Pocket Guide Dive Thailand 2009 Edition

POCKET GUIDE D I V E

Thailand

including the

M e rg u i A rc h i p e l A g o

www.diveguidethailand.com

PAUL LEES

PG 2009 EDItIon

Australia A$17.60 (incl. GST) Europe €11 Singapore S$22.50 (incl.GST) Thailand B450 UK £7.50 USA US$14.50 Sweden SEK105

See listing on Page 165

See listing on Page 110

pocket guide

Dive Thailand

Cover photo & above: Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus)

Contents Map of Thailand & the region About the author About Pocket Guide dive Thailand Introduction to Thailand Travelling to & around Thailand Health & safety for divers Diving & snorkelling in & around Thailand Learning to Dive in Thailand The Andaman Sea Phuket Khao Lak Mu Koh Similan Marine National Park Mu Koh Surin Marine National Park The Mergui Archipelago Krabi Koh Phi Phi Mu Koh Lanta Marine National Park

10 12 14 16 24 32 42 52 93 113 122 129 131 135 147 157

The Gulf of Thailand Western Seaboard Koh Tao Koh Phangan Koh Samui Eastern Seaboard Pattaya Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park

Alphabetical index of dive centres

169 181 190 196 206

220

Published by Sun Offa Beach Co., Ltd., 29/116 Moo 2, Chuan Chuen Lagoon, T. Koh Kaew, A. Muang, Phuket 83002, Thailand, in cooperation with Phuket Publicity Services Part., Ltd. EDITOR: Wilai Suksalee. [email protected], www.golfguidethailand.com PRINTER: Siam Offset Co., Ltd, 9/1 Soi Sriaksorn Tungmahamek, Bangkok 10120 ©2008 Sun Offa Beach Co., Ltd and Phuket Publicity Services Part., Ltd. All rights reserved. The contents of this book may not be reproduced or copied in any form – printed, electronic, photocopy or otherwise – except for excerpts used in reviews, without the written permission of the copyright holders. Text & photography, © Paul Lees (unless otherwise stated in the book). Design & layout, © Grenville Fordham.

8

OvErvIEW MAPS

Dive Thailand

Thailand & neighbouring countries

Principal diving destinations

10

AbOUT THE AUTHOr

Paul Lees

B

ritish born writer and photographer, Paul Lees, has travelled extensively throughout Asia, gaining first-hand insight and absorbing local perspective along the way.

Numerous valuable experiences have been stored in the form of pictures and words, which have since appeared in many internationally acclaimed publications including New Holland’s best selling coffee table presentations Top Dive Sites of the Indian Ocean, The Dive Atlas of the World and Diving with Giants, as well as Dorling Kindersley’s Eyewitness Guide to Thailand. Aside from spearheading the Pocket Guide series, Paul holds the qualification of Master Instructor under two scuba diving training agencies. He also specialises in underwater photography and is a regular contributor to regional and international scuba diving magazines. He has also been bringing the underwater world to the surface in the form of natural history documentaries and TV shows, including ABC Kane’s The Living Edens and the BBC’s Really Wild Show. When not engrossed with the range of Pocket Guide titles, he continues to pay attention to expanding his extensive image library on subjects both above and below the ocean surface.

photo by Wilai Suksalee

Paul currently lives in Thailand with his family.

12

AbOUT POCKET GUIDE

Dive Thailand

T

his, the 2009 edition of Pocket Guide DIvE Thailand, follows the Pocket Guide philosophy: written by experts who are passionate about their subject and widely distributed to reach active, travelling divers and those interested in taking up the sport, providing an informative, quality publication. The contents of the book start with a series of introduction sections, namely: Introduction to Thailand, Travelling to & around Thailand, Diving & snorkelling in & around Thailand, plus a section on Health & safety when diving.

The book then covers the different diving regions, each with its own introduction and map, plus descriptions of the region’s featured divesites. These are followed by detailed listings of featured dive operators and a regional directory of local services and travelling logistics. Each dive operator listing and directory has a uniform layout to maintain the high standard and profile that are the hallmarks of a Pocket Guide publication. Although every effort has been made in putting together this, the 2009 Edition of Pocket Guide DIvE Thailand, there is always the possibility of changes to the conditions at divesites or facilities offered after going to print. If you find that we have misrepresented any details, please send an email telling us what you found wrong. Your input will help us correct errors for the next edition, which will contain credits to all readers who have kindly supplied valuable input. Comments to: [email protected] If you have enjoyed this title, or we trust found it useful, there are other topic-specific guides in the series. Pocket Guide GOLF Thailand gives an in-depth overview of each of the golfing regions around the country including featured courses and how best to play them. These are complemented by, amongst others, informative sections covering golfing tips and tricks, healthy playing, golf for all the family and living the golfing lifestyle. A worthy companion to any players’ scorecard! Pocket Guide FOOD Thailand (due for release first quarter 2009) is packed with signature dish recipes and how to create them from top restaurants around Thailand. There are also sections covering regional flavours, different cooking styles, preparation and presentation techniques, as well as healthy and alternative ingredient suggestions making it an ideal meal planner and food shopping guide where ever you are. After all, everyone has to eat! 14

InTrODUCTIOn

to Thailand

A

t the heart of South East Asia, Thailand is an independent kingdom combining 20th-century sophistication with an ancient culture that has evolved over the past 700 years.

Covering just over 500,000 sq km it is bordered by Malaysia to the south, Myanmar to the west, Laos to the north and Cambodia to the east. It is unique amongst Southeast Asian nations in that it has never been occupied by a foreign colonial power. Largely as a result, it has maintained a cohesive sense of national identity and traditional culture.

Tourism

With over five million annual visitors, Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia. It has an enormous amount to offer, from ancient temples to rainforests and remote islands with palm-fringed beaches – and, of course, coral reefs teeming with life for divers and snorkellers. Tourism is an important part of the kingdom’s service economy. The country has also recently become a bit of a golfers’ paradise. In relation to its neighbours, Singapore, Hong Kong, One of Thailand’s many glorious golf courses

16

InTrODUCTIOn

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd thAilAnd - introduction

to Thailand

Isan

Taiwan, Korea and Japan, it’s excellent value for money. As a result, many Asian and European tourists now visit in the winter months from November to March and enjoy a wide range of impressive golf facilities all around the country. For best information and insight on where, when and how to play, see Pocket Guide GOLF Thailand and its online version, www.golfguidethailand.com

bangkok and the regions of Thailand

The population of Thailand is around 60 million, with approximately 10 million people living in the capital, Bangkok. This massive, vibrant, traffic-bound city dominates the country’s central region and functions as the cultural, religious, economic and political centre of the country. Thailand is divided into four distinct regions: the mountainous north, the vast northeast plateau, the central plains, and the narrow Isthmus of Kra to the south, stretching down to the border with Malaysia. Once covered in teakwood forests, the mountainous northern region appeals to the adventurous traveller, with one of the main attractions being the prospect of trekking through remote – and not so remote – villages inhabited by a diversity of tribal peoples. The main focal point for the region is the growing centre of Chiang Mai, Thailand’s ‘second’ city. From the viewpoint, just south of Kai Bae on Koh Chang

Separated from Laos by the Mekong River, the northeast plateau is dominated by agriculture (rice, fruit and vegetables) and is one of the poorest regions in the country.

PG

Known as Isan, this region has a distinct culture and dialect (reflecting its proximity to Laos), and although it is the least developed area in Thailand, this part of the country is well worth visiting, with ancient stone temples dating back almost 10 centuries. Isan is growing in importance as the gateway to Laos. Central Plains The central plains are another important rice-growing area and, although most visitors tend to pass them by on their way further north, there are ancient cities, such as Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, which repay exploration.

The Andaman Sea

It’s the islands and beaches of southern Thailand that hold the greatest appeal for tourists and, whether you’re looking for solitude or sophisticated nightlife, there is plenty of choice. The Andaman coastline, to the west of the Kra Isthmus, boasts fabulous scenery and dazzling beaches. The largest and best-known of the island destinations here is Phuket, which has been attracting tourists for a number of years and is now in full swing, high-rise hotels appear inexorably above the palm trees. Further south, the island of Koh Phi Phi and the beaches around Krabi on the mainland are slowly but surely building a foothold on the tourist map and, although not as established as Phuket, they are geared up to welcome all visitors – from independent travellers to families – as is the more remote and charming island of Koh Lanta Yai further south. The Gulf of Thailand In the Gulf of Thailand, on the other side of the Kra Isthmus, the most established destination is the island of Koh Samui; the other islands within the Samui Archipelago, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, are also popular tourist and diving destinations. To the east of Bangkok, the beach resort of Pattaya bears little resemblance to the real Thailand and has a notorious reputation, but further east still there are several virtually untouched islands awaiting the adventurous traveller – Koh Chang, for instance, which is the country’s second largest island offers miles of beaches and unexplored forest along with its less developed neighbour, Koh Kut.

22

23

TrAvELLInG

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd

trAvelling

to and around Thailand Getting there

More than 50 international airlines serve the country with daily direct flights to Bangkok from most major cities in Europe, USA and Australia. There are also frequent flights from all over South East Asia to Bangkok and Phuket. You can drive into Thailand from Malaysia and Laos – the latter journey takes you over the famous Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge across the Mekong, at Nong Khai. If you are coming into the country from Singapore or Malaysia – and if you have a great deal of money to spare – think about the 34hr journey on the luxurious Eastern & Oriental Express, sister to the legendary Orient Express.

visas

People of most nationalities can obtain free visas, valid 30 days, on arrival at Bangkok International Airport and other entry points; these will be issued only if you have a current passport and ticket to take you out of the country at the end of your stay. Longer-stay visas are available, for a fee, from Thai embassies and consulates around the world: specify whether you want a transit visa (valid 30 days), a tourist visa (valid 60 days) or a non-immigrant visa (valid 90 days and difficult to obtain). If you have a tourist visa you can, once in Thailand, apply for a 30 day extension. If you plan to leave Thailand temporarily during your stay, you must obtain a re-entry visa, available from the Immigration Department in Bangkok. These rules are subject to change so check current regulations prior to departure

Customs

Customs are usually no trouble, unless you are carrying pornography, political propaganda, firearms, large amounts of cash (over $10,000), or illicit drugs – for possession of which A day trip dive boat returns to Phuket

the penalties are draconian. The allowances for the usual luxury goods – perfume, alcohol and the like – vary, so check them before departure. Please note that you are required to bring a minimum amount of currency into the country which varies depending on your visa.

Getting around

For longer distances air travel is the easiest option and not prohibitively expensive. Nok Air and Thai Airways International both have extensive domestic networks; Bangkok Airways has a smaller one. Recent years have seen deregulation of air travel in Thailand and a number of new low-cost domestic carriers. Reliability may be factor. Thailand has a good rail service: the fares are inexpensive, timetables are usually adhered to, and the trains themselves are comfortable and clean – with four classes covering four main lines; Northern, North-eastern, Southern and Eastern – so that you can choose between economy and air conditioned luxury. One pitfall to avoid is that of not booking early enough: on the trunk routes you should do so at least a month in advance. The main railway station in Bangkok serving all destinations is Hua Lumphong Railway Station. Long-distance buses are a cheaper alternative, but you take your life in your hands on one of these; the driving is often atrocious. If you decide to risk it, opt for an air-conditioned service; the comparatively small cost difference is worth it. In remote areas you may be able to go to the opposite extreme – from air-conditioning to just plain air – by travelling on a Songthaew. This is essentially an open-backed pick-up truck with a couple of wooden benches in the back. Taxis, Tuk tuks (three-wheeled scooters) and pedal-tricycles operate in most parts of Thailand. You use these much as you would use a taxi at home, except that they require you to negotiate a price before setting of – and remember to bargain. Do note that in many areas the drivers may not speak English, so, to avoid confusion, get your hotel receptionist to write down your destination in Thai so that you can show it to the driver. Ask at your hotel what a reasonable fare to the destination might be. Alternatively, self-drive is an option and by law, an International driving license will need to be produced.

Money

The unit of currency is the Thai Baht, which comprises 100 satang. All major credit cards are widely accepted. If you prefer travellers’ cheques, obtain them in either Sterling, Euros or US dollars. 24

25

TrAvELLInG

to and around Thailand

Currency exchange can be done either at banks or, in the major tourist areas, at currency exchange counters. The larger hotels will also change money, but usually give a poor rate of exchange. Daily exchange rates are published in two English language newspapers — the Bangkok Post and the Nation.

Tipping

The majority of major hotels include a service charge and local taxes, however a tip of 10-15 per cent for an appreciated service should be considered in restaurants and after liveaboard excursions.

Health

No particular vaccinations or inoculations are officially required before you enter the country, unless you do so from an area where an infection is rife. Check your route with your local consulate or embassy in case there are necessary inoculations. Ask to be protected against hepatitis A and B, tetanus, malaria and typhoid. Once in Thailand, do not drink tap water. Venereal diseases – notably AIDS – are extremely prevalent so avoid casual liaisons. Rabies is likewise: If bitten by any animal, seek medical attention immediately. The standard of medical services in Thailand is generally high – certainly in Bangkok and other big cities and in the major tourist centres. A note of warning: Even if you take antimalarial tablets before travelling, it’s still possible to contract malaria, so if you feel feverish when you return home contact your doctor immediately and have a check-up, mentioning that you have been in Thailand.

Key facts

Electricity: The supply is 220v AC 50Hz. Two-pin plugs with either round or flat pins are used, so carry an adaptor Mean temperatures: Air – 30-400C. Sea – 27-30C Time zone: GMT + 7hr Clothing: Lightweight clothes are most suitable. Long trousers guard ankles from mosquito bites during the evenings and are strongly recommended, as are waterproofs for long dive-boat journeys Diving agencies: Recreational – CMAS, PADI, SSI, some BSAC and NAUI. Technical – ANDI, IANTD and TDI. Diving gear: Included in the price of diving courses and some dive trips; the larger dive centres all provide a full rental service. 28

OCEAN

TrAvELLInG

to and around Thailand Dialling codes

The IDD for Thailand is: +66 To dial IDD from within Thailand, use 001 (or+) Local dialling codes within Thailand need to be added for all calls, even those made within the same area. When calling from outside Thailand omit the prefix ‘0’. Smaller islands have mobile phone numbers and are not on a network. Dialling codes within Thailand are: • bangkok 02 • Koh Samui, Koh Phangan & Koh Tao 077 • Phuket & Khao Lak 076 • Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi & Krabi 075 • Pattaya 038 • Koh Chang 039

Public holidays 2009 January 1 New Years Day April 6 Chakri Memorial Day April 13 – 15 Songkran May 1 Labour Day May 5 Coronation Day May 8 Visakha Puja July 1 Mid-year Day July 7 Buddist Lent August 12 HM The Queen’s Birthday/Mother’s Day

October 23 Chulalongkorn Day november full moon Loi Krathong December 5 HM The King’s Birthday / Father’s Day December 10 Constitution Day December 31 New Year’s Eve

Chaweng beach on Koh Samui

30

See listing on Page 193

HEALTH & SAFETy

for divers

D

ecompression Illnesses (DCI) or ‘the bends’, occurs when bubbles of gas are trapped inside the body of a diver. Symptoms include muscle and joint pain, skin rashes, tingling sensations and in more serious cases neurological problems and even paralysis. Initial symptoms can be very subtle but gradually worsen over time, and can occur within a few minutes to 48 hours after the dive. Thankfully DCI is extremely rare with only a small percentage of divers needing to be treated each year. Statistics show that only a very small fraction of the thousands who dive in Thailand every year are treated for DCI. It’s important to remember that Decompression Illness can be difficult to diagnose and in many cases DCI symptoms are similar to a lot of other medical problems that don’t

32

HEALTH & SAFETy

for divers

require treatment inside a hyperbaric chamber. This is why it’s important for an injured diver to visit a hospital to be completely checked out and diagnosed correctly. If a diver has DCI then they will need to breathe oxygen under pressure in a hyperbaric chamber. This helps break down the bubbles of gas that are trapped in their body. The time they need to spend inside the chamber can vary between 2 to 5 or more hours depending on the severity of the symptoms. On average a patient needs to receive 2 treatments inside the chamber before their symptoms completely disappear. DCI can be extremely expensive to treat, with the average cost around 189,000 Thai Baht per patient. In the majority of cases the diver will either have specific diving insurance, or travel insurance that will cover the cost of treatment. Unfortunately some travel insurance companies still classify diving as a high risk activity and as a result will not cover diving accidents. Regrettably the first time the patient is made aware of this is after they have been treated! As a result the badalveda Diving Medicine network offers membership cards to individual divers that can provide extra protection in the unlikely event that an accident occurs. These cards cost only 300 Baht each and provide a discounted rate for hyperbaric treatment at all Badalveda Hyperbaric chambers in Thailand for a period of 1 year from the cards issue date. Although Badalveda have their own membership cards, they advise divers to obtain personal insurance which includes coverage for diving. To find out more, visit www.dive-master.net For more information on Badalveda talk to your local dive centre or call the Diving Medicine Hotlines: +66 (0)81 989 9482, (0)86 272 4618. Divers can call these numbers 24 hours a day for advice and assistance about diving injuries, evacuation services or general diving medicine questions, but please bear in mind that these are emergency contact numbers!

34

HEALTH & SAFETy

for divers

There are a number of medical problems that affect a person’s fitness to dive. While someone may feel fine and may be taking medication to treat an illness, it can be very difficult to determine what will happen when he or she is placed in a situation with increased pressure. Diving with a pre-existing medical condition may not only put the diver in danger, but also his or her dive partners. It’s imperative always to answer truthfully on any diving medical questionnaire and be cleared by a doctor if there are any doubts. As a rough guide, any diver with the following conditions should consult a doctor before commencing a dive. • Asthma • Epilepsy • Cardiovascular disease • History of lung injury or disease • High blood pressure / Hypertension • Middle air or chronic sinus problems • Gastrointestinal problems It’s also important that divers receive clearance for any medication they may be taking. It can be extremely hazardous to dive with certain drugs in your system and you should always consult with a doctor specialising in diving before going ahead to dive.

36

HEALTH & SAFETy

for divers

D

iving is a very safe activity, but as in all aspects of life, things can go wrong. Just as a skier can break a bone or a general holidaymaker can get sick, a diver can fall foul of some problems. Medical bills and equipment costs are often more than an individual can afford, so there is a need for specialist dive insurance. It’s true that many travel insurance policies cover diving, but these are modifications to general policies that were never designed for an activity as specialist as diving. You were probably enticed into diving for its adventure and exploration, so it stands to reason that along with the equipment and training you buy specifically designed insurance. Reputable dive insurance companies offer policies for all levels of diver and all sectors of the dive industry. After all, a company insuring the professionals of an industry is also going to make sure its policies for general divers are top notch. These companies also update their policies regularly to keep up with current trends in travel and diving. One of the most recent updates for travellers to look for is diving day specific insurance that can be bought at the resort. This means even if you leave home with no intention of diving and therefore have no specific insurance, you can still cover yourself for the duration of your dive course or trip. When buying insurance for diving don’t be seduced by the lowest price. Look at what the policy will cover you for. Read the policy details. Check the depth limit, the exclusions and the costs being paid out. If possible, check the reputation of the insurance company. A company that has been operating for a number of years is often a better bet. Everyone wishes they didn’t have to have insurance and no one thinks something is going to happen to them, but the fact is, things do happen and a good insurance policy standing behind you will mean top quality treatment and first class service.

38

DIvInG & SnOrKELLInG

in and around Thailand

T

hailand has much to offer the visiting diver and snorkeller. There is a vast range of exhilarating sites of many different kinds, providing something for both recreational and technical divers alike, regardless of their qualification levels or experience. With over 2,000km of coastline and hundreds of offshore islands, the variety is phenomenal, encompassing everything from extensive fringing reefs to deep drop-offs and wrecks, dramatic granite walls, caves and tunnels, coral-covered pinnacles, and open ocean seamounts. Spectacular hard and soft corals abound, and the marine life is prolific, ranging from minute and colourful reef dwellers to manta rays, sharks and pelagic visitors such as giant barracuda, tuna, trevally and the mighty whale shark. With the Andaman Sea to the west and the Gulf of Thailand to the east, Thailand is unique in that it borders two distinct oceanic zones, each with their own peculiarities and marine life. Many dive sites all around the coast share common species, but on others the underwater terrain and reef communities show marked differences between the two sides of the peninsula’s coastline.

Andaman Sea

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

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd diving - introduction

the Andaman Sea are uninhabited (apart from communities of Chao Ley – ‘sea gypsies’), 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 the popular holiday island destination of Phuket, with a wide variety of operators offering recreational and technical training, day trips, and liveaboard options. The best time for diving is between October and May. In general the Andaman Sea has more extensive coral reefs but similar visibility to the Gulf of Thailand, with most of the reefs around the offshore islands occurring on the east sides of the islands, due to the influence of the southwest monsoon; the west coasts tend to have rocky slopes descending to 10-30m in depth. Towards the northern end of the Thai coastline, a series of granitic outcrops lie in deep, clear water with reefs descending to 25-30m and beyond in depth. These are the Similan and Surin Islands, whose breathtaking underwater scenery and great diversity of marine life have gained them a considerable reputation in the diving community. Given their proximity to Phuket, it is not surprising that these two island groups are among the country’s most popular destinations for day trips and liveaboard excursions.

Anemonefish

42

43

DIvInG & SnOrKELLInG

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd diving - introduction

in and around Thailand

Further to the north in Myanmar is the Mergui Archipelago, recently opened to foreigners, offering real wilderness diving over unusual underwater terrain, with the added attraction of shark encounters. The coastline of Phuket itself offers little for the experienced diver, although there are dive sites that can be (and are) used for training and are also a good option if bad weather prevents boats getting to the better sites. These offshore sites are mostly to the south, and can be reached by relatively short boat rides of between one and two hours. They are all well worth the journey, but two in particular (Shark Point and Anemone Reef) stand out as being special in terms of the abundance of marine life.

The most southerly established dive sites in the country are to the south of Koh Lanta. They feature pristine corals and spectacular fringing reefs in potentially excellent visibility. Here are some of the finest dive sites in the country, such as Hin Mouang, which features the deepest drop-off in Thailand, with depths in excess of 70m, and Hin Daeng, one of the few remaining dive sites where both manta rays and whale sharks are regularly encountered. Another dive destination in the Andaman Sea that is still in its infancy is Mu Koh Tarutao Marine National Park (just north of the Malaysian border), where dugongs have been seen.

The Gulf of Thailand

Further south, the coastline at Krabi offers shallow fringing reefs around impressive limestone formations (ranging in size from underwater pillars to whole islands). Some of the best snorkelling sites in the country are to be found here.

The Gulf of Thailand coast, at 1,840km well over twice as long as the Andaman Sea coastline, follows a great parabola from the border with Malaysia on the south coast around to Cambodia and the southwest tip of Vietnam. The Gulf itself is a vast, shallow depression – generally less than 60m deep and reaching a maximum of 85m – which, while incredibly productive, does not have continually great visibility.

Offshore, the Phi Phi islands, with their palm-fringed beaches, have been growing in popularity as a dive base for the last two decades. This is not surprising as the local waters experience great visibility complemented with a rich variety of corals and marine life; shallow fringing and patch reefs are an added attraction for snorkellers.

This is largely due to the turbid waters from river outlets being trapped in the Gulf by an underwater shelf that stretches across the mouth of the Gulf from Malaysia to Vietnam. True reefs do not occur further north than those found in the Ban Krut area in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, just over 300km south of Bangkok.

Dive boats at Koh Racha Yai

There are 112 islands in the offshore waters of the Gulf, many with fringing reefs interspersed with rocks and soft seabed. Visibility around their shorelines tends to be better than the mainland, where inshore waters are affected not only by turbidity but by freshwater runoff and urban/industrial pollution. The offshore reefs have a lower diversity than the reefs of the Andaman Sea, but marine life is still prolific, with Indo-Pacific species predominating. The closest good diving and snorkelling to the south of Bangkok is at Ban Krut. There are a number of very worthy dive sites following the fringing reefs of rocky outcrops and offshore islets. Both divers and snorkellers will find radiant hard and soft corals, colourful schools of reef fish and an exciting selection of visiting pelagics, including giant barracuda and whale sharks. Some of the best dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand are around Koh Tao, 80km from the mainland. Sheer wall dives around submerged pinnacles, tunnels and archways carpeted with iridescent soft corals, pelagics (including sharks), and easy snorkelling from the beaches over impressive coral gardens are just some of the highlights of Koh Tao.

46

47

DIvInG & SnOrKELLInG

in and around Thailand

Koh Phangan, 47km south of Koh Tao, is a Bohemian paradise. The fringing reefs around the island are of limited appeal, but two sites to the north – Sail Rock and Samran Pinnacles – are truly world-class, spectacular wall dives, acting as a magnet for numerous schools of pelagics. Koh Samui, further south, has a well developed tourist infrastructure and some enjoyable dive sites on its fringing reefs. Visibility around Koh Samui is only slightly better than that around Koh Phangan, and most people use it as a convenient (and fun) base from which to dive sites to the north of Koh Phangan or around Koh Tao. Further to the south, the clear waters around Koh Losin, located above the Malaysian border, are occasionally dived from liveaboard excursions and are a great place for encountering manta rays, whale sharks and large schools of trevally. Working eastwards from Bangkok, Pattaya has a well developed dive industry for both recreational and technical divers. The better dive sites here are located around the ‘Far Islands’ group, offering fringing reefs of hard and soft corals and a selection of four enjoyable wrecks. Pattaya’s dive sites also include the islands and islets off the small fishing village of Samaesan 17kms further south. Thailand’s easternmost diving and snorkelling area covers the waters around and to the south of Koh Chang, in Trat province. This is an up and coming destination and one well worth visiting. Aside from a great diversity of dive sites including reefs, walls and pinnacles the associated marine life is as diverse as it is high and includes regular encounters with all sizes of marine life from minute invertebrates up to enormous whale sharks.

