Popular Thailand liveaboards Explore all liveaboards
Liveaboard Diving in Thailand
Diving in Thailand gives scuba divers the chance to experience the lush underwater life of the Andaman Sea with relative ease and comfort.
Liveaboard diving in Thailand offers enough to tempt any serious diver, with healthy reefs, schools of fish, barracuda, whale sharks, and manta rays. But the country's food, people, and landscapes put the icing on the cake. It's no wonder that Thailand is a world favourite for divers and Southeast Asia-lovers alike, who return year after year for affordable liveaboard dive trips to incredible underwater destinations. Thailand is filled with some of the world's best dive sites, the most popular areas being Koh Tao and Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Phuket in the Andaman Sea.
The marine life in Thailand, given its location on the edge of the Coral Triangle, is extremely varied and the corals are very healthy. The Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock and its whale sharks, Mergui Archipelago and its undisturbed Burmese waters, and the southern pinnacles off Phuket promise dramatic underwater topography and a wealth of marine life. The relative closeness of these destinations to the Thai mainland makes Thailand the perfect country for a short or long liveaboard dive safari to the Similans or southern destinations like Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lipe, and Koh Lanta National Marine Park.
Liveaboard diving in the Similan Islands is the peak of Thailand dive experiences. Its huge granite boulders with caverns and arches offer shark diving, schools of fish, huge sea fans, and general world-class quality of habitats and species. Elephant Head Rock, West of Six, and Christmas Point are only a few of the 20 plus dive sites. Similan scuba diving varies in difficulty, but currents in certain areas makes them better-suited for experienced divers. Lush greenery and white sand beaches ring the nine islands, completing the view from above water. Liveaboard boats diving at Richelieu Rock will bring you to the pelagics capital of Thailand. Around this limestone pinnacle jutting from the depths of the ocean, upwellings rich with plankton invite whale sharks, mantas and barracudas, not to mention the macro-life hiding amongst Richelieu's famous purple soft corals and sea fans. The strong currents here call for experienced divers. Koh Tachai and Koh Bon, members of the Similan Island National Park, are often visited en route to Richelieu and offer more pelagics, Napoleon Wrasse, and even night diving for macro-critters.
A Liveaboard dive tour in the Andaman Islands includes the crown jewels of Thailand diving (Similans and Richelieu), but they don't stop there. One additional highlight of these trips is the lush Surin Islands, where non-divers and divers alike are bewitched by the small cove beaches, island wildlife, and accessible snorkelling sites- not to mention the highest hard coral diversity in Thailand. Another incredible North Andaman dive area is the Mergui Archipelago of Burma, which opened to divers in the late 1990s; its undisturbed ecosystem offers the whole range from huge pelagics down to tiny macro-critters. Experienced divers will be best suited to week-long North Andaman itineraries, which visit some remote destinations with currents and open water. North Andaman liveaboards run from October through May for best visibility and surface conditions. The water temperature averages a comfortable 27-30°C. Usually, North Andaman liveaboard itineraries include the Similan Island, Richelieu Rock, the Surin Islands, and sometimes south Burma, depending on the itinerary length. Liveaboard diving in the South Andaman Sea presents a wealth of offerings just off the front door of Phuket. Leading the way are Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, underwater pinnacles covered with carpets of anemones, sponges, and sea fans, which host regular whale sharks and manta rays. Experienced divers are best suited to the currents swirling around these pinnacles. South Andaman liveaboards also visit Koh Ha and Koh Rok; these uninhabited, white-sand islands offer one of the best-preserved coral reefs in the country. Entry-level divers can find their niche in the South Andaman, where dive certification courses are offered on Phuket and Koh Phi Phi. The length of liveaboard itineraries in the South Andaman Sea ranges from two to six nights, giving entry-level divers a chance to experience a liveaboard along with more seasoned enthusiasts. The budget ranges from about 150 to over 400 euros per night, and the boats are M/V or S/V diving yachts. Trips usually run from April through October, departing from Chalong pier in Phuket or Pak Bara pier near the town of Hat Yai.
