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Phuket Diving – A Quick Guide

Phuket is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand and the gateway to the Andaman Sea where some of the world’s finest scuba diving can be found

Similan Islands Reef

Phuket is commonly referred to as Thailand’s jewel in the Andaman Sea – it’s a large island solidly collected to the mainland in the South of Thailand, and ideally positioned for boats to run northwards up the coast to the world famous Similan Islands, and also run southwards to Hin Daeng/Hin Muang and a host of other, lesser-known sites. As such, in terms of convenience, it’s hard to beat – simply jet into Phuket Airport, which is served by many direct international flights and a host of domestic carriers from Bangkok. From there you can arrive at the door of your liveaboard tour operator within a couple of hours.

I’ve been diving with a couple of Phuket dive operators: I did a two day liveaboard with Colona Tours to Hin Daeng/Hin Muang, Shark Point and Koh Bida Nok, and a day trip to Koh Bida with West Coast Divers. Both companies were competent, responsive on email when booking and have a good set-up regarding their boat and scuba gear. [For what it’s worth, I went with Colona as part of an assignment for Asian Diver, and with West Coast Divers as a paying customer]. I didn’t have any complaints about diving with them at all. Usually I do liveaboards running from Khao Lak or from Koh Lanta.

I’ve described the major dive sites accessible from Phuket previously on Divehappy – the Similan Islands to the north and Hin Daeng/Hin Muang, Koh Bida and Koh Haa to the South. There are other sites that Phuket dive boats visit, like Shark Point, the wreck of the King Cruiser, and Koh Racha Noi – these sites are good but not star attractions – the King Cruiser wreck is in a state of collapse and not particularly safe.

Phuket, then, is a gateway to these dive sites and the first choice for many people. However, Phuket’s reputation means that it is probably the most expensive place to visit in Thailand – even more expensive than Bangkok. That has a lot to do with the huge amount of wealthy expats who live there. By European standards, Phuket is still cheap – but compared to the rest of Thailand, and especially if you’re a budget traveller, it’s a lot harder to find real bargains. At least, that’s been my personal experience in the five or so visits I’ve made to Phuket. That doesn’t really matter if you’re only going to Phuket to go scuba diving, where you step off the plane and onto the boat – but if you’re planning to do some diving and have a beach holiday as well, you should check which part of Phuket you’re staying in carefully – and the reputation of your hotel too.

The infrastructure around the mountainous island is well advanced, but roads still twist and turn so that journeys take twice as long. There are few metered taxis in Phuket – you usually need to negotiate every time and prices are expensive compared to elsewhere. Because Phuket is Thailand’s most popular tourist destination, Phuket hotels tend to be on the expensive side too, although there are good cheap options if you look around. Check Agoda for the best hotel deals in Phuket on your particular holiday dates. Read the previous guest reviews carefully.

Moreover, the very popularity of Phuket means that its main beaches like Patong are permanently packed with tourists seeking sun, sea and sleaze. The wild nightlife scene around Patong Beach is all a matter of taste: if it’s what you want, it’s heaven – if you’re looking for peace and quiet, it’s not so good. See this page about the best beaches in Phuket if you’re looking for a more laid back vibe.

While Phuket gives good access to the Similan Islands and Southern Thailand sites like Hin Daeng, you can get to them equally as well from other, cheaper Thailand destinations too. For the Similan Islands, Khao Lak is a great departure point because it’s geographically much nearer the islands themselves, thus making the boat journey there shorter. Khao Lak itself is a small town that has a burgeoning collection of resorts and is generally more peaceful than Phuket. See current Khao Lak hotel availability on Agoda. Getting to Khao Lak is easy – fly into Phuket Airport and take a taxi north to the town. It’s around an hour’s drive – the same time it takes to get to Patong beach in Phuket proper.

Similarly, if you want to explore the Southern Thailand dive sites like Hin Daeng/Hin Muang, Koh Bida Nok and Koh Haa, then going to the islands of Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta is a good alternative. Again, you can fly into Phuket and catch a ferry out to either of these islands. Or you can fly into Krabi airport and get a ferry from there. For Koh Lanta you can get a taxi that uses the car ferries which run each day until late. It’s a bit more hassle to get to than Phuket proper, but the reward is enjoying a much more laid back vibe with less people and less buildings.



Diving And Travel Insurance

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Start Planning Your Thailand Dive Trip Now!

:: Check the availability and pricing of liveaboards in Thailand and book online.


:: Find the cheapest flights to Thailand - Phuket (airport code: HKT) is the nearest airport for diving the Similan Islands. You can get direct international flights to Phuket or go via one of Bangkok's two airports - Suvarnabhumi (BKK), the main airport, or Don Mueang (DMK), the low cost carrier terminal.


