Explore Surat Thani

In the Gulf of Thailand just south of Cambodia is the beautiful paradise region of Surat Thani, which is one of Thailand’s best diving hotspots. Consisting of 112 islands, all with seemingly infinite reefs and dramatic underwater topography, it’s no surprise that the region is often included in the world’s premier diving destinations. 

The most popular islands are the world-famous Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, all of which are easily accessible by ferry from the mainland. Koh Ang Thong marine national park is also included in this area, which similarly boasts exceptional dive sites suitable for all skill levels. Whether you’re a diver or not, you’re bound to be engulfed by the islands’ white sandy beaches peppered with swaying palm trees, all surrounded by pristine waters overflowing with diverse marine life. Expect to see an array of species, from colorful hard and soft corals, macro critters like nudibranch and shrimp, tons of tropical reef fish, eels, stingrays and octopus, to bigger critters, like grouper, schools of barracuda, turtles, reef sharks, and even whale sharks. 

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    Diving in Surat Thani

    The region has a boatload of dive centers and dive resorts to choose from, catering to all budgets. Liveaboards are a good choice for those who want to dive all areas without staying on the islands, and they’re also aplenty. Dive courses are just as readily available in multiple languages, and are very affordable. The area is popular among those taking their first breaths underwater. Advanced divers also enjoy the relaxing sites here, and many even obtain higher level certifications, thanks to a wealth of varied sites with suitable training conditions for doing so.

    Top Wildlife Sightings in Surat Thani

    The  majority of dive sites boast vibrant reefs teeming with colorful life. With exhilarating seascapes in the mix, there's unforgettable wall and cave diving, with interesting tunnels, swim-throughs, caverns, canyons and drop-offs. Plus, phenomenal shipwrecks are included on the list, many of which are suitable for beginner divers to discover. Boat diving is common practice, with many dive operators offering daily trips. Shore diving is possible, though only in certain areas.

    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.: 27

    Barracuda

    Barracuda

    28k Sightings
    J
    2.5k
    F
    2.8k
    M
    3.4k
    A
    3k
    M
    1.8k
    J
    1.5k
    J
    2.7k
    A
    2.9k
    S
    2k
    O
    1.9k
    N
    1.2k
    D
    1.9k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 200

    Moray Eel

    Moray Eel

    15k Sightings
    J
    1.5k
    F
    1.5k
    M
    1.9k
    A
    1.5k
    M
    941
    J
    797
    J
    1.6k
    A
    1.8k
    S
    1.1k
    O
    1.1k
    N
    694
    D
    1k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 600

    Wrasse

    Wrasse

    13k Sightings
    J
    1.3k
    F
    1.3k
    M
    1.5k
    A
    1.4k
    M
    834
    J
    780
    J
    1.1k
    A
    1.2k
    S
    947
    O
    883
    N
    842
    D
    1.1k
    Whale Shark

    Whale Shark

    6.8k Sightings
    J
    658
    F
    717
    M
    645
    A
    420
    M
    585
    J
    200
    J
    501
    A
    772
    S
    1k
    O
    452
    N
    249
    D
    544
    Green Turtle

    Green Turtle

    5.3k Sightings
    J
    499
    F
    573
    M
    521
    A
    474
    M
    348
    J
    333
    J
    525
    A
    569
    S
    426
    O
    361
    N
    233
    D
    451

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 130

    Butterfly Fish

    Butterfly Fish

    56k Sightings
    J
    4.9k
    F
    5.1k
    M
    6.1k
    A
    5.8k
    M
    3.4k
    J
    3.1k
    J
    5.8k
    A
    6.3k
    S
    4.5k
    O
    4k
    N
    3.1k
    D
    4.3k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 90

    Angelfish

    Angelfish

    49k Sightings
    J
    4.1k
    F
    4.3k
    M
    5.2k
    A
    4.9k
    M
    3.1k
    J
    2.8k
    J
    5.3k
    A
    5.8k
    S
    4.1k
    O
    3.5k
    N
    2.5k
    D
    3.3k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 250

    Grouper/Basslets

    Grouper/Basslets

    47k Sightings
    J
    3.8k
    F
    4.1k
    M
    5.2k
    A
    4.8k
    M
    2.9k
    J
    2.6k
    J
    5.3k
    A
    5.4k
    S
    4.1k
    O
    3.5k
    N
    2.4k
    D
    3.1k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 100

    Parrotfish

    Parrotfish

    44k Sightings
    J
    4.1k
    F
    4.2k
    M
    5k
    A
    4.6k
    M
    2.7k
    J
    2.4k
    J
    4.1k
    A
    4.6k
    S
    3.3k
    O
    3.2k
    N
    2.6k
    D
    3.7k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 8

    Bannerfish

    Bannerfish

    44k Sightings
    J
    4k
    F
    4.2k
    M
    4.9k
    A
    4.6k
    M
    2.8k
    J
    2.4k
    J
    3.9k
    A
    4.4k
    S
    3.2k
    O
    3.1k
    N
    2.5k
    D
    3.6k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 40

    Triggerfish

    Triggerfish

    37k Sightings
    J
    3.1k
    F
    3.5k
    M
    4.5k
    A
    4.2k
    M
    2.4k
    J
    2.1k
    J
    3.5k
    A
    3.8k
    S
    2.7k
    O
    2.5k
    N
    1.9k
    D
    2.5k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 28

    Clownfish

    Clownfish

    32k Sightings
    J
    2.7k
    F
    2.9k
    M
    3.7k
    A
    3.1k
    M
    1.9k
    J
    1.7k
    J
    3.2k
    A
    3.6k
    S
    2.5k
    O
    2.5k
    N
    1.8k
    D
    2.3k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 80

