Phuket Dive Overview

Climate & Season

- Temperature

- Season

Phuket Island

- Culture

- How to get here

By Plane

By Bus

By Car

- Things to know

    - Food

    - Water

    - Electricity

    - Currency

    - Telephone

    - Local Transport

The 2004 Tsunami

Maps

- Phuket

- Patong

Accommodation

Things to do

(other than diving)

Useful Links

Phuket Dive Overview

When it comes to diving in Thailand the West Coast has a huge range of diversity with many easily accessible dive sites. One favourite liveaboard destination it the Similan Islands but many other sites have the same topography and water temperature, are easily accessed by day boats out of Phuket. (More on Day Boat Sites) (more on Liveaboard sites)

Many rare species of marine like can be found at the day boat sites like anglerfish, seahorses, leaf fish, nudibranchs and ribbon eels and there is still a good chance at many of the sites to see the big pelagics such as wale sharks & Mantas. And of course Black tips, White tips, leopard sharks and turtles are seen daily.

Climate & Season

Temperature

 Average daily air temperature during the year: 25-32°C.
Average Water temperature: 26-29°C.
Coolest time: November to February - Warmest time: mid March to late May

Season

Diving is available all year round from Phuket. The high season is November to April with calm seas and limited rainfall. From May to October is considered monsoon season with the heaviest rains in September although most day boat sites are accessible due to their closeness to the mainland and being sheltered from the prevailing wind.

Best time to dive

Mid-November until late-April. March and April is time for whale sharks and mantas.
Worst time to dive: May to October

Between Christmas and New Year Phuket can be crowded with many tourists enjoying the festivities of the local culture. Accommodation needs to be booked well in advance and prices are higher than the off-peak season.

Phuket Island

Phuket is the biggest travel hub in Southeast Asia and easily accessible. It is a tourist island with much to do and see other than diving and still has plenty of unspoilt places where you can immerse yourself in local Thai culture.

How to get here

By Plane

Phuket Airport is 1:20 from Bangkok and serviced by many airlines. Thai airways fly in hourly from Bangkok although less frequent flights at lower prices can be found at many of the budget airlines like Air Asia & Nok Air. You can find more airline details on our links page.

By Bus

There is a regular bus service to Phuket from Bangkok. Air-conditioned overnight buses leave from the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) and take between 10 & 12 hours. It is worth paying a little extra for the VIP 24-seater busses that have more leg room.

By Car

If you have a car and want to see some of the local country on your way down travel time can be anywhere from 10 hours to several days. Take the No.41 highway from Bangkok to Surit-Thani. Surit-Thani is a good place to stop if you want to overnight. From Surit-Thani you turn right onto the No.401 highway towards Amphoe Pha-Nom but turn left before you get there to Phang Nga and head straight following the signs to Phuket

Things to know

Food

Thai Food is well known for its flavour and spiciness. It is usually well prepared and even purchased from a street vendor is safe to eat. Often it can be to spicy for foreigners if you are unused to it but if you ask for "not to hot" most vendors or restaurants will oblige.

Water

Don't drink the tap water in Thailand. While it is usually safe for cooking with, brushing your teeth or in very small doses it is usually well water that has not been treated. Bottled water is available everywhere and even the locals stick to bottled water as it is very inexpensive.

Electricity

220 volts is standard throughout Thailand with the normal power socket having either 2 plat pins or 2 round pins. A good multi-plug box which will accept any shape plug is very cheap and readily available in most hardware stores, supermarkets and electrical stores. Voltage converters are not so easily found and can be expensive so bring one with you if your appliances don't run off 220v. Cell phone & Ipod chargers with local pins / voltages are also easily available.

Power cuts, blackouts and power surges are commonplace especially in more remote areas but are usually fixed very quickly.

Currency

Thai currency is called Baht and has quiet a stable exchange rate. ATM machines are common place and credit cards widely accepted at all major chain stores & Hotels. Many Guesthouses and smaller vendors have difficulty getting credit card machines so will only accept cash. You will often be charged 3-4% for credit card purchases to cover the costs imposed by the credit card companies. US dollars, Euro and Pounds Sterling are often accepted and easily changed.

