Koh Tao
The name “Koh Tao” translates to “Turtle Island”, so it is not difficult to guess what the cause of the attraction is. With crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Thailand and many protected bays, it is the ideal place to learn to dive in Thailand. When you master the basics and get used to being underwater, you can then enjoy amazing sights, including whale sharks visiting seascape like Chumphon Pinnacle.
Khao Lak
The Khao Lak coast, just north of Phuket, has a few good spots, but the places to really see around the nearby islands, namely the Similan and Surin Islands, are among the best diving sites in the world. Since you can’t stay on these islands easily, Khao Lak is a popular place to stay outside of the ocean. Some sites offer more challenging collisions and streams for those who have a little more experience, but the rewards include tiger sharks, two sandals, turtles and giant parrot.
Koh Lanta
There are no great diving sites around Koh Lanta itself. However, a short trip on a diving boat will give you access to locations where Similans compete for their sheer beauty. Among them are Hin Ding and Hin Muang, which includes more than 200 hard corals and 108 types of coral fish. These world-famous sites are part of the Mo Koh Lanta National Marine Reserve, and are among the highest recorded numbers of shark whale watching in the world, as well as regular scenes of tiger sharks, manta rays and more.
Koh lib
Koh Lipe is located in the heart of one of the oldest marine national parks in Asia – Tarutao National Park. Besides the instantly stunning coral reefs around Koh Lipe, there are 30 other uninhabited islands and hundreds of coral reefs nearby, supporting examples of about a quarter of the world’s tropical fish species. Some of the deepest sites, closer to the edge of the National Park, are good places to see sharks and manta rays. The Chole sites near Koh Lipe itself display beautiful solid coral formations and a variety of colorful fish.
Krabi
With its enchanting coastline and many picturesque islands, it’s not hard to find excellent diving sites around Krabi. The area is home to over 200 species of fish and 80 coral reefs, with stingrays, squids, and sharks all very popular around Ao Nang. The calm, clear and protected waters provide a great place for beginners, while advanced divers will find some exciting caves and swimming, especially on nearby islands such as Koh Yaabon.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui is not particularly noteworthy as a diving destination, but it is the closest point to the amazing Ang Thong Marine National Park. Undoubtedly, they are beautiful above the water, and the forests of soft and soft coral reefs beneath the surface are just as impressive. This is the best place in the Gulf of Thailand to find lion and squid fish, with large schools of yellow-tailed barracuda. The water is generally shallow and calm (during high season), which makes it a great place to complete your diving skills.
Koh Chang
Koh Chang Marine National Park doesn’t have the same great view of other diving destinations in Thailand, but it does have some fabulous reefs in shallow depths, giving non-professional divers more time to explore. It is a good place to master buoyancy control before applying to the most impressive places on this list. Shark scenes have never been heard of before, but they are very rare, with turtles, stingrays that have been spotted in blue, and murray snakes are more common.
