Dive Into Phuket’s Underwater World: An Unforgettable Scuba Adventure

If you’re a fan of the ocean, then Phuket is the place for you. With crystal clear waters and a plethora of fascinating aquatic life, there is something for everyone to explore. Whether you’re an experienced diver or just starting out, scuba diving in Phuket can offer an unforgettable experience. It offers many different types of diving experiences, from shallow coral reefs to sunken shipwrecks wrecks and statues.

About Phuket, Thailand

Phuket is located in southern Thailand and is a tropical paradise. The climate in Phuket is warm and humid year-round, making it the perfect destination for underwater exploration.

Phuket, Thailand is a stunning destination that offers something for everyone. Located in the beautiful Andaman Sea on the west coast of Thailand, Phuket has been popular with tourists for many years. With its stunning beaches and tropical climate, it’s no wonder why people flock to this paradise.

Apart from its breathtaking views and sun-soaked shores, there are plenty of activities to keep visitors entertained. Whether you’re looking to sample some delicious Thai cuisine or take part in exhilarating water sports such as kayaking or snorkeling, Phuket has it all. There are also numerous historical sites scattered around the island which make great day trips from your hotel base.

Three facts about Phuket

1. Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and has been popular with tourists for many years due to its stunning beaches, tropical climate, and exciting nightlife.
2. The island is located in the Andaman Sea on the west coast of Thailand, making it a prime destination for beach lovers and scuba divers alike.
3. Phuket is home to an abundance of vibrant corals and sea creatures, making it an ideal spot for a scuba diving adventure.

What to see when scuba diving in Phuket?

When scuba diving in Phuket, you’ll have the chance to explore some of Thailand’s most stunning underwater life. The waters around the island are home to an abundance of vibrant corals and sea creatures, making it an ideal spot for a scuba diving adventure.

The coral reefs are teeming with marine life, from barracudas to sea turtles. In the sandy bottoms, cuttlefish or eagle rays might hide. Especially towards the Racha Islands, Manta Ray sightings are frequent during the winter months.  If you’re lucky, you may even be able to catch a glimpse of some whale sharks.

Lastly, you can also explore some fascinating shipwrecks and artificial reefs created for coral recreation and man-made dive sites, which are home to a variety of marine species.

Are there sharks in Phuket?

Whilst it is possible to find sharks in Phuket, they are mostly harmless. The most common type of shark found around the island is the leopard shark, which is known for its docile nature.

Blacktip sharks as well as whitetip sharks can usually be found in shallow reefs. In deeper waters and usually towards the open sea, divers might spot a majestic whale shark during the migration season between November and April.

Check out the best dive sites to find out where it’s best to find sharks.

