Top 3 Local Dive Sites to Explore When Scuba Diving in Phuket

Often called Southeast Asia's Dive Pearl, Phuket is one of the best jumping off points for scuba diving adventures in Thailand. You can choose to join a liveaboard cruise if you want to spend most of your holiday exploring the region’s underwater attractions. Top scuba diving tour operators in Phuket will send you off with PADI-certified professional instructors and divers to make your scuba diving adventures fun and safe. 

There are so many local dive sites to explore in Phuket. Below are just some of them.

1. One of the most popular local dive sites is Racha Noi, which is great for dipping your toes into the many patches of underwater paradise in the Similan Islands. This scuba diving site is known for its colossal granite boulders, highly diverse ocean surface topography, and of course, its rich sea life. Here you will spot tuna, manta rays, jacks, and whales. 

2. Another Phuket scuba diving site you should not miss is Shark Point, which is famous for being home to bamboo sharks as well as leopard sharks. The corals in the area are breathtaking as well. During your dives, you will likely be surrounded by schools of glassfish and spot the usual pufferfish, boxfish, and angelfish. The famous King Cruiser wreck is only a mile from Shark Point.

3. Koh Dok Mai (which means Flower Island in Thai) is another must-see scuba diving attraction in Phuket. It is technically a limestone islet that juts vertically out of the gorgeous sea, perfect for wall dives and practicing penetration techniques. Koh Dok Mai is quite famous with diving enthusiasts because of the diversity and beauty of its walls. If you look hard enough, you will spot yellow tiger-tail seahorses amongst gorgonian sea fans. Can’t see them? Don’t worry—your dive guide will point them out to you, along with other majestic creatures like harlequin ghostpipefish and white-eyed moray eels. Bring your underwater camera because there are lots to photograph here. 

All4Diving Offers Best Scuba Diving Courses in Phuket

Are you looking to take up a scuba diving course during your holiday in Thailand? All4Diving Academy has been a leader in the Phuket diving industry for over two decades. You will feel safe with this company knowing that has made it to the list of the most awarded PADI centers not just in Southeast Asia but also in the world. In fact, this diving school is a PADI 5 Star Career Development Center—the highest distinction given to dive academies.

All4Diving in Phuket provides professional as well as recreational diving education, so you are welcome to enroll no matter what your current skill level is. You will be under the mentorship of friendly PADI Awarded Elite Instructors, so you’re always in good hands.

A quick Google search will reveal that All4Diving Academy has earned hundreds of 5-star reviews from its many satisfied diving students—and it’s easy to see why. The air-conditioned center is well equipped with everything you will need to learn how to dive properly, from spacious classrooms to large private swimming pools designed specifically for training dives. All4Diving also has its own boat named MV Mermaid—and it has already earned a reputation for being the best diving boat in Phuket. MV Mermaid is made of steel and features stabilizing wings that ensure safety and comfort even when the weather goes bad. Aside from this, All4Diving also owns two luxurious liveaboard boats named MV Mermaid I and MV Mermaid II. These liveaboards navigate Indonesian waters and have become crowd favorites in the liveaboard diving community.

Do you need to buy equipment and accessories for snorkeling and diving? All4Diving has a spacious retail shop where you can find whatever you require, and all from top range manufacturers. You will also feel good knowing that you are enrolling in a diving course offered by an environmentally-aware diving academy. All4Diving supports PADI project AWARE, Thailand Authority of Tourism, Shark Guardian, and GoEco Phuket. 

The Breathtaking Scuba Diving Experience in Phuket

Phuket attracts all sorts of divers—from super active families to backpackers to experienced diving enthusiasts. The island is a bustling base for taking PADI courses and is a great jumping off point for diving daytrips as well as liveaboard adventures to the Similan Islands and beyond.

Racha Noi is one of the best of the local dive sites in Phuket. It can give you an impressive taste topography of the Similans and is known for its hard coral formations. The area’s resident manta rays, tuna, and jacks are sure to entertain you.

Shark Point is another excellent site that is alive and truly healthy. Don’t worry—there are no deadly sharks here, only leopard sharks. The real attractions here are the pristine corals. You will also see an abundance of pufferfish, angelfish, and boxfish. Schools of glassfish are a normal sight.

A diving expedition in Phuket won’t be complete without a trip to the King Cruiser passenger ferry. This vessel sank almost 20 years ago without loss of life. It now serves as a shelter for thousands of fish. The wreck is quite deep and the current is mid to strong, so absolute beginner divers might not feel comfortable here. That said, anyone who has logged several dives can enjoy the wreck’s resident mackerel, barracuda, trevally, and much more.

As the gateway to some of Thailand’s best scuba diving spots, Phuket is home to a number of dive shops offering liveaboard diving trips up the west coast to the Andaman Sea. Living on a boat for several days is the most efficient way to truly make the most of your diving holiday in Phuket. It’s more practical than staying in a resort and making do with short day trips. A Similan liveaboard will take you to Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, and Richelieu Rock. You can choose to a package that suits your budget.

Explore and Discover Wonderful Similan Islands with Liveaboard Boats

Similan liveaboards provide an exciting and unique way to explore the stunning underwater world of the Andaman Sea. The duration of these trips range 2 nights to 8 nights, and there are all sorts of packages for all types of budgets. Budding as well as experienced divers always have lots of fun venturing out to the Similan Islands.

A multi-day liveaboard diving trip is often better than a daytrip because it lets you do more dives and cover more areas. You sleep, eat, and basically live on a boat for the duration of the trip which means you don’t have to waste precious hours going back and forth from Phuket. Liveaboard expeditions are perfect for diving enthusiasts looking to get the most of their holiday, as well as beginners who want to get as much diving experience as they can in one trip.

Below are just some of the key benefits of a Similan liveaboard experience:

•              Economical and efficient

•              More dives and more time at dive sites

•              Great way to improve your diving skills fast

•              Great food (and lots of it)

•              Safe diving schedule

•              Option to explore further afield

•              Great way to meet new diver friends from around the world

All transfers, food and accommodation are included in a liveaboard arrangement, so if you do the math, it’s really not that expensive. You will probably spend more if you choose to stay in a hotel in Phuket and go on multiple diving daytrips.

Most Similan liveaboard holidays will take you to Koh Bon, Richelieu Rock, and Koh Tachai. You will get to immerse yourself in all of these stunning dive sites because you don’t have to hurry back to Phuket. Are you disappointed about missing out on Phuket’s nightlife because you’ll be on the water for several days? Don’t worry—nights on the boat are just as fun and social because you are in the company of other avid divers. The glow of the moon and stars is quite breathtaking, too.