Phuket Liveaboard, Phuket dive and Phuket diving in Phuket Island and Similan Island by Similan diving.

The Andaman Sea is without doubt the best diving in Thailand. We offer a number of first class dive sites….Many large ocean travellers, like Whale Sharks, Manta Rays and Pilot Whales are frequent visitors to this area….

We listed a few of the most common dive sites around phuket:

• Phuket dive sites

• The similan island dive sites

Phuket dive sites

Map of the dive sites

ANEMONE REEF (Dive site Rating)

This unique and colorful divesite is a huge limestone pinnacle that soars 30 meters up from the seafloor to just 4 meters underneath the surface then abruptly ends and drops back to a sandy bottom .
This barely submerged reef is a well known shipping hazard and is located less than a mile north of Shark Point . The Thai name for this site is Hin Jom (underwater rock ) . Although not as colourful as Shark Point this site is famous for its vast fields of sea anemones that cling to every conceivable surface swinging and swaying with the current .
The profusion of sea anemones and the nutrient-rich water are a magnet to a constant parade of reef fish seeking food and shelter . Here you will find enormous Gorgonian sea fans , lots of colorful hard & softcorals and a resident Hawksbill Turtle can be seen feeding or resting in the crevices of the rocks . For the macro enthusiast , nudibranches , sea slugs , Frogfish , Ghostpipefish and juvenile Morays are there for your trained eyes to discover . Enormous schools of tropical fish , Snappers , Groupers and colorful Clownfish , along with larger game-fish like Tuna and Barracuda , and the occasional Leopard Shark can often be seen passing by.

SHARK POINT

Shark Point is part of a Marine Sanctuary due to it's tremendous variety of marine life . The official Thai name for this site is Hin Musang or 'Shark Rock' . Approaching from the sea Shark Point appears as a tiny rock outcropping of no particular interest but beneath the surface lies a vast multicolored reef teeming with marine life . The dive site is named after the docile Leopard Sharks that are often encountered resting on the sandy sections here . Divers that are not used to seeing sharks are generally surprised at how big and approachable they are . Because they are nocturnal feeders they are very approachable during the day . Shark Point is one of the richest and most vivid dive spots around the Phuket area .
Shark Point's most colourful feature is the profusion of purple and pink soft corals that cling to the rocks . The currents sweeping over the pinnacles provide plenty of food for the hundreds of different species of hard corals and limitless tropical fish species , Clownfish , Morays , Angelfish , Snapper , Spotfin Lionfish , Groupers and also Barracuda . For the divers with keen eyes for small things , Tigertail Seahorses , Ghostpipefish , Porcelain Crabs and the rarely seen Harlequin Shrimps are hidden among the soft and hard corals!
To protect the fragile ecosystem and preserve the tremendous variety of marine life that occupies the reef this popular dive site was declared a marine sanctuary in 1992 by the Thai government and all forms of commercial fishing , collecting of marine life or other forms of harmful activity are prohibited. Official mooring buoys have been installed and no anchors should be dropped here .

KING CRUISER

During the monsoon month of September 2003 the top and passenger decks collapsed and created a "wreckage" out of our wreck ! A resident Turtle has moved in and lives underneath the wreckage and schools of Rabbit fish , Five-line Snapper , Big-Eye Trevally , Big-Mouth Mackerel , Forsters and Chevron Barracuda are among its occupants . Also found here are larger-than-usual Porcupine Fish , Common Lionfish . Well-comouflaged Scorpion Fish are everywhere , occasionally Bamboo Sharks are found sleeping in holes and cracks near the sand bottom & also several colourful nudibranchs live on the outer walls . Over time it will become an even better divesite as it takes on a patina of age , and becomes encrusted with a variety of colourful corals .

KOH DOK MAI

This small island is located on the way to Shark Point from Phuket and is considered one of the best wall dives in the area . Koh Dok Mai ( meaning ‘Flower Island’ in Thai ) is a huge limestone rock that rises steeply out of the sea and plunges straight down to the sea floor at 30m on the northern and southern tips .
Generally the dive is started on the east side drifting with the current , where divers follow a vertical wall covered in clams , hards corals and huge sea fans . There are two caves located on this side which offer a fantastic cavern view from just a couple of meters in . For macro lovers Koh Doc Mai is probably the best Thailand has to offer . Look out for Cleaner Shrimps , Seahorses , Ornate Ghostpipefish , endless Nudibranchs and Sea Slugs , Frogfish and juvenile White-Eyed Moray Eels . Bearded Scorpionfish, Banded Sea Snakes , Common Lionfish , Forsters and Chevron Barracudas are common residents here.
The west side is a gently sloping hard coral reef with an abundance of colorful marine life decorating its underwater cliffs and the dive is usually ended here where currents are not present .

Distance 16 km (10 Miles) Speed Boat Trip 45 min. Diving Depth 3-27 m. (10-90 ft) Visibility Fair to good Currents Moderate Surface Conditions There is always a sheltered side. Diver Level OK for beginners. Highlights Macro species (seahorses), caves, walls

PHI PHI ISLANDS

One of the most dramatically beautiful locations in the world , the scenery from the surface is absolutely stunning at Phi Phi Islands .
A very interesting environment for scuba divers and over time the elements have created caves , overhangs and swim-throughs in the soft limestone rocks . Other dive profiles include vertical walls that plunge from the surface down to over 25 meters . On these walls are found a profusion of soft corals , large Gorgonian sea fans and Black corals . There are several unusual types of coral that can only be found in the waters surrounding the Phi Phi Islands including a one meter high white coral bush that is shaped like a Christmas tree complete with little ornaments .
These islands offer a remarkable variety of dive sites concentrated in very a small area . Two of the most popular dive sites are located at the southern tip of the small island of Koh Phi Phi Le : Koh Bida Nok & Bida Nai . Here you find large fields of staghorn and star corals and incredible numbers of colorful reef fish .
These islands are two local favorite dive sites . They contain walls , swimthroughs , Leopard and Reef Sharks , Turtles, Barracudas , Jacks and Stingrays . Resident tropical fish also include Blue Ring and Emperor Angel Fish , playful Anemonefish , juvenile Tail-Spot Butterflyfish and more. The visibility is often limited to 5-20 meters but the Phi-Phi Islands are likely to remain among the most popular diving locations in south-east Asia .