More about diving in Thailand
- Thailand offers a variety of dive sites from fringing reefs, deep drop-offs, wrecks, walls, caverns, tunnels, pinnacles and open ocean adventures.
- Submerge at Koh Phi Phi's coral gardens and limestone slopes, hosting everything from seahorses to sharks.
- Wreck dive in Khao Lak on your way out to the North Andaman Sea.
- Dive the untouched Mergui Archipelago in Burma, newly open to diving and rich with life.
- Koh Tachai hosts pelagics just like Richelieu- dive here for mantas, whale sharks, tuna, and fun underwater topography.
- Koh Bon is a premier manta site, but it also adds reef sharks and macro to the mix.
- Lose yourself in the profusion of marine life on and around Hin Daeng and Hin Muang's vertical cliffs.
- Maximize your dives per day by living onboard and have dive sites on your doorstep daily.
Ports of departure and how to get there
North Andaman liveaboard trips usually depart from Khao Lak or Phuket. Getting to Phuket is easy with a 1 hour flight from Bangkok or direct international flights from Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian destinations. Phuket is also reachable by train, bus, and car within Thailand. Hat Yai can be reached by domestic or select international flights (from Kuala Lumpur). Trains and buses run to Hat Yai from within Thailand, and even from Malaysia. Khao Lak can also be reached from Bangkok by overnight buses headed toward Phuket, but make sure they're taking a route that allows you to disembark in Khao Lak.
Getting to Khao Lak is easy by car or bus from Phuket, about 70 kilometres to the south. The travel time is roughly one hour. Khao Lak has no airport. For entry-level divers, Khao Lak's proximity to the Similan Islands makes it a great place to combine a PADI Open Water course with amazing day trips to Thailand's premier Andaman dive destination.
Divers with extra time in Phuket can visit the pristine coral garden of Shark Point or the Kingcruiser Wreck, not to mention taking advantage of nightlife, food, and land tour options. If you're planning a dive certification trip, Phuket or its neighbours (Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta), are the perfect locations for your PADI Open Water course
Best Time to Travel
The best time to dive in Thailand is year-round. However, the peak Thailand diving season for the Gulf of Thailand is from May through September and from October through April for the Andaman Sea. The water temperature in Thailand ranges from 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) to 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit). Visibility in Thailand's waters is optimum throughout the area with an average of 30 meters (100 feet). Diving depths will typically vary depending on the dive site, but usually, do not exceed 36 meters (120 feet). Currents are usually mild and the overall air temperature is hot with high humidity.
Thailand Diving Reviews
- 9.0 Superb
- 521 Verified Reviews
Great time!
Diving Thailand in December on the Manta Queen 8
Thailand was beautiful. Diving was perfect. Something to see at every stop. Will be back!
Diving Thailand in December on the Bavaria
Because of Richelieu rock, amazing. We thought the rest of the Surins and Koh Tachai were merely mediocre due to a) our poor luck, not seeing any larger marine life like rays, turtles, and eels, and b) the unfortunate bleaching and damage that is present on most of the reefs in those areas.
Diving Thailand in January on the Andaman
Thailand has so much to offer when it comes to diving. It's a must for all divers.
Diving Thailand in January on the Pawara
Loved it. A wonderful country and people, so warm and accommodating.
Diving Thailand in February on the Bavaria
I’ve only ever dived in Koh Tao and the Andaman - perhaps I keep coming back (from New York no less) for a reason. For the price and convenience (nitrox, water temp, etc) it’s tough to beat
Diving Thailand in February on the Blue Dolphin
Phenomenal
Diving Thailand in February on the Sawasdee Fasai
I am an underwater photographer and I absolutely got my money’s worth, and more!!
Diving Thailand in February on the The Phinisi
Overall, Thailand offers great liveaboard diving experience and for me it's only 4 hours from India.
Diving Thailand in February on the Bavaria
Thailand diving is fantastic. The country is beautiful. The people are extremely friendly and helpful. No scams- no hassles- just good times!
Diving Thailand in March on the DiveRACE Class E
Fantastic. The soft corals were breathtaking.
