Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Diving & Snorkelling
Phuket enjoys an enviable central location relative to the Andaman's top diving destina-
tions. The much-talked-about Similan Islands sit to the north, while dozens of dive sites
orbit Ko Phi-Phi and Ko Lanta to the south. Of course, this means that trips from Phuket
to these awesome destinations cost slightly more than from places closer to the sites since
you'll be forking over extra dough for your boat's petrol. Most operators on Phuket take
divers to the nine decent sites orbiting the island, like Ko Raya Noi and Ko Raya Yai
(also called Ko Racha Noi and Ko Racha Yai), but these spots rank lower on the wow-o-
meter. The reef off the southern tip of Raya Noi is the best spot, particularly good for ex-
perienced divers, with soft corals and pelagic fish species aplenty. Manta and marble rays
are also frequently glimpsed here and, if you're (very) lucky, you might even see a whale
shark.
Typical one-day dive trips to nearby sites cost about 3500B to 4000B, including two
dives and equipment. Nondivers (and snorkellers) are permitted to join these trips for a
significant discount. PADI Open Water certification courses cost around 15,000B to
17,000B for three days of instruction and equipment hire.
Snorkelling isn't wonderful off Phuket proper, though mask, snorkel and fins can be
rented for around 250B a day in most resort areas. As with scuba diving, you'll find bet-
ter snorkelling (with greater visibility and variety of marine life) along the shores of
small outlying islands such as Ko Raya Yai and Ko Raya Noi.
As is the case elsewhere in the Andaman Sea, the best diving months are December to
May when the weather is good and the sea is smooth and clear.
