Best Places To Dive In Thailand: My Top Picks & Dive Sites
Diving in Thailand is the best combination of amazing food, parties, and diving, all on a budget - what more could you ask for?
In terms of the best places to dive in Thailand, Phuket, Koh Tao, and Koh Phi Phi are my top picks if you’re new to the hobby and looking for a good budget option.
In this guide, I’ll share my experience diving in Thailand, how I actually got started diving there, and the best places to visit while you’re there.
A vibrant orange-and-white clownfish peeks out from the protective tentacles of a sea anemone,
My Origin Story
I actually started my whole dive journey in Phuket, so it holds a special place in my heart.
I think it’s an ideal place if you’re looking to get started or challenge yourself.
I started off specifically at NoGravity Dive Center, and went back two consecutive years to do my Open Water and Advanced Open Water with them.
From Phuket, almost all the dives were boat dives to Phi Phi Islands and Shark Point, Racha Noi and Racha Yai and Koh Bon. These places are okay, but even nowadays, they are still recovering from the Tsunami in 2004.
The Three Regions For Diving In Thailand
I think it’s easiest to split diving in Thailand into three rough regions:
Similan and Surin Islands (Andaman Sea)
Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan (Gulf of Thailand)
Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Lanta (Andaman Sea)
Let’s break down each one so you can see which diving spots are best and what each region has to offer.
My Personal Favorite - Similan and Surin Islands (Andaman Sea)
To me, one of the best places in Thailand was diving in the Similan and Surin islands.
Almost all the liveaboards are short trips, usually 4-5 nights, which is perfect for beginners. They’re also super cheap as well, which is great if you’re looking to dive on a budget.
The Similan national park is full life and beautiful corals. If you go in the right season, there is always chance to see big animals, mantas or even whale shark.
Normally, the atmosphere on these boats is super chilled and the food is out of this world. Nothing beats coming out of the water after a dive hungry and having authentic, fresh Thai food 3-4 times a day.
Richelieu Rock
One of the best dive sites in Thailand is probably Richelieu Rock.
It’s a submerged pinnacle that rises just to the surface at low tide, making it an incredible underwater spectacle.
Big schools of glass fish, barracudas, cuttlefish - and there is always a chance that a whale shark or a manta appears out of the blue.
A close-up shot of a cuttlefish extending its tentacles, set against a deep blue background.
Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan (Gulf of Thailand)
The Gulf of Thailand has more of a party vibe, and there are plethoras of dive schools scattered around the area.
It’s very suitable for beginners, and a great place to learn the basics right through to dive master courses.
Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are quite limited in terms of diving, so most dive centers are focused around Koh Tao.
Koh Tao Dive Spots
Koh Tao has an almost endless list of diving spots, so I highly advise trying out as many as possible to get a taste for it - remember that my top picks might not be suited for you.
Sail Rock
Sail Rock is very well known, and for good reason.
Located between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, it’s easily identifiable as it breaks the surface.
The best way to dive this spot is to enter through the chimney and go right down the exit, which is located around 18m.
Whale sharks can be sited here, as well as giant moray eels and much more.
Southwest Pinnacles
The Southwest Pinnacles are another very popular dive site, located southwest of Koh Tao.
This row of pinnacles offers wall dives and lots of school marine life. It’s a great place for ocean photography, and a location I would recommend to everyone.
White Rock
The last location I wanted to give a special shoutout to is White Rock, located on the western side of Koh Tao.
This spot is super popular for both day and night diving and is renowned for titan triggerfish - some of which have very spicy attitudes.
The rock structures are spectacular and provide a lot of protected space for groupers and urchins.
A territorial triggerfish forages along a vibrant coral reef.
Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Lanta (Andaman Sea)
Phuket is a great place to learn diving, take that from someone who actually did their qualifications there.
Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta are pretty close, so it makes sense to look at these three places as one region.
In terms of dive spots, here are some of my favorites:
Koh Bida Nok & Koh Bida Nai (Koh Phi Phi)
At the southern end of the Phi Phi Islands, you will find Koh Bida Nok and Koh Bida Nai.
These are great for both beginners and advanced divers, with a range of depths available from 8 to 30 meters.
These spots are a hub for leopard sharks, and offer lots of colorful coral displays with plenty of other wildlife.
Koh Haa Islands
The Koh Haa islands (5 in total) are a super popular diving spot, and a great place to see loads of colorful tropical fish as well as larger creatures like whale sharks and turtles.
The scenery here is absolutely stunning, with three of the central islands forming a shallow area with pristine beaches.
The other islands - Koh Haa #1 and Koh Haa Yai have deeper water and offer underwater cavern and swim through dives, most notable the Cathedral.
A stunning coral reef scene from the Similan Islands, featuring thousands of tiny glassfish swimming in unison.
Wrapping It Up
It’s hard to go wrong when it comes to diving in Thailand, there are so many options and highly-rated dive schools to guide your journey that you’re sure to have a blast no matter where you end up.
Like I mentioned previously, Phuket, Koh Tao and Koh Phi Phi are perfect places for beginners and budget travelers, and I highly recommend these if you’re unsure of where to start.
If you have any other picks that you think should be added to the list, get in touch and let me know!