Diving Thailand in March on the Bavaria
The reefs have ample life and good corals but no sharks anywhere.
Diving Thailand in April on the The Phinisi
I would come again…affordable, comfortable, lots of fish, crew was very accommodating.
Diving Thailand in April on the DiveRACE Class E
Overall, very good. I wish the visibility was a bit better, however, I knew that April is the end of the season so visibility was going to be limited
Diving Thailand in April on the Sawasdee Fasai
lower vis, but certainly a vast variety. enjoyable. boats very respectful and don't pile drivers in on one another
Diving Thailand in May on the Merdeka 3
Absolutely amazing soft corals and tons of fish! If you’re looking for big animals try during the winter months in the northern andaman sea!
Diving Thailand in July on the Krishna
I would return again, but perhaps in January when the water is warmer and clearer.
Diving Thailand in December on the Pawara
Diving was so cool, so many things to see and experience
Diving Thailand in December on the The Junk
This side of Thailand is so different from Koh Tao. The Andaman Sea and Surin/Similan are so much healthier and alive than other parts (Koh Tao) and because they’re harder to get to and in a national park, there are fewer divers to contend with. They also offer more challenging diving environments, which help build skills and experience. Some truly gorgeous top-side islands to see and visit during dive breaks too, a true slice of paradise. I would highly recommend!
Diving Thailand in December on the Sawasdee Fasai
Good climate, very friendly people, incredible value for the low price
Diving Thailand in December on the The Phinisi
Some of the dives were better than others, but the best were Richelieu Rock and Boon Sung wreck. Overall experience was excellent
Diving Thailand in January on the Deep Andaman Queen
Wish I had seen bigger creatures such as sharks and big rays but the amount and variety were awesome!
Diving Thailand in January on the Pawara
Lots to see with unfortunate visibility at times.
Diving Thailand in January on the Pawara
Great. Very clear water at all the sites and lots of marine life.
Diving Thailand in January on the Dolphin Queen
Great! We didn’t see anything ‘big’ but that’s not what diving is about. We enjoyed lots of octopus, various shrimp, scorpion fish, barracuda and amazing corals!
Diving Thailand in March on the Pawara
Amazing
Diving Thailand in November on the Manta Queen 2
Amazing, from macro to night diving to seeing so much unique aquatic life, we were not disappointed.
Diving Thailand in December on the Andaman
Good for macro when viz is good and the current is weak. Dives are mostly deep at 20-28 metres for most dives. Some sites allow you to shallow up towards the end of the dive, but be prepared to do safety stop in open water.
Diving Thailand in December on the Smiling Seahorse
awesome! except one part in koh bon, dead corals like a “graveyard” for corals :( very sad
Diving Thailand in December on the Sawasdee Fasai
Very good but poor visibility.
Diving Thailand in December on the Manta Queen 8
We love the food and the people. The water is beautiful, with great weather and clear night skies.
Diving Thailand in December on the The Phinisi
It was sad I couldn't see big marine lifes, but I was very satisfied!
Diving Thailand in December on the Pawara
가성비가 좋고 다소 심심했어요.
Diving Thailand in December on the Sawasdee Fasai
Overall great visibility and so much to see underwater.
Diving Thailand in December on the Merdeka 3
It's decent diving but not the best in the world.
Diving Thailand in December on the Manta Queen 2
Can not recommend day dives. Do liveaboards instead to avoid mass tourism
Diving Thailand in January on the Bavaria
First bit of a shock- crowded, very touristic, trips to Similans quite full, divers not as experienced as in more remote regions of Asia.would not recommend daytrips with 60 other divers on board. Schedule of dives very night,officially 50 min divetimelimit, last dive of the day sometimes 40min- depending in guide( I was most of the time lucky with mine and my group)
Diving Thailand in January on the Manta Queen 7
Ok, declined a lot sincemy last visit, there used to be a lot of reef sharks and leopard sharks but we didn’t see any
Diving Thailand in January on the Sawasdee Fasai
Southern trips more relaxed, not so crowded, long distance to travel( often by night) beautiful views of islands, reefs in very good condition
Diving Thailand in January on the Manta Queen 8
A Great experience. I loved the coral gardens and the incredible amount of colourful fishes!
