Scuba Diving in the Deerfield Beach area arguably offers some of the best diving in North America. Situated very close to an ocean inlet, which gives quick access by boat to the stunning reef and several wrecks laying just a mile off shore Deerfield also offers a great climate. The water here is warm and clear. Most of the dive sites are within 15 minutes of the inlet. Weather-wise the area has a Tropical monsoon climate with hot summer days, frequent thunderstorms in the summer, with rain less frequent in the fall, and the occasional cold front during winters.

Deerfield is highly popular with Scuba Divers because there is something here for almost every kind of diver, from shallow protected reefs for beginners to ripping drift diving in the Gulfstream’s currents. There are also wrecks aplenty that should keep even the most diehard wreck divers satisfied. The Gulf Stream comes closest to Florida’s shoreline here. It causes an average current of about one knot running parallel to the reef line.  Most divers & snorkelers travel to Pompano Beach to access Deerfield Beach dive sites from the Hillsboro Inlet.

Some of the popular dive-site in the area include:

North Rocks
Deerfield Beach North Rocks has a maximum diving depth of around 6.7 m / 22 ft and is suitable for all divers. This is a great beach dive for beginners and those learning to scuba dive as it is easy to get to and easy to dive when there is a low to mid range current. The average visibility is 10-20 meters and access to the dive site is a short distance from the shore and so shore diving from the beach is the best way in. The site comprises of the reef that runs parallel to the shore, and has a wide variety of marine life inhabiting the reef which makes this a great site for underwater photography as well.

Angels Reef
Angels Reef also known as Separated Rocks is another popular dive site off Deerfield Beach. This reef is a series of coral islands with two submerged angel statues commemorating fallen divers.  The site is Located south of Deerfield Beach and can be accessed by Boat.  The maximum depth is 15.2 m / 49.9 ft, and visibility is good ( 10 – 30 m), mostly a 1 knot current in the area so drift diving is recommended. The main attractions apart from the sectioned reef are the Angel statues that are both spectacular to behold and strangely out of place in the depths.

Ancient Mariner – Wreck
This is a beautiful wreck dive off the Miami, Ft. Lauderdale coast of Florida. It’s worth diving because it is a recreational dive and contains plenty of coral and fish.  The Ancient Mariner was sunk in 1991 as an artificial reef.  Max depth on this site is 21.9 m / 71.9 ft and visibility is fairly good. The wreck is located In front of Hillsboro Beach and is Accessible only by boat.

Sea Emperor – Wreck
Approx one mile SE of the Boca Raton Inlet the Sea Emperor is a hopper barge 171′  long and 45′ wide which has settled on the sea bed upside down. Inside the wreck and to the east lie 1600 tons of concrete drainage culverts which were its cargo. The barge is also home to Goliath Groupers, eels, stingrays, nurse sharks and hundreds of other fish. Max depth at this site is 21.9 m / 71.9 ft ,and current is often quite strong ( > 2 knots)

United Caribbean – Wreck
The Caribbean is a steel cargo ship 147′ long which rests at 50 feet. The residents of the wreck are the same as those of the Sea Emperor, lots of Groupers, eels and tiny fish. The was a part of the Palm Beach Artificial Reef Program and was deliberately sunk on August 22, 2000, and so it makes a great wreck to dive.

photos from flickr by: hherbzilla, Harvey S. Cohen, andrewl04

Scuba Diving at Florida’s Deerfield Beach was written by Nevin for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

In it’s prime during it’s tours on duty off South Vietnam, the ex HMAS Hobart was known as the “Green Ghost” due to her speed, which made her appear to be able to be in several places at once. Unfortunately hit by “friendly” fire, the ship had to be decommissioned shortly after, but remains in all it’s glory underwater today.