Diving seasons

The weather on either side of the Kra Isthmus and diving conditions in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand are dominated by two opposing monsoons, the northeast and southwest monsoons. The northeast monsoon sweeps across the Gulf of Thailand between mid October and mid December, bringing heavy rain and strong winds – some dive sites become inaccessible during this time as they suffer from strong currents and reduced visibility. It’s during this period that many tourists switch, as if by magic, to the west coast. Those that stay on in the Gulf during this short time will find themselves on nearly empty beaches, with the sun regularly appearing from behind the clouds. An anomaly is that the easternmost diving regions in Trat province remain sheltered during this period. 48

DIvInG & SnOrKELLInG

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd diving - introduction

in and around Thailand

The Andaman Sea is sheltered from the worst effects of the northeast monsoon, and diving and snorkelling is at its best from November to April. Underwater visibility ranges from 5m to 30m or more during this period. From May to October the southwest monsoon strikes this region, bringing in its wake towering seas and strong currents and increased turbidity. Conversely, the dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand are at their best during this season, with only minimal winds and light showers to disturb the tranquillity of the beaches and seas. Visibility can sometimes equal that of the Andaman Sea during this period. There are always dive sites on either side of the Isthmus that are sheltered enough to be dived whatever the weather so, if you find in the wrong place at the wrong time, don’t despair! Water temperatures in Thailand generally range from 27˚C to 31˚C. A thin wetsuit or lycra suit is recommended, not simply for protection from exposure but also as a barrier to marine hazards such as stinging cells which can be present. Oceanic sites (such as the Similans and the Burma Banks) are subject to sudden cold currents or thermoclines which can chill the water by up to 10˚C and, although these temperature dips are localized, most divers still prefer to don 3-4mm wetsuits for thermal protection. Blue ribbon eel

Dive operators

There are many top-notch dive centres in both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. PADI and SSI are the main certification agencies, in both recreational and technical diving tuition. There are also a number of BSAC, CMAS and NAUI training facilities along with IANTD, ANDI and TDI for the ‘Tekkies’. Entry-level courses through to Instructor programmes and specialties like cave diving and underwater photography are widely available. Most of the larger and better-established dive operators maintain their equipment to high standards, with a good selection of sizes. BCDs, masks, fins, regulator and pressure consoles are obtainable everywhere; however, wetsuits, diving computers and underwater cameras are generally only available at the more established facilities.

renting equipment

When you rent equipment − for your own safety and comfort − you should remember to check the following: buoyancy Control Device (bCD) • Select the correct size. The last thing you want is a BCD that restricts your breathing because it is too tight. Conversely, if it is too large, you may feel you are about to slip out of it. • Select a style or make that you are familiar with and take into consideration belts, buckles and fastenings. • Check there are no leaks. • Ensure that the low-pressure inflator connector is securely tightened. • Ensure that both the deflator and power inflator buttons function correctly and do not stick. Mask • Ensure the mask fits correctly and does not leak. • Check the skirt for damage or tears. • Check the strap for signs of wear and tear. Bear in mind that if you lose the mask you might have to pay for it. • Ask for an optical mask if required. Some larger operators carry a wide selection of prescription lenses. regulators • Check ease of breathing through both regulators. • Ensure regulators mouthpieces are in good condition and that the bite lobes are okay. • Purge regulator before putting it in your mouth – in the tropics, you never know what might have crawled inside! • Check the pressure gauge; satisfy yourself that it does not stick. Fins and booties • Be careful to get the size right: too small can result in cramp, too large and they may fall off.

50

51

LEArnInG TO DIvE

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd

leArning to dive

in Thailand

“T

here’s never been a better time to learn to dive!” you seem to hear it everywhere around Thailand these days; in coastal resorts, on boats during passages to coral fringed tropical islands and even in the larger cities! But when talking about taking that memorable first breath underwater, the sales pitch is not only inaccurate, it can be seen as intimidating − to say the least. A much better approach is: “It’s always a great time to learn to dive in Thailand.” Why? Simple. The water is clear and warm and filled with exciting adventures and creatures to meet and explore. Golden opportunities arise all year round and your dive course will be fun and relaxing without the hustle and bustle of city life. What with great training facilities and calm and warm waters complemented by a second-to-none diversity of marine life, all readily available in many picture-postcard destinations, this has to be one of the world’s top places to learn, continue learning or even create a career based around the planet’s fastest growing recreational pastime of scuba diving. Instruction is available in a number of forms, from freelance instructors providing a small and personal service up to five-star training centres with self-contained resort facilities offering career development services allowing those who want to learn to choose the style that best suits them. Learning to dive is not something that can be self-taught. Instruction is essential and standard safety practices need to be applied and upheld throughout, no matter the size of operation. Thankfully this is the case in Thailand. There are also a number of award-winning facilities around the country proudly displaying their credentials − fine role models for others to follow.

Students prepare to descend for the first time

52

All the top training agencies are omni-present in Thailand and, wherever there’s diving, there will be dive centres affiliated to one of them. Training mainly comes ‘The Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ (PADI) and ‘Scuba Schools International’ (SSI), followed by the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) in third place. CMAS and NAUI are here too, but with a much smaller presence.

Starting slowly

Not everyone feels comfortable or has the time to jump in at the deep end and enrol in a multi-day commitment without first getting a taste of the fun. But not to worry as, in appreciation of this, the major training agencies offer non-certified experience programmes. These are still under the guidance of a qualified dive professional and obviously follow the highest of safety standards. Experiences range from taking that first breath underwater in a swimming pool or just off the beach, to going on a dive with an instructor in the open ocean. No corners are cut and training covers all the basic skills needed to submerge and ascend safely. The only difference between these experience programmes and a certifying course is that, after completion, you must still be accompanied by a diving professional at all times and you cannot dive anywhere else. The advantage is that the course takes a short time and, even better, your experience may count toward your certification (depending on the training agency) and you’ll be more than ready to sign up for a certifying course when time permits.

For the family

As the interest and participation in scuba is on the increase, images of black rubber-clad men immersing themselves in the abyss, whilst groups of ladies anxiously look on, are An instructor takes care of a pair of entry level divers

53

See listing on Page 201

LEArnInG TO DIvE

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd

leArning to dive

in Thailand

thankfully a vision of the past; nowadays the ladies are more likely to be buddies! Diving couples have been coming to enjoy the tropical waters here for some time, some so regularly that they’re now being accompanied by their families. And the youngsters are not left out at all. PADI’s ‘Bubble Maker’ and ‘Seal Team’, along with SSI’s ‘Scuba Ranger’, programmes give boys and girls aged eight years upwards the opportunity, under professional guidance, to enjoy an exciting scuba experience whilst learning some cool underwater tricks into the bargain. Programmes last around an hour or two in the safe surroundings of a swimming pool or similar water conditions in a protected area, and are a great way to get the youngsters hooked, either with or without their parents in tow! These fabulous introductions to the underwater world are a great way for kids to share valuable learning experiences, whilst meeting new friends along the way, and are widely available in all of Thailand’s diving destinations.

Convenience

Thailand flaunts a comprehensive range of dive centres and services, the majority in the southern provinces, but with several in Pattaya and Koh Chang too. There’s also a small selection in Bangkok (generally branches or booking offices). Having a city base is particularly useful for providing academic and shallow in-water tuition to the local community or to those that have not yet reached their intended diving destination and are taking their time checking out the city sights first. The one factor these dive centres all have in common is the equally impressive selection of courses they offer. For those working in full-time jobs and therefore tied up during office hours, knowledge development training can be completed on line and practical training can be completed In the classroom

Originating in the UK, the bSAC was formed in 1953, making it the world’s largest dive club, with 1,000s of branches and over 33,000 members worldwide, making it one of the most experienced diving agencies. The ethos of the BSAC is to train divers to a level where they are competent to dive in UK waters. Courses are comprehensive in their content, but this doesn’t mean they are any more difficult to complete. Over the last few years the BSAC has been steadily growing throughout Asia. There are now currently 11 BSAC centres in Thailand located both on the east and west coasts. To learn more about the BSAC visit: www.bsac.com PADI was founded in 1966. It is the world’s largest recreational diving membership organisation. The membership includes dive businesses, resort facilities, academic institutions, instructor trainers, dive educators, divers, snorkellers and other water sports enthusiasts. Professional PADI members teach the vast majority of the world’s recreational divers, issuing approximately a million certifications every year, whilst maintaining the highest industry standards for dive training, safety and customer service. The total number of PADI dive centres and resorts (IRRA Members) located worldwide is approximately 5,300, with over 1,000 of these in the AsiaPacific region and over 250 located in Thailand. For more about PADI, visit: www.padi.com SSI is a worldwide diver certification agency and educational support organisation and is recognised as an innovative leader in diver education. Founded in 1970, SSI provides state-ofthe-art training programmes, standards and materials for all levels of diver education. Courses are flexible, allowing instructors to tailor training to individual students’ needs. Permanent certification cards are issued at the dive centre on completion of courses, which is handy for long term travellers. The first SSI regional centre in South East Asia opened in 1983 and is currently one of over 2,000 facilities in over 90 countries. For more about SSI in Thailand, visit: www.ssithailand.com

58

59

Crystal dive resort

CRYSTAL DIVE RESORT

Koh Tao ’s A wa rd Winning Dive C ent re

All Levels of PADI Courses from Beginner through to professional Reef Check ECO Diver Courses DSAT & TDI Technical Diving Courses

Mae Haad Resort, t: +66(0)77 456106-7 f: +66(0)77 456105 Dive Team, t: +66(0)86 475 6115 Sairee Resort, t: +66(0)77 456954 Bangkok Office, t: +66(0)2 280 3601 f: +66(0)2 280 3603 [email protected] : www.crystaldive.com See listing on Page 176

See listings on Pages 142 & 164

LEArnInG TO DIvE

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd

leArning to dive

in Thailand

in the evenings or over a weekend, whichever is most convenient. Once the required skills and knowledge have been mastered, students can then be referred to an affiliated branch or dive centre to complete the open water sections of the course, or any other uncompleted part of it for that matter!

alongside those in other popular diving destinations around the world. Very few compare favourably to Thailand.

Continuation does not need to be done immediately but there is a timescale involved; the instructor will advise how long the completed training is valid for before it would need repeating. On a broader scale, this popular option of splitting the training (known as a referral) over more than one destination is available internationally.

Entry level courses introduce students to the underwater environment and how to comfortably adapt to the newfound surroundings, how to use the unfamiliar equipment and above all else – how to dive safely and relax.

As long as all the training is completed within the designated period and successful completion of the initial training can be proved, students from literally anywhere in the world can complete their courses here, taking advantage of what diving in Thailand has to offer, without committing to a full course during their stay. However, the majority of visitors opt to do the whole course here – a sensible decision, as prices are extremely competitive Students repeating safety skills in the ocean (photo courtesy of SSI Thailand)

64

Courses

At the end of the day, whichever training agency you adopt, they all operate to high safety standards.

On successful completion the newly certified divers are qualified to dive unaccompanied by a diving professional, in the same conditions and to the maximum depth experienced during training. However, with the great selection of dive centres around, you have the choice of joining any number of daily trips with the option of dives being led by trained diving professionals. There’s no extra charge for this service as it’s included as standard in the dive trip price and it’s a great way to build confidence and familiarity for novice divers. Plus, if you don’t Learning to dive is a fun experience (photo courtesy of PADI)

65

We provide PADI Dive Education from ‘Try dives’ up to Instructor level

« Discover Scuba Diving » « Open Water Diver » « Advanced Open Water » « Rescue Diver » « Specialties »

Scandinavian Dive Center in Thailand since 1997

Snorkel Trips

Bounty Island - Coral Island Phi-Phi Islands - Similan Islands

Diving Day Trips

Racha Yai - King Cruiser - Shark Point Anemone Reef - Phi-Phi Islands Similan Islands You and your family and friends are always welcome on one of our two day trip boats, join one of our popular snorkel trips to one of the local tropical islands around Phuket and Khao Lak. For bookings contact us in our shops in Kata Beach, Patong Beach or Khao Lak See listings on Pages 105 & 116

Take the next step... and become a Pro As a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Center, we provide only the very best of diver training up to and including the professional levels of Dive Master or Instructor Scandinavian Divers 58/6 Soi Patong Resort, Patong Beach Tel: +66 (0)76 294225-6 Fax: +66 (0)76 292408 [email protected] www.diving-phuket-thailand.com

British owned and managed, Scuba Cat Diving operates as a PADI 5 Star CDC Center, Go Eco Operator and Reef Check Center. They also are certified trainers for the International Association for Handicapped Divers. Scuba Cat Diving regularly schedules the full range of PADI diving courses from ‘Bubble Maker’ for the kiddies, through ‘Open Water Diver’ for beginners up to the professional level of Open Water Diving Instructor. Tailor-made ‘Career Internship’ all inclusive packages, comprehensively cover professional diver training and all the aspects of what you need to know in order to run and maintain a profitable diving business.

www.scubacat.com email: [email protected] Telephone: +66 7629 3120 Fax: +66 7629 3122 Mobile: +66 898722026 See listing on Page 106

LEArnInG TO DIvE

in Thailand

have a buddy, one will be provided for you. So now you’ve learnt to dive in warm and inviting waters, are seeing things you once could only dream of and are rapidly making new friends – not a bad start really. It’s no wonder diving is so popular! The next step is to fine-tune those skills already learned, and be introduced to new ones. Advanced diving courses are really great underwater adventures. Even though the term ‘advanced’ may imply they are demanding and stressful – in reality they are quite the opposite. Safety and fun are high on the agenda and the results are extremely rewarding. In fact, it’s surprising they aren’t compulsory, especially as some dive sites are restricted to divers certified as advanced and above. There’s a stream of associated speciality courses that open up the chance to take the knowledge learned during advanced training to an even more in-depth level. Thailand’s tropical waters make particular courses extremely attractive; for instance, the warm waters are more appealing to deep and night diving enthusiasts; the water has been exposed to high levels of warming sunlight during the day, thus reducing the likelihood of uncomfortable chilly encounters.

70

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd

leArning to dive

‘Enriched Air Diver’. After all, dives are not likely to be cut short or be few and far between due to cold conditions! The list of speciality topics is endless; there are even special courses that have been individually written to suit the very surroundings. Just ask at the dive centre to find out what’s on offer! But don’t expect to get signed up for any ice diving! Next on the list are rescue courses which should seriously be mandatory for every diver. Course topics covered include self-rescue, problem management and how to help divers in stressful situations and, better still, how to avoid them in the first place. As any diver will know, you never dive without a buddy! But are you both actually capable of looking after each other? If not, then learn! The rescue diver courses are great value in Thailand and are just as comprehensive as they are anywhere else in the world. Certification requires CPR and First Aid training, which is also available alongside the course. In a nutshell, what you learn is all you need to know in order to look after yourself and others, both under the water and on the surface during everyday life. So you might as well learn in comfort and at a good price.

The generally high water clarity opens up splendid vistas of colourful reefs and curious inhabitants, making ideal subject matter for underwater photographers and videographers, two more popular choices of speciality dive courses on offer at many of Thailand’s dive centres.

The highest level of recreational diver certification is ‘Master Scuba Diver’ or equivalent, depending on the training agency’s certification title. To achieve this rating, or status, divers need to complete all the above courses and be certified in a pre-determined number of different specialities, as well as have completed a designated number of dives. There’s also a ‘Junior Master Scuba Diver’ rating for the over 12 year olds!

With such enjoyment on the cards, divers may wish to increase their safety levels and obtain the qualification of

Thailand also provides a comprehensive range of technical diving courses, from using enriched air up to diving on

Success - another happy qualified diver (photo courtesy of PADI)

Underwater navigation is an invaluable skill to master (photo courtesy of SSI Thailand)

71

See listing on Page 178

See listings on Pages 107 & 117

POCKET GUIDE dive thAilAnd

leArning to dive

mixed gases and cave diving. The use of rebreathers is also becoming more common. Without this type of training, a number of Thailand’s wrecks and deep reefs would be inaccessible to divers. Both PADI and SSI provide such courses, as do a handful of training agencies that are solely dedicated to technical diving.

Photo by Mark Strickland

LEArnInG TO DIvE

in Thailand

becoming a Professional

Job done and it’s time to consider the world of the professional diver and, yes, this does actually mean getting paid to go diving and getting the chance to get all the cash invested in the courses back again – several times over! The entry level course is the ‘Dive Master’ or, depending on training agency, ‘Dive Leader’. These are extremely popular in Thailand. Courses run over a number of days and can be Gearing up for a rebreather training dive

Paul Lees - Pocket Guide DIVE Thailand author Becoming a professional diver opens up a wide variety of opportunities

76

77

See listing on Page 108

See listing on Page 215

See listing on Page 211

LEArnInG TO DIvE

in Thailand

taught over a longer period, thus allowing participants to gain some work experience along the way. As the whole focus of the qualification is based around taking care and control of others, rather than just to display a badge of completion, this is a great way to learn. And, with plenty of places in which do a course, it’s a popular option indeed. Setting up a temporary base in one of the diving destinations is not really a problem − more of a dream. The weather’s good, the food tasty, the social life usually relaxed and friendly − and prices for everything are reasonable. In fact, the perfect conditions in which take the next step of qualifying to be a diving instructor. There are several levels of instructor, with the top of the ladder being a ‘Course Director’, who trains divers to be instructors. Course Directors cannot certify instructors though; this has to be done by examiners from the training agencies themselves, who are flown in from all over the world. Instructor courses, termed as Instructor Development Courses, or IDCs for short, are scheduled on a regular basis, as are the Instructor Examinations (IE).

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand thA th Ail ilA And nd

leArning to dive

Many operators include complimentary accommodation for the duration of a diving course, especially for beginners. However, a number of the larger centres have taken things one step further and created tailor-made internship packages which, in some cases, include everything needed to sign up as a non-diver and leave as a qualified diving professional complete with a job, either locally or in another country! These packages can also be joined at anytime during a diver’s career, no matter where they are qualification-wise; and, as they can include equipment and accommodation in the overall ‘package’, it’s a great opportunity to focus on the matter in hand without all the worry of having to plan dayto-day expenses and practicalities. The standard of training is high, as is the essential advice on how to survive in the diving industry after completion. Once again, these centres are situated in all of the country’s diving destinations. In fact the only thing difficult about learning to dive in Thailand is deciding where to sign up!

An instructor takes a pair of students through their pre-dive ‘Buddy Check’

82

83

The Accommodation - 28 comfortable rooms and 2 superb suites. - Fully air-conditioned. - Private bathroom. - Battery charging facilities. - Ocean view. The Facilities - Free flowing hot and cold drinks. - Buffet-style dining. - Enormous sundeck, with 360 views of Mabul and mainland Borneo. - Bar and Karaoke lounge. - Games room with pool tables and table tennis. - Movie centre and conference room. - Souvenir shop. - Wireless Internet access. - Personalised local tour, travel & reservation service. The Diving - Morning trips on the legendary reefs of Sipadan. - Afternoons at the macro-rich reefs of Mabul and Kapalai. - Full range of PADI courses from Open Water to Instructor. - Specialties courses including Cavern Diver and Nitrox.

SEAVENTURES TOURS & TRAVEL SDN. BHD.

( Company No.: 234206-T | Tourism License No. KKKP 2639 ) Tel: +6088-261 669/251 669 Fax: +6088-251 667 Resort Tel: +6017-811 6020 Semporna Office: +6017-811 6023 Website: www.seaventuresdive.com Email: [email protected]

A minute anemone crab peers out between the stinging tentacles of its host sea anemone

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - phuket

Phuket

1 2 3

4

5

6

7

8

Creative Innovation Above & Below the Water Dive World (Thailand) Co. Ltd. Authorised Cressi Dealer & Wholesaler Head Office Bangkok: Tel: 027 139 151-3 Fax: ext 4 Email: [email protected] Krabi Office: Tel: 080 533 8772 Email: [email protected]

www.diveworld-thailand.com

9 10

11 12

Thailand’s largest island, Phuket, is the second most developed (after Pattaya) of the country’s tourist destinations. The island is separated from the mainland by a narrow bridged strait. The island’s west and south coastlines are liberally sprinkled with beaches, many of them long, curving arcs of golden sand with mounds of boulders separating them from the neighbouring beaches. With an international airport and good transport links to the rest of the country, Phuket makes a good base for exploring further afield or as the jumping-off point for other popular destinations such as Khao Lak, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta.

Diving around Phuket

Phuket is the largest dive centre in Thailand and the main base for liveaboards heading for destinations in the Andaman Sea. For those not having the free time to join a 93

Dive SiteS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - phuket

Phuket

dive boat to the sites further afield, all is not lost as there are a few good dive sites off the shores of Phuket Island itself. These local sites also open up opportunities for night diving and polishing up those diving skills. Conditions improve considerably around the outcrops, islets and islands off the south of Phuket; the currents here carry away algae and silt and the corals have more chance of flourishing. The reefs are generally in a healthy condition with good hard, as well as colourful soft, corals. Marine life is plentiful, with visits from large pelagics adding spice to the diving. Some sites are quite deep with ripping currents often present, but there are plenty of other locations suitable for all levels of both recreational and technical divers.

1

Meridien Reef

Location: Between Patong and Karon Beaches. Depth: Average 7m / Maximum 18m This site has comparatively few hard and soft corals and fishlife is only sporadically present – although you might discover a blue-spotted ribbontail ray hiding beneath one of the rocks, and very occasionally may encounter a small white-tip reef shark. However, the site is a very good one for training or for introducing new divers to scuba: students can concentrate on learning to dive, without their attention being distracted by deep waters, strong currents or too many fish!

2

Kata House Reef

Location: Western end of Kata Beach. Depth: Average 5m / Maximum 12m Entry to the site off the beach brings you to the fringing reef, at a depth of 5m. As you follow it around the headland the depth gradually increases to 12m. This is a training and introduction site similar to meridian reef, but shallower and slightly more enjoyable. Barracuda, tuna, and trevally are often present. The reef just breaks the surface in low water. Blue-spotted ribbontail rays and white-tip reef sharks are sometimes seen. Reef-fish are present but tend to be scattered over the area rather than dominating particular areas. The site is accessible during inclement weather conditions and suitable for night-diving enthusiasts.

3

4

Koh Dok Mai

5

Anemone Reef

6

Shark Point

Location: 10km west of Shark Point. Depth: Average 19m / Maximum 31m The east side of the island offers a wall rich in invertebrates and a good representation of tube corals. There are large moray eels, black-banded sea kraits, honeycomb groupers and angelfish, and you’ve a good chance of seeing leopard sharks out on the sand. Bivalves cling to sea whips along the deeper sections of the wall, which also features two caves. The walls and ceiling of the larger one are rich in soft corals, but it’s best to remain outside, exploring the cave’s interior safely by torch light. The western side of the island features a steeply sloping reef rather than the sheer drops that dominate elsewhere. Black-tip and white-tip reef sharks can be seen. There are healthy sea fans and barrel and encrusting sponges. Visiting pelagics often pass by.

Location: 30km east of Chalong Bay on Phuket. Depth: Average 17m / Maximum 26m Anemone Reef is a small submerged rocky plateau about 4-7m deep at the shallowest parts. The top of the reef is smothered in sea anemones; there are many resident clownfish, shrimps and porcelain crabs. Elsewhere you find large clusters of soft corals and enormous gorgonian sea fans – the latter sheltering dense groupings of Indian lionfish. There’s a healthy crosssection of marine life. At its deepest point a solitary rock is home to a number of juvenile moray eels. Location: 1km southeast of Anemone Reef. Depth: Average 19m / Maximum 24m This site was named for the leopard sharks that are often found either resting on the sandy sections around the perimeter of the main structure or freely swimming around the surrounding waters. Three pinnacles are dense with colourful marine Hawkfish

Koh Pu

Location: Approx 1km west of Kata House Reef. Depth: Average 18m / Maximum 24m The island is fringed with fallen rocks; these are larger around the northwest area, and are the main feature of the site. The gaps between some of the rocks offer swim-throughs; beneath the rocks are heaps of broken oyster shells, obscure nudibranchs and a few cowrie shells. There are no pelagics or big fish of note, but you’re likely to see small schools of fusiliers and snappers, moorish idols, squirrelfish and rabbitfish. 94

95

Dive SiteS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - phuket

Phuket

life, from impressive sea fans to honeycomb groupers, vivid encrusting sponges, moray eels, lobsters, lionfish and harlequin ghost pipefish. Slightly to the west of the northern pinnacle is a large, spectacular arch saturated in the brilliant colours of the soft corals growing on its surfaces. The reefs here also display bushy black corals, sea whips and gorgonian sea fans, with barracuda, snapper, trevally and mackerel all patrolling the fringes.

7

King Cruiser Wreck

Location: 1 km southeast of Anemone Reef. Depth: Average 20m / Maximum 32m In 1997 the King Cruiser, a car ferry operating between Phuket and Koh Phi Phi, bottomed on Anemone Reef, splitting it in two. The impact also tore a large hole in the vessel’s hull. The sunken vessel attracts a high diversity of marine life; invertebrates have taken up residence and juvenile reef fish hover around the now barnacle-encrusted frame. Daylight penetrates the majority of the wreck, though there are some areas that can only be explored with an artificial light source. Beware that quite a few areas have collapsed ceilings – these should not be entered at all.

