DIVING FROM FROM PHUKET TO THE PHI PHI ISLANDS

Commercialised is a good word to describe this once lovely Thai island. For the type of tourists who come to enjoy the sandy beaches and lively resorts, that is exactly what they find. Development is rife, there are even European supermarket chains on the island! Because we have seen this several times – and it's not really our style of trip – we chose to stay in Ao Chalong Bay. It's the location of the main boat jetty, and where all the daily dive boats depart from, so for divers it's a good choice. There are a few resorts and the small town feels more Thai than overdeveloped areas like Patong.

Dive sites are scattered across the waters enclosed by Phang Nga Bay, Krabi, Koh Ph Phi and Koh Racha Noi which lies off the southern tip of Phuket island. The waters in this whole area have a tendency to be murky although that is a comparative statement. At an average of 15 metres all year it's not too bad, but will seem low
if you have been out to the Similans. On some dives, the vis can even drop below that. The water seems a bit clearer by the time you reach the Phi Phi islands, probably because there is more flow through and the seabed is a little deeper.

Despite that there is some very pretty diving in this enclosed area. The corals around the Phi Phi islands are really spectacular in places and at times they are mobbed by an amazing amount of fish. There are some big animals, like turtles and whitetip sharks and a good deal of small creatures – lionfish, puffers and so on – but the real attraction lies in the huge, diverse schools of colourful fish.

Two of the most interesting dives are Shark Point and The King Cruiser. Located quite close to each other and in fairly open water between Phi Phi and Phuket, these are challenging sites. Shark Point, so the story goes, never did have many sharks, but was named that by a local divemaster to drum up interest in the incredible soft corals that plaster all the surfaces here. This is an amazingly colourful site. The King Cruiser is a classic wreck dive. The rusting hull is coated in barnacles and mussels and attracts a large number of fish. Down by the propellor are masses of tiny baitfish that are preyed on by many more lionfish. For trips to dive around Phi Phi, it's worth staying overnight, see below.

Koh Racha Noi is usually visited as a day trip. It's a long ride out from Ao Chalong but is worth the trek. Although the dives here are promoted as being the place for mantas and sharks, in reality you are just as likely to see ornate ghost pipefish and the rare Pegasus Seamoth. The macro life is impressive.

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