Diving in the Phi Phi islands is an experience not to be missed!
From shallow sheltered bays to wall and drift dives, there's something
for every level of diver. Visibility ranges on average from 10-25
metres with weak to moderate currents. Water temperature remains
a fairly constant 27-30C throughout the year, depths from 10 - 30
metres, and, there's lots of marine life!
You will see an amazing variety of fish life, beautiful soft corals,
staghorn coral gardens and huge sea fans. On the sandy bottom, leopard
sharks can be found resting.
For non-divers the Phi Phi area offers superb snorkelling, with
the opportunity to see not only beautiful coral gardens but also
some of the larger fish at shallow depths.
Local operators offer day trips around Phi Phi and the neighbouring
islands with longer trips available on liveaboard dive boats to
further destinations like the Similan Islands and Burma.
Shark Point
Yes Shark Point (Hin Bida) does live up to it's name, well 95%
of the time. This rock which justs breaks the surface, attracts
a lot of Leopard sharks and often Nurse & Reef sharks as well.
A small, submerged outcrop some 8 kilometres southeast of Phi Phi
Ley, it's a favoured spot for whale sharks around February / March.
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Where: 60 to 70 minutes from Ton Sai Bay
Conditions: Good visibility, averaging 20 metres.
Dive depth: 12 to 18 metres.
Koh Bida Nok & Kok Bida Nai
One dive site not to be missed, Ko Bida Nok, has outstanding hard
and soft coral with lots of marine life. Sightings include leopard
sharks, turtles, moray eels & ghost pipe fish, plus there is
always a chance of the unexpected whale sharks and manta rays. As
one side of the island is very shallow and the other drops off to
30 metres, this site is suitable for all levels of diver.
Although the sister island to Bida Nok just a few hundred metres
away, this island is very different under water. Large fallen rocks
have created several swim-through and submerged islands, building
an ideal habitat for marine life, and providing a fascinating dive. Phi
Phi dive review.
Where: 50 minutes from Ton Sai Bay
Conditions: Visibility averages 20 metres.
Dive depth: 19 to 30 metres
With a maximum depth of 18 metres and plenty of fish life and rocks
to look under, Maya provides a great dive site for the inexperienced
diver. Heading out of the bay, the underwater landscape changes
with large caves 30+ depths.
Maya South starts as a shear wall down to 30 metres with a small
over hang and caves along the bottom.
Further along, fallen rocks have left channels with the rocks towering
above you on both sides, creating a very dramatic dive. A suitable
dive for the more advanced diver due to depth. (Read
more...)
Hin Dot
Four pinnacles starting just below sea level and dropping down
to around 30 metres characterise Hin Dot (Chimney Rocks) on Phi
Phi Don's southern headlands. Often quite dark due to the volume
of fish life above you, but some interesting marine life under the
rocks near the bottom where several nurse sharks have been discovered.
These enormous towers are famous for their large schools of fish.
Other fish populations include groupers, pufferfish, lionfish, squid
and bearded scorpionfish.
Where: 15-20 minutes by boat
Conditions: Visibility 8-20 metres.
Dive depth: 10-34 metres
Garang Heng
A small submerged reef just east of Phi Phi Ley and a excellent
backup to Shark point so if you are unlucky there, Garang Heng has
a healthy reef with anemones, soft corals and of course, sharks.
Hin Pae
Hin Pae is a relatively shallow dive site - 10 to 15 metres deep.
Its shallow depth offers excellent snorkeling. Hin Pae is sometimes
called Baby Shark Point, because even snorkellers have the opportunity
to see different types of sharks. The main topography includes boulder
and brain corals, with many holes and tunnels for moray eels to
pass through. Soft and hard coral provide shelter for a rich variety
of coral fish. Crabs, lobsters, angelfish, groupers, snappers and
surgeonfish are also residents of this area.
Access: 10 minutes by boat from Ton Sai
Conditions: Visibility 7-15 metres.
Dive depth: 8-16 metres
King Cruiser Wreck
Built in Japan 30 years ago, King Cruiser was a comfortable catamaran-hull
passenger-cruiser with 4 decks until she sank on the 4th May 1997
in near perfect weather conditions. An easy dive, King Cruiser has
large openings that allow easy access to the spacious interior.
The propellers (deepest point) rest 30 metres deep with the most
interesting areas around the passenger decks between 10 and 20 metres.
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