Telephone

There is a shortage of telephone lines in Phuket and many other parts of Thailand. Business can wait months or years for a line and often have to buy one from a neighbouring business. As a result mobile phones are predominately used for communication and nearly everyone has one. Pre pay credit are available everywhere including the local 7Eleven but you will probably need to purchase a SIM from one of the many phone stalls. Calls are cheap so it is well worth having a local number for the duration of your stay.

Local Transport

Tut Tut's, Taxis and motorcycles are everywhere but charge tourist prices so can work out expensive if you intend to stay long or travel around the island a lot. You can rent cars, jeeps and motorcycles easily and reasonably inexpensively. Take a photocopy of your passport & licence with you so they don't want to keep the originals.

Please remember the number one cause of tourist deaths in Thailand is motorbike accidents. Riding bikes in Thailand is dangerous but with a little bit of care you can increase your survival chances dramatically. Many locals don't wear helmets but don't be tempted yourself as there are on the spot fines if caught and it may keep you alive. If you haven't ridden bikes before then Thailand probably isn't the place to be learning unless you have been here for a few months and learnt what the locals drive like.

Buses around the Island are common and very inexpensive. Try one even if it is just for fun, you will meet the locals and see more than if you were trying to drive.

The 2004 Tsunami

December 26th 2004 is date many of the local Thais will not forget. The west coast of Thailand was struck by disaster when a tsunami created by an earthquake in the Andaman Sea created devastation across the western costal towns of Phuket and low lying areas of Phi Phi Island.

While evidence of the damage can still be seen underwater on patches of broken coral reef much survived and the contrast creates spectacular viewing where you can witness the re-growth of coral like few places elsewhere in the world.

The above water areas of Phuket quickly recovered and have all been restored and in many cases with better infrastructure than they originally had. The local economy is however still struggling to recover with fewer regular tourists than Phuket once had. Holidaying in Phuket is value for money so please support the local Thai business when you visit.

Maps

Thailand | Phuket Island | Phuket Town | Patong Beach | Karon & Kata Beaches  | Bangtao & Kamala Beaches| Chalong & Rawai Beaches | Dive Sites|

Accommodation

Accommodation in Phuket can be very inexpensive although prices do increase over the high season and the best accommodation will need to be booked in advance. We recommend Adonis Guest House for quality less expensive accommodation and Amazing Thai Villas for luxury private villa rental. You can see  all our accommodation listings on our links page.

Things to do (other than diving)

Besides diving there is a wide array of activities to choose from during your stay in Phuket.

Water sports activities include: Jet skiing, Kayaking, Kite surfing, Body boarding, Snorkelling, Sailing, Big Game Fishing and Parasailing and of course just chilling out on one of the many beautiful beaches or renting a long tail boat to visit one of the local sites. More information can be found on our links page.

Land based activities include: Elephant Rides, Forest treks, Ultimate Bungee,  Shooting ranges, Island boat tours, Rock Climbing, Shopping, Cabaret Shows or just relaxing at one of the many Thai Massage Spas. More information can be found on our links page.

Nightlife in Phuket. Phuket is well known for its nightlife, particularly Patong Beach where there are many Cabaret shows, Night Clubs, Bars and Restaurants. And of course is the home of Bangla Road a street full of bars and clubs with dancing girls and adult entertainment. For a relaxed drink or good quality European meal where you wont be hassled by bar girls we recommend Roscoe's & 2 Black Sheep. If you want a sports bar to watch the latest sports the the Aussie Bar has many large screens and shows every major sporting event. If adult entertainment is what your looking for then check out this directory for places to go depending on your taste.

Useful Links

Our useful links directory has a wide range of information not covered here. If what you are looking for is not covered then please let us know by email and we will add the information. Many of the activities can be booked through Kiwidiver and we can help you plan an itinerary that will get most out of your stay in Phuket.