The pride of the scuba diving scene in South Australia, the HMAS Hobart is truly a divers wreck as it was intended to be. It lies at a max depth of 30 meters with it’s bow facing towards the land. A good place for a planned multilevel dive, the decks of the ship lie at between 15 and 22 meters, the guns and bridge in around 15 meters and the top of the stacks in 5 to 7 meters, allowing divers to maximize their non-decompression dive time underwater. A well planned and thought out dive site to begin with, many holes and hatches were cut out before the sinking to allow easy penetration into the wreck, for scuba divers to navigate throughout the wreck. A number of mooring lines too are attached to the ship for descent and ascent so you can do your safety stops while stick checking out the stacks (either forward or aft). But, what makes it even more special how intact the wreck is with much of it’s original equipment, instrumentation and fittings – including filing cabinets, sinks, toilets and tools which offer divers lots to see. You can literally sit in the captains chair, look into the inner workings of the engine room or missile magazine, check out the guns, the mess deck, or even take the controls on the conning bridge. You can even do a spot of ironing in the laundry, if that’s your fancy.

Marine life too has taken to this ship making it a wreck teaming with life. From schools of snapper, whiting and bearded cod that roam the outside, bullseyes, blennies and leatherjackets moving in, almost all the ship’s surfaces are covered in rich marine life thriving in their new environment. So you the next time you’re gearing up for a diving trip to Australia, try putting a spot in for the HMAS Hobart a great wreck dive in our books!

Now plan your next dive trip and diving vacations with great deals from LeisurePro Travel

Photo credits: photos by Crouchy69 and marv4mart on flickr

Wreck Diving: Dive The HMAS Hobart in South Australia was written by Noreen for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

The reef crest is crowned with a thick forest of staghorn coral that almost acts as a barrier to the sharp wall drop-off that drops steeply to a shelf at a depth of about 15 feet (5 m). This shelf is a sandy expanse which is home to a large community of garden eels that pop out of sight as a diver approaches. The sandy shelf slopes downward to around 40-50 feet (14-15m) before one comes across another barrier of staghorn coral along the very edge of the reef wall. It is this barricade of living coral is what makes this wall so unique. Divers can find narrow gaps/tunnels between the coral outcrops to reach the seaward side of the wall, or opt to swim above the barrier to around 20ft from the surface. However the challenge lies in finding a gap through the barrier and carefully making your way to the other side of the sheer wall drop-off which seems to cut away to nothingness below. The top of the wall is teeming with sea life and corals, sea fans and brain coral all competing for space and light. Large grouper, angelfish and butterflyfish congregate at the top of the wall, while deeper down are the larger pelagic such as white tip sharks, jewfish, and bullsharks, that tend to dive well beyond the recreational scuba diving limits of the wall. Other attractions include the occasional sighting of manta rays, or stingrays at the sandy flats, and also sea turtles that drift idly by.

The depth range of this site ranges from 19-137ft ( 6-42m) and the wall drops-off to an undetermined depth. Currents are usually minimal to none, and visibility is 100ft (30m) or more. Half Moon Caye wall is rated for scuba diving difficulty as an intermediate dive site. To truly experience this dive site, one should plan to do at least a few dives here to appreciate the diversity of terrain.

While back on the surface, divers can off-gas on the Half Moon Caye itself which is  a small, tropical designated as a National Park and bird sanctuary.  There are bird-watching platforms from which visitors to the island can sight the boobie bird colony, frigates and other bird species and iguanas. There is also a solar powered lighthouse located on the atoll which is inhabited by the lighthouse keeper who acts as the custodian of the island as well.

photos from flickr by Dirk’s Photography, timc74, Minh and Melissa

Half Moon Caye Wall at Lighthouse Reef, Belize was written by Nevin for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

That said, and although “dangerous” is a subjective term, there are a number of dive sites that have earned a reputation of being dangerous or let’s use challenging instead, mostly because of unfortunate diving accidents that have resulted in deaths there. Keeping in mind to always dive within your comfort zone & experience, with proper training, planning and the right diving equipment, and not to forget to leave the macho ego behind (as most dive accidents have occurred to those who are superficially fairly qualified, it’s important to remember the c-card doesn’t make you an invincible diver!), if you dive safe and responsibly there’s no reason not to dive these dive sites.

