Quick answer
Dive centres in Patong drive you to Chalong Pier, 30 to 45 minutes away, then take you by day boat to Racha Yai, Racha Noi, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, the King Cruiser wreck, Koh Doc Mai or Phi Phi. November to April has the calmest seas and clearest water; the Similan Islands open from mid-October to mid-May. A day of two or three fun dives costs about 3,200 to 6,000 THB.
Patong has no dive sites worth the name off its own beach, but it is one of the easiest places in Thailand to dive from. Dive centres in town collect you early in the morning, drive you across the island to a pier and take you by day boat to granite islands, limestone walls, pinnacles and a wreck, all within one to two hours of Phuket. The water stays warm all year, and the main season, from November to April, brings calm seas and clear water.
Where do Phuket dive boats leave from?
Almost every day trip from Patong starts at Chalong Pier on the south-east coast, about 30 to 45 minutes by road. The big dive boats moor there, and the sites south of Phuket (Racha Yai, Racha Noi) and east of it (Shark Point, Anemone Reef, the King Cruiser, Koh Doc Mai and Phi Phi) are all within reach. A few trips use Rassada Pier near Phuket Town, mainly speedboats towards Phi Phi. For the Similan Islands, most boats leave from Thap Lamu pier in Khao Lak, on the mainland about two hours north of Patong by road.
| Pier | Drive from Patong | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Chalong Pier (south-east Phuket) | 30–45 min | Day boats to Racha Yai, Racha Noi, Shark Point, King Cruiser, Koh Doc Mai, Phi Phi |
| Rassada Pier (near Phuket Town) | 30–40 min | Ferries and some speedboats to Phi Phi |
| Thap Lamu Pier (Khao Lak) | 1 h 45 min–2 h 15 min | Speedboats and most liveaboards to the Similan Islands |
What are the best dive sites around Phuket?
Racha Yai
About an hour south of Chalong, Racha Yai has sheltered bays on its east side with sandy slopes and hard coral from 5 to about 20 metres. It is the main training island, and it is often the site that still runs when the monsoon closes others. Expect reef fish, moray eels, nudibranchs and the occasional turtle.
Racha Noi
Racha Noi, further south, is a different dive: big granite boulders, deeper water and currents that can be strong. Its southern tip is one of the few places near Phuket where manta rays are seen in the dry season, though never guaranteed. It suits divers who are comfortable in current and with descents in blue water.
Shark Point and Anemone Reef
These two submerged pinnacles in the open sea east of Phuket are covered in anemones, soft corals and sea fans, and are surrounded by fish. Shark Point lies in a protected marine area. Leopard sharks sometimes rest on the sand around it, far less often than the name promises. Both are usually combined with the King Cruiser on the same day.
Koh Doc Mai
A small limestone island on the way to Phi Phi, with a wall that drops from the surface to about 30 metres, overhangs and a short cave. Look closely for seahorses, ghost pipefish and shrimps among the soft corals. Currents can pick up along the wall.
Phi Phi
The pinnacles of Bida Nok and Bida Nai, south of Phi Phi Leh, are among the most varied dives of a day trip, with turtles, leopard sharks and blacktip reef sharks in the shallows on good days. The trip is longer, around 1 h 30 min to 2 hours by boat from Chalong, and a national park fee is charged on top of the dive price.
What is it like to dive the King Cruiser wreck?
The King Cruiser was a car and passenger ferry running between Phuket and Phi Phi. On 4 May 1997 it struck Anemone Reef and sank; everyone on board was rescued. The hull, around 85 metres long, now sits upright on the sand at about 30 metres, with the top of the superstructure at roughly 12 metres. It has become one of the best-known wreck dives in Thailand, covered in coral and home to big shoals of snapper, barracuda and batfish, with scorpionfish and lionfish on the structure.
It is also a dive to take seriously. The decks have collapsed in places over the years, visibility can drop to a few metres when the tide turns, and currents can be strong. Most centres ask for an Advanced certificate, or at least an Open Water card with recent dives, to go below 18 metres. Entering the wreck is not a recreational dive and should never be done without wreck training and a guide who knows it; a good centre will say no.
- Depth: about 12 metres at the top, 30 metres or a little more on the sand.
- Level: Advanced Open Water recommended; Open Water divers stay on the upper parts with a guide.
- Usual day: King Cruiser, Shark Point and Anemone Reef, three dives from Chalong.
Which months are best for diving around Phuket?
Phuket can be dived all year, but the sea changes a lot between the dry north-east monsoon (roughly November to April) and the wet south-west monsoon (May to October). The water stays between about 27 and 30 °C, so a 3 mm wetsuit or a shorty is enough. This table sums up a typical year.
| Month | Sea and weather | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| January | Calm, dry, little wind | Peak season, clear water, all sites and the Similans open; book ahead |
| February | Calm and dry | Excellent conditions; manta and whale shark sightings become more likely in the Similans |
| March | Calm, hot | Plankton can cloud the water near Phuket but attracts mantas and whale sharks further north |
| April | Mostly calm, very hot | Still good diving; the first storms can arrive late in the month |
| May | Monsoon arriving, choppier | The Similans close mid-May; quieter boats and some lower prices |
| June | Rough on many days | Sheltered sites such as Racha Yai keep running; some trips cancelled |
| July | Rough, frequent rain | Same pattern: dive the calm days, keep a spare day |
| August | Rough, frequent rain | Visibility often lower; courses still run at sheltered sites |
| September | Wettest month | Most cancellations of the year; check the forecast day by day |
| October | Transition, unsettled | The Similans reopen mid-October; seas calm down towards the end of the month |
| November | Calming down | Season starts properly; good visibility returns |
| December | Calm and dry | Excellent conditions; boats are full around Christmas and New Year |
For the weather on land, crowds and prices by month, see the best time to visit Patong.
How much does fun diving from Patong cost?
A day of fun dives for certified divers is sold as a package: hotel pickup, boat, two or three dives with a guide, tanks, weights and lunch. Equipment rental and national park fees are the two items most often charged on top. Compare what is included rather than the headline price.
| Item | Price per person (THB) | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Day trip to Racha Yai and Racha Noi, 2–3 dives | 3,200–5,000 | Number of dives, guide-to-diver ratio |
| Day trip to Shark Point, Anemone Reef and King Cruiser, 3 dives | 3,500–5,200 | Certification level asked for the wreck |
| Day trip to Phi Phi, 2–3 dives | 4,000–6,000 | National park fee usually extra |
| Full equipment rental, per day | 300–800 | Fit and condition of the regulator and BCD |
| Nitrox, per dive | 200–400 | Nitrox certification required |
| Refresher with an instructor, if you have not dived for a long time | 1,500–3,000 | Pool or first dive of the day |
| Phi Phi national park fee (foreign adult) | around 400 | Usually paid in cash on the boat |
Do you need a certificate, and what if you have not dived for a while?
Fun dives are for certified divers: bring your card or have your PADI, SSI or other agency number ready, and your logbook if you have one. If you are not certified yet, a Discover Scuba day or an Open Water course is the way in. If your last dive was more than a year ago, most centres will suggest a short refresher, in a pool or as a supervised first dive. It is worth it: buoyancy and equalising come back quickly, and you will enjoy the rest of the trip more.
Everything about courses, from a first try dive to the Open Water certificate, is in our guide to learning to dive in Patong.
- Check that your travel insurance covers scuba diving to the depth you plan to reach, or take a dedicated dive insurance.
- Fill in the medical questionnaire honestly; some conditions need a doctor's signature first.
- Keep at least 18 to 24 hours between your last dive and your flight home.
How do you choose a dive centre in Patong?
Patong has many dive centres, from small teams to large operations. The boat and the sites are often shared, so the difference is in the people: who guides you, how many divers per guide, how the equipment is looked after and how safety is handled on board.
- Ask how many divers each guide takes; four or fewer makes a real difference, especially on the King Cruiser.
- Ask which language the guide and the briefing will be in.
- Check that the boat carries emergency oxygen, a first-aid kit and a radio.
- Get a written list of what is included: dives, rental, lunch, transfers, park fees.
- Ask what happens if the weather cancels the day: new date, refund or lost.
If you are looking for a team that speaks French as well as English, NudiDive, a patong4you partner on Phisit Karani Road, runs PADI courses and day trips from Patong; you will find its details at the end of this page.
What about the Similan Islands?
The Similan Islands, about 60 kilometres off Khao Lak, have the clearest water and the most impressive boulder landscapes of the Thai Andaman Sea. They are a national park open only from mid-October to mid-May. You can reach them on a long speedboat day from Khao Lak, but most divers go on a liveaboard of three to five nights, which also visits Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.
Season, trip length, prices and the level you need are covered in our guide to a Similan liveaboard from Phuket. Not diving? The island day trips guide covers snorkelling trips to many of the same islands.
Frequently asked
- Can you scuba dive from Patong Beach itself?
- Not in any worthwhile way. The bay is sandy, busy with boats and jet skis, and has little reef. Dive centres in Patong take you by road to Chalong Pier, about 30 to 45 minutes away, and then by boat to islands and pinnacles one to two hours offshore. Pickups usually start between 6:30 and 7:30 am and you are back in the late afternoon.
- Can beginners dive the King Cruiser wreck?
- Partly. The wreck lies between about 12 and 30 metres, so Open Water divers, limited to 18 metres, can only see the upper structure with a guide. Most centres prefer an Advanced certificate or recent experience, because visibility and currents change quickly. Going inside the wreck needs wreck training and is not part of a normal fun dive.
- What is the water temperature for diving in Phuket?
- Around 27 to 30 °C all year, slightly cooler on deeper dives and during the monsoon. A 3 mm wetsuit or a shorty is enough for most people; rental suits are usually 3 mm. On a liveaboard with four dives a day, a full suit helps you stay warm by the third day.