Among the best tourist places in Thailand, add the Andaman coast of Southern Thailand to your itinerary if you’re looking for some thrilling underwater experience. The best time to visit the Andaman Coast for an adventurous trip is from October to April. This time of the year, the tides and winds are comparatively calm ensuring clear waters, best suitable for Scuba Diving.
Listed below are the 5 best dive sites (for experienced divers) that you can choose from, for a Scuba Diving experience.
South of Phi Phi islands and close to the Mayalasia border lies the dive sites of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang (red rock and purple rock). Considered as one of the best dive sites in the region, these two sites give you a ride along steep walls, big fishes and lush soft coral gardens underwater.
Reached conveniently on live-boats from Phuket, Hin Deang is the place if you are keen on seeing deep water marine life up-close. Among the top creatures found here are- Leopard Sharks, Whale Sharks, and Manta Rays, if you swim under 60 metres into the water. Staying closer to the coast, you might see Moray Eels, soft corals and various types of shrimps.
Another popular scuba diving spot in the Andaman Gulf of Thailand is the horseshoe-shaped Richelieu Rock in Phuket coast. An isolated pinnacle about 10 km east of Surin Islands, the depths of the coast showcases an exotic marine life. From small critters as seahorses, ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp or frogfish to giants of the ocean life like the Whale Sharks, Richelieu Rock is indeed an underwater treasure chest. It is specially meant for experienced divers as it takes two dives in all to cover the entire region.
Comprising of 5 main islands, Koh Surin Nua, Koh Surin Tai, Koh Ree (or Koh Satok), Koh Glang (or Koh Pachumba) and Koh Khai (or Koh Torinla), Mu Ko Surin Marine National Park is one of the unexplored parts of Thailand. An unspoiled tropical paradise far from the mainland, the dive site of the park is known for its variety of picturesque coral reef.
Coral fringed islands with an abundance of exotic marine life are what Koh Chang has in store for you. Its underwater shipwreck makes it unique and a must dive spot in Thailand. The HTMS Chang is only for advanced and experienced divers, as it is located at a depth of up to 30 meters on the sea bed and the deck is at about 23 meters. For experienced wreck divers, it is also possible to dive inside the wreck’s deep cargo holds, which are between 27 and 29 meters inside the wreck.
Unlike how it sounds, Breakfast Bend, located on the east of Koh Bangu, is an interesting dive site. The name is derived from its early morning dive timings when the sun’s rays enhance the clarity of the water. The Breakfast Bend is also accessible for night dives as well, when conditions allow. From black spot garden eels, green sea cucumbers and spiny sea urchins to Kuhl’s stingrays and Hawksbill turtles, this dive site boasts a rich marine life.
While these are some of the best scuba diving sites meant for experienced divers, Thailand has many more diving sites for all levels of divers. So, get ready to experience some underwater thrill in Thailand. Not experienced in diving? Some of these sites have trainers to let you enjoy your dive well, and if you are, then the above spots are just where you must head to, on your next trip to Thailand. (tourismthailand.in)
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