Here’s a look at our list of Top 5 Dives Sites in the World that are considered deep or challenging -

1. The Shaft Sinkhole, Mount Gambier, Australia
In a tiny hole in the middle of a huge flat field where you’d least expect to be diving, lies one of Australia’s most infamous but truly spectacular cave dive site- The Shaft. Aptly named because of it’s entrance which is an inconspicuous narrow shaft water drain, with only a swinging ladder to descend to the water 8 meters down the dingy shaft. Your scuba tanks and kits are lowered down to you to kit up in the water, in the darkness. But once you’ve conquered the task of all the prep, the small lake chamber has a huge underwater chasm with some of the clearest waters in the world. The immense cavern is impressive to say the least. An outstanding dive, the shaft is definitely one of the most unique sinkhole dives in the world.

Why it’s challenging: Well other than the fact that there is only one small entry and exit point which isn’t the easiest to access, the cavern leads off into two tunnels located at either end of the cavern. One leads of to a depth of around 85 meters (278 feet) while the other 120 meters (almost 400 feet). Divers have made the unfortunate mistake of getting carried away and not correctly estimating their supply of air to make it back to the exit, a crucial part of planning a deep cave dive. Today, the CDAA (Cave Divers Association of Australia) limits divers to a maximum depth of 40 meters at all it’s sites in Mount Gambier to avoid diving accidents like those.

2. Dahab Blue Hole, Egypt
Easily one of the most famous dive sites of not only the Red Sea, but the World over is the Blue Hole off the Sinai Peninsula coast a few miles north of Dahab in Egypt. Known among diving circles as one the ‘World’s Most Dangerous Dive Sites’ its inky blue depths have claimed a number of lives, but the Blue hole has several aspects that make it special as it continues to draw divers from around the World to it.

Why it’s challenging: Although there is an easier entrance, many prefer entry through ‘The Bells’ – a dive site formed where a deep groove cuts into the reef top just north of the Blue Hole at Dahab. Entry into the Bells is like that of a chimney and often done head first. It’s a 27-30m descend into a completely vertical drop off into a clear stunning blue waters. The blue hole walls itself goes down to a depth of around 100meters and is bottomless with unfathomable depths. The cliffs around the dive site bearing lost divers epitaphs serve as a somber reminder for all to respect the limits and realities of the sport.

3. Eagle’s Nest Sinkhole, Florida
Considered the ‘Mount Everest’  or the ‘Grand Canyon’ of cave diving, the Eagle’s Nest is one of the most intricate and challenging dive sites one can dive. Located on the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area property, near Weeki Wachee, the sinkhole first appears to be a very unimpressive, scummy-looking pond. Hidden below it astounding depths of around 300 feet (91metres), the Eagle’s Nest Sinkhole in Florida has chambers as large as gymnasiums and crystal-clear water. [*Above image- Times photo: Maurice Rivenbark]

Why it’s challenging:Only for highly experienced cave divers and the technically sound, the descent the Eagle’s nest is similar to that of a chimney and hundreds of feet below it opens up into a large cavern called “the Main Ballroom”, beyond which are longer tunnels and crannies that go even deeper. While cave diving isn’t for everyone, a number of divers have perished attempting to explore this site in particular. The Sinkhole’s challenging caves and and harsh conditions are not to be taken lightly when considering to dive here.

4. Cenote Esqueleto Temple of Doom, Mexico
Just outside of Tulum, Mexico is Cenote Esqueleto, known rather ominously as the ‘Temple of Doom’. This cenote is a mix of salt and fresh water and has a large canyon venturing off into passageways and caverns.

