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Best Dive Sites in Pattaya
Even though Thailand has some of the best diving in Southeast Asia, the Pattaya dive sites have year-round diving and a good variety of diverse locations.
Thus, if you want to know where is the best place to dive in Pattaya, this section contains information about all the popular destinations for beginners, experienced scuba divers, and for snorkelers.
When Does the Pattaya Diving Season Start
Unlike the Andaman Sea to the west, the eastern coastline of Thailand is unique for several reasons:
- Most of the coral reef dives are shallow (less than 12 metres deep) so they are suitable for divers of all experience levels.
- You will also find a variety of challenging dive sites (including some of the best wreck dives in Thailand).
- The eastern seaboard tends to be sheltered from the worst of monsoon rains that sometimes rule out diving altogether in areas like Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands.
It's fair to say that most scuba divers want to explore top diving destinations that have calm conditions underwater with lots of sunny and dry weather above the waterline.
In fact, Chonburi Province has more than 300 days of year-round sunshine and the water temperature rarely drops below 29° Celsius (84° Fahrenheit).
As a result, the white sand beaches and clear blue water found at the islands around Pattaya have transformed the region into one of the top places for diving holidays in Thailand.
Here's the thing:
As a consequence of that, diving in Pattaya tends to be an annual activity. Even so, divers need to be mindful that the southwest storms usually arrive towards the end of October and can last for several weeks.
At certain times of the year, the north eastern gulf can have twenty (20) metres of underwater visibility. The best months for Pattaya scuba diving underwater and Pattaya snorkeling trips at the shallow sandy bays are from the beginning of September through to the end of February.
Pro Tip: Check out our sea life section for interesting facts about sharks (e.g. blacktip reef sharks) and rays (e.g. spotted eagle rays) that sometimes put in an appearance at the outer islands.
Dive Sites at Pattaya Near Islands
No matter whether you enjoy shallow coral dives, wreck diving, deep diving, or drift diving, you will find something that excites you.
The marine life in the Gulf of Thailand is diverse, from seahorses to reef sharks, and we run daily scuba diving and snorkeling trips to all of the best dive sites in Pattaya.
If you want something different - Spear Fishing near Pattaya
The diving resorts of Pattaya and Koh Chang are popular holiday hotspots south east of Bangkok with year round trade for watersports.
The dive programs in the coastal city of Pattaya tend to appeal more to beginners and impulsive divers.
A mix of shallow coral reefs and deep shipwrecks continually attract divers to the Gulf and the local scuba shops offer the full range of scuba courses, snorkelling trips and other action-packed water sports.
Here's the thing:
The Pattaya Near Islands include Koh Sak, Koh Larn and Koh Khrok. Koh Larn means "Coral Island" in Thai, and the Thai's feel that Koh Sak and Koh Khrok resemble a mortar and pestle.
So they named them after the kitchen tools that they use to crush peppers. The islands appear around six (6) km from Pattaya, and the short boat trip takes less than an hour to reach the first dive site.
Koh Khrok Island
The nearest diving island to Pattaya (approx 6 km) is a finger-shaped island called Koh Khrok. It's better suited for shallow water scuba diving or for freediving and snorkel swimming.
This Koh Krok dive site guide contains practical information for beginner scuba divers and snorkelers and details about the marine creatures found in the Northeastern Gulf of Thailand.
Koh Sak Island
Of all the dive sites in Pattaya, the small crescent-shaped island of Koh Sak is a good choice for beginner scuba divers and for first-time snorkelers.
Koh Larn Coral Island
Known as "Coral Island" by the locals, the golden sandy bay on the western side of Koh Larn offers a range of dive sites for divers of all levels.
This segment contains useful tips and expert information about the best diving spots around Koh Larn Coral Island with extra details about common aquatic life found in the area.
Fishing in Pattaya
Check out some of the best fishing in and around the Pattaya islands, such as Koh Phai, Koh Khram, and Samaesan.
Koh Chang Island
If you're heading to Koh Chang scuba diving and snorkeling should be on your bucket list. It's a thrilling way to combine an underwater diving adventure with a superb beach holiday.
Samae San Island
A two-hour drive southeast of Bangkok gets you to Samaesan and some of the premier diving destinations in the northern Gulf of Thailand.
