Dive Pattaya's Wrecks 'n Reefs
Although Pattaya is not as well known for diving as Phuket, Phi Phi, the Similan Islands, Surin Islands and other island in the Southern part of Thailand, Pattaya actually offers a number of advantages over the more-famous dive sites of the Andaman Sea for divers of all skill levels. One of the reason of this is, as well mentioned on many Scuba Forums or websites, the visibility is not as great as the other parts of Thailand. This is due to the fact that Pattaya is on the top of the gulf of Thailand and the water does not wash away fast so it would become more clear.
However unlike the southern Thailand scuba destinations on both the Andaman Sea (Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi) and Gulf of Thailand side (Koh Tao, Koh Samui), Pattaya is not seasonal. The monsoons that close half of Phuket’s dive sites during the summer months don’t blow that high up in the gulf in Pattaya. All the area’s sites are open year-round with similar temperatures and visibility. Rain always affects visibilty so expect a bit lower visibiliy during the raining season.
Pattaya, however, is best known as Thailand’s “wreck-diving capital.” With four shipwrecks in 20-31 meters of water, the city is the only place in Thailand where recreational divers can experience wreck-diving every day of the week.
The newest wreck, sunk in October 2012, the HTMS Mataphon lies just 45 minutes off Pattaya's pier at Koh Larn.
The HTMS Kood, sunk in 2006, lays at Koh Sak, just 40 minutes from shore. The in 2003 sunk HTMS Khram rests off Koh Phai, one of Pattaya’s “Far Islands,” and the most famous wreck in the area the Hardeep wreck is in Samae San, a 45-minute drive south from Pattaya.
Another advantage Pattaya has is the ease and convenience. Pattaya is the closest dive destination to Bangkok, home to the country’s major international airport and draw to the most tourists. Many Bangkok residents and vacationers come to Pattaya in the morning and are back in Bangkok in the evening.
That accessibility extends to the water, too, with Pattaya offering a large number of sites on which new or casual divers can feel comfortable. Even as more-seasoned divers tackle the more-challenging wrecks and deep spots in Laem Tong and Samae San, PADI Open Water and Scuba divers can enjoy reef sites filled with tropical fish, sea anemones and giant sea turtles!
you can read more about Pattaya's different locations by clicking on the links below or selecting them in the menu above.
For extensive details and photos of the reefs of the Near and Far Islands as well as Pattaya's four wrecks, see these pages:
Source:
a former Pattaya diveshop website - author BJ
Pattaya Dive Center
Pattaya-scuba.net
However unlike the southern Thailand scuba destinations on both the Andaman Sea (Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi) and Gulf of Thailand side (Koh Tao, Koh Samui), Pattaya is not seasonal. The monsoons that close half of Phuket’s dive sites during the summer months don’t blow that high up in the gulf in Pattaya. All the area’s sites are open year-round with similar temperatures and visibility. Rain always affects visibilty so expect a bit lower visibiliy during the raining season.
Pattaya, however, is best known as Thailand’s “wreck-diving capital.” With four shipwrecks in 20-31 meters of water, the city is the only place in Thailand where recreational divers can experience wreck-diving every day of the week.
The newest wreck, sunk in October 2012, the HTMS Mataphon lies just 45 minutes off Pattaya's pier at Koh Larn.
The HTMS Kood, sunk in 2006, lays at Koh Sak, just 40 minutes from shore. The in 2003 sunk HTMS Khram rests off Koh Phai, one of Pattaya’s “Far Islands,” and the most famous wreck in the area the Hardeep wreck is in Samae San, a 45-minute drive south from Pattaya.
Another advantage Pattaya has is the ease and convenience. Pattaya is the closest dive destination to Bangkok, home to the country’s major international airport and draw to the most tourists. Many Bangkok residents and vacationers come to Pattaya in the morning and are back in Bangkok in the evening.
That accessibility extends to the water, too, with Pattaya offering a large number of sites on which new or casual divers can feel comfortable. Even as more-seasoned divers tackle the more-challenging wrecks and deep spots in Laem Tong and Samae San, PADI Open Water and Scuba divers can enjoy reef sites filled with tropical fish, sea anemones and giant sea turtles!
you can read more about Pattaya's different locations by clicking on the links below or selecting them in the menu above.
For extensive details and photos of the reefs of the Near and Far Islands as well as Pattaya's four wrecks, see these pages:
Source:
a former Pattaya diveshop website - author BJ
Pattaya Dive Center
Pattaya-scuba.net