Diving Holidays in Khao Lak

The dive operators of Khao Lak arrange trips and tours by boat to the best known diving sites in The Andaman Sea. The main destination are the Similan Islands ranked among the top ten diving locations worldwide. Other first class dive sites include the Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock, Northern Rocks and last not least the Burma Banks. They all provide the diver with a lot of fun and adventure. You may even explore a wreck covered by coral in 12 to 20 metres of depth.
The Non-plus-ultra in Thailand are Live Aboard Cruises, all inclusive diving trips from 2 to 7 days. Some dive tours even include an overnight stop on one of the islands.

All dive schools offer dive instruction; within 3 to 4 days a novice can become an Open Water Diver by PADI standards. German, Swedish, and English speaking dive instructors are available every day. Whether you book the dive course or dive trip in a hotel or directly from a dive operator -- the price is the same.

By the Tsunami of 2004 only minor damage has affected the coral reefs of the Similan Islands. Not more than 5% of the coral suffered some visible damage. There are still 28 dive sites ready and beautiful for diving at any depth. The coral bleeching of 2010 had also very little visible damage on the coral at the Similans.

 "The Khao Lak Map 2014"
21 Dive Shops in Khao Lak:

Khao Lak

   Phang Nga

Thailand     

The blue spots
in the map are
the 21
Dive Shops
in Khao Lak

Copyright
Khao Lak Promotion
March 2014

Divers can choose among 21 dive operators.
All of them offer first class equipment, e.g.:

e-dive, Japanese Diving School,
  tel 076-485608, www.edive-phuket.com

Khao Lak Fun Divers, 
at the main road in Nang Thong
(Ban Bang La On), tel 076-485685
   www.khao-lak-fun-divers.com

Khao Lak Scuba Adventures,
at Soi Nang Thong, tel 076-485662
   www.khaolakscubaadventures.com

Sea Dragon Dive Center, tel 076-485420,
  www.seadragondivecenter.com

Wetzone Divers, tel 076-485806,
  www.wetzonedivers.com

They claim this reef was previously unknown by authorities, including the Department of Marine Coastal Resources, and was only discovered this January last month. Initial rapid surveys have identified over 270 hectares of previously unknown relatively healthy reefs with over 30 general kinds of coral, and at least 112 species of fish from 56 families, including a new record – the parrot fish Chlorurus rakaura first discovered in Sri Lanka and never seen in Thailand until now.

Khun Songpol Tippaywong, Head of Marine & Coastal Resources Unit for the WWF, told us at the press conference that such a finding is very rare and could be up to 5-10% of reefs found before:

The Department of Marine Coastal Resources have just verified it is new and not yet listed:

He said no dive companies have yet accessed this site, but they could easily reach it from Khao Lak, and scuba divers could dive down the 6-8 metres to find it, just like the fishermen.

He was therefore reluctant to reveal its exact location.

He hopes the authorities with their cooperation will be able to protect the site.

IF managed properly the site could become a prominent local dive site while also contributing income to the community. They plan more surveys and research, restoration of degraded sites, placing of buoys, and establishing dive fees to support community based conservation.

Just last Sunday 19th February, with support from the Royal Thai Navy, around 20 divers assisted in the removal of debris from the reef and released 100 giant clams.

The WWF believe there may be even more areas like this awaiting discovery, and with grateful financial support of the Wetland’s Green Coast project and the United Nations Environment Programme or UNEP, they should receive our support and respect in bringing this exciting discovery to the public’s notice to help protect it for future generations to come.

WWF divers find new Thai reef

A previously unknown reef has been discovered off Thailand's west coast by research divers who became curious about comments made by local fishermen.

The team, from WWF Thailand's Marine & Coastal Conservation Unit, first dived the area in January and found two coral-reef sections totalling some 6.7 square kilometres, not far from Hadd Tay Muang National Park Office in Phang-nga Province.

Since then some 30 types of hard coral have been found, their health described as ranging "from poor to fair to good", with the healthiest and greatest diversity in the 7-9m depth range. So far the divers have counted "at least" 112 fish species from 56 main families.

Discoveries have included the parrotfish Chlorurus rakaura, seen in Sri Lankan waters but not previously in Thailand, and a rare type of sweetlips Plectorhincus macrospilus only spotted before in the Similan Islands. Damselfish are the most common species, particularly Neopomacentrus cyanomos found grouped around larger coral masses.

Plans are underway to ensure controlled, sustainable diving on the reefs, which can be accessed easily by dive operators in the popular diving area of Khao Lak - one of the regions hit hard by the December 2004 Tsunami.

A management scheme for the area, which may be added to national marine park acreage, is being developed by WWF, the Department of National Parks, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, local communities and the dive operators.

In mid-February, assisted by the Royal Thai Navy, 20 divers cleared marine debris from the reef. More surveys are to be undertaken, damaged sections treated, and mooring buoys laid down for the dive boats. A proposal has been made to steer a portion of diving fees to conservation-orientated community projects.

The discovery may not be the last. "I believe discussions with fishermen over a wider area will lead us to discover even more important reefs, not yet mapped or protected by the authorities," said Songpol Tippayawong, Head of the WWF Thailand Marine and Coastal Conservation Unit.

Further undiscovered areas of coral may lie further to the south, perhaps linked with Phuket's Mai Khaw reef, found by the Prince of Songkla University's Coral Research Unit in 1999.

Copyright by Richard Doring, 2000-2014
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