Why it’s challenging: Entering the cavern is said to be uncomfortable as there are no stairs leading down to the water. There is, however, a galvanized pipe ladder to help you ascend the ten feet from the water to the lip of the cenote. It’s a 25-foot-diameter hole with a large undercut ledge and features a multilevel maze of cave formations, boulders and stalactites dripping from the blanched white limestone. It’s all too easy to get lost in the dark cave system if you venture outside the area lit by daylight.

5. Devil’s Cave System, Ginnie Springs, Florida
The Little Devil, Devil’s Eye and Devil’s Ear in Ginnie Springs, Florida are three very different cave diving experiences offered all year round. There are 30,000 feet of mapped passageways and cave systems, all formed as a result of underground water working upon soluble limestone. This type of topography, called Karst, characterizes most of the principal cave systems in the world.

Why it’s challenging: There is a breakdown restriction about 200ft from the entrance to the Devil System called ‘the lips’. The currents are strong and at the Devil’s Ear, divers must take extra care because of the narrow vortex opening which can cause their gear to shift around.

Now plan your next dive trip and diving vacations with great deals from LeisurePro Travel

*images: photos by Saspotato, jrover, CasaDeQueso, PMC 1stPix on flickr

Top 5 Deep and Challenging Dive Sites was written by Noreen for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

Engelbrecht Caves (Advanced cave)
The Engelbrecht Caves is a huge complex of limestone caves under the city of Mount Gambier. Tours for two of the chambers are offered where cave divers can enter the water to dive under the streets and the city itself.The western caves are accessed through a small crescent of water that leads to a 90-meter long flooded passage that finally opens into a huge air chamber. There’s roughly about 200 meters of passages and some air chambers. Although not much life, the intricate tunnels and the thought of diving under a city in clear waters are exciting enough to make this dive a must.

Piccaninnie Ponds (Sinkhole)
Easily the most popular sinkhole and cave dives of all of Australia, the Piccaninnie Ponds is almost certainly the purest, clearest water on Earth. The dive starts with a descent into a spectacular chasm around 5 m wide and 50 m long and that goes to a depth of 60meters. However, at 10 meters you’ll find an entrance in the wall that will bring you to The Cathedral. This beautiful white limestone walled chamber labeled the cathedral is lined with attractive aquatic weed growth and has water so clear you feel like you’re floating in air. From here you can exit from a second hole at 25 m, and explore the limestone walls of The Chasm and you can spot a variety of life including freshwater lobsters, crabs, shrimp, eels, pygmy perch, diving beetles and other insects. You do have to book ahead if you want to dive here though, because the number of visitors are restricted.

The Shaft (Sinkhole)
In a tiny hole in the middle of a huge flat field where you’d least expect to be diving, lies one of Australia’s most infamous but truly spectacular cave dive site- The Shaft. Aptly named because of it’s entrance which is an inconspicuous narrow shaft water drain, with only a swinging ladder to descend to the water 8 meters down the dingy shaft. Your scuba tanks are lowered down to you to kit up in the water, in the darkness. But once you’ve conquered the task of all the prep, the small lake chamber has a huge underwater chasm with some of the clearest waters in the world. The immense cave is impressive to say the least. It is quite deep, however the CDAA (Cave Divers Association of Australia) limits divers to a maximum depth of 40 meters at all it’s sites and care must be taken at this one in particular as many have perished for a variety of reasons diving this site. An outstanding dive, the shaft is definitely one of the most unique sinkhole dives in the world.

Tank Cave (Advanced Cave)
Tank cave is the longest submerged cave system in Australia which provides 7 kms of water filled caverns but only one entrance. Much of the cave is less than 15m deep, allowing long bottom times and some lengthy penetrations. However, you can dive here for days and it’ll still be not enough to explore all of the crystal water tunnels. The cave is even said to continue beyond the nearby Fossil Cave, which now seems to be part of the system as well.