Overview of all dive sites in Phuket

Dive site	Type	Max. depth	Visibility	What to see	Level
Koh Dok Mai	Wall	100 ft/ 30 m	10 – 66 ft/ 3 – 20 m	Macro life Caverns Drift dive	Advanced
Anemone Reef	Rock	100 ft/ 30 m	16 – 66 ft/ 5 – 20 m	Pinnacles Swim-through channel Anemones Tropical fish Coral & marco life	All levels
King Cruiser	Wreck	108 ft/ 33 m	16 – 98 ft/  5 – 30 m	Shipwreck Scorpionfish Snapper Barracuda Artificial reef	Advanced
Shark Point	Rock	82 ft/ 25 m	33 – 49 ft/ 10 – 15 m	Pinnacles Abundance of marine life Soft & hard coral	Advanced
Koh Mai Thon	Reef	60 ft/ 18 m	16 – 49 ft/ 5 – 15 m	Combination of 5 dive sites Dolphins Shallow reefs	All levels
Coral Bay (Koh Hey)	Reef	100 ft/ 30 m	16 – 49 ft/ 5 – 15 m	Small wreck at 26 ft/ 8 m Coral Reef fish	All levels
Bungalow Reef	Reef	72 ft/ 22 m	49 – 98 ft/ 15 – 30 m	Turtles Rays Cuttlefish	All levels
Bays 1 & 2	Reef & wreck	112 ft/ 34 m	49 – 98 ft/ 15 – 30 m	2 sunken scooters 4 shipwrecks Staghorn coral garden Rays & reef fish	All levels
Home Run Reef	Reef	82 ft/ 25 m	49 – 98 ft/ 15 – 30 m	Hard coral Rays Leopard & blacktip reef sharks	All levels
Lucy’s Reef (Bay 3)	Reef	82 ft/ 25 m	49 – 98 ft/ 15 – 30 m	Staghorn coral RaysReef fish	All levels
Siam Bay	Reef	66 ft/ 20 m	49 – 98 ft/ 15 – 30 m	Underwater statues Kuhl’s stingrays Turtles	All levels
Waterfall Wall (Bay 4 & 5)	Wall	98 ft/ 30 m	49 – 98 ft/ 15 – 30 m	Wall dive Unpredictable currents Coral Rays	Advanced
North Bay	Reef & Rock	100 ft/ 30 m	49 – 98 ft/ 15 – 30 m	Rays Coral & rocks Strong currents	All levels
Green Island	Reef	98 ft/ 30 m	33 – 49 ft/ 10 – 15 m	Corals & rocks Leopard sharks Reef fish	Advanced
Kata Beach	Reef	39 ft/ 12 m	16 – 49 ft/ 5 – 15 m	Reef fish Cuttlefish Turtles Blacktip reef sharks	All levels
Karon Beach	Reef	26 ft/ 8 m	16 – 49 ft/ 5 – 15 m	Training dive site	Beginner
Banana Bay	Reef & Rock	100 ft/ 30 m	49 – 130 ft/ 15 – 40 m	Morays Rays Staghorn coral	All levels
Marina Bay & Maritas Rock	Reef & Rock	100 ft/ 30 m	49 – 98 ft/ 15 – 30 m	Coral reef Pinnacle Various rays Leopard shark Whale shark Reef sharks	Advanced
Racha Noi Bay	Reef & Rock	115 ft/ 35 m	49 – 130 ft/ 15 – 40 m	Drift dive Reef fish Rays Leopard sharks Whale sharks	All levels
Racha Noi South Tip	Reef & Rock	100 ft/ 30 m	66 – 130 ft/ 20 – 40 m	Manta rays Whale sharks Eagle rays Soft coral garden	Advanced

Best dive sites in Phuket, Thailand

Anemone Reef

Anemone Reef is located halfway between Phuket and Phi Phi and is a favorite among divers for its vibrant and colorful underwater scenery. This site is home to a vast array of marine life. The name “Anemone Reef” comes from the many anemones that cover rock formations. The lime green and blue anemones transform the pinnacle into a unique, colorful underwater world.

The dive depth ranges from 16 to 100 feet (5 – 30 meters) making it accessible for all levels of divers. However, most dives are combined with only advanced dive spots. Check with your operator if you aren’t Advanced Open Water certified before booking a trip.

King Cruiser Shipwreck

All experienced divers must visit the most esteemed wreck located in Phuket. It’s the oldest of its kind for recreational diving. The MS King Cruiser wreck is a former car ferry bringing tourists and locales daily from Phuket to Phi Phi and vice versa. With a depth of between 60 and 100 feet (18 – 30 m), it’s only suitable for advanced divers.

The now artificial reef is home to an abundance of marine life.

Shark Point

Next to Anemone Reef and the King Cruiser Wreck, lies Shark Point. This dive site offers a maximum depth of 82 feet (25 meters), with visibility ranging from 33 to 49 feet (10 – 15 meters). The name comes from the Leopard sharks that used to occupy its sandy depths. Now, it’s uncommon to see sharks there. However, the dive is nonetheless one of the most dived sites in Phuket. The site’s characteristics are three impressive pinnacles running north-south with an abundance of marine life. With potentially strong currents and depth, this dive site is suited for advanced divers.

Koh Dok Mai

The dive site at “Flower Island” Koh Dok Mai is a drift dive along the eastern wall of this small island 12 miles (20 km) east of Phuket. It’s often used as the third dive of the day after Shark Point, Anemone Reef, and/or King Cruiser wreck. The wall is perfect to explore macro life like seahorses and nudibranchs. The wall also has two caves that are only suitable for cavern divers. The maximum depth is 100 feet (30 meters), but most dives don’t go further than 60 feet (18 meters).

