Diving in Khao Lak
Anyone for a Similan Liveaboard Dive Safari?
Along with its beautiful coastline and lush tropical jungle interior, Khao Lak scuba diving is fast-becoming a favourite among Thailand, especially with regular visitors.
The main reason for this is that it is the gateway to the Similan Islands which are situated just a short hop west across the Andaman Sea. The other popular dive sites of Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock, with their lure of a whale shark or manta ray encounter, are found just a little further north. Khao Lak itself also has its own interesting dive sites which can be visited by daytrip boat.
The Similans and up to Richelieu Rock are considered to be the best liveaboard diving destinations in Thailand. As well as being a convenient place to access these fabulous dive sites, Khao Lak is also a great place to take a holiday especially for those looking for a quieter, more laid-back scene than Phuket.
Khao Lak diving holidays offer stunning, unspoiled beaches with a natural, lush jungle background providing the ideal destination for couples, families, honeymooners and nature-lovers. There are also plenty of adventure activities on offer too!
Highlights
Boonsung Wreck is a great dive site just off the shore of Khao Lak Beach. The boat is an old tin ore processor that was sank in 1984 and lies on the sea floor in a north - south direction. The devastating tsunami of December 2004 caused major structural damage to the wreck, breaking the 60 metre long, 12 metre wide and 6 metre high vessel into 5 major sections.
There is a myriad of fish life on the wreck and as you descend at the beginning of this Khao Lak dive, you'll soon find yourself surrounded by schools of juvenile yellowtail barracuda. Long-fin batfish serenely hang around in small groups and spotfin lionfish can be seen hovering everywhere.
You'll see schools of bluefin trevally, and lots of different types of snapper including Ehrenberg's and blue-lined snapper. Other residents include masked and common porcupinefish, often with their accompanying remoras. Look out for bearded scorpionfish lying camouflaged against the wreck.
All along the sides of the vessel, several types of moray eels have made their home. Keep your eyes peeled for white-eyed morays, spotted morays, leopard morays and zebra morays.
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How to Dive Khao Lak
The best way to plan your diving is to join our daily scuba trips. There are plenty of places to stay and a range of budgets to suit all pockets.
If you'd like to spend time diving Khao Lak's offshore dives sites of the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock, then you can take a Thailand liveaboard trip and choose the number of nights you prefer.
Got a question?
Have a look through our Frequently asked questions
Diving Season
You can dive in Khao Lak from October to May. We recommend November to April for the best diving conditions.
Reef Summary
Good for: Small animals
Not so good for: Beginner divers, visibility and snorkelling
Depth: 12 - 18m
Visibility: 2 - 15m
Currents: Moderate
Surface conditions: Can be rough
Water temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience level: Intermediate
Number of dive sites: 5
Distance: ~90 km north of Phuket (1½ hours)
Access: Khao Lak diving day trips and Similan liveaboards
Recommended length of stay: 1 - 2 days, or 1 week to dive all destinations that are accessible from here
• Khao Lak tourist information
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• Khao Lak area - Thailand
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