The Residence Garden
If you are already a diver, or new to diving and would like to learn to dive or just take a day trip out to snorkel, here are some good recommendation of various famed dive sites around Pattaya area.
- Near islands of Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Khrok
30 Minutes from Pattaya you will find these near islands where many diving boats bring out customers for day excursions. There are some corals and reefs to explore along with shallow water marine life. These near islands are very popular therefore care must be taken while diving, whether scuba or snorkeling, as there will be many boats and jetskis passing by at high speed.
- Far islands, Koh Man Wichai
This island takes about 55 minutes on boat from Pattaya Bali Hai pier. The maximum depth is at 22m. This site offers divers to explore the reefs and rocks which formed into valleys and mounts. Divers can enjoy encounter with puffer fish, stingrays, bamboo sharks etc.
- Far islands, Koh Rin
Maximum depth at this site is 18m. There are 3 dive areas where you can explore here, the south rock, the north rock and the main island dive site. The north rock is suitable for drift divers and advanced open water. The south rock has soft and hard corals, you will find a diversity of marine life including sharks, moray eels and barracuda. The main Koh Rin bay dive site offers a more relaxing dive with no strong currents, sloping reefs, sponge corals, and here you will find many stunning marine life including Harlequin Sweetlips, red snappers, squirrelfish and lion fish. Communities of Magnificent Anemones, Neptune Barrel Sponges are fixed along the crevices and ledges that inhabited moray eels and a range of invertebrates.
- Far island, Wreck dive site of HTMS Khram
This wreck dive site is located quite deep with high penetration opportunities. You need to be a minimum advanced open water certified to be able to join this dive. This was a huge ship in its day, and now its a huge underwater eden. Every inch of its decks you’ll find its encrusted with shells and soft coral sponges and strewn out along the main deck, span stunning gregorian sea fans.
- Samae San Dive sites
The real secret of great Pattaya diving is a 30-minute drive away. Just past the Royal Thai Navy’s largest base is the Ko Samae San National Park and Marine Reserve reached from a small fishing village. The park consist of Ko Samae San with six other small islands and the adjoining waters. Since most of the Pattaya’s dive centers will schedule a few trips each month and a few will visit more frequently, the islands receive relatively few divers.
The dive boats to Ko Samae San carry fewer divers and you will not find more than one dive boat on any site. The park is also home of the area’s most famous wreck the Hardeep, and it is the most dive location. To many, she is the best wreck site in Thailand and she deserves respect on many levels.
If you are not an advance open water diver, you will still find that Ko Samae San is an excellent dive destination. The coral gardens around the islands are outstanding. There are five primary dive sites that even novice divers can explore. Still, they provide a dive that experienced divers will enjoy. The islands are open to deep water so pelagic species also are seen as they come in to feed and the visibility is good. When the currents are up over the Hardeep, the conditions are often right for a drift dive that can take you over the wreck. This combination of different dive sites each with outstanding diving and extended visibility is what is driving the locals and divers in the known to take a few extra minutes to drive to Ko Samae San.
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