8

Coral island

9

Koh Racha Yai – Bungalow Bay

Location: Outer of two islands south of Chalong Bay. Depth: Average 14m / Maximum 20m The south of the island is the best area to dive at this primarily training site, not only in terms of safety (no threat from erratic jetskiers!) but also because there’s a more diverse presence of marine life, plus it displays the healthiest corals which are mainly foliaceous interspersed with bubble, staghorn and star. Location: 90 minutes from Chalong Bay. Depth: Average 17m / Maximum 30m This site can be split; you can opt to follow either of the bay’s shorelines. The rocky formations visible above the surface continue underwater, with a good presence of reef-fish. Around the rocks swim surgeonfish and fusiliers, while below you can see inquisitive paired goatfish, nudibranchs, urchins and plenty of blue-spotted ribbontail rays.

10

Koh Racha Yai – eastern Coast

Location: 90 minutes from Chalong Bay. Depth: Average 12m / Maximum 22m This is a popular diving destination and is suitable for all levels of diver. There’s also enjoyable snokelling around the rocks in the shallow waters off the island’s coastline. The shallower sections of the reef feature tables and smaller examples of leaf corals; the deeper waters have similar species, but larger. There are many featherstars, lionfish, puffers and a few parrotfish and wrasse. The site’s southern end has the bonus 96

of encountering mating cuttlefish along with a greater display of reef creatures, including good-sized titan triggerfish, moray eels and octopus; plus on a smaller scale, a better selection of colourful fish and invertebrates. Leopard sharks and hawksbill turtles are occasionally seen around this coastline.

11

Koh Racha Noi – Northern tip

12

Koh Racha Noi – Southern tip

Location: Approximately two hours from Chalong Bay. Depth: Average 17m / Maximum 30m A reasonable multi-level dive site, which takes divers around pinnacles and large rocks. There’s a fair display of hard and soft corals and the usual reef-fish are present in reasonable quantities. If you’re lucky you should be able to sight small reef sharks, but the main attraction is probably the presence of large bullethead parrotfish. However, diving here can be extremely hazardous because of the hostile currents under no circumstances should this site be attempted by any but experienced divers. Location: Just over two hours from Bay Chalong Bay. Depth: Average 23m / Maximum 40m+ This is a great dive for experienced divers – in fact, good operators will bring only divers of advanced level and above! The underwater terrain is similar to that around the island’s northern tip, but much deeper – the shallowest part of any consequence is at 18m. Fine soft corals highlight the smooth-sided boulders. Crinoids and featherstars are well represented. There are fairly plentiful, reasonably sized fish, including lionfish, parrotfish, wrasse and triggerfish, as well as large visiting pelagics such as barracuda, rainbow runners and trevally. Manta and marbled rays are frequently seen here, as are whale sharks – although with slightly less regularity. All in all, this site can be compared with some sites found around Mu Koh Similan Marine National park.

SHARK PoiNt MARiNe SANCtuARY

Shark Point Marine Sanctuary consists of Shark Point and Anemone Reef, 1km to the north-west. Since 1997 it has included the wreck of the King Cruiser car ferry. Designated a Marine Sanctuary in 1992, the sheer profusion of marine life here is justification enough for protected status. The marine park zone covers a radius of 2.5km around the western limit of Shark Point and all commercial fishing, collecting of marine life, or other harmful activity is prohibited. Official mooring buoys have been installed but if they are in use (which is often the case, given the popularity of these sites), divers must execute a live-boat dive. On no account should anchors be dropped here. 97

DIve ceNTReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - phuket

Phuket

all 4 diving

aquamarine divers Patong Beach

Chalong

Tel. +66 (0)76 344611 Fax. +66 (0)76 343015 e. [email protected] w. www.all4diving.com

Tel: +66 (0)76 383083 Fax: +66 (0)76 280397 Mobile: +66 (0)81 584 8502

Instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Being a member of the Andaman Diving Group, All 4 Diving take care of their visitors and guests from the moment they arrive on Phuket until departure. This is the largest and most comprehensive dive centre on the island and is run by divers for divers. All of the knowledgeable staff are either Thai Nationals or long-time Phuket residents who combined, are more than capable of helping with virtually all aspects of diving in Thailand. All 4 Diving provides an extensive range of liveaboard and day trip diving options, as well as conducting the full range of PADI dive courses. On top of all that the centre has the largest retail selection in the country, which includes most major and popular brands, all of which can be promptly serviced at the onsite service centre.

Philkade Liveaboard Diving cruises e. [email protected], w. www.philkade.com Atitara Day cruises w. www.atitara.com, e. [email protected] Instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Operating since 2004, Aquamarine Divers’ is raising the bar for dive operations on Phuket. Owning and operating their own vessels, M/V Atitara and M/V Philkade, Aquamarine offers both day trip and liveaboard cruises. M/V Atitara offers daily scuba diving and snorkelling trips to local sites such as Racha Yai, Shark Point, the King Cruiser Wreck, and the Phi Phi islands as well as having facilities to cater for individual private overnight charters and corporate functions. M/V Philkade operates in Thai waters from October to May with liveaboard cruises ranging from 4 to 10 nights to the Similan Islands, Surin, Mergui Archipelago, Hin Daeng and the Andaman Islands. Between July and September, M/V Philkade operates in the Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Also, experienced PADI instructors teach a comprehensive range of diving courses from the one-day Discover Scuba Diving experience up to the professional rating of PADI Divemaster.

98

99

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - phuket

Phuket

dive asia

eden divers Kata Beach

Patong Beach

tel. +66 (0) 76 330598 Fax. +66 (0) 76 284033 e. [email protected] w. www.diveasia.com

tel/fax: +66 (0)76 290474 w. www.edendivers.com e. [email protected]

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Dive Asia was founded in 1988, one of the first dive shops on Phuket. As the first PADI 5 Star Career Development Center in Phuket, one of only four in all of Thailand, they’re a recognised leader in diver training and proudly operate a world-class facility. The company offers a full range of awardwinning scuba diving services in one of the top ten dive destinations in the world. Liveaboard excursions onboard the luxurious M/V Dive Asia dive the waters around the legendary Similan Islands and relaxing day trips visit Phuket’s best local dive sites including Phi Phi, Racha, and Shark Point with the comfortable M/V Diva Asia II. ‘Tauchen,’ Europe’s largest diving magazine, have honoured Dive Asia several times as one of the best dive centres in South East Asia. They are also the first dive centre worldwide to be honoured twice with PADI’s prestigious ‘Hallmark of Excellence Award’. Dive Asia’s philosophy is quite simple. Personal attention, high quality diving, professional education, affordable prices and all the fun that is great diving.

100

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Located in the heart of Patong Beach, the main resort area of Phuket, Eden Divers offfers luxurious, fun-filled daytrips and liveaboard safaris to some of South East Asia’s best dive sites. Guests can choose from daytrips around the Phuket area or to the famous Similan Islands or Koh Bon, or liveaboard safari cruises which cover the best dive sites from the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Ko Tachai and Richelieu Rock. Eden Divers pride themselves in having a multi-lingual staff comprising English, German, Russian, Thai, Spanish, and Italian languages - just to name a few. Their professional dive staff all comply to strict safety principles with guests always diving in modern, well-serviced diving equipment. You can be assured that a journey with Eden will always be a safe and enjoyable experience. Their guests will always be their focus, so join them and experience the difference.

101

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - phuket

Phuket

mermaid liveaboards

ocean geo divers Patong Beach

Nai Harn

Booking Centre +66 (0)76 344612 Hotline +66 (0)87 274 8348

tel/fax. (+66) 076 613253 Hotline. (+66) 089 586 3879 e. [email protected] w. www.oceangeodivers.com

e. [email protected] w. www.mermaid-liveaboards.com instruction | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental | Snorkelling Accommodation Mermaid Liveaboards – Asia’s premier liveaboard fleet – owns and operates two liveaboard vessels, M/V Mermaid I and M/V Mermaid II. Large spacious dive decks and dive platforms are a treat. Photographers are catered for with large rinse tubs and camera tables on the deck. Both vessels are equipped with full safety equipment, dinghies and life rafts. Air-conditioned comfort, sundecks, saloon and party deck with lounges and restaurant-style dining. Mermaid, a member of the Andaman Diving Group, offers a choice of CMAS & PADI diver training. Combine this luxury with the experienced dive crew and you will enjoy a liveaboard trip of a lifetime. Scheduling offers a choice of cruises from 2 days/3 nights up to 9 days/9 nights; you can combine cruises to enjoy a discount and the best diving throughout the Andaman Sea at sites including the Similans, Richelieu Rock, Mergui Archipelago and Hin Daeng, Phi Phi and Koh Ha to the south. Or join a trip in Indonesia which departs from Bali every Saturday from June to October to dive Nusa Tenggara and Komodo, including walking with Komodo Dragons in the World Heritage Komodo National Park.

102

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear Rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Ocean Geo Divers is a dedicated International team of instructors & divemasters. Day trips visit Koh Racha Yai and Racha Noi, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, King Cruiser Wreck, Koh Doc Mai and Phi Phi. Liveaboard excursions visit all the best sites around the Similan Islands and Mergui Archipelago including the Burma banks, with trips up to 14 days/13 nights. The centre also has an extensive selection of equipment for sale and rent with top brand names including Sunnto, Mares and Scubapro; they are the only stockists of Waterproof Wetsuits in Thailand. The full range of PADI courses are offered from the introduction level of Discover scuba Diving through to one of the most sought after PADI ratings of Dive Master. Not forgetting the kids, they offer Bubble Maker courses through to Seal Team for ages from eight up. The family friendly services also extend to arranging and booking local excursions to all the popular attractions.

103

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - phuket

Phuket

santana diving & canoeing Patong Beach

scandinavian divers Patong Beach tel. +66 (0)76 294225-6 Fax. +66 (0)76 292408

tel. +66 (0)76 294220, (0)76 340360 Fax. +66 (0)76 340360, e. [email protected] w. www.santanaphuket.com instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Santana is Phuket’s most experienced dive centre with more then 25 years in business! Back in the late 70s they were the pioneers of scuba diving on Phuket and the Similan Islands and were responsible for naming many of the established dive sites, including ‘Elephant Head’. These days, Santana heads out to dive the Andaman Sea’s finest dive sites aboard their spacious and air-conditioned liveaboard vessel, M/V Discovery. The schedule offers regular departures to the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock, the Southern Islands including Hin Daeng and Mouang, and Burma’s (Myanmar) Mergui Archipelago including the Burma Banks. They also run a daily day trip service which opens up the local hotspots around Phuket and Phi Phi. As you would expect from an established PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center, the full range of PADI dive courses including the professional level of Instructor are conducted and are available in a variety of languages.

104

e. [email protected] w. www.scandinavian-divers.com instruction | Daytrips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Scandinavian Divers is a PADI 5 Star IDC Center managed by a Danish, Norwegian and Swedish team. Their goal is to ensure a memorable experience for the whole family, whether diving, snorkelling or just enjoying a cruise. As a multi-lingual company with trained PADI professionals they offer dive courses for guests from all four corners of the globe. The Scandinavian standard of service and safety coupled with Thailand’s hospitality and charm is an excellent and safe way to add adventures to an enjoyable holiday – and it can all be booked online. The company runs two diving boats which visit all the popular local dive sites on a daily basis. Those who want to enjoy the sites further afield can join one of a selection of multi-day liveaboard cruises which sail from 2 - 10 days around both Thailand and the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar.

105

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - phuket

Phuket

scuba cat diving

Chalong

tel. +66 (0)76 293120/121 Fax. +66 (0)76 293122 e. [email protected] w. www.scubacat.com

tel. +66 (0)76 381765 Fax. +66 (0)76 280467 e. [email protected] w. www.sea-bees.com

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Scuba Cat Diving was established back in 1992 and is now under British ownership, with a multi-national management team running the day to day operations. The company has steadily grown over the years and is now operating as a PADI 5 Star CDC Center, Go ECO Operator and Reef Check Centre. Their goal is to provide a specialised quality service in relaxed and friendly surroundings and to ensure their guests get the most out of their holiday all year round. If you want to further your dive education, Scuba Cat regularly schedules the full range of PADI Courses from Bubble Maker for the kiddies, right up to the professional certification of Instructor, with their own award-winning PADI Platinum Course Director. Scuba Cat has two liveaboard boats. Enjoy the worldrenowned Similan Islands following your own personal schedule onboard M/V Scuba Cat or join a regular excursion on M/V Scuba Adventure, which includes the sites further afield.

106

sea bees diving

Patong Beach

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation The Sea Bees international team of dive guides and instructors at their PADI 5 Star Gold Palm IDC Center are highly experienced and trained to the highest standards. Each has a minimum of 250 dives, so divers are in safe hands. Also, their knowledge of the local dive sites and aquatic life is second to none. Sea Bees has a fleet of six dive boats which are individually kitted out for day trips or liveaboard excursions. The comprehensive dive centre in Chalong is equipped with a customer service centre, comfortable reception area, workshop, and equipment room where guests can store their own equipment. Their resort, the Palm Garden Resort is unique in that was built to house the See Bees Dive Academy which offers a complete range of courses from beginner to a variety of Instructor qualifications. The Acadamy has its own purpose-built 3m training pool with four air-conditioned classrooms complete with full multimedia support.

107

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - phuket

Phuket

sea World dive team

sunrise diving Patong Beach

tel. +66 (0)76 341595 Fax. + 66 (0)76 342510 e. [email protected], w. www.seaworld-phuket.com instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation With their motto of, “Our first priority is your satisfaction”, Sea World Dive Team is a member of the Andaman Diving Group, and is a 5 Star PADI IDC Center located right in the heart of Patong Beach. They have been operating since 1997. The professional, multi-lingual team of diving instructors regularly schedules the full range of diving courses, from beginner up to, and including, the professional level of instructor. All courses are conducted in the centre’s airconditioned classrooms with the in-water training modules taking place in the purpose built on-site training pool. As well as organising day-trip diving to all the best local sites, Sea World Dive Team offers liveaboard excursions to all the prime diving destinations in the Andaman Sea, including Thailand’s legendary Similan Islands and the Mergui Archipelago to the west of Myanmar (Burma). Trips are also scheduled around the diving Mecca of Komodo in Indonesia.

108

Patong Beach tel. +66 (0)76 292 052 Fax. +66 (0)76 293 034 e. [email protected] w. www.sunrisediving.net Sunrise Diving is a PADI 5-Star National Geographic Instructor Development Centre conveniently located opposite the Jungceylon shopping complex in Patong. It caters for all levels of diver, from complete beginners to those wishing to pursue a career in the diving industry, with regularly scheduled IDC’s. instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation The dive centre boasts three air-conditioned classrooms equipped with the latest multi-lingual training aids; a retail store stocking a comprehensive range of equipment and diving accessories at competitive prices; and the friendly multi-lingual staff are always on-hand to give advice. Safety is paramount at Sunrise Diving. All instructors have many years diving and teaching experience from around the world and are all First Aid trained. All equipment is regularly maintained by European technicians. Sunrise Diving also features a ‘Live Chat’ facility on its website to deal instantly with inquiries on instruction, dive trips and liveaboard packages to all the top sites.

109

Dive CeNtReS

Phuket

DiReCtoRY Phuket

Water World asia

How to get there

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand directory - phuket

Phuket can be reached directly by air, road and sea.

Patong Beach

By air: It’s possible to directly access the island’s international airport from a number of neighbouring countries, or via Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport also operates flights to Phuket.

tel. +66 (0)76 342511 Fax. +66 (0)76 342512 e. [email protected] w. www.waterworldasia.com Conveniently located in Patong and with ample parking space around, Water World welcomes you to one of Thailand’s largest and complete dive centres.

A few budget airlines serve the Bangkok–Phuket route but timetables change regularly. There are also direct flights between Koh Samui and Pattaya. The three main carriers are: Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555. Nok Air: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955. Thai Airways International: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111.

instruction | Daytrips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling | Service Centre They provide diving trips to all of Phuket’s dive sites every day with a choice of speedboat or full size dive boat. There’s also a wide selection of boats available to leave the Island and join a liveaboard trip to the Similan Islands or even further north to Myanmar. Trips offered run between 4 to 14 days and there’s something for every budget.

By bus: VIP air-conditioned buses depart from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal daily to Phuket City. Trip time is around 14 hours. At Phuket City bus terminal visitors continue their journeys by taxi or local bus, unless a pick-up by their dive operator has been arranged. For further information on bus services, contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199, (0)2 435 1200.

As a PADI 5 Star Center, they offer the full range of diving courses and have training materials in most languages. Daily programs are available from Bubble Maker to those who want to take their diving to a professional level.

Where to eat

At Water World they pride themselves on being well stocked with the world’s best names in diving equipment and in the 350 m2 dive store you will find all the most renowned top quality brand names. Last but not least they also are an authorized service centre.

There are countless restaurants across the island; for the best up-to-date information on the island’s eateries, look for Image Asia’s comprehensive publication Where to Eat in Phuket. It’s also an online at: www.wheretoeat-phuket.com.

PG

For more information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FooD thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com

Dive facilities Scuba diving here is big business. The larger centres cater for divers from all over the world; courses and dive trips are generally supervised by multi-lingual staff, but English remains the main language. Several larger centres provide a transfer service to and from Phuket International Airport.

Dive trips There are two main types of dive trip available. All operators run daily trips, and the larger, more established, schedule regular liveaboard excursions on their own boats around the Similan and Surin island groups and the Mergui Archipelago. Some arrange short excursions to southern destinations around Koh Rok and Hin Daeng. All these trips differ in style and duration with enough variations to suit anyone. Daily dive trip prices include transfers to and from resorts, light refreshments and beverages, lunch, 110

111

DiReCtoRY

Phuket

two full tanks, weight system and – if required – Divemaster services. Equipment rental and Nitrox fills can be extra. Divers who have been out of the water for over six months either follow a refresher course or accompany an instructor during their first dive; there’s a minimal charge for this important and necessary service.

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - khao lak

khao Lak

Page 129 Page 130

Liveaboard excursions Many divers come to Phuket for the selection of liveaboard excursions, giving access to far-off dive sites. Excursion styles differ, but all share high standards. Prices include diving, meals/snacks and accommodation, but not alcoholic beverages or scuba equipment.

Page 128

Hospitals Bangkok Phuket Hospital, in Phuket City 24 Hr Contacts Centre: Within Thailand, Tel. 1719; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)76 254425

Page 128

Phuket international Hospital, on by-pass road, between Tesco Lotus & Central Festival Emergency Ambulance: Tel. +66 (0)76 210935

Recompression chambers Badalveda Diving Medicine Network in Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Phuket City Diving Medicine Hotlines Tel. +66 (0)81 989 9482, +66 (0)86 272 4618 [email protected] | www.badalveda.com Hyperbaric Services of thailand, in Phuket International Hospital Hotline Tel. +66 (0)89 871 2335

Dive courses Local diver training follows BSAC, CMAS, PADI and SSI systems. The majority of internationally-recognised certifications are accepted in any of the dive centres; certification cards and log books will be requested. The course price structures are mostly the same at different operators. The open water sections of the courses can be completed locally or amalgamated with a liveaboard excursion. Generally prices are inclusive of instruction, study materials, equipment, dive trips and certification. Introduction courses include full equipment, whereas other courses are inclusive of tanks and weight systems only. Additional equipment can be rented from all centres at a discounted price. You’ll need two passport sized photographs for certification in all courses. For more information on Phuket, contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)76 212213, (0)76 211036 112

Page 122

Khao Lak Marine National Park boasts 12km of casuarinas and palm fringed coastline. Behind the glorious beaches are palm and rubber plantations, which continue to meet green foothills and mountainous terrain divided by cascading waterfalls. One thing that sets Khao Lak aside from many other seaside destinations is that you don’t have to cross a road to reach the beach! Tourism is slowly but surely taking off here, particularly for divers, which is hardly surprising as some of the county’s best diving is right on its doorstep.

Diving around Khao Lak

The majority of diving offered visits the sites around the Mu Koh Similan and Surin Marine National Parks. However there are a few local sites, including a recently discovered reef that is still to be properly explored. There are also a couple of wrecks of tin mining boats; the ‘Boonsong’ lies just off the coast and can be a real treat to dive. All manner of marine life can be encountered from tiny and endemic nudibranchs up to, on the odd occasion, whale sharks. The second wreck, the ‘Premchai’, lies upside down but remains in one piece allowing penetration. 113

Dive SiteS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - khao lak

Khao Lak

big blue diving

iq

dive

Khao Lak

Khao Lak

tel/fax. +66 (0)76 485544 e. [email protected] w. www.bigbluedivingkhaolak.com

tel. +66 (0)76 485614 Fax. +66 (0)76 485613 e. [email protected] w. www.iq-dive.com

Located in the very heart of Khao Lak, Big Blue Diving offers day trips by luxury speedboat to explore both above & below the water the beauty of the world renowned diving destination of the Similan Islands. instruction | Day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling The centre runs two speedboats offering daily diving trips to a number of the best dive sites around, including the sites around Koh Bon, Koh Tachai & Richelieu Rock. They also run a comprehensive liveaboard booking service offering a variety of multi-day excursions. Big Blue Diving offers the full range of both PADI & SSI diving courses from beginner to the professional certification of Dive Master. They also have their own profile on the social networking website ‘Facebook’, where they regularly share all the latest updates.

iQ-DIVE is a PADI 5 Star Dive Center located in Khao Lak, Thailand, just some 60 minutes north from Phuket International Airport. They offer scuba diving and snorkelling daytrips, overnight and liveaboard cruises to the famous Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Myanmar (Burma) and Indonesia and of course the complete PADI educational programme from beginner to pro! instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation iQ-DIVE has been successfully operating in Khao Lak, on Thailand’s West Coast, since 1996. The iQ-DIVE centre is managed by Swiss scuba diving instructor Ernst Schläpfer and his Thai wife Meaw. The iQ-DIVE fleet consists of two boats: A fast 11m long fibreglass hull catamaran which visits the more remote dive sites and a comfortable 25.5m long wooden daytrip boat that visits the nearby Similan Islands. iQ-DIVE’s professional and very experienced team of PADI dive Instructors and dive masters will assure that all of your dives are safe and most joyful experiences.

114

115

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - khao lak

Khao Lak

scandinavian divers

Khao Lak

tel. +66 (0)76 429800 ext. 1074 and 1075

tel. +66 (0)76 485174 Fax. +66 (0)76 485175 e. [email protected] w. www.sea-bees.com

e. [email protected] w. www.scandinavian-divers.com instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Along with the main office on Patong Beach, Phuket, Scandinavian Divers’ new PADI Dive Center in Khao Lak, achieves a high standard of Scandinavian-style service and a high level of safety, not only in diving adventures but as an enjoyable holiday experience for the whole family. Diving instruction is also available for the complete beginner to professional level of Instructor. The team schedules daily snorkelling excursions to the Similan and Surin Islands to enjoy encounters with all manners of marine life and colourful fish along the tropical island reefs. The trips also present opportunities to try scuba diving in shallow waters with experienced instructors. Scandinavian Divers also offer a selection of liveaboard cruises, which depart from the Khao Lak area, and are an ideal way to explore a variety of different destinations. Trips include onboard accommodation and all meals.

116

sea bees diving

Khao Lak

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Sea Bees Khao Lak is a PADI 5 Star Gold Palm IDC Center. Their all-inclusive service includes a unique way of diving the Similans, onboard their own spacious catamaran providing fast and comfortable day trips to the island group. The trips, and also multi-day liveaboard excursions, onboard M/V Genesis, conveniently depart from nearby Thap Lamu. The staff here all have a minimum of 250 dives and are highly experienced and trained to the uppermost standards so divers are in safe hands. The comprehensive dive centre supports its resort in Khao Lak, the Palm Garden Resort, which has comfortable rooms, a good restaurant and purpose-built diver training pool, making it a great base either before or after liveaboard excursions. It is also an ideal place for the whole family, particularly if anyone is undertaking training, which is done on site. Courses from beginner to a variety of instructor qualifications are all regularly scheduled.

117

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - khao lak

Khao Lak

sea dragon dive center

Khao Lak

tel. +66 (0)76 485420 Fax. +66 (0)76 485418

office. tel/fax. +66 (0)76 485632

e. [email protected] w. www.seadragondivecenter.com instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling Being established in 1993 Sea Dragon were the first dive centre to be based in Khao Lak. They are located only an hour north of Phuket International Airport on the picturesque west coast of Thailand, which is easily accessible from all major towns. The local harbour, Thap Lamu, is conveniently the closest departure point to Thailand’s finest dive sites, the Similan Islands. Sea Dragon’s three unique boats were specifically designed to complement their various styles of liveaboard trips to Richelieu Rock and both the Similan and Surin Islands. Additionally, they operate three different day dive trips to the local reefs and the two charming tin mining wrecks. For those who wish to begin or advance their diving, the friendly and professional staff at this PADI 5 Star IDC Center conduct the full range of PADI dive courses in many languages, from beginner through to Instructor - And they are open all year round.

118

siam adventure divers

Khao Lak

e. [email protected] w. www.siamadventuredivers.com

Hotline. +66 (0)81 874 3262

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling Siam Adventure Divers is a British owned and operated company that has been servicing the diving community, and in fact all water enthusiasts, for over seven years in and around Thai waters. They have continually changed to accommodate the styles of all water activities and adopt flexible schedules in order to fit in with their guests’ budgets and, just as importantly, their travel plans. From November through May, Siam Adventures have an array of vessels to transport divers and holiday-makers to the tropical paradise of the Similan islands. The range of packages on offer includes speedboat transfers and snorkelling trips, day-boat diving, overnight packages and liveaboard safaris to both the Similan islands & the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar.

