Gulf wrecks and the 100 m Samaesan Hole, two hours from Bangkok
26–31°C · 79–88°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftintermediate
Country
Diving in Thailand
16 dive destinations in Thailand, up to 710 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 26–31 °C. All 16 are in season in Jan and Mar–Apr. 132 named dive sites have their own pages.
Similan Islands · photo Reinhard Link
- Destinations
- 16
- Dive sites
- 132
- Water
- 26–31°C
- Most in season
- Jan and Mar–Apr
RegionSoutheast Asia
Where are the dive destinations in Thailand?
- 1Pattaya & the Sattahip WrecksMay–Jul
- 2Koh Chang & Koh RangDec–Apr
- 3Koh Kood & Koh MakNov–Apr
- 4Koh TaoMar–May
- 5Sail RockMar–May
- 6Koh Samui & Koh PhanganJan–Apr
- 7Surin IslandsDec–Apr
- 8Richelieu RockFeb–Apr
- 9Similan IslandsDec–Apr
- 10Khao LakNov–Apr
- 11Phi Phi & the King CruiserNov–Apr
- 12PhuketNov–Apr
- 13Koh Lanta & Koh HaaNov–Apr
- 14Trang IslandsNov–Apr
- 15Hin Daeng & Hin MuangDec–Apr
- 16Koh Lipe & TarutaoFeb–Apr
Numbers match the table below. Land outline: Natural Earth (public domain).
How do they compare?
| # | Destination | Best months | Water | Visibility | Depth | Level | Access | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pattaya & the Sattahip Wrecks | May–Jul | 26–31°C | 1–15 m | 3–100 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 10 |
| 2 | Koh Chang & Koh Rang | Dec–Apr | 28–30°C | 10–15 m | 10–25 m | Beginnersites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat | 8 |
| 3 | Koh Kood & Koh Mak | Nov–Apr | 28–30°C | 5–30 m | 4–20 m | Beginner | Day boat, Shore | 7 |
| 4 | Koh Tao | Mar–May | 27–30°C | 5–20 m | 5–30 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat, Shore | 18 |
| 5 | Sail Rock — Hin Bai | Mar–May | 28–30°C | 1–20 m | 5–35 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 3 |
| 6 | Koh Samui & Koh Phangan | Jan–Apr | 28–30°C | — | to 24 m | Beginnersites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat | 7 |
| 7 | Surin Islands | Dec–Apr | 27–30°C | 5–25 m | 5–30 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat, Liveaboard | 8 |
| 8 | Richelieu Rock | Feb–Apr | 27–30°C | 8–30 m | 5–30 m | Intermediate | Liveaboard, Day boat | 1 |
| 9 | Similan Islands | Dec–Apr | 27–30°C | 20–40 m | 5–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Liveaboard, Day boat | 27 |
| 10 | Khao Lak | Nov–Apr | 26–30°C | 5–15 m | 5–20 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 5 |
| 11 | Phi Phi & the King Cruiser | Nov–Apr | 27–30°C | 1–20 m | 5–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat, Liveaboard | 12 |
| 12 | Phuket — Racha Islands & Local Reefs | Nov–Apr | 27–31°C | 1–25 m | 5–40 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat, Shore | 6 |
| 13 | Koh Lanta & Koh Haa | Nov–Apr | 27–30°C | 15–40 m | 5–20 m | Beginnersites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat | 5 |
| 14 | Trang Islands — Kradan, Mook & Ngai | Nov–Apr | 28–30°C | — | 5–20 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 15 | Hin Daeng & Hin Muang | Dec–Apr | 27–29°C | 5–25 m | 12–30 m | Advanced | Liveaboard, Day boat | 2 |
| 16 | Koh Lipe & Tarutao | Feb–Apr | 27–30°C | 5–20 m | 5–40 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Shore, Day boat, Liveaboard | 9 |
When is the best time to dive Thailand?
The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in Jan and Mar–Apr: 16 of 16. Each row is one destination's own season rating.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pattaya & the Sattahip Wrecks | Good | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Prime | Fair | Good | Fair |
| 2Koh Chang & Koh Rang | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
| 3Koh Kood & Koh Mak | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
| 4Koh Tao | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good |
| 5Sail Rock | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
| 6Koh Samui & Koh Phangan | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
| 7Surin Islands | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime |
| 8Richelieu Rock | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Good |
| 9Similan Islands | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime |
| 10Khao Lak | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Prime | Prime |
| 11Phi Phi & the King Cruiser | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
| 12Phuket | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
| 13Koh Lanta & Koh Haa | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime |
| 14Trang Islands | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Prime | Prime |
| 15Hin Daeng & Hin Muang | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime |
| 16Koh Lipe & Tarutao | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good |
| Good or prime | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 14 |
Which destinations combine into one trip?
Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.
- 11Phi Phi & the King Cruiser
- 12Phuket
- 13Koh Lanta & Koh Haa
- 14Trang Islands
- 15Hin Daeng & Hin Muang
- 16Koh Lipe & Tarutao
176 km end to end
In season together: Nov–Apr
99 km end to end
In season together: Nov–Apr
48 km end to end
In season together: Jan–Aug
50 km end to end
In season together: Nov–May
All 16 destinations in Thailand
Southeast Asia
Koh Chang & Koh Rang
Thailand
The HTMS Chang wreck and whale sharks from January to April
28–30°C · 82–86°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftbeginner
Fringing reefs and small islands within 45 minutes of the boat pier
28–30°C · 82–86°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftbeginner
Gulf of Thailand training hub with deeper pinnacles for whale sharks
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftbeginner
A vertical chimney runs up through the rock from 18 m to 6 m
28–30°C · 82–86°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftintermediate
Southeast Asia
Koh Samui & Koh Phangan
Thailand
Longtail reef dives at Koh Ma and Rock Point off Koh Phangan
28–30°C · 82–86°Fbeginner
Thailand's best shallow hard-coral gardens, in five to twelve metres
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftbeginner
Thailand's top-rated pinnacle dive, prime whale shark season Feb-Apr
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftintermediate
Granite boulder swim-throughs on one coast, sloping coral reefs on the other
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 40 m · 130 ftintermediate
Tin-dredger wrecks full of fish on a half-day boat trip
26–30°C · 79–86°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftbeginner
An 85 m car ferry upright at 12–30 m beside the reef that sank her
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftintermediate
Year-round day-boat diving from Chalong, with Racha Noi's boulders for the bigger animals
27–31°C · 81–88°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftintermediate
Southeast Asia
Koh Lanta & Koh Haa
Thailand
Limestone caverns and swim-throughs at Koh Haa, a short boat ride out
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 40 m · 130 ftbeginner
Southeast Asia
A sunken train and sheltered reefs a short longtail ride from Koh Ngai
28–30°C · 82–86°Fbeginner
Sheer purple-coral wall with manta rays and occasional whale sharks
27–29°C · 81–84°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftadvanced
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Granite pinnacles and intact park reefs off Thailand's far-southern border
27–30°C · 81–86°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftintermediate