Bid Nok, Bida Nai, Ma Long, Pa Long, VikingCave and Phi Ley Wall
There are so many islands to explore here, you have to pick of different experiences such as steep limestone cliffs and beautiful marine life.
© iStock/YURY_TARANIK
The postcard-worthy Phi Phi Islands offer a truly unique diving experience, nestled in the heart of Thailand's Andaman Sea. With its lush, jungle-clad cliffs and ribbons of soft white sand, the islands are as beautiful above the surface as they are below. Divers can expect to be enchanted by vibrant coral reefs, dramatic limestone walls, and an abundance of marine life, all set within the renowned Coral Triangle - known for offering the world's greatest biodiversity. The main island, Phi Phi Don, serves as the hub for local dive centers and resorts, providing a bustling atmosphere amidst stunning natural surroundings.
Diving in the Phi Phi Islands is typically done from boats, with options ranging from large diving boats to traditional Thai longtail boats. Popular dive sites include the King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point, and Anemone Reef, each teeming with marine life and offering unique underwater landscapes to explore. For those seeking a more exclusive experience, the quieter northern regions of Phi Phi Don, such as Laem Tong Beach, offer slightly more expensive yet serene diving adventures. The waters here average a comfortable 29°C/84°F, making it an inviting destination for divers year-round, with the best conditions from January to April before the rainy season begins.
Boat diving is common practice, as there aren’t really any shore dives here. Most divers enjoy colorful, shallow reef diving in this area, such as at sites like Lanna Bay, Bida Nai, Palong/Malong and Viking Cave, along with dramatic wall diving thanks to the islands’ breathtaking underwater topography, like at Bida Nok, Nui Bay and Phi Leh Wall.
Cave diving is possible in some parts, and many dive sites boast adventurous tunnels and swim-throughs. Wreck diving is another attraction, including such sites like the King Cruiser and Kled Geaow.
Night diving also promises a memorable experience, when the dive sites are a completely different story in the dark.
Thanks to its tropical climate, Phi Phi offers year-round diving, with warm water temperatures ranging between 28°C-31°C (82°F-88°F). The high season from November to April is the best time to dive here in terms of weather and ocean conditions, when there’s less rainfall, better visibility that averages between 10-30 meters, and calmer seas around the best dive sites.
The low, rainy season from May to October still boasts awesome diving, however the best sites are often too wavy as a result of changed winds. Sites that are sheltered from the winds are just as beautiful, but there’s simply less of them available. Sunny days still occur frequently, and most showers pass quickly and are refreshing. What’s more, you’re likely to grab bargains on diving and accommodation.
It’s important to note that in any season, the absolute best visibility and mildest currents here happen during the half-moon period of the month, due to lesser tidal variation.
If you can think of it, it probably lives here. Indo-Pacific species thrive around these islands, from rainbow hard and soft corals and tiny macro cuties like nudibranch, shrimp, seahorses and crabs, to reef sharks and turtles.
Black tips and hawksbill turtles are common sightings around Palong/Malong and just north of Maya Bay, all while a plethora of colorful reef fish decorate the sites, including batfish, angelfish, lionfish, damselfish, anemonefish, and so many more.
Eels, sea snakes, octopus and cuttlefish hunt around the reefs, while schools of barracuda and tornadoes of yellow snapper create tornadoes. Blue-spotted stingrays glide along the sandy floor, where lucky divers may spot a resting leopard shark.
Eagle rays sometimes frequent the area, and the sites of Hin Daeng and Muang offer a chance to see manta rays. The luckiest of divers might encounter a whaleshark, though this is an exceptionally rare occurrence.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 200
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 27
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 300
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 28
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 12
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 130
Curated by Interest
Mares
Aqualung
Shutterstock-Zi Magine
Mares-Predrag Vuckovic
Scubapro
Shutterstock-Ethan Daniels
Mares-Predrag Vuckovic
Mares-Bjoern Dorstewit
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