Koh Mai Thorn Dive sites (honeymoon island)

Koh Mai Thron or also called honeymoon island is a small island just 15 minutes by boat to the east of Chalong Pier. The dive sites are mainly used for training and courses, or for people who only have time for a half-day dive trip. Additionally, during the rain season, these dive sites are dived more often.

Overall, the shallow reefs start already at 2 meters below the surface, and go as deep as 60 feet (18 meters). You will meet your typical reef fish and corals. The highlight could be a dolphin encounter. 

All dive sites at Mai Thorn Island:

• South Tip (not to confuse with Racha Noi South Tip)
• Windmill Bay
• Hideaway Bay
• No Name Bay
• Radio Bay

Koh Racha Islands dive sites

Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi are two islands, one and a half hours south of Phuket. Both islands are frequently visited by Phuket dive operators due to their great conditions, abundance of marine life, wrecks, and shallow reefs.

Koh Racha Yai dive sites

Koh Racha Yai is the bigger and closer island. Around the island, divers can explore over 10 dive sites – some of which might be combined into one dive. 

• Bungalow Reef is a popular dive site that is sheltered by its large curved bay and allows for great conditions all year round. The dive site ranges from 16-72 feet (5 – 22 meters) with two different areas: the northern and southern parts. Both areas can be discovered during a single dive. Besides hard and soft coral gardens, a vast variety of tropical fish can be seen, as well as turtles and sting and eagle rays.
• Siam Bay is the northernmost bay on Koh Racha Yai. Here, divers have the best chance around the entire island to find Kuhl’s stingrays. But this dive site got even more to offer. In the center of the dive spot, you can find two elephants and a guard (Thai Yak) statues guarding a small gate. Siam Bay dive site has a maximum depth of 60 or 66 feet (18 or 20 meters) and is suitable for all skill levels and certifications.
• Home Run Reef is usually your last dive for the day at Koh Racha Islands. Located on the east side of the Koh Racha Yai it’s a great dive sites for all levels of scuba divers. It has a hard coral reef that declines to 82 feet/25 meters before transitioning into sandy bottoms and dropping off into the deep. At Home Run Reef, you have a high chance to see Kuhl’s Stingrays, but also occasionally leopard sharks or blacktip reef sharks. There can be a current, and therefore it’s often dived as a drift dive.
• Koh Racha Yai Bay 1 and 2 are famous for it’s two sunken scooters and a total of four submerged shipwrecks in different conditions. The bays are also home to many animals and coral. The dive sites go as deep as 112 feet (34 meters), but are also suitable for beginners. Most Open Water courses take place here.
• Lucy’s Reef at Bay 3 is very similar to Bay 1 and 2, but without the wrecks. It does have a little artificial reef with concrete cubes at a depth of about 66 feet (20 meters). The reef lies between Bay 3 and 4 with a diving depth ranging from 16 to 82 feet (5 – 25 meters).
• Waterfall Wall at Bays 4 and 5 located on the south-eastern corner of Racha Yai, offer a unique underwater experience in comparison to other local dive sites. While most places transition into sandy bottoms, Waterfall Wall is marked by its rock formations that accompany you for almost your entire descent up to 98 feet (30 meters). However, it’s not all too different as divers are welcomed with gentle shallow waters at first before they drop off suddenly. This is not frequently dived.

Koh Racha Noi Island dive sites

Koh Racha Noi is the smaller Koh Racha island, further away from Phuket. The dive sites here are often deeper than those at Koh Racha Yai. However, they are also famous for bigger animals such as manta rays and whale sharks.