RACHA YAI

Racha Yai is about 1½ hours south of Phuket . It is a beautiful tropical island with very good colorful reefs , shallow water , coral gardens and a great opportunity for some enjoyable drift diving . There are several excellent dive sites particularly suitable for the beginner and also snorkellers , making this island a favorite destination for everyone . Here you often see Parrot Fish , Triggerfish , Lionfish , Puffer Fish , Octopus , Cuttlefish , Moray Eels , Stingrays and sometimes Leopard Sharks are seen resting on the sandy areas .
On the northern and western sides of the island are two sheltered bays which offer very relaxed diving and contain a mixture of granite boulders , fields of hard corals , sandy patches and coral pinnacles almost right up to the beach !
Similarly the eastern side has four bays , although smaller , but between each bay are four very pleasant reefs , perfect for a drift dive and giving a good mixture of hard corals , white sand and huge fields of Staghorns . Granite lines the shallow edges of the reefs giving ideal shelter to swimmers and snorkellers .
There are two smaller wrecks here as well , one located very close to the reef in 22 meters of water and there is one a bit further out at 31 meters .

RACHA NOI

Racha Noi is the more isolated of the two Racha islands and is a very popular dive site for more experienced divers as the depths are generally greater and the currents frequently stronger than at its sister island Racha Yai . You will encounter huge underwater boulders that offer a good chance to see Manta Rays and large pelagics .
The northern tip of the island offers an opportunity for a good multilevel dive around enormous boulders where it is not uncommon to spot Marble Rays , sometimes Devil Rays and also Leopard Sharks . There is also a shallow bay with a hard coral garden with several soft corals and sea fans .
The southern tip is a nice drift dive along some spectacular scenery , a long reef firmly rooted to the granite base . Swarms of small Indian Redtooth Triggerfish congregate here , Giant Moray Eels live under the boulders and Octopus are often seen . Manta Rays have also been seen at all times of the year.
150m south of the island is an enormous granite pinnacle which starts at 12m and plunges to depths of almost 50m . Strong currents are very common here and there is no mooring so a fast descent is sometimes essential but the rewards are a myriad of soft corals , sea fans , gullies , drop-offs and a good chance for Manta Rays , big Barracudas , Giant Trevallies , Tuna and Leopard Sharks as well as the usual tropical reef species .
The eastern and western sides of the island present the diver with a good mixture of sheltered sandy bays , soft and hard corals , innumerable swimthroughs and always a chance of the unexpected .
Racha Noi offers many opportunities for an enjoyable and rewarding deep dive but due to the potential for strong currents here we advise you to dive with dive guides . It is recommended to have an advanced certification .

HIN DAENG

About 100 km southeast of Phuket lie two of the best dive sites in Thailand - Hin Daeng & Hin Muang ( Red Rock and Purple Rock in Thai ) .
Hin Daeng consists of 3 small rocks just breaking the surface . The underwater reef features a dramatic drop-off almost straight down to a depth of over 60 meters making it the deepest wall dive in Thailand .
This unusual rock is fantastic , being covered in a multitude of hard & soft corals and also a few sea fans . The eastern side slopes gently off along two long narrow ridges until they disappear into darkness , the western plateau has a huge coral garden covered in Compact corals and Star Corals and the deep walls on the north and south sides drop vertically to the sand with even the deeper soft corals usually visible from the shallows !
By descending along the wall to a depth of 30 meters you are likely to encounter huge schools of Jacks and Tuna sometimes so thick they appear as a solid wall of silver . Hin Daeng is home to a large variety of marine life including Reef Sharks , Giant Barracuda and from November to April there is a really good chance of spotting Manta rays & even Whale Sharks . The sheer amount of marine life you find here makes this one of the best dive sites in the kingdom .

HIN MUANG

This is one of the best dive sites in Thailand . Hin Muang ( Purple Rock ) is a series of six or more submerged pinnacles and is located just a few hundred meters north of Hin Daeng . This unique dive site is so completely covered with the lush purple soft corals which give the rock it’s name that it actually seems to glow and it attracts the most incredible amount of marine life you will find anywhere. This limestone pinnacle stretches for more than 200 meters in length and in some places is less than 20 meters in width . The almost vertical walls are carpeted with anemones and colourful sea fans and the numerous little caves , ledges and rocky outcroppings provide shelter for virtually every underwater creature found in southeast Asia .
Hin Muang is one of the best sites for viewing Manta Rays and several species of sharks including the Grey Reef Shark which have been seen congregating in groups . Hin Muang like Richelieu Rock in the Surin Islands to the north is also a magnet for Whale Sharks and ranks among Thailand's best places for observing these gentle giants .
One other unique spectacle often seen at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are Manta Rays performing spectacular leaps out of the surface , truly impressive for non-divers and those impatiently getting through their surface interval !