Leopard sharks are also found here together with massive schools of smaller fish, including fusiliers, snapper, butterflyfish, bannerfish, trumpet fish, sweetlips and triggerfish. King Cruiser Wreck, Phuket – This passenger ferry sank in 1997 and now attracts hordes of schooling fish, including snapper and barracuda. Inside the wreck you’ll find nocturnal species that enjoy the shaded areas, including lionfish, moray eels, scorpionfish, spiny lobsters, and other crustaceans. Hin Daeng (Red Rock) and Hin Muang (Purple Rock), Southern Andaman Sea – Hin Daeng is a tall pinnacle, encrusted in soft corals in various shades of red and is simply teeming with life. There are frequent sightings of mantas and the occasional whaleshark. At Hin Muang you’ll find Thailand’s highest vertical wall, adorned with vibrant purple soft corals. On one side, the submerged rock levels out at around 60m and the other disappears into the abyss. Ko Ha (5 Islands), Southern Andaman Sea – This circle of islets is located 25km west of Ko Lanta and is stunning above and below water. Tall limestone karsts tower above you, and underwater, everything has a thick coating of vibrant soft corals as you weave through a series of caverns and swim-throughs. The largest, Twin Cathedrals, is two enormous caverns, one of which has an air bubble that extends 50 metres above water. Hin Pusa (Elephant Head Rock), Similan Islands – This site gets its name from a rock that sticks out of the water and resembles a half-submerged elephant. Its huge granite boulders have created a myriad of amazing swim-throughs, tunnels and caverns. You will likely spot whitetip reef sharks and leopard sharks, and look in the sand for the purple fire gobies and the rare McCosker’s dwarf wrasse. A little shallower is the endemic Similan Islands jawfish.

Phuket surface intervals

Explore Phuket Old Town – Phuket Old Town is a pastelcoloured historic neighbourhood, the remnants of the island’s colonial past. Phuket used to have a thriving tin mining industry, so Sino-Portuguese, Chinese and Malay immigrants flocked here to make their fortune. Kayak through Phang Nga Bay – Take a day trip to Phang Nga Bay, famous for the striking limestone island that featured in a James Bond film, and kayak the emerald waters dotted with limestone karst islands. Visit Phuket Elephant Sanctuary – Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is an ethical elephant sanctuary, where elephants roam around, bathe and socialise freely across 30 acres of lush, tropical land bordering the Khao Phra Thaeo National Park in North East Phuket.

West of Eden, Similan Islands – In this garden of coral bommies, you’ll find angelfish and snapper in the shallows, look in the crevices for spiny lobster, anemones and moray eels. As you head deeper, passing enormous gorgonian fans, you’ll find mantis shrimps, ribbon eels and small banded pipefish. Richelieu Rock, Surin Islands – Thailand’s most-famous dive site is a horse-shoe-shaped pinnacle covered in vibrant coral and marine life – it’s an underwater photographer’s dream. You may find a tiger-tail seahorse, harlequin shrimp or ghost pipefish. You’ll often see resident pharaoh cuttlefish mating here, flickering as they change colour to impress their mate. Above, barracuda hang in the currents and from mid-January to mid-March keep an eye on the blue for whalesharks.

The Gulf of Thailand

Koh Samui and nearby Koh Tao are in the Gulf of Thailand, on the east coast of the Thai Peninsula, and home to some of the best dive training centres in the world.

Diving here ranges from granite pinnacles and rocky seamounts to vibrant coral reefs teeming with life. On fringing reefs covered in black coral, barrel sponges, sea fans and vibrant soft corals and anemones, expect to see stingrays, eels, barracuda, and turtles. Keep your eyes out into the blue for whale sharks who frequent these waters.

Whalesharks cruise into the deeper pinnacles through all seasons but are most likely to appear in April-May when the plankton levels are higher.