Fossil Cave (Cave)
This site is paleontological research site as well as an interesting cave dive. The small oval pond leads to a single “chamber” roughly 10 meters long, 12 meters wide and 6 meters deep with dark silt at the bottom. At the far end is another chamber that penetrates a further distance of about 17 meters and is roughly 30m across, reaching a maximum (safely-achievable) depth of about 15 meters in a jumble of boulders known as “The Pit”. The think dark silt deposits require divers to have very good buoyancy when attempting this cave dive.

Other Dive sites:
The One Tree sinkhole dive site is a funnel-style cave, with a collapsed roof forming a rock pile 30 m below the surface. Passages lead down from the rock pile to 50 m, well beyond the safe diving limits. The Pines is another picturesque and readily accessible, popular cave diving sites in the Lower South East. It’s “cenote”-style sinkhole entrance is a portal to a large boulder-strewn cavern which is filled with “air-clear” water. Gouldens Hole, Hells hole, Little Blue Lake Kilsbys Sinkhole and The Sisters are some of the other popular dive holes in Mount Gambier.

Remember though, most of the dive sites lie on private property and permission and permits from the CDAA and property owners are a necessary requirement to diving the sinkholes and lakes of Mount Gambier. So visit http://www.cavedivers.com.au for more information.

*Image Credits: All photos by Saspotato on flickr

Dive The Craters And Sinkholes Of Mount Gambier was written by Noreen for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

1.The Elbow, Turneffe Island, Belize
Turneffe Islands is the largest of the three atolls of Belize and the only one with an extensive cover of mangroves. Of it’s numerous dive sites, ‘The Elbow’ is our pick for the best dive to see large fish and pelagics. Located at the very southern end of the atoll The Elbow is quite different from its neighboring Lighthouse Reef. Here, the reef reverses its direction exposing it to the deep and a confluence of opposing ocean currents bathes the 3,000-foot drop in nutrient-rich water, supporting a cavalcade of marine life. Soft corals drape the vertical ledge interspersed by barrel sponges and patrolled by large predatory fish like jacks, snapper and permit. Seasonal appearances of sharks and kingfish add to the pelagic spectacle, but most spectacular is the majestic flight of eagle rays. On exceptional days a school of more than 50 eagle rays can bring a sensation of euphoria to even the most jaded and experienced diver.

However, this dive is considered an advanced dive because of it’s strong currents. Divers attempting it should have excellent buoyancy control and good air consumption as this wall dive ranges from 60 ft (18 meters) to very deep depths and dive time must be spent in mid-water because of bottom time constraints.

2. Ocean Blue Hole, Andros Island, Bahamas
The Ocean Blue Hole in Andros is literally a tube in rock more than 200 feet (61 m) across at the top and with a skylight formed when the roof of an ancient, and formerly dry, limestone cavern collapsed and flooded after one too many cycles of rising and falling sea levels. But it isn’t just any hole in the ground, it’s teaming with marine life and coral life, in the shallow parts and jacks and bigger fish the deeper it gets. It’s a completely different world down there, with overhangs, swim-throughs and winding canyons.

3. Wreck of the Antilla, Aruba
One of the largest WW2 wreck in the Caribbean, at 400 ft is an unforgettable dive site. Dubbed ‘The Ghost’ ship, the MS Antilla was scuttled by it’s own German Captain to prevent it getting into the hands of the Dutch, right off the coast of Aruba where it was docked. The German supply ship now lies on its port side at a maximum depth of 55 feet, although it can be easily seen from the surface and the wreckage even breaks the surface. It’s wreck in it’s shallow and clear waters often casts an eerie massive shadow on the white sandy seabed. Up until a couple years, the wreck used to be open to special wreck penetration scuba diving but now after the hull has been weakened by storms it is collapsing on a daily basis, making it unsafe to go inside the wreck. But, still there is plenty to see and the marine life astounding. Yellowtail snapper, angelfish and bluehead wrasse dart between star and brain corals, while hamlet and damselfish hang beneath purple gorgonians. Four-eye butterfly fish and beaugregory seek refuge near white-tipped fire coral and even dive masters who’ve descended on the wreck hundreds of times say they still discover new sights with each visit.

4. Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman, Cayman Islands
Diving conditions in the Caymans is second to none, with it’s astonishingly clear underwater visibility usually ranging from 150′ to 200′. It’s renowned primarily for their abundant Wall and Wreck Diving sites. One of the best walls to dive at is located in the Bloody Bay Marine Park which is technically a Little Cayman site, but easily accessible by boat from Cayman Brac. This site has been rated frequently by several dive magazines and sites as one of the best wall diving sites in the world. With underwater ledges starting at 20 feet and dropping suddenly to a few thousand feet honeycombed with caves and crevices, this one mile long wall is near the deepest part of the Caribbean Sea. The abundance of coral life and sponges are second only to the hundreds of species of fish and marine life that inhabit this region. The big-lipped Nassau Grouper and Turtles are regular features of this site.

5. Santa Rosa Wall, Cozumel
Ranked no. 1 by PADI as a top dive destination and featuring on almost every divers must-dive destination list, the island of Cozumel off the Mayan Coast of Mexico is a feast for any divers eyes. Famous for its drift diving, Cozumel is a lazy diver’s paradise with currents that range from gentle 1/2 knots near some dive sites to fast, strong currents only for experienced and adventurous drift divers.The Wall at the Santa Rosa Reef begins at 50 feet and drops straight away into the deep blue. The Santa Rosa Wall is an expansive reef filled with huge coral mounds and covered with giant sea fans, beds of tunicates, immense sponges, huge overhangs of stony corals and impressive caves and tunnels. The massive richly colored sponges line the wall that drops off to infinity. Visibility here is stunning and with the current doing most of the work all you need to do is fall into the water and let the currents carry you away, past a Technicolor reef scene that boasts a rainbow array of sponges and scads of unique fish. Look in cracks and crevices for the whiskered Splendid Toadfish, found nowhere else on Earth. (For more read: Paradise Reefs: Diving in Cozumel, Mexico).

*Images from flickr by Serge Melki, D M Amundsen, joeduty on flickr

Top 5 Dive Sites In The Caribbean was written by Noreen for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

Located just off the coastline are hundreds of tiny islands that also are launch pads for incredible diving, and can be visited as day trips from the three above mentioned towns or can be visited independently with divers opting to stay at the resorts located on these tiny islands. Some of the more popular Andaman Sea islands are Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, and the Similan Islands.

Ko Lanta

Ko Lanta or Koh Lanta as it is sometimes referred to is an island is situated in the province of Krabi in the Andaman Sea, in south-western Thailand. Situated in between Krabi and the Phi Phi Islands, Ko Lanta is a reasonably large sized island around 6 kms (3.7 miles)  wide and over 30 kms (18miles) long. Ko Lanta is in fact two islands, “Ko Lanta Noi” which means small Lanta Island, and” Ko Lanta Yai” meaning big Lanta Island. Most tourist resorts, beaches and activities however take place in the larger Ko Lanta Yai. There are over 9 pristine sandy beaches located along the island, and a private secluded patch of sand is never too difficult to find.

The coastal city of Krabi is located just 70kms (43miles) away from Ko Lanta, and the Phi Phi Islands just 31 kms (19 miles). The Airports of Krabi, Trang and Phuket are all accessible by ferry or speedboat making it a short trip from the mainland on arrival.

Despite having several dive shops located on Ko Lanta, strangely enough there is no scuba diving that takes place around the immediate Islands waters itself. All diving comprises of boat dive trips to nearby popular dive sites such as the  Hin Daeng and Hin Muang near Ko Lanta (red Rock and Purple Rock) which is perhaps one of the best dive sites in all of Thailand which we have covered earlier on.  Dive trips from Lanta also cover the nearby Phi-Phi islands, The Koh Ha group of islands, Koh Bida, the Phuket favorite spots; Shark Point, Anemone Reef and King Cruiser wreck. This is what makes Ko Lanta such a unique scuba diving destination in Thailand. All of the best dive sites from surrounding areas can be easily accessed from Koh Lanta, with the exception of the Similans which also can be accessed by liveaboard.

