Phuket

Phuket is Thailand's main gateway to Andaman Sea diving. Day boats run all year to the reefs and wrecks around Phi Phi, Racha Yai and Racha Noi, Shark Point and the King Cruiser wreck, giving beginners and experienced divers plenty of choice. From roughly mid-October to mid-May, when the Similan Islands National Park is open, liveaboards and fast day boats head north to the Similans and Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock, one of the best places in Thailand to see whale sharks, manta rays and rare macro life. Phuket's dive centres range from small family-run shops to large training centres with their own liveaboards.