119

DiReCtoRY

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand directory - khao lak

Khao Lak

How to get there

Dive facilities

Khao Lak can be reached directly by road and indirectly by air.

Scuba diving here is very popular. To cater for the high demand there’s is a string of dive centres along the main highway, many of which have booking offices or their own facilities in the larger hotels and resorts. Several centres provide their own, or can arrange, transfers to and from Phuket and Krabi.

Phuket, the main gateway to the area, is a 90-minute drive away. Phuket’s international airport is directly accessible from most neighbouring countries, or via Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Domestic flights are also scheduled between Phuket and Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport.

Dive trips Both daily trips and multi-day liveaboard excursions visit the sites around Mu Koh Similan and Surin Marine National Parks as well as the local wrecks and the Mergui Archipelago. All trips include transfers to and from resorts, tanks, weight system and Divemaster services, light refreshments and beverages. Day trips include lunch.

By air: A few budget airlines serve the Bangkok–Phuket route but their timetables change regularly. There are also direct flights between Koh Samui and Pattaya. The three main carriers are: Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5678. Nok Air: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955. Thai Airways International: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111.

Hospitals & Recompression Chambers Bangkok Phuket Hospital has a permanent ambulance stationed in Khao Lak which serves the area. Tel. 1719

By bus: VIP air-conditioned buses depart from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal daily to the bus terminal in Phuket City. Trip time is around 14 hours. At Phuket City bus terminal visitors may continue their journeys by taxi or local bus, unless a pick-up by their dive operator has been arranged. For further information on bus services contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199, (0)2 435 1200.

The nearest recompression chambers are those on Phuket. For details see page 112.

Dive courses

Where to eat The majority of local hotels and resorts have their own eateries with international and local menus. However, those wishing to sample the local fare outside of these will find a range of worthy bakeries, restaurants, coffee shops and snack bars along the main highway running parallel to the beach. For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FooD thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com

PG

The full range of PADI and SSI programmes, up to and including the professional level of Instructor, are available and in several languages. Prices generally include instruction, study materials, equipment, dive trips and certification. The in-water sections of the courses can be completed during day trips or amalgamated with a liveaboard excursion. The majority of internationally-recognised certifications are accepted in any of the dive centres; certification cards and log books will be requested as proof of certification and experience. For more information on Khao Lak, contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)76 212213, (0)76 211036.

Bang Niang beach, Khao Lak

120

121

Dive SiteS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

Mu Koh Similan 1 2 3

4

5

11

6 10

7

8 9

This archipelago of nine granitic islands sits 90km northwest of Phuket. The islands cover an area of about 128 sq km. They feature lush rainforests inhabited by squirrels and bats, and a variety of bird-life. There are two staffed park offices (on Islands #4 and #8), but otherwise the islands are uninhabited. Two dive sites around the northern islands of Koh Bon and Koh Tachai are also included in this section. A noticeable characteristic of the Similans is the contrast between the east and west coastlines. The east is subject to the relatively gentle north-easterly monsoons, and features superb sandy beaches and sheltered bays. The western coasts, however, experience the full force of the harsh southwesterly monsoons and are more commonly characterized by rugged weather-beaten boulders, a pattern that continues underwater. 122

See listing on Page 102

123

Dive SiteS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - mu koh similan

Mu Koh Similan Diving around the Similans

The Similans can certainly lay claim to being one of the Asia Pacific’s top dive destinations. The dramatic underwater terrain is highlighted by thriving reefs and abundant soft corals, and the tremendous diversity of marine life includes many of the more exciting, larger pelagics. During late March and early April, Thailand’s hottest period, rising sea temperatures cause plankton blooms, which attracts a wealth of the larger animals into the area, resulting in chance encounters with, amongst others, schooling chevron barracuda, giant trevally, rainbow runners and reef sharks. There’s also a selection of rays including eagle, marbled and enormous but graceful manta. In general, the east-facing dive sites feature gently sloping reefs and drop-offs with impressive gardens of sea anemones, flourishing hard and soft corals, and teeming fish populations. With negligible currents and mostly moderate depths, these sites are suitable for any level of diver. The sheltered conditions are also ideal for snorkelling.

1

North Point

Location: The northern apex of island #9. Depth: Average 20m / Maximum 34m The walls and sides of large boulders are highlighted by radiant soft corals. Around these are numerous parrotfish of all sizes, small dog-faced pufferfish and larger solitary clown triggerfish. Sharing the area are mixed amounts of leafy, brain, slipper and lip corals. Further down, giant sea cucumbers and blue seastars decorate the rocky surfaces. The prolific fishlife includes varieties of butterflyfish, parrotfish, lionfish and wrasse. To the north, manta rays and barracuda are frequent.

2

Breakfast Bend

Location: South-eastern apex of island #9. Depth: Average 16m / Maximum 34m Breakfast Bend is so-called because it is generally the first dive on a live-aboard excursion – after breakfast! The western section is relatively shallow, averaging 8m; its sandy bottom is punctuated with scattered rocks. Southeast of here are the beginnings of a reef flat, primarily staghorns; these eventually achieve garden-like proportions. They are bigger but much less frequent on the steep reef-slope.

The archipelago’s western sites are quite the opposite. Here giant boulders tumble down to the seabed in depths of 40m or more. Currents have kept the gaps between the boulders free from build-ups of sand, leading to the development of tunnels, archways and caverns that provide exciting swimthroughs. The currents also provide nutrients for masses of gorgonians, crinoids, sea fans and lush soft corals.

The reef-slope – also formed by small boulders and coral shelves, with many branches of tree, leafy and brain corals. Moorish idols, raccoon butterflyfish and Indian lionfish – paired rather than solitary – are all present en masse. Colonies of garden eels can be seen on the sandy patches. The seabed has widespread coral mounds.

The Similans are dived as both multi-day liveaboard excursions and daily dive trips, scheduled from Phuket and Khao Lak. For details of dive centres, see pages 98 and 114.

Location: In the small sheltered bay on the northwest coast of island #8. Depth: Average 8m / Maximum 14m A popular night diving site. Scattered coral mounds and boulders provide sleeping quarters for a host of marine life, but their formation forces the nocturnal creatures into areas of open sand in search of sustenance. Thus night-divers can observe them with much greater ease and frequency and in larger numbers. Attracted by the lights of dive boats, cuttlefish and squid are often everywhere. Crabs, small lobsters and a wealth of other invertebrates scurry across the sand at night.

Fire goby

3

Donald Duck Bay

4

Beacon Beach

Location: The reef spans the length of the south-eastern coastline of island #8, about 200m offshore. Depth: Average 12-18m / Maximum 34m The reef-flat is in just over 5m and features many small boulders of lesser star and brain corals, interspersed with familiar clusters of staghorns, all rich in colourful reef-fish like damsels, wrasse, parrotfish and surgeonfish, as well as large numbers of inquisitive triggerfish. 124

125

Dive SiteS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - mu koh similan

Mu Koh Similan To the north are areas of foliaceous corals, such as lettuce and carnation, with many colourful reef-fish: bird and lunar wrasse, powder-blue surgeonfish, squirrelfish, soldierfish and Indian lionfish are all plentiful. The bottom is punctuated with large, impressive coral mounds and rocks, which are covered with soft corals in diverse hues, encrusting sponges and various tubeworms and featherstars.

5

Beacon Point

Location: The southern extension of Beacon Beach Reef. Depth: Average 16m / Maximum 55m The site is very like Beacon Beach Reef but with more fish and larger corals, especially in the deeper waters. Also, you have a good chance of seeing manta and eagle rays, plus large pelagics, in the deeper southern waters, away from the headland. The reef-flat features many small boulders of lesser star and brain corals, interspersed with familiar clusters of staghorn corals, all rich in colourful reef-fish like chromis, wrasse, parrotfish and surgeonfish. The coral cover remains constant around the apex, with individuals increasing in size with depth – especially gorgonian sea fans at about 30m.

6

elephant Head

Location: The giant rocky outcrop off island #8’s southern tip. As you approach the site from the west the outcrop resembles a partially submerged elephant – hence the name. Depth: Average 24m / Maximum 70m Huge boulders, some with frames measuring over 30m, sit individually or are stacked to form daring swim-throughs comprising arches, caverns, gullies and tunnels at all depths. There’s plenty of marine life residing in the site’s shallower sections. Around the boulders are angelfish, triggerfish and schools of fusiliers and juvenile snappers. This is an ideal place for spotting small reef sharks.

7

east of eden

Location: South-eastern fringing reef of island #7. Depth: Average 22m / Maximum 34m This is a steep sloping hard coral reef consisting of mostly hardcoral laminates. Unusually for an east-facing reef, there are soft corals in the shallower waters at about 12m. Also on view are schools of snappers and fusiliers, and occasionally turtles and leopard sharks. There’s a stunning bommie (coral head) in the middle of the reef, starting in around 9m and going down to 30m; it features one of the finest concentrations of corals in the Similans and should not be missed.

8

Shark Fin Reef

9

Boulder City

Location: Around the rocks that break the water at low tide; 3km southeast of island #3. Depth: Average 16m / Maximum 40m The north-eastern side features a sloping reef, whereas the south-western side is a more dramatic sheer drop-off: rocks resembling fallen hexagonal pillars, are the highlight of this side of the site. At the south-eastern end of these formations is a large swim-through; this provides an almost purposebuilt opening to the site’s opposite side. Large Napoleon wrasse have also been seen around this section as have passing sharks and rays. Location: Immediately south of Shark Fin Reef. Depth: Average 19m / Maximum 32m The site consists of a collection of enormous submerged granite boulders running southeast-northwest, which are more typical of a west-facing coastal rock formation. They fancifully resemble rocky mountains separated by wide valleys, their sheer sides punctuated occasionally by clusters of soft coral and radiant crinoids; with small crevices housing a diversity of marine life.

East of Eden - Mu Koh Similan

126

127

Dive SiteS

Mu Koh Similan 10

Koh Bon

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - surin

Mu koh Surin

Location: Off the south west corner of Koh Bon. Depth: Average 21m / Maximum 40m The island’s perimeter here takes the form of a series of small wall-like sections which drop to meet a fringing reef at 32m before sharply dropping to 40m to reach gently sloping sand. Huge sponges and sea fans can be found along the reef in depths of 30-40m. The wall sections are covered with a mixture of sea anemones encrusting sponges and sea whips. Concealed within the narrow rocky gorges and crevices are octopus, resting cuttlefish, and coral trout being attended to at one of the many cleaning stations around this site. On closer inspection a variety of cleaner shrimps can be witnessed as they tend to their willing hosts. To the southwest a splendid reef tapers down to the sites maximum depth and is covered in corals teeming with marine life. This is also a great location for regular encounters with manta rays and leopard sharks.

11

Koh tachai

Location: 40km south of Koh Surin Tai. Depth: Average 22m / Maximum 30m This submerged plateau is divided into three reefs, each dominating a different depth with different structures and reef inhabitants. Off the island’s southern point, two submerged pinnacles stand proud of many large boulders and smaller rocks, providing great swim-throughs. This, the southernmost area of the site, is part of the deepest of the three reefs, ranging from 25m to 30m. This section is a fairly reliable spot for catching glimpses of manta rays and whale sharks which both frequent the area. The second, or central, section of the reef is slightly shallower and is constructed mainly of hard corals and large rocks, around which schools of spadefish – such as pinnate batfish – are tended to by common cleanerfish. Clinging to the rocks are gorgonian sea fans, featherstars, colourful crinoids and areas of carpet sea anemones. Large bullethead parrotfish and even larger Napoleon wrasse share these waters with moorish idols, schooling bannerfish, juvenile snappers and a variety of triggerfish, including titan and orange-striped. The third and shallowest section of the site sits in 12m. Here you will encounter many Indian lionfish amongst backdrops of gorgonian sea fans and giant clams. Other schooling fish life includes batfish, sweetlips and juvenile yellowtail and chevron barracuda. 128

1 2 3

Mu Koh Surin Marine National Park is located 80km due west of Ranong Province along Thailand’s west coast. The largest island is Koh Surin Nua which has an area of 19 sq. km and a highest point 240m above sea level. To its immediate southwest lies the slightly smaller Koh Surin Tai; between the two is a strait only 200m wide, which can be crossed on foot during low waters. The only residents on Koh Surin Nua are the park officials, although Koh Surin Tai has small communities of Chao Ley sea gypsies on some of its eastern beaches.

Diving around Surin

Sites follow along fringing reefs that slope gently to the seabed and in contrast along the walls of sheer pinnacles. The reefs and their inhabitants are thankfully now protected, but this hasn’t always been the case. Sadly there are isolated areas of damage which have restricted the selection of listed sites. However, the jurisdiction extends to include the whale shark magnet of Richelieu Rock. The sites are dived as both multi-day liveaboard excursions from Phuket and Khao Lak, as well as daily dive trips from Khao Lak. For details of dive centres, see pages 98 and 114. 129

Dive SiteS

Mu Koh Surin 1

turtle Ledge

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - mergui archipelago

Mergui archiPeLago

Location: Koh Surin Tai’s south-eastern coastline. Depth: Average 8m / Maximum 20m The site was awarded its name from the frequent sightings of turtles. It is also excellent for night-diving. The higher portions of the reef-slope have numerous gardens of carpet anemones, below which are solitary magnificent sea anemones inhabited by a variety of anemonefish. Clusters of stag and elkhorn corals shelter giant clams and encrusting sponges from the predation of bullethead parrotfish. Green turtles are frequently encountered here.

2

Koh torinla

Location: Off the southwest tip of Koh Surin Tai. Depth: Average 12m / Maximum 27m The eastern area has a small garden of magnificent sea anemones which are hosted by pink skunk and Clark’s anemonefish. Small groupers and coral trout shelter beneath many fine flower corals. Beyond these gardens, are numerous smooth porous corals – including lesser and greater star – with schools of bicolour parrotfish, blue-spotted groupers and pairs of Emporer angelfish all venturing between the rocks. The rocks in the shallows host hermit crabs, urchins and cleaner shrimps, and are rich with colourful featherstars. This is one of the few locations in Thai waters where large numbers of bumphead parrotfish are still frequently seen.

3

Richelieu Rock

Location: 14km east of Koh Surin Nua and Tai. Depth: Average 19m / Maximum 45m As this is the only food source in the immediate area, it is excellent for encountering large pelagics. Rainbow runners, great and chevron barracuda, trevallies and tuna are all frequently seen. The rock is also among the world’s top listed locations for sighting whale sharks. Predominantly, this is a wall-dive which follows around a main outcrop surrounded by smaller submerged pinnacles whose peaks range from 3m to 10m below the surface. In the deeper waters around the three southernmost pinnacles is a collection of large gorgonian sea fans, immediately beneath radiant hermetypic corals. Around the corals is a wide diversity of marine life: residents include schooling bannerfish, a variety of snappers and lionfish, moorish idols, titan triggerfish, and even shovelnose rays. Also present are bearded scorpionfish, stonefish, moray eels, seahorses, shrimps, crabs and nudibranchs. 130

1

2 3

4

In 1997 the Mergui Archipelago in the south of Myanmar (Burma) was opened up to foreigners for the first time in over fifty years. Back in the 17th Century the port of Mergui used to be the main gateway to the Gulf of Siam and beyond – all passing boats came to the port to offload cargo or replenish supplies. Since then the Mergui Archipelago has been left largely alone and today it is an area of some mystery. Numerous islands remain unexplored, and the region presents the possibility of hundreds of exciting new dive sites. Even now, trips here maintain an exploratory feel, with visitors being amongst the first foreign faces ever seen by local nomadic Moken people (Burmese sea gypsies).

Diving the Mergui Archipelago

Coral representation is sporadic, and the underwater terrain is quite rugged and not as colourful as that around Mu Koh Similan Marine National Park. However, the area’s waters are certainly not without their own special attractions. Sites such as Black Rock attract a variety of sharks as well as manta, eagle and marbled rays, whilst The Three Islets has a healthy array of smaller reef life which is second to none. Virtually all the diving around the Archipelago is done from liveaboard excursions operating out of Phuket and Khao Lak. For details of dive centres, see pages 98 and 114. 131

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - mergui archipelago

1

Black Rock

Location: A 50m wide outcrop equidistant between North Eastern Little Torres and North Twin Island. Depth: Average 22m / Maximum 40m+ This is a tremendously exciting dive site, with frequent possibilities of spotting sharks of different sizes and species. It is primarily a wall dive, underlined with small boulders. This is the place to observe larger apex predators such as scalloped hammerheads, bull, grey reef and white tips. The sharks patrol the waters away from the rocky mass, passing through and around patch reefs and boulders that have settled to form wide U-shaped gullies on the seabed. Large barracudas provide a wake-up call for any divers thinking of investigating the rocks in the deeper waters. Reef fish are prolific all around this open ocean site as are minute reef creatures such as nudibranchs, shrimps and crabs. The rarely seen Rhinopia, or lacy scorpionfish has been seen along the northern slopes of this site.

2

North twin

Location: 36km to the south of Black Rock. Depth: Average 15m / Maximum 22m A wide plateau at 20m, covered by numerous hard and soft corals, crinoids and small reef fish. Eggshell and tiger cowries sit on display, while small groups of goatfish fidget about between the rocks and over the coral substrate bottom. Juvenile harlequin sweetlips are in evidence, and around one particularly compact cluster of sea fans, schools of checkerboard wrasse and small fish fry congregate. There are larger table corals and porite mounds dotted with muti-coloured plume worms, and below the mounds crayfish concealed in darker overhangs. Parrotfish, spiny foot and dog-faced pufferfish have also taken up residency. Blue dorid nudibranch

See listing on Page 119

133

Dive SiteS

Mergui Archipelago The waters away from the island appear to be part of one of the many routes for great barracudas and small white-tip reef sharks. The barracuda in particular often come in close to check out divers and on occasion escort them round the site.

3

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - krabi

krabi

three islets

Location: These three rocky outcrops lie 30 km to the southeast of North Twin Island. Depth: Average 20m / Maximum 30m This is the favourite site in the archipelago as there’s simply so much to see. The islet is split in two from west to east by a canyon and is a great place to encounter grey reef sharks and marbled rays as they pass through. The whole site is literally teeming with shrimps, eels, seahorses, anglerfish and basketstars. Macro photographers could spend days here and still not photograph everything.

4

2

3

4

Western Rocky

Location: A collection of small rocky outcrops 82km southwest of the departure point of Kaw Thaung. Depth: Average 20m / Maximum 30m The underwater terrain here consists of pinnacles, both outcropping and submerged. The largest outcrop has a cave that cuts right through it and branches into a narrow and low exit; the tunnel itself is filled with painted lobsters, crabs and small invertebrates. The smaller exit of the tunnel is best avoided since its exit is occasionally blocked by a couple of large though harmless resident tawny nurse sharks. The presence of tiny invertebrates continues around the other pinnacles in the form of porcelain crabs, harlequin shrimps and squat lobsters. There’s also a variety of other smaller attractions around this site, including cowrie shells, seahorses and ribbon eels. A variety of small reef sharks can be seen in the deeper waters. Black Rock

1

5 6 9

7

8 10

Had Nopparat Marine National Park Krabi Province is 940km south of Bangkok and has long been a popular destination for budget travellers. The addition of an international airport and high end resorts now attract a much broader spectrum of visitors to the area, particularly families. The area features some of Thailand’s most stunning landscape. Sheer limestone cliffs are crowned with elevated jungles and coconut palms clad the hillsides above glorious beaches. The rugged cliff-faces are scarred with numerous caves and crevices, many of which are climbed by adventurous sports climbers.

Diving around Krabi Directly off Ao Nang there are two islands, Koh Podah Nai and Koh Podah Nok, and a handful of limestone outcrops. The area’s local diving concentrates around these, as well as the sites at Koh Phi Phi, Shark Point Marine Sanctuary and Hin Daeng and Mouang. Divers can enjoy an abundance of radiant soft corals and a tremendous diversity of marine life. There are gently sloping reefs, caves and exciting swimthroughs. The shallow reefs also offer opportunities for some tremendous snorkelling. The local sites are accessed in around 20 minutes whilst those further afield take over an hour. 134

135

Dive SiteS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - krabi

Krabi 1

Koh Ma tang Ming

4

Koh Mae urai

5

Hin Bia Rhlua

Location: Immediately north of Koh Podah Nai. Depth: Average 6m / Maximum 14m Although this is not one of the area’s better sites, it merits a mention as it has reasonable diversities of both marine life and hard corals making it a rewarding introduction dive to the area. Close inspection of the submerged rocks is recommended, as numerous members of the scorpaenidae family – such as bearded scorpionfish and stonefish – are concealed on the rocky ledges. Small yellow boxfish, rock basslets, moorish idols and bannerfish add colour, as do trees of soft corals.

Location: 1km southwest of Koh Podah Nai. Depth: Average 9m / Maximum16m This rocky outcrop features two underwater tunnels. As you pass through the easternmost tunnel its exit acts as a natural frame for glorious soft corals in whites, pinks, blues, oranges and yellows. Beyond this coral garden, the sea-bed tapers gradually down past shelves of rocks crowned with colourful featherstars and orange encrusting sponges. Magnificent sea anemones host a variety of anemonefish.

Hard corals are represented by staghorn, brain and some small boulders of coral porites. The best area for snorkellers is around the eastern side where, close to the rock, there are many sea whips, large plate corals and associated reef inhabitants.

Location: 500m southeast of Koh Mae Urai. Depth: Average 9m / Maximum 16m One of the local favourites. The southern side of the main outcrop is the deepest section of the dive, which gradually gets shallower as it heads north and is mainly dominated by terraces of foliaceous corals. Below these are many small boulders of lesser and greater star corals with the familiar punctuation of plume worms and sea whips. There’s a narrow gorge in the northern apex of this site. Along its floor parrotfish peck away at hard corals and black-banded sea kraits weave in and out of the nooks and crannies along its walls. Some sections of this site are relatively shallow, and are suitable for snorkellers to enjoy.

2

Koh Podah Nai

Location: The largest of the offshore islands and islets, just over 6Km south of Ao Nang Beach. Warning: Due to high volume of boat traffic, extreme care must be taken when snorkelling at this site. Depth: Average 5m / Maximum 12m The northern beach of Koh Podah Nai slopes gently down to an extensive reef-flat, which continues outwards for a further 50m before it reaches an almost sheer slope which drops to 12m. At high tide the corals are covered with only 2m of water or less; at lower tides many coral heads actually break the surface. These conditions render the particular area suitable only for snorkelling. Better corals and marine life are found a little way out. The reef consists mainly of small clusters of staghorn, cauliflower and a number of leaf and plate corals. There are many narrow crevices and ledges that cut into the rocky walls of the island itself, these are well worth investigating as tigertail seahorses often conceal themselves within.

3

6

Koh Ya Wa Sam

Location: About 2km west of Podah Nok. Depth: Average 9m / Maximum 17m The reef-slope off the southern outcrop climbs over many rocks which provide the main structure of the site. Juvenile black-tip reef and grey nurse sharks often rest among the rocks, with leopard sharks out on the sand. Anemone crab

Koh Podah Nok (Chicken island)

Location: 500m due south of Koh Podah Nai. Depth: Average 1m / Maximum 4m This site is immensely popular for snorkelling, and as the maximum depth dictates, not really a suitable dive site. The marine life around this picturesque islet is more prolific round the eastern shore, particularly off the northern end of the beach. The seascape is liberally punctuated with rocky boulder and coral laminates with lots of small colourful reeffish, reasonably sized giant clams and a wealth of small invertebrates. Its best to swim from the beach itself as there are also many black-spined sea urchins. 136

137

Dive SiteS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - krabi

Krabi 7

Koh Kom

Location: Outcrop to the southeast of Podah Nok. Depth: Average 12m / Maximum 20m The seascape around the western side of the outcrop features numerous terraced shelves which drop down to an area of large rocks. The gaps between the rocks act as shelters for a selection of medium-sized vertebrates including large dogfaced pufferfish and groupers. Moorish idols and schooling bannerfish patrol among many sea whips and bushy black corals. There’s also a small cave, the shallower exit of which leads to an elevated rocky plateau dense with magnificent sea anemones, themselves occupied by groups of saddleback and tomato anemonefish.

8

Koh Ya Wa Bon

Location: To the west of Koh Podah Nok. Depth: Average 12m / Maximum 20m In the north of this site an impressive archway cuts through the face of the rock for about 10m; there are two entrances at 6m and 12m. This is a good swim through, although it is only wide enough for a single diver at a time. The site’s northern area gradually slopes down over coral laminates interspersed with sea anemones (with a variety of tenants) and rocks. Away from the reef are three large submerged boulders, whose southern faces are carpeted in anemones; their many crevices act as homes and lairs to a variety of invertebrates, including banded, boxing and hinge shrimps. This is also a good location for spotting juvenile snowflake morays and black-banded sea kraits as they meander in and out of the rocks.

9

Koh See

Location: Three outcrops south of Koh Ya Wa Sam. Depth: Average 6m / Maximum 16m There’s a tremendous diversity of corals and marine life here. Off the eastern face you find a wall. To the west this gradually declines into close formations of large rocks. Back along the reef-slope itself, at a steady depth of 11m, a ribbon like effect is created by a series of brain corals which have anchored themselves into the limestone. The coral assortment changes towards the site’s western section where the familiar hard species are replaced by bubble corals and zoanthids. These continue back to the western apex, which is highlighted by a spectacular shelved slope of leaf corals. There’s a fair representation of reef fish around Koh See, including titan and yellow-margined triggerfish, moorish idols, dog faced pufferfish, lunar wrasse and harlequin sweetlips.