This help guide contains useful tips and expert information about the best diving spots around Samae San Island (south of Pattaya) with extra details about the diverse marine life found in the area.
Pro Tip: Koh Samet Island is also a short ferry ride from the mainland in the lively and popular province of Rayong. The islands in this region of the eastern seaboard are one of the best places to see a whale shark in Pattaya during the migration season.
Dive Sites at Pattaya Far Islands
The Pattaya Far Islands include Koh Rin, Koh Man Wichai, and Koh Phai Beach. Less crowded by dive boats and water sport activities, these remote islands make up some of the best dives in Pattaya and they're only 15 kilometres from the mainland.
Koh Hu Chang
Koh Hu Chang (translated as "Elephant Ears Island") is one of the least frequented diving destinations out of all the islands near Pattaya Beach.
The Koh Hu Chang dive guide contains essential information for divers and snorkelers, with extra details about the sea life found in the Northeastern Gulf of Thailand.
Koh Klung Badan
It's one of the least dived destinations for Pattaya divers, but you can get good shelter from strong water currents and choppy seas.
This Koh Klung Badan dive guide contains practical information for scuba divers and snorkelers, with extra details about the sea life found in the Northeastern Gulf of Thailand.
Koh Man Wichai
This Koh Man Wichai scuba diving guide contains good information for divers and snorkelers, with further details about the sea life found in the Northeastern Gulf of Thailand.
Koh Phai Beach
Even though the beaches at Koh Phai Island are restricted by the Royal Thai Navy, the southern tip offers some of the best diving at this location.
Koh Rin Islands
With an abundance of hard and soft corals, sea whips, and feather stars, divers will appreciate the clean water and diverse aquatic creatures around the pinnacles.
This Koh Rin dive guide contains hands-on information for scuba divers and snorkelers with extra details about the sea life found at the islands close to Pattaya in Thailand.
Pro Tip: Most of the boat charters can reach the Far Islands in less than ninety (90) minutes. The clearer visibility and vibrant marine life makes these Pattaya dive sites worth the trip.
Wreck Diving in Pattaya
All the wreck dives in Pattaya are fairly deep dives, ranging from fifteen to thirty metres. In other words, this type of wreck diving is not suitable for novice divers.
In other words:
Before you go scuba diving in Pattaya shipwrecks, it's best to take one of these recommended dive courses to maximise the enjoyment and safety (e.g. Adventure Divers, Advanced Open Water Diver, PADI® Wreck Diver, and Deep Diver).
HTMS Khram
On the 30th of January 2003, the Thai Navy sank a decommissioned U.S. Warship between Koh Phai and Koh Larn islands around fifteen (15) kilometres west of Pattaya Beach.
The intentional sinking and creation of the HTMS Khram dive site has become a fertile breeding ground for fish families and a popular diving destination for qualified scuba divers.
HTMS Kut
On the 17th of September 2006, the Thai Navy sank a decommissioned U.S. Warship a few hundred metres north of Koh Sak Island, which is about nine (9) kilometres west of Pattaya Beach.
The deliberate sinking created the HTMS Kut dive site. It has since become an exciting diving destination for qualified scuba divers and a man made nursery for some fish families.
HTMS Mataphon
On the 20th of October in 2012, the Thai Navy sank a decommissioned U.S. Warship a few hundred metres east of Koh Larn Island and around seven (7) kilometres west of Pattaya Pier.
The sinking was done on purpose to create the HTMS Mataphon dive site. Over the years, it has turned into a rusty habitat for marine life and a popular diving destination for local wreck divers.
SS Petchburi Bremen
The 88-metre long SS Bremen is a single-screw steamship that sank about thirty (30) kilometres south of Pattaya in December 1920 following an engine room explosion.
SS Suddhadib
Most of the easy wreck dives in Pattaya were deliberately sunk to form artificial reefs. Not so the Hardeep shipwreck... it was actually bombed near the end of World War II.
The Biggest Shipwreck in Thailand
The paradise island of Koh Chang is situated in Trat province around 245 kilometres south of Pattaya. It offers scuba diving underwater adventures for new and experienced divers combined with superb beach holidays.
Furthermore, the intentional sinking of the HTMS Koh Chang wreck created a fascinating dive site on the seabed in thirty (30) metres of water.