Diving Thailand in January on the Manta Queen 2
It’s cool and the visibility is great. I would like to visit this place again
Diving Thailand in January on the Manta Queen 2
Excellent, just a bit surprised how much dead coral was in some areas, the locals said it's due to the water temperature decreased in some spots, you can feel it underwater the change from 28 celcius to 24 which was another great experience seen the water blurry
Diving Thailand in January on the Marco Polo
Surprising amount of coral and sea life. Really great diving.
Diving Thailand in January on the Merdeka 3
Nice diving, mostly good view, but nothing exciting for a spoiled diver, unfortunately nothing big
Diving Thailand in January on the Sawasdee Fasai
Better than expected. Warm water and clear visibility. Plenty of sealife. Some strong currents.
Diving Thailand in January on the Pawara
Overall great diving experience, mostly really good visibility and a very alive marine life
Diving Thailand in February on the Gentle Giant
Great! Warm waters, visibility good (although not as good as I had expected; full moon had something to do with that I'm sure).
Diving Thailand in February on the Andaman
Diving in Thailand is easy and relaxing. Also generally Thailand is a very laid back and easy place to travel to. Can be recommended to divers of any level.
Diving Thailand in February on the Manta Queen 8
I loved diving in Thailand - there is so much diversity even between different sites on the same island.
Diving Thailand in February on the Manta Queen 3
Amazing culture and beautiful people. The underwater is just as good.
Diving Thailand in February on the Manta Queen 3
Good overall but not great. Dive sites are good/interesting but not amazing.
Diving Thailand in February on the Sawasdee Fasai
Nice but not remarkable, didn’t see whale sharks or mantas :(
Diving Thailand in February on the Gentle Giant
We loved diving in Thailand. We have gone diving in the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman, and definitely prefer the Andaman.
Diving Thailand in February on the Andaman
Fun and comfortable temperature
Diving Thailand in February on the Deep Andaman Queen
Good but no pelagic
Diving Thailand in March on the Bavaria
Beautiful and rich, full of life and colors!
Diving Thailand in March on the DiveRACE Class E
Excellent but not quite the same level as Indonesia or Philippines.
Diving Thailand in March on the DiveRACE Class E
Value for money enough, hope to come again
Diving Thailand in March on the Pawara
It was great but unfortunately, no Manta's or Whale Sharks on this trip.
Diving Thailand in March on the Sawasdee Fasai
It's a relaxing diving journey to me, you don't need to to worry too much including local transportation, food hygiene and most importantly personal safety.
Diving Thailand in March on the Manta Queen 8
Very nice diving. It’s important to always remember, you’re not going to the zoo, what you see depends on many factors, and 99% of those are out of the control of the dive operator. If the places I’ve dived, Thailand ranks in the middle to upper third. If you want to see lots of sharks you probably need to head elsewhere.
Diving Thailand in March on the Smiling Seahorse
Good
Diving Thailand in April on the The Junk
Excellente, j'ai même vu un requin baleine dans le golfe de la Thailande
Diving Thailand in April on the Andaman
Good. Visibility varies but saw a lot of different marine life.
Diving Thailand in April on the Pawara
Not too bad. Current was strong and visibility not too good due to the weather.
Diving Thailand in May on the Dolphin Queen
Great first experience - I had prayed to see some manta rays and whale sharks as I like bigger marine life but was a bit sad it was no longer the season or not common
Diving Thailand in May on the Andaman
Despite the rainy season impacting the visibility (some dives <5 meters) the micro marine life is diverse and colorful.
Diving Thailand in July on the Krishna
Good! Even saw a big Manta :)
Diving Thailand in August on the Merdeka 3
能見度不錯 生物量非常豐富 常有冷流經過
Diving Thailand in October on the Manta Queen 3
Great experience and beautiful dive sites but sometimes currents hit us quite strong
Diving Thailand in November on the Dolphin Queen
All the dives were great. We saw a lot of marine life, and the guides were very friendly and provided excellent assistance.