Koh Racha Noi dive spots

• Maritas Rock and Marina Bay on the west side of Koh Racha Noi have access to the open Andaman Sea. Therefore, divers can observe larger aquatic creatures such as manta rays, leopard sharks, blacktip reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks in addition to whale sharks. Rays are so abundant here that it is often referred to as “Manta Bay”. For the first stretch of this dive, you’ll be in a bay enclosed from strong currents. However, when heading towards Maritas Rock outside the confines of the bay, bigger creatures will emerge and currents become more robust. With its maximum depth at 100 feet (30 meters) combined with unpredictable riptides, this diving location is only recommended for those who possess advanced skills.
• North Bay is at the northern tip of Koh Racha Noi. The dive can be divided into 3 sections: the bay, the west-end and east-end. The dive spot drops off to over 100 feet (30 meters) and is covered with coral and rock formations. Rays and other marine life are frequent visitors.
• Perfect for diving novices, Banana Bay features a beautiful shallow flat area ranging from 10 to 33 feet (3-10 m) deep as well as an exquisite coral reef sloping to 82 to 100 feet (25-30 m) with vast expanses of staghorn coral separated by white powdery sand. Divers can see anything from small nudibranchs to larger manta rays.
• South Tip, just as its name implies, is nestled at the bottommost point of Racha Noi. It’s considered to be one of the most impressive Manta Ray dives in all of Phuket and indeed an unmissable diving experience for any advanced diver. However it’s also one of the most difficult dives in the area due to its strong and unpredictable currents hitting the island’s tip. The dive site is fairly small with a pinnacle starting at 39 feet (12 meters) all the way exceeding recreational diving limits of 100 feet (30+ meters). Besides the manta cleaning station at the top of the pinnacle, divers can see beautiful purple coral gardens to the west of the rock formation, as well as many tropical fish species.
• Racha Noi Bay is almost the last dive site on the island. It’s close to South Tip and therefore not often used. It mainly serves as a backup for South Tip or to drop off beginners who can’t can South Tip. Nonetheless, Racha Noi Bay is a great dive site, with an islet in the middle of the bay surrounded by rocks. The shallow bay is covered with hard corals at 39 feet (12 meters). Once, ventured out of the bay and around the sheltering islet, the currents are strong and turn the dive into a drift dive for advanced divers only. The dive site has a maximum depth of 115 feet (35 meters).

Phi Phi Dive Sites from Phuket

Often summed up as Phi Phi dive sites, some popular spots are also dived by Phuket operators. Some of the sites could be Koh Bida Nai and Koh Bida Nok. 

One of the Phi Phi dives is often a third dive in combination with two of the three Anemone Reef, King Cruiser, and/or Shark Point.

Very rare day trips make it to the famous Hin Daeng and Hin Muang dive sites closer to Koh Lanta and Phi Phi.

Shipwrecks in Phuket

Phuket has some awesome smaller and also bigger shipwrecks to explore. The main one is the famous King Cruiser wreck, but also some smaller boats, mainly at Koh Racha Yai. In total, there are over seven shipwrecks in Phuket.

Best time to dive in Phuket

The best time to dive in Phuket is from November to April, when the weather is generally calm and sunny. The visibility underwater is also at its best during this period.  During the monsoon season (May-October), conditions can be unpredictable, with strong winds and heavy rains. It’s also important to bear in mind that some of Phuket’s dive sites may be closed during this time.

Also, big animals like manta rays and whale sharks migrate during this time, and therefore increasing the chances to see them in the open sea.

Getting trained and scuba certified in Phuket

With the abundance of SSI and PADI accredited dive centers, certification courses have become increasingly accessible. Thanks to a plethora of stunning underwater landscapes, it’s perfect for open water training, but also allows you to obtain your Advanced Open Water certificate or sign up for specialty dives like Nitrox diving.

Although low visibility and deep dives can make most dive sites seem intimidating, the actual dives are usually not difficult. This makes them a great place to refine your basic skills like buoyancy control, navigation training, or clearing your dive mask without worrying about too many challenging elements.

The optimal environment for novice swimmers or those who need to brush up on their skills is the shallow, tranquil waters close to shore. Open Water courses often utilize this area of the ocean in order to complete confined water training sessions.

How much does it cost to dive in Phuket, Thailand?

The prices vary a little bit based on the dive sites. This is mainly due to the distances. Generally speaking, you should plan for 1200 to 1400 Thai Bath (35 – 42 USD) per dive. As always, the more you book, the cheaper the average dive price becomes.

Open Water courses range from 9000 to 12500 THB (265 – 370 USD) depending on if you prefer SSI or PADI and what kind of dives you choose – nearby dives or Racha Island.