10

Koh Haa

Location: Outcrop to the southeast of Koh See. Depth: Average 12m / Maximum 20m Two large rocks in a depth of 9m are covered in soft corals, with oysters clinging to the rocky surface and also to sea whip corals. The craggy surfaces of these small pinnacles host various moray eels. There are many sea anemones, mainly magnificent and gigantic; there’s an equally impressive number of tenant anemonefish. If you look closely at the anemones you usually find other, smaller hosts such as anemone crabs and translucent shrimps. This is also a good site for spotting colourful mantis shrimps in their burrows in the coral substrate.

Koh Poda Nok with mainland Krabi in the background

138

139

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - krabi

Krabi

ao nang divers

aqua vision dive center Ao Nang

Ao Nang

tel. +66 (0)75 637245 Fax. +66 (0)75 637246

tel/fax. +66 (0)75 637415

e. [email protected] w. www.aonang-divers.com On a total shop area of about 150sqm, Swiss managed Ao Nang Divers now offers a full range of all diving and snorkelling equipment. Whatever you need diving equipment-wise, Ao Nang Divers will be able to help. instruction | Daytrips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear Rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation If you are thinking of taking a diving course, or are already a qualified diver, the professional and friendly staff will be pleased to look after you. 12 years of experience and professionalism were endorsed when Ao Nang Divers were announced as the winner of the 2006 PADI Tourism Award for the Asia Pacific Region, which recognises excellence in the planning of tourism infrastructure and services. As a certified diver or a snorkeller, enjoy daytrips onboard Ao Nang Divers, purpose built, comfortable and spacious 25m diving vessel the Petchmanee 10.

e. [email protected], w. www.aqua-vision.net instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Established in 1997, Aqua Vision is one of the biggest and best-established dive centres on Ao Nang beach, offering daily dive trips to all the world class dive sites in the Andaman Sea on its own boats. The dive centre exclusively offers whale shark and manta ray trips to the southern sites of Hin Daeng and Hin Mouang on a luxury diving speedboat. Aqua Vision is a PADI 5 Star Dive Center offering a wide range of PADI scuba diving courses from beginner up to professional levels. It has experienced and multi-lingual staff who are passionate about diving and teaching. Spoken languages are English, German, Russian, Swedish and French. You can rely on Aqua Vision in and out of the water to make your Scuba Diving experience a memorable one for all the right reasons!

The Ao Nang Divers travel section offers many services such as accommodation, transfers and all kind of excursions within the Krabi area. Drop them an email to find out more about their outstanding service.

140

141

Dive CeNtReS

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - krabi

Krabi

kon-tiki krabi

manta point dive center Ao Nang

Ao Nang

Dive Centre. +66 (0)75 637675 Booking. +66 (0)75 637826 Fax. +66 (0)75 637676 e. [email protected] w. www.kontiki-krabi.com

Dive Centre tel/fax. +66 (0)75 638441

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation Kon-Tiki Krabi in Ao Nang is a fully equipped 5-Star IDC and National Geographic Dive Center. With more than 30 years of experience providing top-quality diving and snorkelling trips throughout Thailand, Kon-Tiki have become one of the most respected dive centres in the country. They promise you will learn something new on every trip with them and for your comfort and safety, they offer Nitrox for Free. Kon-Tiki has won several awards for its commitment and work towards a better understanding of the marine environment, with the latest being the ‘Project AWARE Marine Environmental Award 2008’. Kon-Tiki offers the full range of PADI Dive education from entry-level to Instructor courses with highly trained, multilingual staff, who will make sure you have good fun and the experience of a lifetime. You’ll find Kon-Tiki in all major dive destinations in Southern Thailand from Khao Lak and Phuket to Krabi and Koh Lanta.

Hotline (english) +66 (0)87 629 8586 Hotline (French, Russian) +66 (0)87 468 6940 e. [email protected] w. www.mantapoint-aonang.com instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental Retail | Snorkelling | Accommodation A professional dive centre under British management. The team has an international outlook focusing on individual and friendly service. They cater primarily for small groups and limit up to 8 divers with 2 dive guides, or up to 12 snorkellers, so divers won’t be in a big crowd on the boat or during diving. Their daytrip boat, Enterprise 1, visits the major destinations available from Ao Nang including the local islands with blacktip reef sharks and seahorses, the splendour of Phi Phi and the outstanding sites in the Shark Point Marine Sanctuary. This is the only centre in Ao Nang that offers night diving from their own boat. There are also competitive private charter rates. With associates in Khao Lak, they offer liveaboards to Surin, Tachai and Richelieu Rock for groups of up to 12. Trips to Hin Daeng and Mouang can also be arranged. A wide variety of PADI speciality courses as well as scuba diving classes from beginner to Pro are offered.

142

143

Dive CeNtReS

Krabi

DiReCtoRY Krabi

phra nang divers

How to get there

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand directory - krabi

Krabi can be reached directly by air, road and sea.

Ao Nang

By air: Krabi International Airport can be accessed from a number of neighbouring countries, or via Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Domestic flights are also scheduled between Krabi and Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport. Domestic flight times average 80 minutes. There are also flights between Krabi and Koh Samui.

tel/fax. +66 (0)75 637064 e. [email protected] w. www.phranangdivers.com Established in 1992, Phra Nang Divers are the most experienced PADI dive centre in Ao Nang. Their experience lends itself to maintaining a high level of quality through all dive courses and dive excursions. From half day beginner courses, daytrips to the sites of Koh Phi Phi, King Cruiser Wreck/Shark Point and Koh Ha Yai to liveabords in the Similans, Phra Nang Divers will take care good of you.

The three main carriers are: Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555. Nok Air: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955. Thai Airways International: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111. By boat: Longtail boats from Krabi Town to Ao Nang and Railae take 40 minutes to reach Railae and another 5 minutes to Ao Nang. Longtail boats also provide a regular service between the two beaches.

instruction | Day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Retail | Snorkelling Their beachside centre offers a superb selection of diving and snorkelling equipment in Ao Nang, including Mares, Ocean Dynamics, Ripcurl and Quiksilver.

Large passenger boats depart daily from Ao Nang, Railae and Krabi Town to Koh Phi Phi, and to Koh Lanta from Krabi Town.

Phra Nang Divers looks forward to diving with you!

By bus: VIP air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal daily. The local bus terminal is just outside Krabi Town and takes 12 hours to reach. For further information regarding any bus services contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199, (0)2 435 1200.

Where to eat Ao Nang Beach: The larger hotels and resorts at Ao Nang all have their own restaurants, but that’s not to say that they are the only option for lunch or dinner. There are many good eateries along the beach road, as well as along a walkway that continues on at its northern end. At the opposite end of the beach, nestled amongst the shady trees directly behind the beach, is the Last Café. This is an ideal and unique place if you’re looking for light meals and beach snacks during the day. Railae: This beach differs from Ao Nang in that virtually all the restaurants are associated with individual beach resorts. Family-run rustic-style cafés serve fantastic seafood dishes.

PG 144

For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FooD thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com 145

DiReCtoRY

directory

Krabi

- krabi

Dive facilities Most of the area’s diving services are found on Ao Nang Beach, either as stand-alone dive centres or associated with the larger resorts or hotels. All the operators offer diving instruction and daily diving trips to the local sites and those further afield.

Dive trips Dive trips run on a daily basis. All trips depart from Ao Nang with pick-ups from Railae on the way to the dive sites, and include light refreshments, fruit, drinking water, lunch and Divemaster services. On the majority of the local diving trips, the surface interval can be spent on the island of Koh Podah Nai. Snorkellers can enjoy the reefs around this and Chicken Island. Day trips to the further destinations of Shark Point, Anemone Reef, King Cruiser Wreck and the Phi Phi Islands are also available on a daily basis and snorkellers and non-divers are welcome to join any of the trips. Hin Daeng and Mouang are also visited.

Hospitals Krabi Provincial Hospital This hospital is in Krabi Town, but it is basic. If you do require treatment it is advisable to get to Phuket. Tel. +66 (0)75 611227-8 the Bangkok Phuket Hospital has a permanent ambulance based in Krabi Town which serves the area. Emergency Ambulance: Tel. 1719 Diving Medicine Hotlines Tel. +66 (0)81 989 9482, (0)86 272 4618

Recompression chambers The nearest recompression chambers are those on Phuket. For details see page 112

Dive Courses Courses for the complete beginner are very popular here, as there’s a good selection of shallow sites. Local instruction follows CMAS, NAUI, PADI or SSI diver training programs and is available in a variety of languages; the prices are similar and are fully inclusive of all equipment and certification.

PADI & SSI Instruction Day trips Live-aboards Tel: +66 (0)75 612665 www.ppscuba.com

For more information on the Krabi area contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. 076 212213, 076 211036. 146

See listing on Page 152

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh phi phi

Koh Phi Phi

diving around Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi offers a splendid variety of different types of diving on its local reefs, with abundant hard and soft corals and rich diversity of marine life – suitable for all levels of divers. Trips also visit Shark Point Marine Sanctuary, Hin Daeng and Mouang. Snorkelling around Phi Phi is second to none, with plenty of shallow coral gardens crowning the fringing reefs, which are alive with colourful fish.

1

2

In contrast, the western section comprises a wall that descends to 20m to meet a jumble of rocks. The wall features a wealth of marine life including moray eels, lionfish, angelfish, butterflyfish and even harlequin ghost pipefish. The northwestern apex of the reef features large boulders, balanced on top of each other, between which the more experienced divers can explore a number of relatively tight swim-throughs.

3 4

5 6 7

8

Mu Koh Phi Phi Marine National Park

50 km to the south west of Krabi, the Phi Phi island group has been drawing visitors from all four corners of the globe for over a decade. It is an extremely popular international destination, and one that is well and truly established on Thailand’s diving and snorkelling map. The islands’ raw natural beauty, fabulous beaches and ease of access all together add to the lure of this family destination, which continues to flourish without the eyesore of high-rise development. The topography of the larger and only inhabited island of Koh Phi Phi Don comprises two dramatic limestone outcrops divided by a narrow flat isthmus. This stretch of land is where the vast majority of the island’s amenities and services are found, of which there are plenty to choose from. 148

Ao Nui

Location: On the northwest coast of Koh Phi Phi Don. depth: Average 15m / Maximum 21m The dive circumnavigates the large rocky outcrop just outside the bay and is a truly enjoyable dive. The waters around the eastern face are shallow and ideal for snorkelling: there are lots of corals and colourful reef fish among small boulders and rocks, which are encrusted with patches of sponges and interspersed with a multitude of plume worms.

1

2

Hin dot

3

table Coral City

Location: Submerged pinnacle off Koh Phi Phi Don’s southwestern headlands. depth: Average 12m / Maximum 28m The pinnacle is dominated by three interesting shelves which provide ample and varied underwater scenery as you spiral upwards. There are good soft corals at all depths. The hard corals are represented by tubes and laminates. The deeper sections have numerous oysters and clams. Many reef-fish are in evidence, including lunar wrasse, parrotfish, honeycomb groupers and spotfin and Indian lionfish. There are also bearded scorpionfish lurking among the rocks as they await their prey of tiny fish. Location: Off the eastern side of Phi Phi Ley next to the Viking Cave. depth: Average 9m / Maximum 28m This is an interesting place to dive, and there is much to see. The topography of the site is a sloping reef with sand and coral patches interspersed with a range of pinnacles. In the shallower reefs, there are some excellent examples of sea fans, whips and table corals, under the larger of which a resident hawksbill turtle can usually be seen. 149

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh phi phi

Koh Phi Phi

There is also an artificial reef comprising of 100 cement blocks stacked from 18m to around 6m covered with algae and an increasing amount of sea anemones. Regular marine life encounters include leopard sharks, scorpionfish, ghost pipefish, peacock flounders, tiger tail seahorses and a variety of nudibranchs.

4

Ao Maya

Location: West coast of Koh Phi Phi Ley. depth: Average 16m / Maximum 24m The dive follows the coast along a steep shelved reef, with occasional sections of wall; hard corals, sea whips and various species of sea anemones cover the elevated shelves. There are also small offshore pinnacles and submerged rocks to explore. Wrasse, moorish idols and bannerfish constantly pass by.

5

Ao Losamah

Location: The southern bay of Koh Ph Phi Ley. depth: Average 14m / Maximum 20m The sandy bottom is punctuated by rocky ledges among which are numerous bearded scorpionfish. Fringing the rocks are sea whips, some bent over by the aggregations of wing oysters clinging to them. The southern section of the site is deeper, at 20m, and follows a wall where many bivalves and clusters of soft corals are in evidence. Pairs of large blueringed angelfish explore the nooks and crannies.

6

Koh Bida Nai

Location: The nearer of the two outcrops directly south of Phi Phi Ley. depth: Average 16m / Maximum 35m A hugely diverse range of hard and soft corals. One area, known as Fantasy Reef, comprises mostly branching and hard coral laminates, punctuated with soft corals. The reef attracts a high

variety of marine life, including small reef sharks, schooling pelagics (barracudas, trevally, kingfish and tuna) and, for sharkspotters, bamboo, black-tip reef and leopard sharks. Reef inhabitants include angel and butterflyfish, morays, octopus, seahorses and the occasional turtle!

7

Koh Bida Nok

Location: Outer outcrop directly south of Phi Phi Ley. depth: Average 19m / Maximum 30m Gorgonian sea fans, sea whips and colourful soft corals abound. Small scorpionfish disguise themselves amid the rocks; lionfish hover between. Varying sizes and species of colourful parrotfish and wrasse, along with large schools of moorish idols and hunting trumpetfish, are at all depths. On the higher ledges are numerous sea anemones populated by clownfish. Expect encounters with leopard sharks and, on a grander scale, manta rays and whale sharks.

8

Hin Bida

Location: Outcrop 8km southeast of Koh Phi Phi Ley. depth: Average 12m / Maximum 18m Relatively shallow at around 5m, the area due north of the outcrop is covered with scattered rocks; in calm conditions snorkellers and divers can enjoy schools of colourful reeffish, including blue-lined snappers and harlequin sweetlips, and more static attractions like multi-coloured plume worms, featherstars and crinoids. This location’s secondary name (Phi Phi’s Shark Point) refers to the overwhelming presence of leopard sharks. There are also lots of cuttlefish, squid and titan triggerfish. Large undulated and golden morays, spiny lobsters and octopi attempt to obscure themselves within the many craggy holes and crevices.

From the viewpoint on Koh Phi Phi Don

150

151

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh phi phi

Koh Phi Phi

phi phi scuba diving center Ton Sai Bay tel. +66 (0)75 612665 e. [email protected] w. www.ppscuba.com Just a minute and a half’s stroll from the pier, the bright yellow 2-storey dive centre covers all aspects of diving service whilst maintaining a sociable relaxed atmosphere. instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Established in 1989 Phi Phi Scuba has plenty of experience and with six dive boats and a power boat chartering service they offer a choice of diving destinations every day, separating boats for qualified and student divers. Trips visit all the local dive sites, including the King Cruiser Wreck and the manta ray and whale shark magnets of Hin Daeng and Hin Mouang. These sites are perfect for advanced and speciality dives, such as underwater photography and videography, two services offered by centre. PADI and SSI dive courses up to and including the professional certification of instructor start daily in a variety of languages with classes being kept to small groups, providing students with a comforting introduction to the Andaman Sea. Dive professional internship packages are also available. Above the dive centre, the ‘Deco Bar’ is a great place for logging dives and relaxing whilst wrapping up a great day of diving.

152

princess divers Loh Dalum Bay tel . +66 (0)75 601168 e. [email protected] w. www.princessdivers.com Princess Divers offers a choice of two superb diving locations, on Koh Phi Phi & Koh Mook (Muk), which allow you to dive all southern Thailand’s best dive sites, including Hin Daeng & Hin Mouang, Shark Point, the King Cruiser Wreck, Phi Phi Islands, Koh Kradan & Koh Rok. Experienced multilingual dive staff offer courses for complete beginner to professional from PADI or SSI starting daily. instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | retail | snorkelling | Accomodation Princess Divers is Phi Phi’s premier resort-based dive centre, located within PP Princess and PP Charlie Resorts, only a one-minute walk from the main pier. Established in 2001 they offer a relaxed friendly atmosphere with the emphasis on small groups for maximum attention and safety. The facilities include air-con classrooms and the largest range of retail equipment on the island. If it’s peace and quiet you want, look no further than the newly-opened island of Koh Mook in Trang Province. Located within Charlie Beach Resort, on Haad Farrang beach, Princess Divers are the island’s only dive centre, with daily dive trips and dive courses for beginners. Koh Mook and its surrounding islands offer stunning unspoilt diving opportunities where the only crowds are the marine life! New dive sites are being discovered regularly.

153

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

Koh Phi Phi

direCtOry Koh Phi Phi

viking divers

How to get there Ton Sai Bay

There are daily boat transfers to and from Krabi, Koh Lanta and Phuket. These are the main options.

dive Centre. +66 (0)75 601110 Hotline. +66 (0)81 719 3375 e. [email protected] w. www.vikingdiversthailand.com

Other options include private boat charter or the Phuket Seaplane Service operated by Destination Air: Tel. +66 (0)76 328637-39, +66 (0)85 785 1889.

Viking Divers believe you will not find a better partner for your diving needs and over the years they have gained a good reputation as a friendly professional dive centre.

For information on how to get to: Krabi see p145, Koh Lanta p167 and Phuket p111.

Where to eat Narrow streets and walkways on Koh Phi Phi Don traverse both the isthmus and follow along the two coastlines and are substantially punctuated by a range of restaurants, cafes and bakeries purveying a broad selection of European and Thai menus. Pizzerias, hamburger and steak joints, ice cream parlours and, as you would expect, seafood restaurants are all but a short stroll away from each other.

instruction | day trips | Gear rental | retail | snorkelling Accomodation They are mentioned in the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet as well as several other well known guide books, their aim is to give customers the best possible service and experience underwater that they can. To ensure that they meet this, group sizes are kept to no more than four people on any diving course or guided dive trip. PADI and SSI dive courses commence on a daily basis along with three different scheduled dive trips to the local sites, the wreck of the King Cruiser or Hin Daeng and Hin Mouang, all of which are visited onboard the centre’s two custom built dive boats.

PG

For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOd thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com

dive facilities The majority of Koh Phi Phi’s dive operators are located in the small, and only, town in Ton Sai Bay on Koh Phi Phi Don. Diving is a big attraction here and there are plenty of dive centres in order to cater for the demand. The standard of service is high with virtually all the major languages being spoken. A number of the more established centres carry a good selection of equipment for sale and provide servicing too. There are two liveaboard boats operated from the island. The Koh Phi Phi dive sites are also visited as daily excursions by the operators located in Krabi, and on the islands of Koh Lanta and Phuket.

dive trips Trips run twice daily, departing at around 08.00hrs and 14.00hrs: most offer light refreshments, fruit, lunch and Divemaster services. Not all operators include equipment in the price. The larger dive boats carry fresh water tanks for rinsing photographic equipment, but longtail boats do not. Snorkellers and non-divers are welcome to join any of the scheduled diving trips; masks and fins are available for hire. 154

155

direCtOry

Koh Phi Phi

If you want to organise your own snorkelling trip you can hire a longtail from Ao Ton Sai or Hat Yao for a reasonable charge.

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh lanta

Koh Lanta

dive courses Courses for the complete beginner are very popular here, as there is a good selection of shallow sites. Local instruction follows CMAS, PADI, NAUI and SSI diver training programmes; prices are similar and are fully inclusive of all equipment and certification.

1

Hospitals The nearest hospitals are those in Krabi Town and on Phuket. It’s advisable, if possible, to get to one of the hospitals on Phuket.

4 6

Krabi Provincial Hospital: Tel. +66 (0)75 611227-8

recompression chambers The nearest recompression chambers are on Phuket. For details see page 112. For more information on Koh Phi Phi contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)76 212213, (0)76 211036. Coral trout

3

2

5

7 8

Mu Koh Lanta Marine National Park

There are dozens of islands off the Krabi coast. Of these, 15 make up the Mu Koh Lanta Marine National Park, which covers about 135 sq km across four main island groups – Koh Lanta Yai and Koh Lanta Noi, Koh Muk, Koh Rok Nok and Koh Rok Nai, and the Koh Ha group of islands. The most tourist facilities are found on Koh Lanta Yai; there are numerous bungalow resorts and even a couple of luxury spa and resorts, and even more on the way. The island is around 25km long, with a hilly central section and a string of superb sandy beaches along its western coastline. The main hub of activity on the island remains at the northern port of Saladan. Here you will find a post office, clinic and banking facilities. There is also a nice selection of restaurants and, of course, a number of the island’s dive operators.

diving around Koh Lanta

The diving to the south of Koh Lanta and the adjacent islands is exceptionally good. This is regarded as one of the best areas in Thailand. There’s a great variety of walls, fringing reefs, caves and a wreck to explore around the offshore islands, islets and rocks. Marine life is abundant, with a healthy cross-section of reef species and pelagics. Only the local operators and a few from Krabi, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket currently utilise these sites, so they remain uncrowded. 156

157

dive sites

Koh Lanta 1

Koh Ha Nua

2

Koh Ha yai

Location: Northernmost outcrop of the Koh Ha island group. depth: Average 20m / Maximum 34m One point of individuality is that the site is characterised by a scattering of geometrically shaped rocks. Sea whips and sea fans are much in evidence, as are featherstars and nudibranchs. This is as good a place as any to see Indian and spotfin lionfish, bearded scorpionfish and imperial angelfish. There is a small cave off the southwest wall, which twists down to its exit in a lovely area of large submerged boulders carpeted in radiant soft corals and large gorgonian sea fans. The gaps between offer exciting swim-through experiences. Location: Southernmost of the Koh Ha island group. depth: Average 18m / Maximum 25m There is excellent adventure here. The south western face has a cave with two large entrances. The western of these is a hole in the rock at a depth of 5m. This immediately enters the larger of two connected cathedrals, which rise an impressive 30m above sea-level. The other entrance/exit, at the eastern end, is deeper, at 16m. It is not dark in the cathedrals; light enters from the waters below. Directly in front of the cave are a number of large rocks highlighted by sea fans and soft corals. There are also plenty of sea whips, which are worth closer inspection as it will reveal a variety of tiny camouflaged invertebrates.

3

Koh Muk

Location: Outcrop off Koh Muk’s northwest point. depth: Average 5m / Maximum 10m The rock is covered in splendid purple and red soft corals, with holes and cracks providing hiding places for reef inhabitants. You can head either south along the west coast or east along the north coast – both options offer Koh Ha Yai

158

see listing on Page 165

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh lanta

Koh Lanta

overhangs, but the latter is the most interesting. More significant than the diving on offer, there’s an interesting adventure for snorkellers – assuming they feel brave enough to navigate the winding cave/tunnel, 60m long, which has been cut through the western rocky cliff. Known as Morukut (Emerald Cave), this penetrates the mountain and eventually emerges into a beautiful lagoon, about 60m across, fringed by tropical forest, and with a superb beach. The tunnel affords the only access by water to this lagoon; the water at its entrance is only about 4m deep and becomes shallower as the tunnel goes deeper into the mountain, while there is always at least 1m airspace and sometimes as much as 15m.

4

Koh Kraden wreck

Location: Off the southwest coast of Koh Kraden. depth: Average 24m / Maximum 28m The wreck is believed to be of a 60-70m Japanese destroyer sunk by air attack in 1944. It sits in 28m of water. As the visibility here generally worsens below 20m, the way to find the wreck is to follow the many fish that frequent what has become an artificial reef. Those experienced in wreck-diving can penetrate the bow sections, but it is not advisable to attempt entry to the stern section, which is draped with fishing nets and subject to much silting.

5

Koh rok Nai

Location: The northern of the two Koh Rok islands. depth: Average 12m / Maximum 20m This is a good site at all depths. The diving is around the southern coast, heading slightly northeast. This is also a reasonable snorkelling site, and offers good night-diving, since conditions are almost always calm at night. The reef slopes gently and there are lots of hard corals, including brain and table staghorn, and many barrel sponges. The reeffish are reasonably plenteous; they include bannerfish, large schools of moorish idols, a good variety of anemonefish and on occasion, turtles. Away from the reef, large barracuda, tuna and jacks pass by.

6

7

Hin daeng

Location: 500m from Hin Mouang. depth: Average 25m / Maximum 35m A series of wall dives with intermittent shelves at varying depths. There are more soft corals than hard, but the main attraction is the seemingly endless diversity of marine inhabitants, including leopard sharks, turtles, moray eels, lionfish, bannerfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, pipefish, sea kraits, crabs, shrimps and lobsters. This is due to the fact that this, and neighbouring Hin Mouang, are the only reef-type communities or feeding grounds within the area. Individually, though, they have different attractions. For instance, the deeper waters around this site are one of the few remaining places in the country where grey reef sharks can be encountered. Manta rays and whale sharks are also regular visitors.

