Day Dives with SEAL

There are a number of very good dive sites around Phuket island within easy reach for day-dives, ranging in distance from 10 to 26 nautical miles from Phuket. The day-dive trips operate every day, all year round, except on the odd occasions when the sea is too rough.

The day-dive boats depart from Chalong, which is on the south east tip of Phuket island. The distances shown below are measured from Chalong Bay.

If you are staying in Patong, at Karon beach or Kata transfers are free of charge but there is a transfer charge from other places on the islands.

The difference between an enjoyable and safe day-dive trips is the standard of the vessel and the professionalism of the crew! We offer day-dive trips on spacious, stable boats with large shaded dive decks, and professional crews.

Most of the day-dive trips offer 2 dives; some day-dive trips have 3 dives. The professional divemasters have detailed knowledge of each dive site will guide and accompany you. They speak English and many of them have an additional language.

A buffet lunch, snacks, fresh fruit, tea and coffee are provided on board.

Shark Point is a marine sanctuary, named after the plankton feeding leopard sharks which are usually seen. Ninety per cent of the time you will see this wonderful creature and if divers are careful they can be approached – but do not touch or harass them!

A small rocky outcrop breaks the surface of the sea, with three large reef sections below the water, teeming with marine life. The reef is covered with soft coral and sponges and an very good selection of marine life, including jack-fish, tuna, rays, barracuda plus colonies of lion fish, small species of morays and clouds of glass fish.

Some brisk currents at this site, running parallel to the reef sections, so you can expect some excellent drift diving.

Koh Doc Mai is a large limestone rock rising steeply out of the sea, three sides of which are mini-walls dropping down to the bottom, while the west side is a hard coral reef slope. Ideal for multi-level diving. A huge variety of invertebrates, reef fish and the resident moray eels. The east side features lots of yellow tube-corals and a few caverns and caves.

This dive site is a submerged rock, less than a mile north of Shark Point. Aptly named, with a profusion of sea anemones. Groups of lion fish and other reef fish. A very pretty site.

The King Cruiser is a big old Japanese car ferry (and has been a wreck since May 1997) which was being used for sightseeing trips to Phi Phi Islands when it hit Anemone Reef and sank. Fortunately there were no casualties.

As yet there is no coral growth on the vessel yet but plenty of fish. The wreck measures 88 meters in length and 25 meters in breadth. Penetration can be hazardous and should only be attempted by advanced or certified wreck divers.

RACHA ISLANDS
Racha Yai (big) & Racha Noi (small)

THESE two islands are located south of Phuket. The water here is generally the clearest of the local dive sites.

Racha Yai is ideal for beginner and intermediate level divers, whereas diving at Racha Noi requires more advanced diving skills.

Generally easy diving with clear water and a good variety of marine life. Mainly hard coral fringe reefs on the east side, with the current taking you on a free ride - where the boat will be waiting for you.

There is a small wreck at the north east tip. The west side has a sandy bay and offers much the same under-water scenery but with better coral growth.

Racha Noi South Tip

A great dive for experienced divers. At a depth of 18 meters you find yourself on top of a large rock formation surrounded by deep water. This site has huge granite boulders covered with soft coral and sponges. Schools of tuna, jacks and barracuda are common and there’s a good chance that you will see stingrays.

Racha Noi, North Side

A rocky finger goes down to about 30 meters. The rocks are covered in soft corals and anemones. Sharks, stingrays, barracudas and a resident bullet head parrot fish can be seen. Colourful coral bommies in the shallower regions. Good multi level diving.

The area is famous for the lofty caves in the islands where the locals harvest the little swallow birds nest for birds-nest soup. And more recently for the filming of ‘The Beach’.

Dramatic top-side side scenery with limestone cliffs towering hundreds of feet overhead and continuing under water at some of the dive sites. Other sites have gently sloping pinnacles.

There are several dive sites around the Phi Phi islands, these include Koh Bida Nok, Koh Bida Nai and Phi Phi Leh. The diving here includes wall dives, caves and caverns as well as shallow coral gardens. A good variety of hard and soft corals, a variety of marine life including schools of colourful bull-fish (poor man’s Moorish idols), wrass and lunar-tail groupers.