Deck gun on a shipwreck Huge gorgonian sea fans

Koh Samui surface intervals

Visit the Secret Buddha Garden – Set at the top of Pom Mountain, the Secret Buddha Garden (Tarnim Magic Garden) is a sculpture park worth a visit. The garden was the beloved project of Khun Nim, a retired farmer who worked on it for 14 years until his death at the age of 91. Take a Thai Cooking Class – Koh Samui has lots of cooking schools that offer full-day tours cooking classes, most of which include a tour of the local market followed by guided instructions for making classic dishes. The food you prepare yourself may be some of the best you eat in Thailand. Cool Down at Na Muang Waterfalls – These two waterfalls are located a five-minute drive away from each other and they are both very picturesque. Na Muang Waterfall One is easy to access and it has a wide natural pool that is perfect for swimming. Getting to Waterfall Two requires a little climbing, but the view from the top is worth the effort.

Whaleshark Signature dive sites

Sail Rock (Hin Bai) – This 30m submerged pinnacle is thought by many to be the best dive site in the Gulf of Thailand and one of the best sites for whaleshark sightings. With few other pinnacles nearby, Sail Rock is a fish magnet and the coral-encrusted pinnacle itself is a stunning sight. It’s not just a site for big fish though, you’ll find a plethora of colourful smaller fish darting in and out of the reef, with currents bringing in hunting trevally and barracuda. Angthong Marine Park – Made up of 42 limestone islands, Angthong has several sea caverns, swim-throughs, overhangs and sloping reefs. The marine reserve boasts incredible coral diversity, including abundant soft corals, barrel sponges and anemones, as well several types of black corals and sea fans. Marine life here is equally diverse, and you’ll likely spot large snapper, blue-spotted sting rays, schools of fusiliers and yellowtail barracuda. Chumphon Pinnacle – This is one of Koh Tao’s mostfamous dive sites and is located within reach of Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. The site features a series of stunning granite, coral-encrusted pinnacles which are home to batfish, giant grouper, trevally and giant schools of both barracuda and snapper. The reef tops are covered in

Koh Tao offers an abundance of marine life to see. If you prefer the small marine animals like Nudibranch and Shrimps or the larger pelagic’s, such as the mighty Whaleshark, there is an enormous diversity to keep you entertained during your dives around Koh Tao.

The site features a series of stunning granite, coral-encrusted pinnacles which are home to batfish, giant grouper, trevally and giant schools of both barracuda and snapper

anemones of all colours, branching corals, sea whips and barrel sponges, and in the blue, the occasional whaleshark. South-West Pinnacle – This series of rock formations ranges in depth from 4m to 30m, with a seafloor carpeted with anemones in brilliant greens, pinks and blues. Leopard sharks and whalesharks are occasional visitors to the site, which is home to large schools of snapper, emperor and harlequin sweetlips, yellowtail barracuda and fusiliers. Shark Island – This dive site is best known for its biodiversity. It features a wall, pinnacles, and a coral garden abundant with colourful soft corals. The range of marine life includes moray eels, angelfish, scorpionfish, pipefish, nudibranch, crustaceans, and an abundance of macro critters. At the drop-offs, you’ll often see passing pelagics such as whalesharks, reef sharks and leopard sharks.

Climate

It is warm in Thailand’s dive regions all year round with temperatures ranging between 25 – 34°C. Phuket’s weather is typically divided into two distinct seasons, dry and rainy, with transitional periods in between. The seasons are dictated by the tropical monsoon, which is characterised by prevailing winds that blow from the northeast for half the year, then reverse and blow from the southwest, producing a dry season and a wet season. n

Idyllic Thai beach

Test & Go

From 1 March 2022, Thailand has eased the entry rules under the Test & Go scheme, allowing travellers to arrive in the kingdom by air, land and water with the required prepaid accommodation reduced to one night and the COVID-19 tests revised to one RT-PCR and one self-ATK. The health insurance coverage has also been reduced to no less than US$20,000.

THAILAND’S LUXURY LIVEABOARDS

The Phinisi

The Phinisi Liveaboard has three itineraries in Thailand and Myanmar: in the south: the islands of Koh Ha, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang; in the north: the Similan Islands and Surin Islands (and the infamous Richelieu Rock); and in Myanmar: the Mergui Archipelago. The Phinisi is a 34-metre custom built diving liveaboard yacht of traditional Indonesian gaft rigged Phinisi style with seven sails. She hosts 18 guests in 7 en-suited cabins.