Diving Thailand in November on the Smiling Seahorse
Great! Visibility could be affected due to thermoclines which occurs all year round but that is just the nature of the environment!
Diving Thailand in November on the Manta Queen 3
Dives were less than ideal compared to previous trips due to thermocline and poorer visibility. Dive and boat crew made up for it though!
Diving Thailand in November on the Manta Queen 2
Very good. Not as good as I remember due to average visibility and thermoclines but I really enjoyed this trip.
Diving Thailand in November on the Andaman
If there is a divers heaven on earth, this is it. Thailand diving rightfully has the reputation as one of the best diving sites in the world.
Diving Thailand in December on the Gentle Giant
Slightly disappointed with the vis and were unlucky so didn’t see much ‘big stuff’ but otherwise some great diving.
Diving Thailand in December on the Pawara
Amazing fishy waters:)
Diving Thailand in December on the Andaman
I saw a lot of dead coral, comparing with eg. Egypt. Next time I wish to dive only at Richelieu quality diving spots.
Diving Thailand in December on the Dolphin Queen
There were some cold masses of murky currents moving around, impacting viz, but otherwise really enjoyable diving :)
Diving Thailand in December on the Blue Dolphin
Very good
Diving Thailand in December on the Blue Dolphin
Good reefs lots of fish, some strong currents and wavy conditions made getting into the boat again challenging at times.
Diving Thailand in December on the Lucky Marine Liveaboard
Corals are very well maintained compared to other diving site.
Diving Thailand in December on the Blue Dolphin
Best value for money, and obscene amount of marvelous marine life!
Diving Thailand in December on the Dolphin Queen
8/10. Exceptional marine diversity. Reasonable visibility throughout trip. A number of thermoclines, which was unusual according to other more regular divers to the area. Overall would definitely do e in Thailand again.
Diving Thailand in December on the Peterpan
There were some sections with poor visibility, but overall it was a satisfactory dive.
Diving Thailand in December on the Manta Queen 5
It was good but the visibility can be an issue.
Diving Thailand in January on the Sawasdee Fasai
Spectacular even with reduced visibility
Diving Thailand in January on the DiveRACE Class E
Overall it was a good trip but with better visibility it would have been fantastic
Diving Thailand in January on the DiveRACE Class E
Unfortunately it wasn't as good as previous times in the area... the conditions were poor visibility though the currents were ok.
Diving Thailand in January on the Pawara
Positive, very rich marine life
Diving Thailand in January on the Giamani
Super! Maybe I didn’t have the best luck with visibility, but it was still super amazing
Diving Thailand in January on the Andaman
Unfortunately no big fish, but the small ones are plentiful.
Diving Thailand in January on the Manta Queen 1
Probably not in the best season as the visibility was really poor. Water is full of jellyfish and it's hazardous to dive in. Dive sites are good and marine life is healty
Diving Thailand in January on the Pawara
Unfortunately i wasn't prepared for the terrible visibility in Thailand. Due to this perhaps, we didn't get to see any large animals which we were hoping for. However, the coral reefs were predominantly in good health and there was an abundance of other marine life, just no mantas or whale sharks! There are a lot of other dive boats so very usual to see other groups underwater but we were generally able to avoid them
Diving Thailand in February on the Gentle Giant
Amazing as always, though we had some poor visibility this trip.
Diving Thailand in February on the Andaman
Overall was very pleasant. But many days of poor visibility and no very big stuff seen like Mantas or Whale sharks
Diving Thailand in February on the The Phinisi
Warm waters, plenty of sea life, more jellyfish than expected, next time I'll bring a rashguard and hoodie :)
Diving Thailand in February on the Merdeka 3
Having been before 5 years ago at a different time of year it was nice to see a similar amount of marine life still around.
Diving Thailand in February on the Explorer
The diving in Thailand overall is fine. Certainly, Similans and Richelieu stood out as exceptional when compared with Phi Phi, Railay and Koh Lipe.
Diving Thailand in February on the Lucky Marine Liveaboard
Very enjoyable, but no Mantas or Whale Sharks
Diving Thailand in February on the DiveRACE Class E