Racha Islands Diving Day Trips

Without any possibility of denial, the crystal clear waters of the Andaman Sea offer the best diving in Thailand. The many islands surrounding Phuket have stunning coral reefs full of marine life and offer excellent possibilities for diving, suitable to divers of all levels. The variety of sites close to Phuket is awesome. Most of the dive sites in the region are within easy reach with a day trip. Phuket is the perfect jumping off point to reach the dive sites around Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi, as well as the Phi Phi Islands. All along the west coast of southern Thailand, where lies Phuket, the best conditions exist from November to April, when the surface conditions of Andaman Sea are generally calm. Visibility can easily reach over 30 metres and the water temperature is between 28° C and 31° C. From late May to October the monsoon winds swell the surface of Andaman Sea reducing visibility of over 30% and making some of the remote sites inaccessible. However, even during the monsoon period, from Phuket depart dive cruises towards the dive sites closer to the coast or sheltered from the wind, such as Phi Phi Islands and Racha Islands.
What to Expect - There are lots of Scuba Centres and Diving Schools in Phuket that organize day trips to the nearby dive sites, such as Racha or Phi Phi Islands. The cost of a one day tour ranges from 3,000 to 5,500 THB, depends on the number of dives planned throughout the day, usually 2 or 3, and the selected sites. The costs are slightly higher for the newbie who needs training in a swimming pool first real dive. The majority of these tours include the transfer by minivan from your hotel, the roundtrip by dive boat from Chalong Pier, diving equipment, lunch buffet, tropical fruit, drinking water, assistance by dive guides and insurance. Pick-up from hotel is at 07:30 - 08.00 a.m. The return is at 15.00 p.m., in the case of day trip which provides 2 dives, or at 18.00 p.m. in the case of 3 dives. Read More