Koh Phuket Diving Location
The largest island in Thailand, Koh Phuket is the second most developed of the country's tourist destinations. Phuket is separated from the mainland by a narrow bridged strait.
Phuket's west and south coastlines are liberally sprinkled with beaches, many of them long, curving ares of golden sand with mounds of boulders separating them from the neighboring beaches.
The number of tourists – and the ubiquitous high rise hotels – has shot up on Koh Phuket over the last decade or so, and many parts of the island are a far cry from the palm-fringed paradise portrayed in the travel brochures. On the positive side, there is a huge choice of accommodation ranging from superbly-designed deluxe hotels to moderately-priced guest houses.
With an international airport and good transport links to the rest of Thailand, Phuket also makes a good base for exploring further afield or as the jumping-off point for destinations further south such as Krabi, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta.
Diving Around Phuket
Koh Phuket is the largest dive center in Thailand and the main base for live-aboards heading for destinations in the Andaman Sea.
Boats are kept busy ferrying divers backwards and forwards to the local dive sites around Phuket. There are very good dive sites around the immediate coastline of Phuket Island itself, since the marine life and visibility have been heavily affected by off-shore tin-dredging operations. However, I have included two sites simply because they can be accessed in just a few minutes directly from shore, and at least you'll be able to find somewhere to snorkel without getting on a boat.
Meridian Reef - Phuket
Conditions improve considerably around the outcrops, islets and islands off the south of Koh Phuket, since the currents here carry away algae and silt and the corals have more chance of flourishing. The reefs are generally in a healthy condition with good hard corals as well as colorful soft corals. Marine life is plentiful, with visits from large pelagics sometimes adding spice to the diving. Some sites are quite deep with ripping currents often present, but there are plenty of other locations suitable for all levels of diver.
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