Thailand is the country in Southeast Asia whose economy relies heavily on tourism. It is bordered by Burma and Laos to the north, by Laos and Cambodia to the east, by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the south, and by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma to the west. Thailand has a great cuisine, fascinating culture, majestic mountains and beautiful beaches all amid its tropical climate. The capital and largest city is Bangkok. The main international airports in Thailand are in Bangkok and Phuket. Smaller International airports are also located at Hat Yai, Krabi, Ko Samui and Chiang Mai. Divers will experience the richness and splendor of the underwater life while diving in Thailand. The country offers many great destinations with more than 200 dive sites featuring amazing diving experiences available for divers of all levels. The most popular dive areas are Khao Lak, Koh Lanta, Phi Phi Islands, Chumphon Province, Koh Samui, Phuket, Krabi, Satun Province, and Similan Islands area. Phuket is located in the heart of the Andaman Sea. The dives are predominantly focused in two main areas of the Racha Islands (Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi), and the more easterly dive sites around Ao Phang Nga, all of which are accessed by boats. Of all the dive sites in the region, the most popular site is located next to the marine sanctuary and is called Shark Point. In Krabi Province, located approximately 960km/600mi south of Bangkok, divers can explore caverns, caves, overhangs, cliffs and pinnacles. The main dive sites in Krabi are Hin Daeng (Red Rock) and Hin Muang (Purple Rock) where large pelagic such as tuna and barracuda, as well as whale sharks, grey reef sharks, and manta rays can be seen. Also Koh Bida Islands are the diving area not to be missed. Located within just a hundred kilometers from Phuket are nine unique granite islands - the Similans. Since 1982 the area is under the supervision of the National Marine Park and is a very busy live-aboard destination. Out of the variety of dive sites in this area, the most popular are Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon, East of Eden, Elephant Head Rock, and some others. The Khao Lak environs offer some splendid offshore diving and snorkeling experiences. Live coral formations can be found just off the coast. There are also a few wreck dives nearby - Boonsung Wreck, Premchai Wreck, Sea Chart Wreck. The Gulf of Thailand area offers many choices for scuba diving near Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Pattaya, Ko Chang destinations. Here the most popular dive sites are Chumpon Pinnacle, Sail Rock, Hardeep Wreck, HTMS Sattakut Wreck, HTMS Chang Shipwreck.
Open Water Courses