Koh Phangan Diving and Snorkeling

Dive beneath the crystal-clear waters surrounding Koh Phangan and enter an underwater world of wonder! From novice to expert, the island boasts a plethora of scuba diving sites on its southwest, west, and north coasts. Beginners can dip their fins into the safety of the shallows, while more advanced divers can explore the depths of the thrilling open sea. Come experience the adventure and beauty that Koh Phangan’s underwater universe has to offer!

There are plenty of enthralling reefs just a few meters from the Koh Phangan beaches which are easily accessible by both snorkellers and those embarking on PADI advanced open water courses, while Ang Thong Marine National Park and all of Koh Tao’s pristine dive sites are just minutes away by speedboat.

Diving Guide to Koh Phangan

Koh Ma is the island’s finest dive site with abundant coral and sealife, although there is also a vast array of reef-dwelling fish around the island, especially off Ban Tai reef. Many divers stay on Koh Phangan and then travel with the dive tours to the Koh Tao dive sites such as Chumporn pinnacles, Sail Rock, and islands off the marine national park.

If you prefer snorkeling you can still join the dive boats whose operators will provide equipment and safety briefings. You can also rent or borrow snorkeling equipment from many of the island’s resorts and rental companies, or purchase your own.

Although it is not nearly as famous for marine life as its nearby sister of Koh Tao, Koh Phangan has decent fine hard and soft coral which is inhabited by a wide variety of fish plus sharks and the occasional turtle.

Common species include damselfish, large and small groupers, angelfish, goatfish, wrasse, parrotfish, anemonefish, and snapper to name but a few. But Koh Phangan scuba divers also have a good chance of spotting stingrays, large barracuda, tuna, cuttlefish, and mackerel.

Popular Snorkelling and Diving Spots in Koh Phangan

Koh Ma

Koh Ma is a tiny island connected to the northwest of Koh Phangan by a sandbar and offers a huge variety of colorful fish and coral. Although its best known as a Koh Phangan snorkeling spot, the steep shelves of hard and soft coral cuttlefish can also be explored by novice scuba divers. Schooling fish, barracuda, bannerfish, and large groupers are common here.

Mae Had

Mae Had is another popular Koh Phangan scuba diving site with maximum depths of up to 15 meters. It boasts a long graduated coral reef dive plus diverse reef species amongst the hard corals. The reef at Ao Chao Phao is just 100 meters from the beach and the drop-off attracts a wide variety of marine life including some large species.

Haad Salad

Haad Salad offers a relaxed coral reef dive amongst calm waters plus an excellent range of hard corals that boast lots of reef fish up to 14 meters in depth. And the larger Haad Yao nearby offers similar terrains off its shore which is accessible to both snorkellers and scuba divers in Koh Phangan.

Koh Tae Nok

The small island of Koh Tae Nok situated immediately off the southern coast of the island near Thong Sala is a popular Koh Phangan diving site offering hard and soft corals, lots of tropical fish, and even the odd reef shark.

Haad Khom

Haad Khom is a popular Koh Phangan snorkeling spot owing to the extensive array of living coral that protects its bay from open seas and the great visibility that results. Many dive schools visit the area, especially from close-by Chaloklum Bay, and it’s one of the better spots on the island to see a breadth of marine life.

Sailrock

Sailrock is without question the Thai Gulf’s most famous area for marine life and is easily accessible on Koh Phangan scuba diving excursions as well as Koh Tao. All levels of divers from novices to experienced enthusiasts will thoroughly enjoy diving here, with the spectacular rock rising proudly out of the water creating a diving wall with a maximum depth of 40 meters. Koh Phangan scuba divers here will get to experience a wide variety of marine life, stunning rock formations plus the legendary ‘chimney’ swim-through tunnel.

Ang Thong National Marine Park

The National Marine Park around Koh Phangan was the inspiration for Alex Garland’s backpacker treatise The Beach and is made up of 42 pristine tropical islands. The park also offers some of the most colorful and undamaged coral in the whole of the Kingdom and is rightly a mecca for divers craving diverse marine life and stunning underwater rock formations.

Boat trips to Ang Thong take around two hours from Koh Phangan, with the best diving towards the northernmost extreme of the park. Here divers get their best opportunity to see rarer creatures of the Thai Gulf such as turtles and sea snakes, but there are also other points of interest such as two-meter giant hydroids and black corals. There are depths here of up to 30 meters.

Ang Thong is not so much about huge drop-offs, but gradual shelving with special features such as swim-throughs, outcroppings, and shallow caverns. And the best thing about scuba diving in Ang Thong Marine National park is that it is a thrilling experience for all levels from novice to expert, and is also easily accessible to snorkellers as well.

Traveling from Krabi? Find out how to get from Krabi to Koh Phangan.

Dive Schools Koh Phangan

Chaloklum Diving

Chaloklum Diving is owned by Nick, a PADI Master Instructor with years of experience in scuba diving. Together with his team, they aim to provide quality and personalized service to their guests. What makes Chaloklum Diving stand out is their genuine personal attention that ensures each instructor only cares for up to 4 people at a time. This means that you have a lot of time and attention to learn and explore the underwater world. Their team is well-equipped to cater to your needs and make your water diver course experience enjoyable.

Chaloklum Diving offers a wide selection of PADI courses, from the beginner-level Padi Discover Scuba Diving to the advanced Rescue Diver course. If you want to take your skills to the next level, you can also enroll in specialized courses like Enriched Air Nitrox, Digital Underwater Photography, and Deep Diver. You’ll be taught by experienced and certified PADI instructors who will guide you throughout your course and provide hands-on training.

One of the best things about Chaloklum Diving is its location. The dive center is situated on the northern shore of Koh Phangan, which is close to some of the best dive sites in the area.

The Dive Inn

Looking for a life-changing dive experience? Then the Dive Inn diving school is for you! Instructor Raph is never anything but professional – plus he can put up with many beginner’s mistakes quite patiently, and patiently. But don’t be fooled by his tranquil demeanor – safety and knowledge are always at the core of his lessons. The great part is, their boat has ample space, with food generously provided. Plus, the crew members are extremely friendly and welcoming. In other words, Dive Inn takes care of you like one big family! We highly recommend it as your go-to diving destination.