8

Hin Mouang

Location: 27km west of Koh Rok. depth: Average 23m / Maximum 70m+ This is one of the best dive sites in Thai waters. A series of six or more submerged pinnacles heads southwest, the shallowest being about 8m beneath the surface. The site gets its name courtesy of the carpet of purple sea anemones which cloak its upper surfaces. This is a very colourful and exciting site. Large pelagics often visit, including enormous barracuda and very large tuna. Manta rays and whale sharks regularly frequent the surrounding waters, as do large stingrays. Harlequin shrimp

Koh rok Nok

Location: The southern of the two Koh Rok islands. depth: Average 14m / Maximum 20m Around the wall, look out for morays, lionfish, invertebrates and nudibranchs, plus many zigzag oysters. Further around the headland you come across a terrain of big boulders that extends all the way to the cliff face. This section is interesting in that a freshwater stream has, because of its high iron content, coloured the rocks bright orange; for the same reason, though, healthy coral growth is restricted. 160

161

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh lanta

Koh Lanta

blue planet divers

ko lanta diving center

Saladan

Saladan

tel/fax. +66 (0)75 684165 e. [email protected] w. www.blueplanetdivers.net

dive Centre. +66 (0)75 684065 Hotline. +66 (0)86 983 6118 e. [email protected] w. www.kolantadivingcenter.com

Blue Planet offers the highest quality courses, guiding and customer service by PADI professionals conducted in small groups. Their priority is safety and lots of fun. Beginners, snorkellers and kids are all welcome onboard their spacious boat. instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | Freediving | snorkelling | Accommodation This PADI 5 Star Dive Center teaches all PADI courses from Open Water Diver to Assistant Instructor, through their multilingual instructors. There are two fully equipped classrooms in the main centre in Saladan and swimming pool access. They also have branches in Kaw Kwang (Klong Dao Beach) and Phrae Ae (Long Beach).

Adventure & Fun Blue Planet also provides technical, cave & cavern dive training under, DSAT, TDI and IANTD. For more information on the programmes, visit Blue Planet’s website.

instruction | day trips | Nitrox | rebreather Gear rental | retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Ko Lanta Diving Center was the first dive shop on the island and was established in 1992 by underwater photographer and author Christian Mietz. They were the first TDA Diving Association and CMAS 5 Star Examiner Academy in the country. They are also a CMAS 5 Star TEC Academy and PADI Dive Center. The full range of recreational and TEC diving courses up to Instructor level are available under each of the training agencies including Nitrox and rebreather courses. Daily trips visit all the best spots in the southern Andaman Sea including Hin Daeng and Mouang and the Koh Ha Yai group onboard their purpose built 20m diving boat M/V Choksomboon 1. Diving is conducted in small led groups, or those experienced enough can explore the reefs without direct guidance. Nitrox and rebreathers are available for qualified divers. Special cave diving tours around the provinces of Phang Nga and Krabi are also scheduled.

Freediving, breath holding (Apnea) is exclusively offered at Blue Planet and is a sport especially suitable for those who love the feeling of being underwater without artificial breathing equipment. When you talk about freediving, you talk about sensation, beauty, personal experience and challenge.

162

163

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh lanta

Koh Lanta

kon-tiki lanta

lanta diver Saladan

Saladan

tel/fax. +66 (0)75 684694 e. [email protected] w. www.kontiki-lanta.com

dive Centre. +66 (0)75 684208 Hotline. +66 (0)81 272 9050 Fax. +66 (0)75 684057 e. [email protected] w. www.lantadiver.com

Kon-Tiki Lanta is a fully equipped 5-Star IDC Center. With more than 30 years experience providing top-quality diving and snorkelling trips throughout Thailand, Kon-Tiki has become one of the most respected dive centres in the country. They promise you will learn something new on every trip and for your comfort and safety, they offer Nitrox for Free. instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Kon-Tiki has won several awards for its commitment and work towards a better understanding of the marine environment, with the latest being the ‘Project AWARE Marine Environmental Award 2008’. Kon-Tiki offer the full range of PADI Dive education from entry-level to Instructor courses with highly trained, multilingual staff, which will make sure you have good fun and the experience of a lifetime. You will find Kon-Tiki on all major dive destinations in Southern Thailand from Khao Lak and Phuket to Krabi and Koh Lanta.

Established in 1998, Lanta Diver are a PADI 5 Star IDC Center, offering a full range of PADI courses (up to and including the level of Instructor), liveaboard excursions and daily diving trips to a number of the best dive sites and reefs in Thailand. They are also a Reef Check Centre. instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Lanta Diver specializes in quality education, small groups and diver safety. Lanta Diver’s Instructors, Divemasters and staff are all highly experienced professionals, who aim to ensure that your diving holiday is as enjoyable and safe as possible. Lanta Diver has the largest and best stocked equipment retail store on the island, is an authorized dealer for all major brand names, and is able to service and repair most equipment in its comprehensive service centre. Accommodation, snorkelling and other activities on Koh Lanta can also be booked through the dive centre. They can also take care of travel and accommodation reservations elsewhere in Thailand.

164

165

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

Koh Lanta

direCtOry Koh Lanta

palm beach divers

How to get there Koh Lanta Yai can be reached by scheduled boat services from Krabi Town, Koh Phi Phi Don, Phuket and Ban Baw Muang pier northwest of Trang Town. To reach the island via the town, transfer by minibus or taxi to the pier at Ban Baw Muang, around 40km north of town. The recommended way to access Koh Lanta Yai is to arrive at Krabi Town and transfer to the boat service or arrive at the airport and have the dive operator arrange the connecting road transfer.

Long Beach tel/fax. +66 (0)75 684603 Hotline. +66 (0)87 806 4314, e. [email protected] w. www.palmbeachdivers.com instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation

to trang town from Bangkok By air: Koh Lanta can be reached from the nearby airports in Krabi and Trang. Whichever airport is used, a transfer will need to be arranged to the island. This takes around an hour from either airport and is best arranged in advance through one of the dive operators.

At Palm Beach Divers the heart and focus is both on fun and diving. The centre is located in the beautiful resort of Lanta Palm Beach where they specialize in the personal approach by offering diving services to fit everybody’s wishes. As a PADI 5 Star IDC Center dive courses are conducted by a team of experienced instructors who are all passionate about diving. All courses are conducted around their students with particular attention being paid on Divemaster and Instructor certifications. Allowing students to take their career in diving to the limit. Packages including accommodation are possible.

Via Trang. Daily flights depart Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International and Don Muang airports. Flight time is 90 minutes. For more information contact Nok Air: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955. Via Krabi. Daily flights depart both Bangkok airports. Flight times average 80 minutes. There are also flights from Koh Samui. The three main carriers are: Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555. Nok Air: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955. Thai Airways International: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111.

Dive trips are limited to small groups and depart on the centre’s dive or speed boat directly from the beach and are run by experienced international staff that ensure high service & safety standards and above all lot’s of fun and adventure! The centre is an Aqua Master outlet and therefore stocks high standard diving gear at competitive prices.

By bus: VIP air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal twice daily. Journey time is 17hrs. For information on the bus service contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199, (0)2 435 1200. By Boat: There are daily boat transfers to and from Krabi Town, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket. By train: Three types of service run from Bangkok to Trang and as it is a 15hr journey it is advisable to travel sleeper class. Trains can be booked up to 90 days in advance – recommended as they fill up quickly. For information regarding train service contact Hua Lumphong Railway Station, Tel. +66 (0)2 223 7010.

Where to eat Virtually all the island’s resorts have their own eateries. If they don’t, it’s only a short stroll along the beach to one that does! There are a few independent restaurants and bakeries around the island. The port of Saladan has a worthy selection of local fare, seafood restaurants, pizzerias and bakeries.

PG 166

For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOd thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com 167

direCtOry

Koh Lanta

dive facilities

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh tao

Koh tao 2

There are around a dozen operators on the island. The majority are located in Saladan. The main operators also have booking offices at a number of the island’s resorts.

3 1

5

All the operators on the island offer dive education and daily dive trips. Some of the more established dive centres carry a retail selection.

dive trips

4 6

9

All trips depart from the northern fishing port of Saladan at around 08.00hrs and return during the late afternoon. Included in the price are refreshments, fruit, drinking water, lunch and Divemaster(s) services. 7

The cost of day trips varies depending on the destination. Snorkellers and non-divers are welcome to join scheduled diving trips; snorkelling equipment is available. The larger dive boats will carry fresh water tanks for rinsing diving and photographic equipment.

Hospitals The nearest hospitals are in Trang Town. racha damnern Hospital, Tel. +66 (0)75 211203 Watana Pat Hospital, Tel. +66 (0)75 218332 trang Chatasongkroh Hospital, Tel. +66 (0)75 218060 Note that, if possible, it is better to head for the amenities and emergency services on Phuket. The Bangkok Phuket Hospital has a permanent ambulance based in Krabi Town which serves Koh Lanta, Tel. 1719

recompression chambers The nearest recompression chambers are on Phuket. For details see page 112.

dive courses Local instruction has a choice of CMAS, PADI and SSI training programs, the complete range of which is available, including the professional levels of Divemaster and Instructor. There are also a number of specialty courses, which run over two to three days. The courses’ timetables are structured to suit both students and dive centres. For more information on Koh Lanta contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)76 212213, (0)76 211036. 168

8

Koh Tao – or Turtle Island as it’s affectionately referred to – is the northernmost and smallest in the chain of the three ‘inhabited’ islands in the Samui Archipelago, with an area of 21 sq km. The south and west coastlines are dotted with white sandy beaches: the north and east coasts have a couple of small sandy bays but are predominantly formed by large granite boulders stacked high above the water and rising to fringe the island’s forests. The island’s single town, Mae Haad, is located on the western coast. There’s a bold selection of restaurants with international and local menus, and a post office, internet services, general provisions shops and a handful of diving centres and credible retail outlets purveying diving equipment and accessories.

diving around Koh tao

The diving around Koh Tao is amongst the best in the Gulf of Thailand with enough variety to satisfy all levels of divers. There are deep shipwrecks, (some only suitable for technical divers) and towering submerged pinnacles, with their craggy rock faces seemingly alive with various hard and soft corals. These sites are constantly visited by large pelagics. In contrast are dives along gentle sloping coral reefs. These are good places to see many different species of laminate and foliaceous corals and a rich diversity of marine life. There’s a few good snorkelling sites which can be reached off the beach of Nang Yuan island. 169

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh tao

1

Chumphon Pinnacles

Location: About 5km northwest of Nang Yuan. depth: Average 20m / Maximum 36m This is Koh Tao’s most impressive site, and without doubt one of the most popular. Divers revisiting the island always ask when the earliest scheduled trip to Chumphon Pinnacles is! The site consists of four interconnected underwater pinnacles which tower up from around 34m; the highest peaks are 16m Below the surface. This is an ideal place to spot many pelagics. Large schools of great barracuda, bigeyed jacks, tuna, mackerel, goldbody and giant trevally are all frequent visitors. Whale sharks, with accompanying striped remoras and pilot fish are sighted here with more frequency than any other site in the Gulf. Bulky grey reef sharks are seen in the depths away from the base of the rocky structure.

2

Green rock

Location: 50m off the northern shore of Nang Yuan. depth: Average 12m / Maximum 25m Divers come here for the tremendous selection of adventurous swimthroughs provided by large archways, caverns, caves and crevices which cut through the matrix of submerged rocks. There are many groupers, blue-spotted ribbontail rays and yellowmargin triggerfish, which can be aggressive – especially if protecting their nests during the spawning season. This is a good place to see green and hawksbill turtles. Green Rock makes an interesting night-dive. The triggerfish secure themselves in the smaller crevices for the night and the parrotfish sleep in their cocoons while the nocturnal community comes to life.

3

Nang yuan – Northwest Bay

Location: Northwest bay off Nang Yuan. depth: Average 6m / Maximum 12m Follow the rocks northwards to find large numbers of black sea cucumbers scattered around rocks and lesser star boulder corals, heavily pitted with multicoloured plume worms and bivalves. The larger rocks, rich in foliaceous and soft corals, provide small-scale wall-dives and swimarounds. Neptune barrel sponges are covered in long white alabaster tubeworms. The rocks are interspersed with small elevated sections hosting gardens of sea anemones. Around and beyond the rocks the fish life becomes more prolific. There are lots of bullethead parrotfish, checkerboard wrasse, red-tailed butterflyfish and emperor angelfish, and large white snappers, cuttlefish and jacks. see listing on Page 178

171

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh tao

Koh Tao 4

Nang yuan – Japanese Gardens

Location: Nang Yuan’s southeastern bay. depth: Average 6m / Maximum 12m Although the general conditions may be the same, this site is not a replica of the previous site. As you head south towards the rocks, the sand is slowly replaced by boulder corals rich in small bivalves and plume worms. Beyond the boulder corals is a shallow sloping reef formed of table staghorns and various leaf corals; black-banded sea kraits intertwine around the branches, while pufferfish and damselfish create their own blankets of colour. Following the reef east, you approach a number of small caves and overhangs; these serve as shelters for many blue-spotted ribbontail rays. A good selection of Phyllidia nudibranchs feed on the rock-encrusting sponges. This is a good site for observing passing turtles.

5

White rock

7

Ao Leuk

Location: Koh Tao’s southeast coast. depth: Average 6m / Maximum 12m This is really a diver-training site, and provides an excellent alternative to the two at Nang Yuan: if weather makes one inaccessible, the other will not be. The seascape is ideal for those taking their first breaths beneath the ocean’s surface. The sand is broken by small mounds of staghorn corals and numerous patches of long-spined black sea urchins. Mushroom corals lie individually scattered, as do small sponge-encrusted rocks. The dominating species among the many fish around these undulating rocks are parrotfish, wrasse, juvenile snappers, squirrelfish and soldierfish. Away from the rocks, numbers of yellowtail barracuda and schooling bannerfish pass by.

8

red rock (shark island)

Location: About 1km south of Nang Yuan. depth: Average 9m / Maximum 22m This is a very enjoyable dive, suitable for both novice and experienced divers. The site consists mainly of two submerged pinnacles, the higher of which is covered by only 2m of water.

Location: 1km off the southern tip of Koh Tao. depth: Average 15m / Maximum 28m The good thing about this site, provided access is possible, is that you can virtually always have a pleasant dive; it also offers very good night-diving. The site consists of a steeply sloping reef.

The surfaces are broken by a number of elevated shelves graced with a host of honeycomb groupers, long-spined black sea urchins, nudibranchs and various sea anemones. Radiant trees of soft corals mix with knob and pore corals, and are rich with colourful plume worms. Small moray eels, crabs and shrimps have taken up residence in the many cracks and crannies of the rock faces. There are also many titan triggerfish, some of which occasionally act quite aggressively. White Rock is the area’s most popular night-diving destination. You can see a large resident green turtle, hermit crabs and giant barracuda, attracted to the rock by smaller fish.

The shallower part, around the northeast section, varies from 4m to 2m and is an excellent place to snorkel. Lavish sea anemone gardens and table corals are interspersed with large flat-topped rocks, providing a playground for a multitude of reef-fish: titan triggerfish, pairs of blue-ringed angelfish, lunar and bicolour wrasse, large parrotfish and fusiliers. In the sand, blue-spotted stingrays can be seen. There have also been reliable sightings of hawksbill and green turtles, and as the name implies, reef sharks!

6

Hin Wong

Location: About 100m off Hin Wong Bay. depth: Average 12m / Maximum 26m The site consists mainly of a large tabletop rock formation with an array of soft corals scattered over the surrounding area. The rocky plateau is almost completely obscured by fire corals. East of it, the sandy bottom slopes steeply down to the site’s maximum depth past other, slightly smaller granite structures. The resident fish are dominated by blue-spotted and red coral groupers, bannerfish and moorish idols. Fusiliers and snappers are found in small groups in the deeper waters. This is a fairly reliable place to see green and hawksbill turtles. 172

9

southwest Pinnacles

Location: About 7km southwest of Koh Tao. depth: Average 17m / Maximum 28m These three submerged pinnacles represent a series of short wall-dives. The more noticeable of the surrounding reef-life includes groupers, schooling bannerfish, moorish idols and humpback snappers. In the gulleys between the rocks are many bushy black corals, sea whips and gorgonian sea fans, all in relatively good health. Butterflyfish, including raccoon and threadfin, share these waters. The walls of the pinnacles have many Neptune barrel sponges, which increase in size the deeper they are. Away from the rocks there are many pelagics, including great barracuda and juvenile yellowtails, mackerel, trevallies, dogfaced tuna, rainbow runners and big-eye jacks. 173

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh tao

Koh Tao

big blue diving resort

Chalok Baan Kao

tel. +66 (0)77 456415 +66 (0)81 920 5698 Fax. +66 (0)77 456772 e. [email protected] w. www.bigbluediving.com, www.bigbluelog.blogspot.com

tel. +66 (0)77 456074 Fax. +66 (0)77 456210 e. [email protected] w. www.buddhaview-diving.com

instruction | day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental | retail snorkelling | Accommodation Big Blue Diving Resort, on Sairee Beach has three dive boats to cater for all levels of diving experience and offers up to 10 different dive sites each day. They offer all PADI & SSI dive courses from the beginner certification course of Open Water up to the professional level of Instructor training. They also have a lively beach bar with a great restaurant with free wi-fi, that is offered to everyone diving or staying in either their beach bungalows or fan & air-conditioned rooms. Big Blue Resort also offers a laundry service and free taxi services to and from the pier twice a day. Great reputation, great service, great diving. They also have their own profile on the social networking website ‘Facebook’ where they regularly share all the latest updates.

174

buddha view

Sairee Beach

Buddha View is a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Resort that specialises in day trips and dive education with courses from beginner up to a selection of instructor level programs. instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Dive professional education at Buddha View is often praised by PADI representatives. The courses are fun, relaxed and thorough. An experienced, friendly and multi-lingual team ensure that everyone’s Koh Tao experience is as memorable and enjoyable as possible and will bring them back time and time again. There’s a range of accommodation packages from beachfront fan-cooled bungalows to luxury rooms aimed to suit all budgets. Experienced divers travel on a separate dive boat and schedule in order to visit the more challenging dive sites. Special speedboat dive trips are regularly scheduled to Sail Rock and the Ang Thong Marine National Park. After diving unwind at the resort’s beach bar and evening BBQ, which is held seven days a week!

175

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh tao

Koh Tao

crystal dive resort

planet scuba

Mae Haad & Sairee Beach

Mae Haad tel. +66 (0)77 456106-7 Fax. +66 (0)77 456105 e. [email protected] w. www.crystaldive.com

instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | retail | snorkelling | Accommodation This award winning dive centre is the only PADI Career Development Center and Go Eco Operator on Koh Tao. Crystal is also a Reef Check Training Facility, running regular reef management and ecology programs. The centre offers the full range of PADI courses, from Bubblemaker’s through to IDC, including IDC Staff Instructor. Crystal also offers the largest range of PADI specialty courses on the island along with the full range of DSAT and TDI Technical diving courses and on site Nitrox blending facilities. European managed, resident PADI Course Director Matt Bolton oversees all aspects of diver training whilst their Operations Manager is the only fully qualified compressor technician on Koh Tao. All courses are run in small personalised groups and conducted in all European languages plus Japanese, Chinese and Hebrew. Crystal Dive has two resorts. The main one on Mae Haad has a private swimming pool. Rooms range from fan-cooled through to high end VIP. The second is on stunning Sairee Beach.

176

tel/fax. +66 (0)77 456110 e. [email protected] w. www.planet-scuba.net Planet Scuba, a PADI 5 Star IDC Center has over 20 years of experience in scuba diver education and dive tours in Thailand and were the first Dive Centre on the island of Koh Tao to be awarded the prestigious PADI Career Development Center Rating (CDC). instruction | day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Regular diving courses, from beginner to professional, conducted with the highest level of instruction are all available on a daily basis. The ‘Go Pro’ entry level to Instructor packages can take participants from being a complete beginner up to diving professional. Planet Scuba also offers unbeatable diving and accommodation deals with a choice of fan-cooled rooms right on the beach, deluxe garden bungalows with cable TV and hot water or air-conditioned superior sea view studio suites and up to five boat dives. Whatever your budget, they are committed in taking good care of you.

177

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

Koh Tao

direCtOry Koh Tao

scuba Junction

How to get there Koh Tao can be reached directly by sea and indirectly by air, rail and road.

Sairee Beach tel. +66 (0)77 456164 Fax/tel. +66 (0)77 456013 e. [email protected] w. www.scuba-junction.com

By air and boat: There are no airports on Koh Tao, but planes fly to neighbouring Koh Samui, providing a relatively comfortable, though indirect, access to the island. Daily domestic flights with Bangkok Airways depart from Krabi, Phuket and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. They also schedule daily flights directly to and from Singapore. Thai Airways International serves Koh Samui from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport. For more information contact Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555. Thai Airways International: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111..

ssi Platinum Facility instruction | day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Since opening 16 years ago, Scuba Junction’s emphasis has been on quality, service and safety. ALL dive groups are limited to FOUR divers and a complimentary dive computer is supplied to all of their divers. Diving equipment is serviced every 6 months to the highest EUROPEAN Standards.

Transfer to connecting boat services is by air-conditioned minibus. Two high speed catamarans depart twice daily (weather permitting). Both boats stop off at Koh Phangan to pick up and drop off passengers. The overall trip takes around two hours and is the preferred way to reach Koh Tao from Koh Samui. The catamarans also sail between Chumphon and Koh Tao on a daily basis. For further information contact Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran: Tel. +66(0)77 247401 or Seatran Discovery: Tel. +66 (0)77 246086-8.

This extra level of service is well documented on Internet forums. They’ve been nominated by www.i-escape.com four straight years as ‘Best Dive Operator on Koh Tao’ and are highly recommended by www.lonleyplanet.com. Scuba Junction take marine conservation close to their heart. As an active member of Green Fins Thailand, they help to promote sustainable dive tourism, eco friendly dive techniques and conduct regular beach and underwater clean-ups.

By bus and boat: All-in packages from Bangkok to Koh Tao are available daily. They generally depart Khao San Road early evening and travel overnight to arrive on Koh Tao the following morning. Packages include both bus and boat. For more information contact Seatran Discovery: Tel. +66 (0)77 246086-8.

Reef Ecology lectures are organized on a weekly basis, including Coral Reef Monitoring programs . Data collected is transmitted in the UN International Reef Data base. They also offer dives on BIOROCK, the new artificial Coral Reef installed off Koh Tao.

Alternatively, VIP air-conditioned buses travel from Bangkok daily. The journey breaks in Chumphon Town; the passenger ferry pier on the Thapao River is 30 minutes by local bus or taxi. For more information on bus services contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199, 02 435 1200. By train and boat: Express and Sprinter trains depart Bangkok Hua Lumphong Railway Station daily. For further information regarding train services contact Hua Lumphong Railway Station: Tel. +66 (0)2 223 7010.

Where to eat The majority of the dive resorts are self-contained with their own restaurants. If they are not, it is a short walk to the nearest eatery – and it’s not all local fare! If you fancy sampling a delicious meal of international favourites, including Indian, Italian and Mexican, drop into one of the many restaurants in Mae Haad and on Sairee Beach.

PG 178

For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOd thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com 179

direCtOry

Koh Tao

dive facilities

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh phangan

Koh Phangan

Many operators display high certifications of merit from their various affiliated training agencies for all-round service, and rightly so; the average standards found throughout the island’s diving community are very impressive. All operators have their own or are associated to a nearby source of accommodation, which is generally used as an incentive to use their diving services, particularly diver training. The larger resorts all have their own restaurants. If they don’t there is one very close by. Internet services are also becoming more commonplace in the island’s dive centres.

dive trips Most of the diving facilities have their own dive boats. Some trips include fruit and soft beverages whereas others provide only drinking water. Weather permitting, local dive sites are visited twice daily, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Day trips to Sail Rock and the Samran Pinnacles leave only in the morning and include lunch. All trips offer two dives and include equipment.

Hospitals & recompression chambers The nearest hospitals and recompression chambers are those located on Koh Samui. See page 195 for details. Although hospitals do not exist on Koh Tao, there is a physicians clinic on Sairee Beach which is affiliated with the Bankok samui Hospital on Koh Samui. The clinic’s resident doctor is proficient in diving medicine and regularly consults with the Badalveda diving Medicine Network. The clinic has a number of beds and there is an evacuation procedure to the recompression chamber at Bangkok samui Hospital, which can be contacted via the Diving Medicine Hotlines. Tel. +66 (0)86 272 4618, (0)81 989 9482

dive courses This is a great place to indulge in diver training; the facilities are good, the accommodation comfortable and the courses are both enjoyable and economical. Instruction on the island follows BSAC, CMAS, PADI and SSI training structures. It’s possible to become certified to all levels of recreational and technical training, including instructor. For more information on Koh Tao, contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)77 281828. 180

1

KOH PHANGAN

2

3 4

As Koh Samui has gradually succumbed to mainstream tourism, Koh Phangan remains the most popular backpackers’ island in the Gulf of Thailand. Covering around 190 sq km, its mountainous terrain is covered in dense jungle, with granite outcrops scattered around the coast. There are plenty of nice beaches, many in small, picturesque bays. Most of the island’s amenities are found in around the town of Thong Sala and the two Haad Rin beaches. It was not until the inauguration of the island’s infamous ‘Full Moon’ parties in the 1980s that travellers began arriving in large numbers. Clubbers and ravers stayed on, earning Koh Phangan its reputation as the ‘Ibiza of the Orient’ but there is also a well established alternative scene, with Tai Chi, meditation, open-air yoga and other New Age pursuits. Most of these activities are centred on the Haad Rin beaches on the southeast coast.

diving around Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan, like Koh Samui, is an ideal departure point for sites in the Ang Thong Marine National Park, the Samran Pinnacles and Sail Rock. But, as they are nearer, divers benefit from shorter journey times and being first to arrive at the sites. It also exclusively opens up night diving opportunities at Sail Rock! Two-day excursions run to the sites around Koh Tao. It takes about 3hrs to reach Koh Tao’s southern sites. Visibility around Koh Phangan averages only about four metres; the highest expectancy is 25m. Marine life around the reefs is fair, particularly with small-medium sized fish, but sites are seldom visited by large pelagics. There are occasional sightings of small juvenile reef sharks, turtles and stingrays. 181

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh phangan

Koh Phangan 1

Koh Ma

Location: Off the northwest coast of Koh Phangan. depth: Average 9m / Maximum 30m This is considered the most interesting Koh Phangan site. The marine life is good and the corals reasonably healthy. Away from the reef are schools of fusiliers, red snappers and blue-striped grunts; groups of cuttlefish occasionally mingle with pairs of Imperial and blue-ringed angelfish. Honeycomb groupers, parrotfish, wrasse and butterflyfish stay closer to the reefs, and anemones and sponges encrust it. The reef itself consists mainly of numerous boulders of lesser star, double star and brain corals of varying sizes; the deeper waters have black corals dividing up the rocky borderline.

