Dive Exotic Thailand

Thailand has much to offer the visiting diver and snorkeller. There is a vast range of exhilarating sites of many different kinds, providing something for everyone, regardless of their qualification levels of experience. With over 2000km of coastline and hundreds of offshore islands the variety is phenomenal, encompassing everything from extensive fringing reefs to deep drop-offs, dramatic granite walls, caves and tunnels, coral-covered pinnacles, and sea-mounts in open ocean. Spectacular hard and soft corals abound, and the marine life is prolific, ranging from minute and colorful reef dwellers to Manta Rays, sharks and pelacig visitor such as Giant Barracuda, tuna, trevally and the mighty Whale Shark.
With the Andaman Sea to the west and the Gulf of Siam to the east, Thailand is unique in that it borders two distinct oceanic zones, each with their own peculiarities and marine life. Each side has its own distinct diving season.

Extending from Myanmar down past the west coast of Thailand to beyond the Malaysian border, the Andaman Sea forms part of the Indian Ocean. Many of the 155 islands in the Andaman Sea are uninhabited, and are crowned by lush primary vegetation tumbling down to a shoreline punctuated by idyllic sandy beaches. Most of the diving in this region is organized from Koh Phuket, the wellknown holiday island. The best time for diving is between October and May.
Towards the northern end of the Thai coastline, a series of grantic outcrops lie in deep, clear water with reefs descending to 28-30m and beyond in depth.
Further south the dive sites feature pristine corals and spectacular fringing reefs in potentially excellent visibility. Some of the finest dive sites are located here.

The Gulf of Siam coast, at 1840km well over twice as long as the Andaman Sea coastline, follows a great parabola from border with Malaysia on the south coast around to Kampuchea and the southwest tip of Vietnam. The Gulf itself is a vast, shallow depression - generally less than 60m. There are 112 islands in the offshore waters of the Gulf, many with fringing reefs in interspersed with rocks and soft seabed. The best diving in the Gulf can be found in the Samui Archipelago. Most people use the tropical hideaway Koh Samui, the biggest of 80 islands as a convenient base for diving activities towards the northern part of the archipelago, mainly the Koh Tao area.
Sheer wall dives around submerged pinnacles, pelagics, tunnels and archways carpeted with irisdescent soft corals are just some of the highlights in this region. The best time for diving is between May and October.