With vibrant coral reefs, white sand beaches, and a wide range of fish species, Thailand has some of the best scuba diving in all of Asia. Divers travel to Thailand’s Western Gulf islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan all year long to partake in some of the most thrilling diving the country has to offer. What’s not to love about warm waters, frequent whale shark encounters, and picture-perfect scenery?
We have put together the definitive dive guide so you will know when to go and where to dive if you are considering taking a scuba diving holiday to Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. Start preparing for your Thai diving trip by reading on.
What time of year is ideal for island travel?
Any time – basically! An average of about 29C is the normal water temperature around the islands throughout the year. A 3 mm shorty is typically more than enough, although wetsuits are optional but advised to prevent potential jellyfish stings and stay warm on numerous dives. The best time to visit if you want to avoid the occasional shower of rain is between March and June, but do not let that deter you because the rain only lasts for a short while before the sun shines again.
What distinguishes each island?
Each of the three islands has stunning beaches, a buzzing nightlife, and top-notch dive locations. In an ideal world, you would go to all three, but if time is of the essence, you could be forced to pick just one. So that you can choose, below is a brief summary of each.
The largest of the three islands, Koh Samui, even has its own airport, making it simple to begin your holiday right away after getting off the plane. To go to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, however, you must take a ferry to another island. Couples on their honeymoon and tourists looking to unwind and escape a hectic nightlife frequent Koh Samui.
Koh Tao: The smallest of the islands and the best place in all of Thailand for scuba diving, Koh Tao allows you to be within walking distance of all you need but is busier than its neighboring islands. Koh Tao is the place for you if you’re seeking for a vibrant nightlife and less expensive diving.
Koh Phangan: The second-largest of the three islands, Koh Phangan has a few dive schools to pick from (mainly in the north and east of the island), making it the ideal size to be close to everything while still having enough room to explore. Additionally, it provides top-notch yoga instruction, windsurfing courses, and frequent beach and jungle parties.
How to get to the islands
Although Koh Samui has an international airport of its own, most flights from Europe or the United States first stop in Bangkok. The flight to Koh Samui takes just one hour and fifteen minutes from Bangkok. You may take a ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. An alternative is to fly into Surat Thani Airport, then take a bus to the ferry port, where you can take a ferry to any of the three islands.
Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan’s top dive locations
No matter whatever island you choose to visit, you will not be dissatisfied with what you discover underwater because there are several dive locations to explore all throughout the islands. Here is a brief list of our top dive spots on the islands.
The most accessible diving site in the area is Chumphon Pinnacle, which is also often reached by dive boats from Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. Chumphon Pinnacle is the closest dive site to Koh Tao. The submerged pinnacles can be explored at depths between 10 m to 35 m , making this dive location best suited for experienced divers due to strong currents. Batfish, tuna, barracuda, enormous groupers, and, if they’re lucky, a whale shark, are among the fish that divers are likely to see.
White Rock: This dive site, which is south of the instagram-famous Koh Nang Yuan (a group of three small islands connected by strips of white sand and a stunning photo opportunity from the viewpoint), is simple and shallow, making it ideal for both novice and expert divers. White Rock is packed with marine life, with a maximum depth of 22 meters but much to view much shallower as well. In addition to banded sea snakes, butterflyfish, and moray eels (to name a few), turtles are also common in the region.
Sail Rock: Located between Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (somewhat closer to Koh Phangan), Sail Rock is arguably the most well-known diving destination in the area, if not all of Thailand. diving shops from Koh Samui also offer virtually daily trips there. Sail Rock is a diving site you shouldn’t miss if you can only visit one during your trip to Thailand. A submerged pinnacle called Sail Rock rises 8 meters above the water’s surface in the middle of the blue. Here, large schools of barracuda, batfish, trevally, king mackerels, and the occasional grouper may all be seen regularly along with whale sharks. There is enough to see considerably shallower (even snorkeling), and divers of all levels can enjoy this dive location. The greatest depth is approximately 40 m. A vertical tunnel that descends from 5 meters to 18 meters and features small cleaner shrimp living in the wall crevices is the “chimney” of sail rock, which you should not miss.
Southwest Pinnacles, a trio of rock formations that are a lot of fun to dive, is a well-known dive spot southwest of Koh Tao. Between 5 m and 30 m, there is a lot to view, including, to name a few, butterflyfish, blue-spotted stingrays, barracuda, and angelfish. Along with gorgeous, enormous gorgonian fans, black coral is also present in this area. For divers visiting Thailand, this diving spot is a must-see.
Angthong Marine Park: Because the area is protected, the archipelago west of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui is home to some of Thailand’s healthiest reefs and most abundant marine life. Both novice and expert scuba divers have alternatives, and both will probably witness turtles, whale sharks, black coral, gorgonian fans, and a wide variety of schooling and shoaling fish. It is a good idea to let dive schools know you are interested in going to the marine park in advance so they can plan a trip. Dive cruises to the marine park depart from the islands when there is enough demand to fill a boat.
As Member Diving is based on Koh Samui, we advise that You start Your holidays on Koh Samui on one of the nice sandy beaches. Member diving is always able to pick You up wherever You are having Your accommodation – some areas on Koh Samui we need to charge fees for the transfer to the pier – but most closest areas to the pier, we offer a free transfer included.