On May 4, 1997, the ferry King Cruiser, departing from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi, struck the pinnacles of Anemone Reef and sank in about two and a half hours. All 561 passengers were rescued. The wreck has become one of the most popular dives departing from Krabi.
Our old page on Krabi promised “crystal clear visibility,” prices down to the baht, and certifications granting access to “80% of the world’s sites.” None of this was dated or sourced. We have redone everything.
The framework remains the same as for our other destinations: level, current, season, supervision, and fallback plan. Where public data is missing, we tell you.
Where do you dive from Krabi and Ao Nang?
The centers in Ao Nang generally offer three types of outings. There are the islets close to the coast for training, the national park sites around Koh Phi Phi, then the pinnacles and the wreck located between Phi Phi and Phuket, such as Shark Point and the King Cruiser. Further south, Koh Ha and Hin Daeng belong to the Mu Ko Lanta park.
| Site | Indicative level | Current | To check before departure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ao Nang islets | Introductory, beginner supervised | Often weak, never publicly measured | Planned depth, sea conditions |
| Koh Phi Phi (national park) | Variable depending on site | Variable depending on tide | Closures, entrance fee |
| Shark Point, Anemone Reef | According to the profile chosen by the guide | Possible, open sea | Tide, surface marker, ascent |
| King Cruiser wreck | Wreck training required for any penetration | Possible, open sea | Depth, travel duration |
| Koh Ha, Hin Daeng (Mu Ko Lanta) | Variable | Possible | Seasonal park closure |
The islets off Ao Nang, such as Koh Dor or Koh Yawasam, are often used for introductory dives. Agencies describe them as shallow and sheltered. These descriptions remain commercial. None provide a dated measurement of current or visibility. Ask the center for the planned site, its maximum depth, and the time of entry into the water on the morning of the outing.
A sheltered site one day can become exposed the next.
But the old page also mentioned a wreck “Kled Gaeow” and “caves and tunnels” without location, and since we found no reliable public source to describe them, we removed them rather than copying operator sheets. Their absence here does not reflect their interest.
When to dive in Krabi facing the southwest monsoon?
According to the official Thai government portal, the southwest monsoon covers the country from mid-May to mid-October and brings clouds and rain, especially on the coasts. Krabi, on the Andaman Sea, is exposed to it. The same text specifies that the start and end vary from year to year.
During this period, several marine parks in the Andaman Sea close partially or entirely, and the outings that remain possible depend on the wind, swell, and the captain’s decision on the morning itself.
However, the dry season guarantees nothing. Our old page announced from November to April a “calm sea” and “increased visibility,” without date or measurement. Clear water tells nothing about the current. It also says nothing about the swell you will encounter leaving the port, returning from the dive. Good visibility never replaces the briefing.
If your dates fall between May and October, ask the center which sites it actually dived the previous week.
The major sites in the northern Andaman Sea follow their own, stricter calendar. The Surin Islands close every year during the monsoon, for example. To compare regions, our selection of best diving destinations in Thailand uses the same framework.
Koh Phi Phi: what closures and entrance fee?
Koh Phi Phi is part of the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. In 2024, the park chief closed Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay, and Lo Ko Bay from August 1 to September 30 to allow the site to recover and protect visitors, according to the Bangkok Post. The rest of the park remained accessible.
Operators announce the same window for 2026. No dated announcement from the DNP, the Thai Department of National Parks, has been found for this year on an official page, so check before building your program around Maya Bay.
The entrance fee poses the same problem.
The amounts published for a foreign adult range from 200 to 400 baht depending on the page consulted, and some add a diving tax. Impossible to decide from here. Ask if the entrance fee is included in the price of the trip. Keep the ticket given at boarding. That way, you know what you paid, to whom, and you can claim it if the trip is canceled.
Shark Point and the King Cruiser wreck: for what level?
These two sites are dived in open sea. The King Cruiser rests upright on a sandy bottom around 30 meters, and its upper deck has collapsed. The required level therefore depends on the planned depth, the current of the day, and your training.
Public sheets indicate that the highest point of the wreck, once around 10 meters, is now beyond 18 meters, figures to be read as indicative since the structure continues to move.
Entering a wreck requires dedicated training.
Shark Point owes its name to the leopard sharks once seen there, and no dated source today can promise an encounter. However, the site raises a more useful question: how do you ascend? On a pinnacle without shelter, the ascent often takes place in open water, under a decompression buoy that you know how to deploy. If you have never done it, say so before boarding. The guide will adapt the dive.
The current decides more than the photo.
How to choose your center in Ao Nang without relying on displayed prices?
Look at the supervision before the price. A serious center tells you which site it targets, at what depth, with how many divers per guide, and what it does if the sea closes the planned site. These answers weigh more than a trial price copied from one page to another.
Our old page displayed precise rates for the trial dive, Open Water, and Advanced, and claimed that these certifications opened 80% then 99% of the world’s sites, figures that we have not found in any source.
Prices change. Request a written quote.
But the fallback question says a lot about a center. If the swell closes Phi Phi on the morning of the trip, ask which site remains diveable and with what profile. Does the center refund, or postpone the trip? Is the park entrance fee also refunded? Two minutes at the counter.
On the boat, choose a less aggressive sunscreen for corals. Also keep your fins away from the bottom, because the reasons why you should never touch marine life apply here as everywhere.
TDAC, visa, chamber: what to prepare before leaving?
Since May 1, 2025, every foreign traveler fills out the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within three days prior to arrival. The procedure is free, on the official Thai immigration website, tdac.immigration.go.th, reminds the Thai embassy in a note from July 2026.
Beware of paid sites that imitate the form.
For French nationals, the visa exemption was reduced from 60 to 30 days on September 15, 2026, and France Diplomacy requires a passport valid for at least six months after the date of entry into the country.
And on the emergency side, Bangkok Hospital Siriroj in Phuket presents on its site a multiplace chamber open 24 hours a day for decompression accidents. Bangkok Hospital Phuket describes on its side a single-place chamber, open during daytime hours. This information dates from our consultation in October 2026. Verify it with your diving insurance. Also ask the center how it evacuates a diver from Phi Phi.
In short, the fallback plan has a concrete cost: one day of margin in your stay, a return flight that doesn’t align with your last dive, and insurance that covers the hyperbaric chamber. Would you book it that way?
FAQ
What is the best season to dive in Krabi?
According to the Thai government, the southwest monsoon covers the country from mid-May to mid-October, with dates varying each year. Outside this period, the sea is generally calmer, without guarantee. Ask the center which sites it has recently dived.
Is Maya Bay closed in 2026?
The park closed Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay, and Lo Ko Bay from August 1 to September 30 in 2024. Some operators announce the same window for 2026. Check the date with the park or your operator before booking.
Is a particular level required for the King Cruiser wreck?
The wreck lies around 30 meters and its highest point now exceeds 18 meters, as an indication. The center sets the level according to the planned profile and the current of the day. Any penetration requires wreck training.
Is the TDAC mandatory to enter Thailand?
Yes, for all foreign travelers. It is filled out for free on tdac.immigration.go.th within three days before arrival. It does not replace a visa.
Where is the closest hyperbaric chamber to Krabi?
In Phuket. Bangkok Hospital Siriroj announces a multiplace chamber available 24 hours a day for decompression accidents. Verify this information with your insurance before departure.
Sources
- Monsoon winds and the climate of Thailand (Thailand Center, Thai government, 2023)
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) (Royal Thai Embassy, 2026)
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