If you are looking to experience a slice of the best diving in the Andaman Sea, along with the best beaches to get away from it all, without the glitzy commercialized resorts, then Ko Lanta is the ideal dive holiday destination for you.

photos from flickr by: JonasPhoto, llse Rejis, LeeLeFever

Thailand Featured: Andaman Sea Diving Part IV was written by Nevin for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

Located just off the coastline are hundreds of tiny islands that also are launch pads for incredible diving, and can be visited as day trips from the three above mentioned towns (Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga) or can be visited independently with divers opting to stay at the resorts located on these tiny islands. Some of the more popular Andaman Sea islands are Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, and the Similan Islands.

Ko Phi Phi

The Phi Phi Islands (pronounced Pee Pee) are 6 islands  two of which are larger and well known, the tiny sister islands  Phi Phi Don Island and Phi Phi Leh Island that are located approximately 42 Kms (26 miles) off the Thai coastal province of Krabi and between the Islands of Phuket and the mainland. These Islands were almost completely destroyed by the Tsunami in December 2004 which demolished the entire infrastructure on the Islands, which has since been completely rebuilt.

The Phi Phi’s are breathtaking limestone islands with sheer white cliffs rising out of the ocean, and grounded with white sand beaches that are truly a paradise.  The smaller Phi Phi Leh island was in fact the location for the Leonardo Di Caprio movie, the Beach.

The Diving at Ko Phi Phi comprises of the best of Phuket as well as Krabi, as its location allows divers to visit the popular dive sites of both regions. However the most popular sites located approximately 55kms (34 miles) south of the islands are Hin Daeng & Hin Muang (Red Rock & Purple Rock).

‘Red Rock’ Hin Daeng takes its name from the red anemones that cover this huge pinnacle and form one of Thailands best Deep Divesites and perhaps the best site in these waters to spot large fish. These reefs offer the deepest drop-off and steepest wall  all in the middle of the open ocean, drawing schools of large pelagic especially barracudas as well as manta rays and whale sharks.

Hin Muang or “Purple Rock”, named for the many wonderful soft pink and purple corals carpeting its shallower reefs, starts at around 7m (22ft) and drops sharply to a depth of 70m (229 ft) the deepest drop-off in Thai waters. Located 100m from the Red Rock site, there are large whale shark sightings as well as feeding mantas frequently visiting this site.

Apart from the Rock’s there is great diving to be found in the Phi Phi’s especially around the smaller islands of Koh Bida Nok & Koh Bida Nai providing a great mixture of underwater terrain and shallower dive sites peppered with swim-throughs, walls, and pinnacles. Soft Coral gardens are the highlight of these waters, and its not uncommon to spot leopard sharks and even black tips.

The easiest way to get to the Phi Phi’s is through the airports of Krabi or Phuket and then by boat to one of the wide range of resorts located on the islands.

photos from flickr by Bilal /\/\iRza , sigkyrre, jon hanson

Thailand Featured: Andaman Sea Diving Part III was written by Nevin for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

Located just off the coastline are hundreds of tiny islands that also are launch pads for incredible diving, and can be visited as day trips from the three above mentioned towns (Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga) or can be visited independently with divers opting to stay at the resorts located on these tiny islands. Some of the more popular Andaman Sea islands are Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, and the Similan Islands.

Phang-Nga

The Phang-Nga province situated between Phuket and Krabi encompasses some excellent islands and offers visitors some of the best diving and snorkeling opportunities available. This province includes the famous Similan Islands , Kho Lak, Kho Khao and the Phang Nga Bay.

