Marine life
Phuket, the biggest island of the Andaman sea
Phuket Island is for many tourists, the gateway to Thailand. It is the largest island of the Andaman Sea and is 50km long by 20km wide. Bordered by the Andaman Sea, the island have a multitude of sandy beaches that attract many happy boaters to enjoy these landscapes that look like a magnificent postcard.
Phuket is also a must for those who love scuba diving. The warm, clear waters shelter coral reefs and magnificent rock formations where a colorful marine life abounds.
Phuket is a central hub for exploring some of the Thailand’s best dive sites. To the north there is the Similans Island national park and the world famous dive site Richelieu Rock. If you are lucky you can observe there manta rays and whale sharks.
Southern, you can go to the wonderful dive sites of Koh Phi Phi and the great King Cruiser wreck, Shark Point dive spot or the beautiful Anemone Reef. In addition, some of the best diving spots in the country are located around the islands of Koh Racha. Many diving cruises depart every week from Phuket Island and let you discover all the wonders of the Andaman Sea.
When to go to Phuket?
Even if you can dive in Phuket all year round, many tourists choose the high season from November to March. During this period, temperatures are optimal and rains extremely rare. It is, however, possible to visit Phuket in monsoon period as the monsoon does not mean it will rain every day and throughout the day. Rains occur most often in the evening when the heat decreases a little. However, the months of September and October should be avoided.
Is diving in Phuket good?
The visibility can vary because of the plankton, moon or wind. Better to focus on the months of March to August to get the best visibility.
Level of diving needed: The waters around Phuket are among the safest to begin scuba diving. Do not hesitate to do your first dive there also called discover scuba diving. For experienced divers, many dive sites offer interesting challenges. If you want to fight the current and see manta rays, try instead the sites of Racha.
The water temperatureis the same all year, between 29 to 31°c.
What to see diving in Phuket?
Diving in Phuket makes it possible to observe a great diversity of the marine species of the Indian Ocean. We encounter all sorts of creatures: manta ray, whale shark, marbled ray, reef shark, zebra shark, trigger fish, barracuda, trevally, giant grouper, sea horses, nudibranch, antennae, clown fish, box fish etc.
