One of the major assets of Phuket as a flourishing vacation resort is its abundance of diving destinations, all offering a fantastic underwater world of tropical fishes and coral formations, so exotic and colourful. From Phuket, all sorts of diving tours are organized lasting from half a day to two weeks. The nearest are sites off the west coast where you can explore soft and hard coral reefs, with a large variety of tropical marine life.
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Much more popular are trips to islands lying to the south and east of Phuket, including Coral Island (Ko He) with its very beautiful natural scenery; Ko Racha, with dives of up to 30 metres; Shark Point, a favourite sleeping spot of leopard sharks and stingrays; Ko Dok Mai offering an impressive wall dive and a series of cave dives; and Ko Phi Phi where you can see white-tip sharks, stingrays and moral eels.
Truly world-class diving sites are located farther away, including KO Similan, KO Surin, KO Tarutao and Burma Banks. All the first three island groups are marine national parks which offer magnificent coral gardens. Many big diving companies offer extended three to seven-day trips on live-aboard dive boats to these destinations.
Phuket, with its surrounding Andaman Sea, boasts a large number of dive companies, the majority of which are located at Patong, Kata and Karon beaches. Others can be found in Phuket town and Chalong Bay.
Apart from day trips, all dive companies also offer the introductory course and the full range of PADI courses for learners. They are staffed with qualified instructors who are members of PADI or NAUI, and provided with all sorts of modern equipment which are also available for hire.
The best diving months are December to May when the weather is good and the sea is very clear.
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Phuket Scuba Diving Schools
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Barakuda Diving Center Phi Phi Island. Offering daytrips and liveaboard diving in the vicinity of beautiful Phi Phi Island where dive sites are easily accessible and teeming with tropical marine life. The Barakuda Diving Center is an authorised 5 star PADI IDC Center with courses to suit every level. Accommodation booking service and transfer assistance is available.
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Colona Dive Club offers liveaboard dive and sail expeditions throughout Thailand, Burma, and the Andaman Islands. Ecological tours are also offered to islands in the Mergui Archipelago.
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Dive Inn Co., Ltd Offering various liveaboards, daytrips and diving courses, including liveaboard diving on a Luxury Chinese Sailing Junk, June Hong Chian Lee to dive sites around Phuket, Thailand and Burma.
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Fantasea Divers Experienced in offering daytrips and liveaboard diving throughout Phuket, Thailand and Myanmar. A PADI 5-star dive center with courses for all levels. Now with new vessel Ocean Rover to provided the ultimate in live-aboard dive cruises.
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H2O Sportz is a PADI International dive centre, with qualified instructors and divemasters on staff. Offering a full range of PADI diver training programs in English, French, German, and Thai. Daily morning and afternoon diving tours are offered to all popular diving destinations around Phuket.
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Sea Bees Diving In operation in Phuket for over 10 years, offering both PADI and CMAS courses, daytrips, dive safaris and liveaboards for some great diving adventures.
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Sea King Divers A British owned and managed diving centre and school located in Patong Beach. PADI, BSAC and NAUI courses are offered. Also provide day trips to all nearby islands as well as four-day liveaboards at the Similans, Surin Islands or the Hin Daeng group. Focussing on customer safety, service and marine conservation.
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Siam Dive n' Sail Staffed by two highly experienced diving professionals, John Williams and Bent Posejpal. Specialising in liveaboard boats and PADI Instructor Level training.
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Thailand Liveaboard Scuba diving Similan Islands with Thailand liveaboard is truly the way to fulfill your diving dreams. Thailand Liveaboard diving cruises take you beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary of the Similan Islands, Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock, Phi Phi Islands and Burma (Mergui Archipelago), throughout the tropical waters of the Andaman Sea.
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Thaisea Liveaboard Dive Trips The MV Thai Sea is specialising in small groups of scuba divers visiting the islands off Phuket and to the Similans islands. A full range of Padi courses are available onboard
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Phuket Scuba Diving, Travel and Hotels Guide |
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