2

Koh tae Nok

Location: Outer of the two islands off the west coast. depth: Average 16m / Maximum 25m When the visibility is good this rarely dived site can be very enjoyable. There is little coral damage around this site, and the specimens are reasonably healthy. The reef-flat consists of various table corals and small boulders of star corals pitted with bivalves. The waters provide interesting snorkelling, a rainbow of colours being added by wrasse, parrotfish and various chromis and damselfish. The steep, sometimes sheer reef here consists mainly of gorgonian sea fans and encrusting coraline. On the wall-like reef-slope are many barrel sponges covered in tubeworms and these continue right down to the sea-bed, which they share with black sea cucumbers and patches of sea urchins. Fusiliers, rabbitfish and snappers hang in midwater and black-tip reef sharks occasionally sweep past. Grouper

184

3

Haad yuan

Location: The headland at the north end of Haad Rin. depth: Average 6m / Maximum 12m Primarily used as a diver-training site, this is in fact quite an acceptable dive around a wide, shallow undulating reef. It is broken by many large domed rocks that lie in forests of black sea whips. Many of the rocks are, in addition, highlighted by small trees of soft coral. This makes a suitable area for snorkellers, who will also enjoy its array of colourful reef-fish and diverse invertebrates, including featherstars, nudibranchs and several species of cowrie shells. The usual reef-fish, like parrotfish and wrasse, are present but in small numbers. Nurse sharks and blue-spotted ribbontail stingrays are sometimes seen away from the reef. For those trained in cave diving, is a narrow dog-legged cave, 15m long.

4

Koh Kon rin

Location: South of Koh Phangan’s southeastern cape. depth: Average 15m / Maximum 27m The eastern half of this dive circumnavigates a large rocky outcrop; the rock’s northern side has an average depth of 12m while the southern face drops off to the site’s maximum depth. This, the best section of the site, is a wall with numerous barrel sponges, oysters and clams on the rock face. Spiny lobsters and moray eels can often be seen concealing themselves in the nooks and crannies. As you head east the wall disappears and you find instead, at about 15m, an area of large rocks intermixed with sea whips. Black-tip reef sharks have been spotted along the site’s southern perimeter. Anemonefish with eggs

185

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh phangan

Koh Phangan

haad yao divers

phangan divers Haad Yao

Haad Rin

tel. +66 (0)86 279 3085, (0)84 841 2102 Fax. +66 (0)77 349119 e. [email protected] w. www.haadyaodivers.com

dive Centre. +66 (0)77 375117 Hotline. +66 (0)8 892 4835 e. [email protected] w. www.phangandivers.com

instruction | day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Haad Yao Divers is a PADI 5 Star Gold Palm Resort on Koh Phangan’s northwest coast. As the first dive centre on the west coast, it was the pioneer. The main office is on Haad Yao with two more in Mae Haad and Haad Chao Phao. As a relatively small dive outfit, Haad Yao Divers promises small groups with a maximum of four divers, who enjoy high standards of teaching in a relaxed friendly atmosphere. Courses range from half or full day ‘discover scuba’ experiences, right up to the professional level of Assistant Instructor qualification. Specialities include Nitrox and underwater photographer courses, all of which are conducted in English, Deutsch, Francais or Svenska. Divemasters are also available in all these languages.

Phangan Divers, an SSI Instructor Training Facility and PADI Dive Centre, has been providing a five star service since the early 1990s. Offering courses from entry level through to Instructor and, for the more adventurous divers, Technical Diving, Phangan Divers present new challenges and plenty of excitement for all ages. instruction | day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Situated in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Phangan sits in a prime location for diving and snorkelling and unlike the neighbouring islands, it has a lower volume of tourists. With un-spoilt beaches, breathtaking local reefs and easy access to the diving around Ang Thong Marine National Park, Koh Tao as well as Sail Rock and the Samran Pinnacles. Koh Phangan is an island not to be overlooked.

Haad Yao Divers visit all the local sites, as well as those around the Ang Thong Marine National Park and Sail Rock, which is also offered as a night dive!

186

187

direCtOry

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand directory - koh phangan

Koh Phangan

How to get there

dive facilities

Koh Phangan can be reached indirectly by air, rail and road and directly by sea.

Koh Phangan is becoming an increasingly popular diving destination and there’s a selection of facilities on the island ranging from small dive centres up to 5-star resort operations to meet the growing demand. These are backed up by numerous booking offices, which − although found along the island’s beaches − mainly concentrate along the west coast.

By air: There are no airports on Koh Phangan, but planes fly to neighbouring Koh Samui, providing a relatively comfortable, though indirect, access to the island. Daily domestic flights with Bangkok Airways depart from Krabi, Phuket and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. They also schedule daily flights directly to and from Singapore. Thai Airways International serves Koh Samui from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport. For more information contact Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555. Thai Airways International: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111.

dive trips The price per diver for visiting the local sites is inclusive of all equipment, boat, Divemaster, fruit and soft drinks. Day trips to the further destinations of Ang Thong Marine Park, the Samran Pinnacles and Sail Rock are also all-inclusive and you even get lunch and breakfast! Local dive trips include a number of sites accessed directly off the beach as well as some dived from Longtail boats.

By bus: Daily VIP air-conditioned buses from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal. The journey to Surat Thani takes 12 hours. Buses connect with the Express Boat in Surat Thani, or continue for an extra hour’s journey to join the ferry boat in Donsak. For information contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199, (0)2 435 1200.

Hospitals & recompression chambers The nearest hospitals and recompression chambers are those located on Koh Samui. See page 195 for details. Phangan Medical Center in Ban Tai, to the south of Thong Sala, is run by Bangkok Hospital Samui and is open 24 hours. Tel. +66 (0)75 239599

By boat: Express boats depart five times daily from Surat Thani pier, and there is a passenger ferry (day and night) from Donsak. The journey to Koh Phangan takes two and a half hours. All boats arrive at Thong Sala jetty. Express Boats leave Koh Samui’s Na Thon pier regularly between 07.00hrs and 17.00hrs and arrive at Thong Sala 45 minutes later.

Diving Medicine Hotlines Tel. +66 (0)86 272 4618, (0)81 989 9482.

dive courses

Boats also depart from the pier in Bo Phut and arrive at Haad Rin beach 30 minutes later. Two high speed catamarans depart Koh Samui twice daily (weather permitting). For further more contact Seatran Discovery: Tel. +66 (0)77 246086-8 or Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran: Tel. +66(0)77 247401.

The full range of dive courses is available on the island, up to and including the level of Instructor. There is also a range of technical diver training. On the whole course prices are typical of the area and there are good deals available for group and multiple bookings. Courses are available in a variety of languages.

By train: There are two worthy train services from Bangkok to Surat Thani. The ‘Express’ train, which leaves Bangkok Hua Lumphong Railway Station every hour or so and takes around 12 hours, and the ‘Sprinter’ train, which departs five times daily and takes around nine hours. For further information regarding train services, contact Hua Lumphong Railway Station: Tel. +66 (0)2 223 7010.

For more information on Koh Phangan contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)77 281828. Sail Rock

Where to eat Aside from all the eateries and bustling activity found at the two Haad Rin beaches, the majority of the island’s resorts have their own restaurants. Most have a good selection of dishes following Thai and European recipes, and of course there’s always the delicious local seafood. For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOd thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com 188

PG 189

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh samui

Koh Samui

1

diving around Koh samui

2

There are several enjoyable dives to be had around Koh Samui itself, all but one of which are reached by 10-90 minutes boat trips. However, the best sites are further north, requiring boat trips. More experienced divers can enjoy exciting and exhilarating deep wall-dives; divers of all levels can enjoy a variety of fringing reefs.

1

3

5 6 4

samran Pinnacles

Location: About 19km north of Koh Phangan. depth: Average 18m / Maximum 28m Pelagic enthusiasts will find this site terrific, as you encounter school after school of great barracuda, threadfin trevally, bigeyed jacks, Spanish mackerel and dog-faced tuna. There are three main pinnacles – the top of the tallest is 12m below the surface – plus a mountainous terrain of scattered rocks large enough to swim around and explore. The larger of these rocks are obscured by healthy masses of soft corals, featuring shimmering whites, reds, oranges and yellows. Marine life around the pinnacles consists mainly of honeycomb groupers, juvenile morays and schooling bannerfish. Large red and white snappers and fusiliers wander in the deeper waters.

2

sail rock

Location: 8km east of the Samran Pinnacles. depth: Average 22m / Maximum 34m This site is probably the finest in the Gulf of Thailand. It is a walldive surrounded by a number of smaller but still impressive pinnacles. On the northern wall; at a depth of 16m, is a great example of a Neptune barrel sponge. This impressive section of the wall is also heavily encrusted with orange sponges; many oysters and clams cling to the craggy surface. The fabulous beaches of Koh Samui have been attracting visitors for decades. The island – the third largest in Thailand – is now firmly on the international tourist map. Covering 247 sq km, the island lies 35km off the coast of Surat Thani. Koh Samui’s central region, comprising almost two-thirds of the island, consists of thickly wooded mountainous terrain, with coconut palms interspersed by gushing streams and waterfalls. Finding somewhere to stay on the island couldn’t be easier and you don’t have to look far to find luxury hotels, boutique resorts, villas and natural spas; unexpectedly most are reasonably priced. There’s also all manner of major retail chains and fast food outlets nestled under a blaze of neon signs. Thankfully, that’s not the case all around the island. In a nutshell, these changes have transformed Koh Samui from what was once a ‘backpacker haven’ to a ‘family friendly’ resort island. 190

The southeast face has a natural chimney eroded into the rock. You enter a wide orifice at 18m and ascend the chimney to come out at 10m. Poisonous bearded scorpionfish and sea urchins abound, so dive slowly and carefully, and pay special attention to your buoyancy! Next to the chimney lies an elevated plateau busy with many forms of marine life. There are gardens of sea anemones tenanted by pink anemonefish. Winding yellow margined morays explore the holes and crevices, while cleaner and painted shrimp, along with medium-sized reef crabs, remain in their shelters. At the eastern end of the wall you can often see great barracuda – occasionally 3m long – patrolling the depths. Schools of big-eye jacks, tuna and rainbow runners mingle with threadfin trevally in the shallower waters. Whale sharks are often spotted here. 191

dive sites

Koh Samui 3

Matlang island

Location: Off Chaweng Beach’s northern apex. depth: Average 8m / Maximum 9m The reef-flat is built up mainly of table staghorns, interspersed with gardens of sea anemones. The waters above these structures provide some enjoyable snorkelling. The dive continues along a shallow, sloping reef consisting mainly of elkhorn, vase and foliaceous corals. Small rocks play both anchor and host to numerous gorgonian sea fans and whips. The marine life is sporadic but, at the eastern point of the reef, you can occasionally see black-tip reef sharks passing by.

4

Chaweng reef

Location: Towards the northern end of Chaweng Beach. depth: Average 5m / Maximum 7m A very simple, shallow dive and the only one on the island that is accessed directly from the beach. The reef-flat is popular with snorkellers as there is plenty to see. The corals have sustained slight damage from boats and siltation, but are still fairly healthy. Parrotfish, wrasse and groupers are all common residents, with the larger specimens being more apparent towards the northern end of the reef.

5

Hin Nippon – Japanese rock

6

Koh Wao

Location: Northernmost point of the Ang Thong Marine National Park. depth: Average 12m / Maximum 30m Many large fallen rocks and boulders form alleyways for adventurous swim-throughs. Closer inspection reveals a diversity of invertebrates and crustaceans. The rocks are dominated by a gradually sloping reef of healthy coral laminates. Jacks, tuna and juvenile yellowtail barracuda are familiar passers-by.

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

dive CeNtres Koh Samui

samui international diving school Chaweng Beach tel. +66 (0)77 413049-50 Fax. +66 (0)77 231242 e. [email protected] w. www.planet-scuba.net Established back in 1982, Samui International Diving School (incorporating Planet Scuba), has over 20 years experience in scuba diver education and dive tours in Thailand. They operate a chain of full service dive centres on Koh Samui offering personal attention, high quality dive tours, professional education and an extensive range of retail products. Whatever your diving needs are the team will do their utmost to ensure you’ll have a diving experience of a lifetime. instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Samui International Diving School were the first in South East Asia to be awarded the prestigious PADI Career Development Center Rating (CDC). The GoPro Entry level to Instructor packages can take participants from being a complete beginner up to a diving professional. They run both daily and overnight tours to all the popular dive destinations ranging from the depths of Sail Rock, frequently home to the illusive whale shark, to the Ang Thong National Marine Park and Koh Tao with their sloping coral reefs and abundance of exotic and colourful marine life.

Location: To the southwest of Hin Nippon depth: Average 6m / Maximum 20m The bottom composition comprises of small mounds of lesser star boulder corals punctuated with plume worms: there are also mixed table staghorns and good examples of cauliflower, lettuce and vase corals. Into the deeper waters, the reef becomes steeper. There are many sea anemones, and pink anemonefish. Among the selection of colourful butterflyfish are raccoon, red-tailed and copperband. Around the island’s northern tip are schools of snappers and fusiliers, and you may be able to watch great barracuda and trevallies patrolling the depths. During January and February this is a good place to observe mating cuttlefish. 192

193

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand directory - koh samui

Koh Samui

How to get there

dive trips

Koh Samui can be reached indirectly by air (Surat Thani airport), rail and road and directly by air and sea.

Dive trips run on a daily basis and 2-day/1-night excursions to Koh Tao are available. All trips come complete with transfers between the dive boat and resort, light refreshments, fruit and drinks throughout the trip, lunch, Divemaster(s) services, all equipment and two full tanks.

By air: Daily domestic flights with Bangkok Airways depart from Krabi, Phuket and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. They also schedule daily flights directly to and from Singapore. Thai Airways International serves Koh Samui from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport. For more information contact Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555. Thai Airways International: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111.

Included in Koh Tao trips are all meals and accommodation on the island. Snorkellers and non-divers are welcome on any of the scheduled dive trips – equipment and instruction available. Many dive boats carry fresh water for rinsing diving and photographic equipment. Most have toilets and a sheltered area away from the sun.

By bus: VIP air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal daily. The journey to Surat Thani takes 12 hours. Buses connect with boats services as described below. For further information on buses contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199, (0)2 435 1200.

Hospitals

There are four hospitals on Koh Samui. The better two are listed here. the Bangkok samui Hospital just outside Chaweng Beach. Tel. +66 (0)77 429500

By boat: Express boats depart five times daily from Surat Thani pier for the two and a half hour journey to Na Thon on Koh Samui. Car and passenger ferries depart every half hour from Donsak, east of Surat Thani town, and take 90 minutes to the piers at Ban Na Sai and Na Thon. Both are met by local transfer buses. From Koh Phangan to Koh Samui there are regular Express Boat and speedboat services from Thong Sala and Haad Rin Beach, and two high speed catamarans from Thong Sala twice daily.

samui international Hospital on Chaweng Beach Tel. +66(0)77 230781-2

recompression chambers Badalveda diving Medicine Network in Bangkok Samui Hospital Diving Medicine Hotlines Tel. +66 (0)86 272 4618, (0)81 989 9482 e. [email protected], w. www.badalveda.com

By train: There are two main train services from Bangkok to Surat Thani. The ‘Express’ train leaves Bangkok Hua Lumphong Railway Station every hour or so and takes around 12 hours. The ‘Sprinter’ train departs five times daily and takes around nine hours. For further information regarding train services contact Hua Lumphong Railway Station: Tel. +66 (0)2 223 7010.

Hyperbaric services of thailand on Big Buddha Beach Tel. +66 (0)77 427427.

dive courses Courses for the complete beginner are very popular here and there is a good selection of suitable locations for that first experience of breathing underwater. Courses are available right up to professional qualifications. All the instruction on the island is taught by qualified instructors following BSAC, CMAS, PADI and SSI diver training programs.

Where to eat There are hundreds of restaurants on the island, mostly around the beaches. Chaweng has a selection of International restaurants as does Lamai. Service can be slow but the food is good and reasonably priced. Koh Samui is particularly noted for its delicious seafood and creamy coconut dishes. Resorts also have their own restaurants and many are worth a visit. For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOd thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com

PG

On the whole, course prices on the island remain relatively stable. Due to the location of the better dive sites, courses are slightly more expensive here than they are on the two neighbouring islands, but most people are happy to pay extra to stay on the more comfortable and lively island of Koh Samui.

dive facilities Koh Samui has a selection of dive operators. Most provide diving education in some form or another. 194

For more information on Koh Samui contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)77 281828. 195

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - pattaya

Pattaya

1 3 4

2

1

Koh Luam

2

HtMs Kut 731 wreck

Location: Around the southern headland of the island. depth: Average 10m / Maximum 18m The reef − fairly typical of the area − is frequently punctuated by sponge-encrusted rocks and large mounds of lesser and greater star corals, occasionally split by clusters of smaller, less hardy corals. The hard corals tend to dominate the shallower waters: coral laminates form terraces that descend to deeper-water areas where long, spiralling sea whips are embedded among larger rocks.

5

6

7

Location: 300m off the northeast apex of Koh Sak. depth: Average 26m / Maximum 31m 56m former USS LSM-333 Landing craft sunk during September 2006 by the Royal Thai Navy. The ship has been cleared of all explosives and ammunition and there is plenty of natural light penetrating the structure. The top of the wheelhouse on this upright wreck is at 14m. The bridge and radio room still have the captain’s chair and instrumentation. Both the engines have been removed but entry to the engine room is through a large hole cut in the centre of the deck.

3 8 10 9

11

12 13

Some 145km (90 miles) southeast of Bangkok, the bustling metropolis that is Pattaya City shot up during the past 35 years, having started primarily as a vast recreational complex catering for the US Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. Growing demands for accommodation were met by the construction of guesthouses, which quickly grew into hotels and then resort complexes. Local fishermen sold fish to the numerous new restaurants, and increased their income by offering fishing trips to tourists.

HtMs Khram wreck

Location: 300m off the southeast apex of Koh Phai. depth: Average 24m / Maximum 30m This 90m LSM-1 Class landing ship was sunk on the 1st February 2003. It has been cleared of all explosives and ammunition; there is also plenty of natural light penetrating the structure. The bridge of this upright wreck is reached in a depth of 15m and affords an unchallenging entry. The port and starboard sides provide interesting passageways in which to explore. Although the engines have been removed the dials, gauges and pipes all remain in the engine room. Pattaya bay

In due course, Pattaya became the massive entertainment centre it is today: quite literally, whatever people want, by day or night, Pattaya has it!

diving around Pattaya

The local diving served by Pattaya is concentrated around two areas: the aptly named Near and Far Islands, and the group of islands accessed from Samaesan 50km south. Local diving operators use the Near Islands for training and, more significantly, for night-diving. The Far Island sites offer much better diving conditions. Pattaya also offers wreck diving. 196

197

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - pattaya

Pattaya 4

Koh Klung Baden – west reef

5

Koh Man Wichai – east reef

Location: About 5km south of Koh Hu Chang. depth: Average 8m / Maximum 12m Numerous mounds and heads of coral abound, notably staghorn, as well as coral laminates. This is a very good location for snorkelling. To the northwest the reef becomes a relatively shallow fringing reef whose flat and slope consist mainly of rocks and sponges. Compressed barrel sponges shelter small crustaceans and invertebrates. The fish life at this site is reasonable with numbers and varieties of chromis, basslet, blenny, gobies and bannerfish, plus a few resident bicolour parrotfish and wrasse. Location: About 2km south of Koh Klung Baden. depth: Average 12m / Maximum 15m The sea-bed is littered with numerous clumps and mounds of smooth porite corals. Most of the corals are in large patches, not fringing reefs, as with most of this area’s sites. The water deepens towards the south; an elongated plateau is covered in gardens of sea anemones, together with their abundant symbiotes: Three-spot dascyllus and pink anemonefish. The waters are good for snorkellers.

6

Koh rin Bay

Location: About 1km southwest of Hin Khao. depth: Average 7m / Maximum 14m A steadily sloping reef, consisting of fallen rocks covered with a few foliaceous corals, falls dramatically to the north in the south east bay. A higher percentage of corals slowly begin to dominate the rocks to a depth of 12m, where you find sea whips and black coral bushes.

8

Hardeep (or suddhadib) wreck

Location: Off the south headland of Koh Samaesan. depth: Average 28m / Maximum 32m This wreck is believed to be of an Indonesian steamship requisitioned by the Japanese during World War II and sunk by Allied bombing in 1942. The recommended (and often only) way to dive the Hardeep is to descend down a mooring line directly onto the structure; free descents are not advised. When currents are stronger you might limit exploration to the wreck’s leeward side. The ship’s structures are radiantly coloured by a multitude of soft corals, encrusting sponges, sea whips and white bushes of stinging hydroids. Associated reef inhabitants are also plentiful. As you arrive, moorish idols, fusiliers and snappers often shy away into the darker recesses. This wreck can be penetrated, although a number of snagged nets restrict some passageways and caution is required. Many of the steel plates, doors and portholes remain in place, and the engine is intact.

9

Koh rong Khon

Location: Off the northeast tip of east of Koh Chuang. depth: Average 9m / Maximum 60m When entering the water in an incoming tide start at the southern end of the rocks and drift in the current along the length of the two islands. When reaching the northern end follow the rocks around to the other side and into calmer waters. The northern tip of these islands is very deep and is popular with Tech divers. Xeno crab on a whip coral

The diversity of marine life is above average for the area, with many examples of harlequin sweetlips, snappers, squirrelfish and lionfish. Communities of magnificent sea anemones, three-spot dascyllus, basslets and chromis are restricted to the rocky ledges. Neptune barrel sponges lodge among the crevices and are inhabited by moray eels and a range of invertebrates. The shallow bay is ideal for snorkelling.

7

Petchbury Bremen wreck

Location: Between Koh Khram Yai and Sattahip. depth: Average: 19m / Maximum 24m This 60m steel freighter sank during the 1930s, and has settled upright on the sandy sea-bed; its highest point is just under 17m below the surface. Almost totally encrusted with marine growth, this wreck has now become an impressive artificial reef. Soft corals add a colourful frame around the eroding structures and portholes. You can still see, around the wreck, the forms of multiple pulley systems and broken parts of heavy machinery – there’s even a bathtub! 198

199

dive sites

Pattaya 10

shark Fin rock

Location: Approx 2km to the west of Koh Rong Khon. depth: Average 15m / Maximum 28m Although on first sight this looks to be a very small dive site, it is in fact a large reef. The main attraction is the southeastern side which features a 16m wall that almost breaks the surface. The northwestern reef features areas of staghorn and brain corals, barrel sponges and sea anemones. The northeastern side has a single rock formation that is vertical on the west and has a large sand bank sliding down to 25m, this is home to some large black-spotted stingrays. Marine life is plentiful and varied.

11

Koh Chuang

Location: Around 8km south of Samaesan. depth: Average 6m / Maximum 14m Koh Chuang offers several shallow dive sites and is an ideal training site for beginner divers. Follow the fringing coral reef down to a sandy bottom with sporadic patches of corals. Common encounters include turtles rays, moral eels as well as fusiliers, angel and butterflyfish.

12

Koh Chan

Location: Directly east of Koh Chan depth: Average 12m / Maximum 25m The southernmost tip of the island features huge fallen rocks and is a great place for snorkellers to explore - it’s not uncommon to see small black-tip reef sharks in the shallow waters. For divers, the preferred place is along the reefs following along the southeast section of the island. Upon reaching the bottom, head south into the deeper waters where large rocks are covered with a selection of soft and hard corals − including sea fans and sea whips. Blue spotted stingrays, lionfish and schools of yellowtail fusiliers can be seen here.

13

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

dive CeNtres Pattaya

aquanauts dive centre Pattaya tel. +66 (0)38 361724, e. [email protected] w. www.aquanautsdive.com, www.divingInstructortraining.com instruction | day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation From fun diving to PADI instructor training to technical diving, Aquanauts Dive Centre is Pattaya’s most-complete scuba diving centre. A PAdi 5-star Career development Center, Aquanauts has been training divers for 13 years. British-owned and operated, Aquanauts offers all PADI courses from novice to professional, including full technical dive instructor courses. They also operate the area’s largest and most-modern dive boat offering all-day dive excursions daily to Pattaya’s Near and Far Islands and all the area’s shipwrecks. Led by two PADI Course Directors, Aquanauts is one of Thailand’s most-active Instructor and Divemaster training centres. Both individual courses and all-inclusive, 2-6 month internships are available. The latter includes unlimited diving, full accommodation, a set of new equipment, all courses, manuals, certification fees and full job placement from their exclusive Jobs4Divers.com job placement service. Finally, Aquanauts is the area’s leader for tech diving, offering novice to instructor courses in technical diving, tri-mix and both semi-closed and fully-closed rebreathers. The tech programme is backed by a state-of-the-art workshop with on-demand nitrox/tri-mix blending and certified Mares and Scubapro technicians.

Koh Chuang Bay

Location: Around the southernmost tip of Koh Chuang. depth: Average 9m / Maximum 24m Both hard and soft coral formations are abundant in the shallows. There is one large rock in the centre of the bay in 14m. A deeper 24m is encountered around the rocky outcrops at the east and western extremities of the bay. These deeper areas are subject to fast tidal flows which make ideal places to observe fish feeding action. Large numbers of blue-ringed angelfish are another attraction of this enjoyable site. 200

201

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

Pattaya

direCtOry Pattaya

pattaya dive centre

How to get there It’s possible to access the Pattaya area by air, road and rail; air and road are the better options.

Pattaya tel/fax. +66 (0)38 710918

By air: Pattaya is best served by Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Journey time to central Pattaya by road is between one-two hours. The three main carriers are: Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555. Nok Air: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955. Thai Airways International: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111. There is also an airport at U-Tapao served by Bangkok Airways.

e. [email protected] w. www.divecentrepattaya.com instruction | day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental retail | snorkelling | Accommodation Pattaya Dive Centre, a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center, is right on the beachfront road, and it’s not just the location that’s the best in Pattaya.

By bus: Air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok every 30 minutes from the Eastern Bus Terminal. The journey takes just under three hours. From Pattaya bus terminal to the city centre and Jomtien, take one of the local taxi-buses from the terminal. For more information contact Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 391 2504, (0)2 391 4900.

They stock and sell all the best brand names in diving equipment, including Mares, Ocean Dynamics, Sunnto dive computers, Coltri-Sub compressors and a comprehensive range of PADI training materials; in fact they’re the main distributor in the area and welcome trade enquires! And, of course, they teach PADI too.

Where to eat While the majority of Pattaya’s hotels have good restaurants, the general trend is to eat out. Locals claim that it’s possible to eat in a different restaurant every night of the year and still miss some!

For qualified divers, Pattaya Dive Centre schedule daily dive trips to all the Pattaya and Samesan prime dive sites and wrecks. PDC owns and operates the only fast catamaran dive boat, purpose built to international standards, leaving at 09:00 everyday. Whatever your diving needs, Pattaya Dive Centre can fulfill them, so next time you’re in the area, why not drop in to Pattaya’s most complete and friendly dive centre and say hello.

The range of eateries is vast; all the well known fast food establishments have premises here. There’s also a good selection of economical restaurants with plenty of Pizza parlours, steak houses, brasseries, bistros and bakeries. Upmarket restaurants are also countless, with menus from virtually every country in the world. Local fare is also well represented with specialities including extravagant lobster dishes and hot and spicy dry curries, originating from Laos. A similar scenario exists along Jomtien Beach.

PG

For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOd thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com

dive facilities While the diving is divided into two main areas, the operators are based in Pattaya and Jomtien, and there’s a variety to choose from. Services range from small booking kiosks in the street up to multi-lingual 5-Star facilities and training centres. A few of the more established centres maintain a healthy retail selection.

dive trips Dive trips are scheduled on a daily basis and are particularly popular during the weekends, when you will see a quite a few dive boats heading out to sea. 202

203

direCtOry

Pattaya

Trips are all-day affairs which depart in the morning and return in the late afternoon, they include transfers to and from the dive boat, two dives and lunch onboard. For the trips to the southern sites divers are transferred to the fishing village of Samaesan by local bus where they join the dive boats at one of the jetties. There are also occasional overnight trips to the sites around Koh Chang.

Hospitals

There are three main hospitals that serve the area. Two are in the city centre, the other is slightly north of the town on the main route (Sukhumvit Road) to Bangkok. Bangkok Pattaya Hospital on Sukhumvit Road 24 Hr Contacts Centre: Within Thailand, Tel. 1719; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)38 259999 Pattaya international Hospital on Beach Road 24 Hr Emergency contact: Tel. +66 (0)38 428374 Pattaya Memorial Hospital on Central Road Tel. +66 (0)38 429422-4

recompression chambers

The nearest chamber is part of the Badalveda diving Medicine Network and is located in the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. Diving Medicine Hotlines +66 (0)81 989 9482, (0)86 272 4618 e. [email protected], w. www.badalveda.com

dive courses PADI and NAUI recreational and IANTD diving courses are offered in a variety of languages. Prices can vary between agencies and individual operators. Diving Internships are big news in Pattaya and Jomtien, where individuals get the chance to go from complete beginner to the professional level of diving Instructor or Divemaster over a defined period of time. These all-in packages can include all training, materials, equipment and accommodation. Aside from the recreational dive training, technical training is a big thing here. There is also an Association of Scuba Service Engineers and Technicians (ASSET) training centre in Jomtien for those wishing to become dive industry technicians, or increase their current level of qualification. For more information on Pattaya contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)38 427667. 204

see listing on Page 215

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh chang

Koh Chang

The islands amenities mainly focus around the perimeter, particularly the larger beaches which are all easily accessed by road. Getting around the island is simple as there are plenty of pickup trucks and taxis, as well as minibuses travelling to and from Trat airport. There are also tourist amenities and accommodation on the island of Koh Mak.

diving around Koh Chang

The diving here still has an exciting exploratory feel to it and, as they’re spread over a large area, the sites are uncrowded. Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park has a large selection of healthy fringing reefs, pinnacles and walls, as well as several very enjoyable snorkelling sites.

1

2 3 4 5

6

In general, visibility averages around 10m, although it can be in excess of 20m, especially at the sites further south. Marine life is also more prolific in these areas. There are plenty of colourful reef-dwellers, from minute invertebrates up to giant clams. The waters also attract many large pelagics, rays and – quite regularly – whale sharks.

1 9

8

7 10

11

Hin saam sao

Location: About 1km west of Chai Chet. depth: Average 10m / Maximum 16m Off the northwest coast of Koh Chang, this dive site has some nice corals and rich fish life, but sometimes has poor visibility due of its close proximity to land. One side of the reef was destroyed by dynamite but it is recovering nicely. Pipefish

Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park

In the country’s easternmost province of Trat, the Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park comprises 52 islands scattered along the coastline close to the Camodian border. Established in 1982, it covers just over 650 sq km and is one of Thailand’s least visited national parks. Koh Chang is the second largest island in Thailand, with a footprint covering 240 sq. km. Blanketed in almost impenetrable virgin rainforest, the hilly interior rises to a peak at Khao Join Prasat, which climbs to reach 744m as it dominates the centre of the island. Although wildlife is sparse, there are wild boars, hornbills, parrots and sunbirds − all of which can be seen in the forest. Many of the island’s inhabitants still make their living from fishing, although tourism is increasingly making its mark. Nowadays quite a few of the once-familiar small resorts of bungalows and bamboo huts are being replaced, or joined, by high-end hotels, resorts and spas. 206

207

dive sites

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive sites - koh chang

Koh Chang 2

Hin Luk Bat

Location: Around 3km southwest of Koh Chang. depth: Average 11m / Maximum 18m This is one of the prime dive sites around Koh Chang. The dive is around a pinnacle that acts as refuge to plenty of schooling fish, making it enjoyable for snorkellers too. The steeply sloping walls feature numerous barrel sponges and shelves of relatively healthy soft corals, colour is added by large areas of Christmas tree worms. The pinnacle itself is surrounded by huge boulders that offer great swim-throughs. In the deeper waters are crown of thorn starfish, bushy black corals, sea whips and small gorgonian sea fans. The plankton-enriched waters afford a good diversity of marine life, including angelfish, bannerfish, butterflyfish, fusiliers, groupers, parrotfish, snappers, morays, stingrays, and barracuda. This is also a good site for night diving.

3

Hin rua tek

Location: 3km south of koh Chang. depth: Average 10m / Maximum 20m This rocky dive site, also referred to as Banana Rock, is in nice surroundings, which also makes it a popular snorkelling destination. Many crevices shelter small critters such as shrimps, lobsters and nudibranchs. Although corals are not in abundance there is a good variety including large tables of staghorns, gorgonian sea fans, soft corals and sponges.

4

Blueberry Hill

Location: Around 5km south of Koh Chang. depth: Average 10m / Maximum 16m This site is best described as a bare rock full of fish, although the south side does have corals! However, this is a great

place for spotting nudibranchs, batfish, groupers, stingrays and morays making it well worth visiting.

5

Hin rap

Location: Around 300m south of Blueberry Hill. depth: Average 11m / Maximum 16m This site can be divided into two dives. The first is around the rock, and is a good place to spot turtles, batfish, stonefish, porcupine fish, stingrays, and morays amongst both hard and soft corals. Away from the reef barracudas frequently pass by. The second, northern section is a bit deeper and displays more corals along with a lovely small canyon. Fish life in evidence includes anemonefish, angelfish, groupers, parrotfish and triggerfish. Rays and morays are also regular encounters as is the occasional turtle. The waters here are more often than not very clear and are popular with snorkellers.

6

Koh Wai

Location: Immediately east of Koh Khlum. depth: Average 9m / Maximum 20m This is a nice shallow fringing reef, consisting of mainly hard corals with soft corals along the deeper part of the reef-slope. The best features are at depths shallower than 12m, making the site suitable for the less experienced. The shallower parts of the reef are characterised by a plentiful range of reef-fish and small invertebrates. An attraction of the deeper waters is that you may be lucky enough to spot a leopard shark or a stingray on the sandy bottom. Being reasonably sheltered, this is a fine site for night diving.

Koh Chang west coast

208

209

dive sites

Koh Chang 7

Koh Kra

Location: Off the northeast shore of Koh Rang Yai. depth: Average 7m / Maximum 12m Although snorkelling is the major appeal here, these islands also offer some beautiful diving. The rocks are pitted with numerous crevasses rich in marine life, and the corals are very healthy and varied, including big tables of staghorn corals co-existing with anemones of all sizes and colours. Further down, on the sandy bottom, you should be able to spot a blue-spotted ribbontail and blotched rays idling.

8

Koh tien West

Location: Off the northwest coast of Koh Rang. depth: Average 10m / Maximum 16m On the south side of the island is an enormous staghorn coral formation well worth exploring, as many fish shelter amongst the sharp coral branches. Also a great snorkelling site.

9

Koh rang Pinnacles

10

Koh yak and Koh Laun

11

Hin Kuak Ma

Location: West of Koh Tien West. depth: Average 15m / Maximum 30m A great multi-level site and a strong favourite with underwater photographers. Of the two main pinnacles, one is at 12m, the other at 5m; the seabed between them is at 21m. There is a good shelf of coral on the deeper pinnacle, at about 15m. The site’s western side consists of coral drop-offs. Parrotfish are plentiful and reef sharks are often spotted. Smaller bluespotted ribbontail rays are on view at about 12m. Pelagics often intrude into the surrounding waters, most of which are barracuda, but there are also cobias.

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

dive CeNtres Koh Chang

kalypso Bang Bao tel. +66 (0)39 558134 Hotline. +66 (0)80 077 7830 e. [email protected] w. www.divessiclub.com instruction | day trips | Nitrox | tec diving | retail internships | snorkelling Kalypso welcomes you as the first SSI Instructor Trainer Center on the beautiful island of Koh Chang. This ECO-friendly Dive Club is situated in Bang Bao near the end of the pier. With an in-house Course Director they are the only dive centre on the island that can offer instructor courses all year round. Together with the multilingual and well-qualified team, Kalypso SSI Dive Club stands for first class service and state of the art facilities. All diving courses and diving and snorkelling trips are conducted on a choice of either a large dive boat complete with sundeck, shower and toilet or luxury speedboat and include full insurance and complementary pick-up service from anywhere on the island. Besides all the SSI courses, Kalypso can offer courses from SDI, TDI and PADI as well.

Location: About 1 km to the east of Koh Rang. depth: Average 8m / Maximum 12m These small islands are fringed with a very beautiful coral reef, with a rich diversity of marine life. Both islands are small enough to dive around, and due to the shallow depths there should be enough time to explore them in detail. Location: About 1km east Koh Yak and Koh Laun. depth: Average 10m / Maximum 16m This is one of the best dives in this area. The south side of the site is a rocky wall, where it is good to spot a variety of marine life such as eels, nudibranchs and stonefish. The opposite side of the rock is a slope, covered in coral, and with an abundance of fish. Amongst the common residents of reef fishes, blue-spotted ribbontail rays and morays are occasionally encountered, along with bamboo sharks and turtles. The waters around this site, also referred to as Three Finger Rock, are good for snorkelling. 210

211

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh chang

Koh Chang

dolphin divers Klong Prao

koh chang dive supply Pearl Beach

dive Centre tel/fax. +66 (0)39 557030 Hotline (english, French) tel. +66 (0)87 028 1627 w. www.scubadivingkohchang.com instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Gear rental | retail snorkelling | Accommodation Swiss owned and managed, Dolphin Divers has been operating on the island for over 5 years and is a professionally run dive centre and school concentrating on offering a personalised service. Being a PADI dive centre it offers the full range of diving courses from beginner to instructor level, as well as providing fun diving to all the best local spots. All the courses are conducted by a strong team of multilingual instructors and the fun dives are guided by qualified PADI Dive Masters. The centre’s equipment is regularly serviced and is replaced on a yearly basis to ensure a high level of comfort and safety. Dolphin Divers prides itself on providing personal attention to all its guests. Groups are kept small to provide individual service and attention to detail. Dolphin also has a centre at the Amari Emerald Cove Resort, also on Klong Prao Beach.

212

tel. +66 (0)39 551518, Fax. +66 (0)39 551519 e. [email protected] w. www.kohchangdivesupply.com dive and snorkel equipment sales and service This is the main wholesale and retail outlet for all kinds of diving and snorkelling equipment on Thailand’s eastern seaboard, stretching from Pattaya to Koh Chang into Cambodia. Koh Chang Dive Supply offers and stocks a wide variety of major brand names including Bauer, Deep Blue, Luxfer, PADI, Pelican, Saekodive, Scubapro, Seac Sub, Suunto, Trident and many more, ensuring that customers have a really good choice. With experience and qualifications, they also provide a repair and service centre for all types and brands of dive equipment.

213

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh chang

Koh Chang

scuba-evolution

the dive adventure White Sand Beach

Bang Bao

tel. +66 (0)87 926 4973 e. [email protected]

tel. +66 (0)39 558134 Hotline. +66 (0)85 279 7627 e. [email protected] w. www.thedivekochang.com

w. www.scuba-evolution.com, www.tecevolution.com instruction | day trips | Liveaboard | Nitrox Gear rental | retail | snorkelling | Accommodation English owned and operated Scuba-evolution has evolved from Tecevolution and is now based on the island of Koh Chang, offering everything from snorkelling to rebreather diving. PADI and TDI courses run throughout the year with a 100% safety record around fantastic corals and wrecks. The standard of the boat and all equipment are high, the latter being replaced every 12 months. The dive boat, M/V Evolution has two spacious decks offering a huge kitting up area and massive platform for easy entries. Different dive sites are visited everyday to suit beginner to advanced divers. Breakfast is served on the comfortable upper deck and a lunch of Thai and western food between dives. Free soft drinks are available all day long. There are three centres on the island; White Sand Beach, Kai Bae and Lonely Beach, each packed full of equipment for snorkellers to tec-divers. Scuba-evolution is also the island’s main suppliers of Apeks, Beuchat, Mares, Technisub, Ripcurl and Ocean Dynamics brand names.

instruction | day trips | internships | Nitrox | tec diving Gear rental | retail | snorkelling | Accommodation The Dive Adventure is a PADI 5 star Instructor Development Center located in Bang Bao at the beginning of the pier. The highly experienced multilingual team offers dive courses and guidance in your own language. The number of students per class is limited so individual guidance and professionalism is guaranteed. The dive school has air-conditioned classrooms and a large training pool. Recreational courses are offered as are IDC’s and internship packages. All diving courses, daily diving and snorkelling are conducted on a choice of either a large dive boat complete with sundeck, shower and toilet or luxury speedboat and include full insurance and complementary pick-up service from your hotel or resort. Tailor-made diving packages and trips are available for groups and companies. photo © Oakleydiver.com

214

215

dive CeNtres

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand dive centres - koh chang

Koh Chang

water world diving Chai Chet Bay dive Centre. tel/fax. +66 (0)39 551321 24 hr Hotline. +66(0)81 842 9230 e. [email protected] instruction | day trips | Nitrox | Gear rental | retail snorkelling | Accommodation One of the foremost dive centres on the island, Water World Diving is centrally situated in Koh Chang Plaza in beautiful Chai Chet Bay − often described as the best beach on Koh Chang. The centre offers a good range of dive and snorkelling equipment, including some of the biggest brand names in the industry. PADI dive courses − all readily available, including specialities − are regularly conducted in a variety of languages, and adhere to stringent PADI standards. The centre’s classroom is air-conditioned, as is the centre itself, for maximum comfort. The daily dive and snorkelling trips depart in a fast fully equipped custom built dive boat to all the top sites as well as to a few not normally visited by other centres. To round off their services Water World Diving also provides an accommodation booking service.

216

white sand dive centre White Sand Beach dive Centre. +66 (0)39 551096 Hotline. +66 (0)86 106 5020 (English) +66 (0)85 218 2153 (Thai) e. [email protected], w. www.whitesandsdc.com instruction | day trips | Gear rental snorkelling | Accommodation White Sand Dive Centre offers a comprehensive range of PADI diving courses in a professional yet friendly environment. These run from introductory courses all the way to becoming a PADI professional. Daily dive trips include 2 dives with full equipment, lunch and a qualified PADI Divemaster or Instructor to supervise both in the water and on the boat. The air-conditioned office is conveniently situated in the centre of White Sand Beach, and on the beach at 15 Palms Restaurant and Bar where post diving refreshments can be enjoyed whilst looking back on an enjoyable day out. There is also excellent air-con accommodation and a travel service to take care of leisure and travelling needs. White Sand Dive Centre gives a fun, memorable and stress free holiday.

217

direCtOry

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand directory - koh chang

Koh Chang

How to get there

Nitrox is available for those qualified, and for those not, instruction is available. Night diving is offered, but its best to enquire in advance as timetables vary. Overnight diving safaris to the area are occasionally organized by Pattaya Dive Centre in Pattaya City.

Koh Chang can be reached indirectly by air and road and directly by sea. By air: Bangkok Airways fly to Trat airport on a daily basis, where taxis can be arranged for the transfer to the island. For more information contact Bangkok Airways: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555.

dive courses Dive courses are available in several languages. Full equipment and certification is included in all the course prices. Courses available are non-certification try-out experiences as well as the full range of recreational courses from beginner up to the professional level of instructor are scheduled on a daily basis.

By bus: Air-conditioned buses leave daily from Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal. The journey to Trat Town takes around five hours. On arrival, passengers transfer to the pier as Laem Ngop. For further information contact Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 391 4900.

Hospitals

By boat: Car and passenger ferries depart every 30 minutes from Laem Ngop for the short crossing.

There is one hospital and one international clinic on Koh Chang.

Where to eat

Koh Chang Government Hospital in Ban Dan Mai, on the northern section of the western coast Tel. +66 (0)39 521657, (0)39 586131.

The island’s resorts have their own eating facilities, and most have a good choice of local seafood dishes and a European menu. There are also plenty of independent eateries on all the main beaches and dotted along the roads in-between.

Koh Chang international Clinic on White Sand Beach (associated with the Bangkok Trat Hospital) Tel. +66 (0)39 551151-2, (0)81 863 3609. Bangkok trat Hospital in Trat Town on the mainland 24 Hr Contacts Centre: Within Thailand, Tel. 1719; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)39 532735

One particular place worth checking out is the series of seafood restaurants along the narrow jetty at Bang Bao, here you can pick and choose your menu from what’s on display. For best information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOd thailand − launching first quarter of 2009 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com

dive facilities There’s a good selection of operators, large and small, mainly down the western coastline. Most have associated booking offices and facilities in various resorts and shopping plazas. Testamant to the warm, friendly atmosphere is the high level of repeat business making up a large part of the clientele. Many dive centres also offer a retail selection; if they don’t have an item in stock, they can have it delivered on the same day.

dive trips Dive trips visit all the local sites, either on dedicated dive boats or speedboats. Trips commence in the morning when divers and snorkellers are collected from the various resorts around the island and taken to the awaiting dive boats. Trips return in the afternoon at various times depending on which destination has been visited. 218

recompression chambers

PG

There is a hyperbaric chamber in the Koh Chang Government Hospital, with a trained nurse on standby, but not a qualified doctor. Koh Chang Government Hospital Tel. +66 (0)39 521657, (0)39 586131. The next nearest chamber is located over 160km away in Pattaya’s Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and is part of the Badalveda diving Medicine Network. Bangkok Pattaya Hospital 24 Hr Contacts Centre: Within Thailand, Tel. 1719; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)38 259999 Diving Medicine Hotlines Tel. +66 (0)81 989 9482, +66 (0)86 272 4618 [email protected] | www.badalveda.com

For more information on Koh Chang, contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)38 427662. 219

ALPHABetiCAL iNdex dive Centres All 4 Diving, Phuket ...................................................................................................... 98 Ao Nang Divers, Krabi ............................................................................................... 140 Aqua Vision Dive Center, Krabi ........................................................................... 141 Aquamarine Divers, Phuket ..................................................................................... 99 Aquanauts Dive Center, Pattaya ...................................................................... 201 Big Blue Diving, Khao Lak ....................................................................................... 114 Big Blue Diving Resort, Koh Tao ......................................................................... 174 Blue Planet Divers, Koh Lanta ............................................................................. 162 Buddha View, Koh Tao ............................................................................................. 175 Crystal Dive Resort, Koh Tao ................................................................................. 176 Dive Asia, Phuket .......................................................................................................... 100 Dolphin Divers, Koh Chang ................................................................................. 212 Eden Divers, Phuket ................................................................................................... 1 01 Haad Yao Divers, Koh Phangan ......................................................................... 186 iQ Dive, Khao Lak ......................................................................................................... 115 Kalypso, Koh Chang .................................................................................................. 211 Ko Lanta Diving Center, Koh Lanta ................................................................. 163 Koh Chang Dive Supply, Koh Chang ............................................................. 213 Kontiki Krabi, Krabi ...................................................................................................... 142 Kontiki Lanta, Koh Lanta ......................................................................................... 164 Lanta Diver, Koh Lanta ............................................................................................. 165 Manta Point Dive Center, Krabi .......................................................................... 143 Mermaid Liveaboards, Phuket ............................................................................. 102 Ocean Geo Divers, Phuket ..................................................................................... 103 Palm Beach Divers, Koh Lanta ............................................................................ 166 Pattaya Dive Centre, Pattaya .............................................................................. 202 Phangan Divers, Koh Phangan ........................................................................... 187 Phi Phi Scuba Diving Center, Koh Phi Phi .................................................... 152 Phra Nang Divers, Krabi ........................................................................................... 144 Planet Scuba, Koh Tao .............................................................................................. 177 Princess Divers, Koh Phi Phi .................................................................................. 153 Samui International Diving School, Koh Samui ....................................... 193 Santana Diving & Canoeing, Phuket ............................................................... 104 Scandanavian Divers, Phuket ............................................................................... 105 Scandanavian Divers, Khao Lak .......................................................................... 116 Scuba Cat Diving, Phuket ....................................................................................... 106 Scuba Junction, Koh Tao ........................................................................................ 178 Scuba-evolution, Koh Chang .............................................................................. 214 Sea Bees Diving, Phuket .......................................................................................... 107 Sea Bees Diving, Khao Lak ..................................................................................... 117 Sea Dragon Dive Center, Khao Lak .................................................................. 118 Sea World Dive Team, Phuket ............................................................................. 108 Siam Adventure Divers, Khao Lak .................................................................... 119 Sunrise Diving, Phuket ............................................................................................. 109 The Dive Adventure, Koh Chang ...................................................................... 215 Viking Divers, Koh Phi Phi ....................................................................................... 154 Water World Asia, Phuket ....................................................................................... 110 Water World Diving, Koh Chang ...................................................................... 216 White Sand Dive Centre, Koh Chang ............................................................. 217 220

POCKET GUIDE dive thailand

alphabetical index

destination introductions Chang (Koh) ................................................................................................................... 206 Khao Lak ............................................................................................................................ 113 Krabi ..................................................................................................................................... 135 Lanta (Koh) ...................................................................................................................... 157 Mergui Archipelago ( The)....................................................................................... 131 Pattaya ................................................................................................................................ 196 Phangan (Koh) ............................................................................................................... 181 Phi Phi (Koh) .................................................................................................................... 148 Phuket ................................................................................................................................... 93 Samui (Koh) ..................................................................................................................... 190 Similan Marine National Park (Mu Koh) .......................................................... 122 Surin Marine National Park (Mu Koh) ............................................................... 129 Tao (Koh) ........................................................................................................................... 169

destination directories Chang (Koh) ................................................................................................................... 218 Khao Lak ............................................................................................................................ 120 Krabi ..................................................................................................................................... 145 Lanta (Koh) ...................................................................................................................... 167 Pattaya ............................................................................................................................... 203 Phangan (Koh) ............................................................................................................... 188 Phi Phi (Koh) .................................................................................................................... 155 Phuket ................................................................................................................................ 111 Samui (Koh) ..................................................................................................................... 194 Tao (Koh) ........................................................................................................................... 179

Features About Pocket Guide DIVE Thailand ................................................................... 14 About the author ............................................................................................................ 12 Diving and snorkelling in and around Thailand .......................................... 42 Health and safety for divers ..................................................................................... 32 Introduction to Thailand ............................................................................................. 16 Learning to dive in Thailand .................................................................................... 52 Travelling to and around Thailand ....................................................................... 24

PG 221