:: Make sure you don't forget to bring any of the essentials for your scuba diving trip with our comprehensive Liveaboard Packing List


:: World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.


:: Find available places to stay in Phuket for before and after your liveaboard on Booking.com - usually you can reserve a room with no upfront payment. Pay when you check out. Free cancellations too.


:: Need inspiration? See our Best Places To Dive In Thailand for ideas of where to go and what to do.


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My Recent Dive Trips

  • February 2023: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • December 2022: Raja Ampat liveaboard, Indonesia
  • December 2022: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • August 2022: Komodo liveaboard, Indonesia
  • June 2022: USAT Liberty shipwreck, Bali, Indonesia
  • April 2022: Stonehenge, Koh Lipe, Thailand
  • March 2022: Manta Rays at Koh Bon, Thailand
  • January 2022: Richelieu Rock liveaboard, Thailand
  • March 2021: HTMS Chang and Alahambra Rock liveaboard, Thailand
  • February 2020: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • December 2019: Raja Ampat liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2019: Malapascua, Philippines
  • June 2019: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • April 2019: Tulamben, Bali
  • December 2018: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • December 2018: Anilao, Philippines
  • October 2018: Moalboal, Philippines
  • October 2018: Malapascua, Philippines
  • July 2018: Tulamben, Bali
  • May 2018: Raja Ampat, Indonesia
  • April 2018: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • May 2017: Apo Island and Dumaguete, Philippines
  • April 2017: Tubbataha Reef, Philippines
  • April 2017: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • March 2017: Triton Bay, Indonesia
  • March 2017: Raja Ampat, Indonesia
  • September 2016: Tulamben, Bali at Alba Dive Resort
  • August 2016: Cenderawasih Bay on Damai 1
  • April 2016: Sogod Bay at Sogod Bay Scuba Resort
  • February 2016: Raja Ampat and Banda Islands on Damai 1
  • April 2015: Anilao at Crystal Dive Resort

My Less Recent Dive Trips

  • March 2015: Myanmar and Similan Islands on Thailand Aggressor
  • May 2013: Similan Islands on Thailand Aggressor
  • April 2013: Tubbataha Reef on Discovery Palawan
  • January 2013: Komodo, Indonesia on MSY Damai
  • August 2012: Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia
  • April 2012: Similan Islands and Southern Thailand liveaboard
  • January 2012: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • August 2011: Hanifaru, Maldives
  • June 2011: Tubbataha Liveaboard Hans Christian Andersen
  • April 2011: Similan Islands and Southern Thailand liveaboard
  • April 2011: Carpe Vita Liveaboard, Maldives
  • March 2011: Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
  • December 2010: Menjangan, Bali
  • July 2010: Tofo, Mozambique
  • July 2010: Sardine Run, South Africa
  • May 2010: Sangalaki / Derawan, Tambora
  • March 2010: MV Flying Seahorse, Similan Islands
  • March 2010: MV Orion, Southern Maldives
  • January 2010: Big Blue Explorer, Palau
  • November 2009: MSY Damai, Banda Sea Liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2009: MSY Damai, Komodo Liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2009: MV Orion, Maldives Liveaboard
  • September 2009: MV Scubanet, Koh Losin, Thailand
  • May 2009: MSY Seahorse, Banda Sea liveaboard, Indonesia
  • March 2009: Sachika Liveaboard, Maldives
  • February 2009: Daytrips, Koh Lanta, Thailand
  • January 2009: MV Jazz, Burma (Myanmar) Liveaboard

Back In The Day Bragging Rights Dive Trips

  • November 2008: Borneo Explorer, Visayas Liveaboard
  • September 2008: S/Y Siren, Komodo Liveaboard
  • August 2008: Ocean Rover, Sulawesi Liveaboard
  • August 2008: NAD Lembeh Resort, Indonesia
  • June 2008: Koh Tao
  • March 2008: Maldives, Bandos Island
  • February 2008: MSY Seahorse, Raja Ampat Liveaboard
  • January 2008: MV Jazz, Burma Liveaboard
  • October 2007: Bali Dive Safari
  • September 2007: Davao, Philippines
  • July 2007: Great White Sharks, Rodney Fox Liveaboard
  • June 2007: Big Blue, Palau Liveaboard
  • May 2007: Whale Sharks at Exmouth, Australia
  • April 2007: Borneo Explorer, Tubbataha Reef Liveaboard
  • December 2006: Komodo Dancer, Komodo Liveaboard

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