The Ao Phang-nga National Park, a physical marvel of nature is filled with islets, sunken caverns and startling rock formations that rise sheer out of the sea, This region is especially enticing for kayakers and snorkelers, as there as so many hidden gems in the form of vertical limestone islands to explore. Scuba Diving and snorkeling primarily takes place in the waters between the two Surin Islands and around the Similan Islands.

Similan Islands

A part of the Phang-Nga province, the Similan islands are situated further north along the Thai coastline, approximately 84 kilometers north-west of Phuket. “Similan” is derived from the Malay word sembilan, and means “nine”. The Similan archipelago comprises of nine Islands each surrounded by crystal clear emerald waters teeming with marine life. These Islands rank among top 10 dive sites in the world, but even for non-divers they are well worth a visit.

All liveaboard’s operating in these waters feature the Similan Islands as one of their main dive stopovers and for good reason as well. The eastern and western parts of the Similans are geographically completely unique and offer totally different diving experiences. There are over 20 frequented dive sites each providing divers with the opportunity to observe everything from coral gardens and small schooling tropical reef fish to large pelagic, leopard and white sharks. The variety of coral found in this region is simply staggering. There are more than 200 species of hard coral alone identified the Similans, making it a true gem in the Andaman Sea.

Getting to the Similans if you are staying near Phuket, Phang Nga or Krabi, is full day trip.  Boat trips take up to 3 hours to get to the Islands, and there is no regular boat service available. The most popular way to get to the Similans for Scuba Divers is by Livaboards, that allow you to get the full experience of the national park.

photos from flickr by dachalan, Shelby PDX, René Ehrhardt

Thailand Featured: Andaman Sea Diving Part II was written by Nevin for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World

Located just off the coastline are hundreds of tiny islands that also are launch pads for incredible diving, and can be visited as day trips from the three above mentioned towns (Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga) or can be visited independently with divers opting to stay at the resorts located on these tiny islands. Some of the more popular Andaman Sea islands are Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, and the Similan Islands.

On the Eastern coastline of Thailand facing the Gulf of Thailand, despite there not being as much diverse dive sites as in the Andaman sea, there are still some great dive spots and resorts, most notably Koh Samui  and Koh Tao.

Phuket

Phuket located centrally among Thailand’s Andaman Sea East coast diving towns and is known to provide all kinds of diving to please even the most discerning of scuba divers. From beach dives to wreck dives, wall dives and drift dives, there is something for everyone. Phuket often rates among the top 10 scuba diving destinations in the world.

Phuket’s location is also ideal to allow access for divers to go on day trips as well as liveaboards to almost all of Thailand’s best Island dive attractions both in the Andaman Sea as well as in the Gulf of Thailand.

Some of Phuket’s top dive sites are Shark Point (Hin Musang) a great site for spotting sea fans and Leopard Sharks, Anemone Reef, another great dive site located near Shark Point which as its name suggests the site consists of endless fields of sea anemones and for wreck diving, the King Cruiser Wreck an 87m catamaran ferry is also a great site  to visit.

Krabi

The second most popular dive destination on Thailand’s mainland west coast is Krabi. Offering world class diving, with over 40 dive centers to choose from, Krabi is known as dive certification central. One of the reason why most people flock to Krabi for dive certifications is the fact that The price of diving in Thailand is among the cheapest in the world.

The major dive sites are centered around the Phi Phi Islands, off Ao Nang Beach and to the south of Koh Lanta. All of the diving sites are easy to reach and don’t require you having to spend a whole day out at sea. Even the above Phuket dive sites of Shark Point and Anemone Reef can be accessed from Krabi.  However for those that wish to venture to the islands, Krabi is also a good base for starting expeditions to the Similans, Ko Lanta and other islands.

photos from flickr by pnendick, sigkyrre, flydime

Thailand Featured: Andaman Sea Diving Part I was written by Nevin for Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog - Bringing You The Other 70% Of Our World