Marco Polo

Dive the spectacular dive sites of the Similan and Surin Islands, on 3-Day, 4-Day or 7-Day trips aboard the recently renovated Sea Bees Liveaboard Marco Polo. All cabins are airconditioned with ensuite. Departing Phuket’s Chalong Pier, these multi-day cruises visit sites including Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, the Surin Islands, and worldfamous Richelieu Rock. Smiling Seahorse

Based in Ranong with itineraries in Myanmar and Thailand, the MV Smiling Seahorse liveaboard visits some of the Andaman Sea’s least explored dive sites in air-conditioned comfort. Dive Thailand’s Similan and Surin Island and visit Myanmar’s Torres Islands or Burma Banks to sites that have rarely been dived before, including Western Rocky in Myanmar, a highlight of which is a tunnel that goes right through the island.

The Junk

This 30-metre three-masted junk was built originally in 1962 as part of a small merchant fleet that traded up and down the coastline from Burma to Malaysia. In 1985, the vessel was completed restored and has been operating as a dive liveaboard since 1999. The food on The Junk deserves a special mention. Many of its diving guests claim it’s the best food they ever had on a diving liveaboard!

YOU CAN ONLY DO AS A FREEDIVER

Until science invents a way for

humans to have gills, learning to freedive is the closest you can get to becoming a mermaid or merman. As a PADI Freediver, you can explore the underwater world with minimal equipment and enjoy longer, closer animal encounters.

1Unparalleled Wildlife Encounters The noisy bubbles exhaled by scuba divers are scary to many underwater animals. Freedivers, on the other hand, are sleek, quiet, and more approachable.

2Embark on a Journey of Inner

Exploration

Freedivers learn to subdue their body’s natural urges while staying as relaxed as possible. As you develop your freediving skills, you’ll improve your physical and mental stamina in ways that may surprise you. You’ll also be able to apply the breathing techniques and mindfulness learnt as a freediver to handle stressful or uncomfortable situations.

3Defy Science Physiology Professor Kevin Fong writes, “In the very early days of freediving, physiologists were pretty convinced that people couldn’t go beyond about 30m-40m… They said ‘your lungs are going to be crushed.’ But, of course, free divers(sic) decided to do it anyway – and they swam well past those theoretical limits… The depth records for human freediving now are quite absurd - not tens, but hundreds of metres.” Freedivers unlock a hidden superpower of the human body – the Mammalian Diving Reflex. When your face touches the water, your body redirects blood to your vital organs and slows your heart rate. The human body also automatically creates a constant pressure in your chest cavity, so your organs aren’t crushed. 4 Experience Underwater Freedom Many freedivers have described the experience ‘like flying underwater’. You will experience the weightless feeling of scuba diving, without all the scuba gear restricting your movements and instead, you will have powerful freediving fins that allow you to glide, spin and somersault like a seal.

Learn to Freedive

The PADI Freediver course teaches you breath-holding techniques to gradually increase your time and depth. During the PADI Freediver course, you’ll learn: • Basic static apnea (breathholds while floating) • Dynamic apnea (breathholds while swimming) • Free immersion (pulling yourself along a line) • Constant weight freediving (duck diving headfirst while following a line) You’ll practice diving to 10m-16m, learn about freediving equipment, important safety rules and buddy procedures.

If you enjoy freediving, you can pursue additional training.

• PADI Advanced Freediver – Expand your knowledge and skills in static apnea, dynamic apnea, free immersion and constant weight freediving. Explore down to 16m-24. • PADI Master Freediver – Continue your knowledge and skill development in static apnea, dynamic apnea, free immersion and constant weight freediving. Increase your max depth to 24m-40m. Ready to do things you never thought possible? Learn more about the PADI Freediver course and locate a PADI Freediver Centre on the website: www.padi.com n