    Stingrays

    Stingrays

    30k Sightings
    J
    2.4k
    F
    3k
    M
    3.3k
    A
    3.4k
    M
    2k
    J
    1.8k
    J
    3.1k
    A
    3.3k
    S
    2.1k
    O
    2.1k
    N
    1.5k
    D
    2k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 350

    Damselfish

    Damselfish

    19k Sightings
    J
    1.5k
    F
    1.7k
    M
    1.9k
    A
    1.8k
    M
    1k
    J
    1.1k
    J
    1.8k
    A
    2k
    S
    1.5k
    O
    1.7k
    N
    1.1k
    D
    1.3k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 130

    Pufferfish

    Pufferfish

    17k Sightings
    J
    1.6k
    F
    1.8k
    M
    2.2k
    A
    2k
    M
    1.1k
    J
    851
    J
    1.5k
    A
    1.5k
    S
    1.1k
    O
    1.2k
    N
    893
    D
    1.2k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 150

    Sweetlips and Grunts

    Sweetlips and Grunts

    14k Sightings
    J
    1.2k
    F
    1.1k
    M
    1.5k
    A
    1.4k
    M
    906
    J
    726
    J
    1.4k
    A
    1.6k
    S
    1.1k
    O
    1k
    N
    727
    D
    1k

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 60

    Soldierfish

    Soldierfish

    14k Sightings
    J
    1k
    F
    1.2k
    M
    1.5k
    A
    1.3k
    M
    840
    J
    739
    J
    1.4k
    A
    1.5k
    S
    1.2k
    O
    1.3k
    N
    732
    D
    918

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 110

    Snapper

    Snapper

    12k Sightings
    J
    981
    F
    1.1k
    M
    1.4k
    A
    1.5k
    M
    786
    J
    670
    J
    1.2k
    A
    1.2k
    S
    844
    O
    891
    N
    553
    D
    836

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 60

    Squirrelfish

    Squirrelfish

    11k Sightings
    J
    772
    F
    928
    M
    1.2k
    A
    1.1k
    M
    661
    J
    525
    J
    1.1k
    A
    1.2k
    S
    902
    O
    1k
    N
    614
    D
    713

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 90

    Goatfish

    Goatfish

    11k Sightings
    J
    766
    F
    859
    M
    1.2k
    A
    1.3k
    M
    602
    J
    557
    J
    1.2k
    A
    1.3k
    S
    849
    O
    901
    N
    478
    D
    649

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 3000

    Nudibranch

    Nudibranch

    10k Sightings
    J
    836
    F
    865
    M
    1.2k
    A
    1.1k
    M
    628
    J
    621
    J
    1.1k
    A
    1.1k
    S
    919
    O
    750
    N
    398
    D
    695

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 80

    Emperor

    Emperor

    9.9k Sightings
    J
    850
    F
    883
    M
    1.1k
    A
    966
    M
    516
    J
    383
    J
    902
    A
    1.1k
    S
    726
    O
    883
    N
    635
    D
    854

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 40

    Jackfish

    Jackfish

    8.6k Sightings
    J
    890
    F
    849
    M
    957
    A
    965
    M
    510
    J
    415
    J
    806
    A
    971
    S
    620
    O
    612
    N
    332
    D
    697

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 85

    Surgeonfish

    Surgeonfish

    7.3k Sightings
    J
    661
    F
    726
    M
    931
    A
    801
    M
    434
    J
    253
    J
    683
    A
    841
    S
    589
    O
    564
    N
    312
    D
    519

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 25

    Boxfish

    Boxfish

    5.3k Sightings
    J
    299
    F
    311
    M
    366
    A
    283
    M
    224
    J
    362
    J
    791
    A
    1k
    S
    705
    O
    528
    N
    181
    D
    241

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 3400

    Shrimp

    Shrimp

    4.8k Sightings
    J
    330
    F
    277
    M
    428
    A
    486
    M
    308
    J
    335
    J
    595
    A
    675
    S
    484
    O
    390
    N
    226
    D
    221

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 15

    Tuna

    Tuna

    4.6k Sightings
    J
    250
    F
    248
    M
    505
    A
    404
    M
    290
    J
    264
    J
    531
    A
    571
    S
    383
    O
    593
    N
    310
    D
    203

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 20

    Porcupinefish

    Porcupinefish

    4.5k Sightings
    J
    396
    F
    463
    M
    769
    A
    582
    M
    256
    J
    177
    J
    362
    A
    333
    S
    258
    O
    342
    N
    234
    D
    323

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 15

    Garfish

    Garfish

    3.2k Sightings
    J
    260
    F
    320
    M
    403
    A
    273
    M
    147
    J
    135
    J
    345
    A
    445
    S
    277
    O
    288
    N
    144
    D
    114

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 7000

    Crab

    Crab

    3k Sightings
    J
    193
    F
    268
    M
    258
    A
    312
    M
    212
    J
    209
    J
    364
    A
    370
    S
    256
    O
    188
    N
    166
    D
    166

    The best Months to dive in Surat Thani

    Diving is great all year round, with excellent visibility, averaging around 20–30 meters/66–98 feet. Weather is mostly hot and sunny year-round with water temperatures lingering around 28°C–30°C/82°F–86°F, though there are three distinguishable seasons involving hot, windy, and wet seasons. November is the rainy period, when overcast skies and storms occur, causing lesser visibility and choppier seas, but diving is still possible as some sites are sheltered from harsher conditions. May to September is the busiest season, when the weather and diving conditions are the most favourable.

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