Pattaya Diving

Pattaya, the wreck diving capital of Thailand, offers world-famous wrecks overflowing with life, including the 600-year-old Chinese pottery wreck and a vertical shipwreck for Tec divers. With its vibrant reefs, bustling nightlife and white sand beaches as well, Pattaya is ideal for divers and non-divers alike.

 

Diving in Pattaya

The sunny seaside city of Pattaya on the east coast of Thailand is synonymous with bustling nightlife, fantastic restaurants, along with its pristine white sandy beaches bathed by glimmering warm waters. Attracting tourists from all around the world, it’s a great spot for beach bums, adventure-seekers, divers and non-divers alike. The underwater action here is just as exciting as it is on land, so it’s no surprise that it’s a diving hotspot for novice and experienced divers.

Nestled in this picturesque paradise part of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya boasts incredible dive sites. In particular, it’s referred to as the wreck diving capital of Thailand, thanks to the intense numbers of shipwrecks peppered across the area. Dive sites here can also experience current, which makes for some exhilarating training sites for those keen on undertaking dive courses, like advanced certifications or wreck and drift specialities.

Dive centers and dive resorts are aplenty, particularly on Jomtien Beach, which is a popular holidaymaker destination. Liveaboards are also starting to appear in and around Pattaya, and include multiple locations that are further afield in their itineraries, such as the Similan Islands, Koh Chang, and many more must-visit spots.

All dive operators access dive sites by boat, with the three main dive locations being the Near Islands, the Far Islands, and the Samae San Islands. The most popular of the three are the Near Islands, which are made up of three small islands called Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Krok. Their popularity is a result of their close proximity, and also their fantastic turtle and shark-infested reefs that are suitable for beginners. Strangely, you can also dive in an underwater restaurant, but remember, the fish here are friends, not food. There’s also the nearby HTMS Khood wreck, which is one of the many spectacular vessels lying on the seafloor in this region. 

The Far Islands are made up of six islands, and due their distance from the shore, visibility is often better. It takes around an hour or so to travel here, but it’s definitely worth it, as the dive sites here are seemingly brighter and more prolific than the islands that are much more frequently visited. The HTMS Khram is another popular shipwreck close to these islands, which is officially Thailand’s first artificial reef site. The sites here may be more suited to advanced divers, as ocean conditions can sometimes be unpredictable, and may experience currents and waves.

Lastly, there’s the Samae San Islands, which are made up of Koh Chuang and Koh Chan. These are much less visited than the Far and Near islands, so if you like to avoid the crowds, this spot may be you. The macro diving is fantastic, with tons of tiny critters to seek out. Underwater photographers and macro lovers will relish the sites here and be kept entertained for multiple dives. That’s not the only selling point though, for these islands are more famous for the Hardeep Wreck, which is another epic shipwreck that’s been completely colonized by superb volumes of diverse marine life. 
 

Best time to dive

Benefitting from a hot tropical climate, Pattaya’s diving scene is non-stop year-round, even during the monsoon season, thanks to warm ocean temperatures that average around 28°C- 30°C (86°F-82°F). Visibility is normally good all year, ranging between 10-20 meters.

The dry season generally lasts from November to April and tends to involve the best visibility, clear blue skies and a calmer ocean. Locals recommend diving during this season for the best weather and ocean conditions when the region experiences the least rain and has mostly calm seas.

The rainy, monsoon season runs from around May to around October, when storms can occur and the weather can stir up choppier waters. Humidity is at its highest in this season, which makes the intense but short downpours rather welcoming and refreshing. While the "rainy" season can sound off-putting, don't think that it equates to bad diving, as sunny days and flat seas do still occur during this time, and the ocean inhabitants aren't disturbed by the change in weather.
 

Types of diving

It’s hard to think that only a few hours from Bangkok, there’s a world-class diving destination featuring vibrant subtropical reefs and shipwrecks overflowing with diverse Indo-pacific species. Diving here typically entails excellent reef diving, especially at sites like Koh Krok, Koh Sak and Koh Larn in the Near Islands. They are conveniently the closest and easiest dive sites in Pattaya and lie around 30 minutes from Pattaya Beach. Along with promising an excellent reef diving experience, these islands are home to some of the highest hawksbill turtle numbers in all of Thailand. More wonderful reef dives await at Koh Rin, Koh Phai and Koh Man Whichai which are part of the Far Islands. 

Wreck diving in Pattaya is also common practice, as the area is home to five world-famous shipwrecks that beckon divers from all walks of life. There are a few lesser-known wrecks available to dive, such as the 600-year-old Chinese pottery wreck, as well as a former parasailing barge platform off Koh Larn. The main wrecks in Pattaya include the HTMS Khood, HTMS Khram and HTMS Mataphon which all operated around the time of the second world war. The former US Navy ships were decommissioned and given to the Thai Navy, who sank them to serve as artificial reefs. There’s also the iconic S.S Suddhadib, more commonly known as the Hardeep Wreck, which sank after being attacked during World War II. An hour from Pattaya is the Bremen Wreck, which met its end after suffering an engine room fire. There are more wreck sites to be explored further in the Thai Gulf, and some operators offer trips to such locations. 

Technical divers have the opportunity to discover one of the most famous wrecks on earth - The Vertical Wreck (PAK One). Sinking bow-first into the 65m, this vessel stood vertically as its stern broke the surface. Due to hazards, the Royal Thai Navy moved her and sank her fully, where she now rests at 52 meters.

When sea conditions permit, drift diving is also a possibility in the area, as many sites can be exposed to strong currents. Drift dives here can be quite unpredictable, and are quite probably better suited to experienced divers.
 

What to see

Pattaya isn’t home to just metal, it also offers a great variety of rich marine life, from hard and soft corals and macro critters like nudibranch, porcelain crabs, seahorses and shrimp, to larger favorites like turtles and sharks. Hawksbill and leatherback turtles are common sightings, and divers can even spot nurse, blacktip, bamboo and tawny sharks. Schools of barracuda and trevally linger in the blue, and elegant reef fish are abundant, including batfish, lionfish, parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, grouper and wrasse. Camouflage experts like scorpionfish, octopus and cuttlefish aren’t uncommon, and a number of ray species can be spotted here too, like blue-spotted stingrays, and even eagle and Mobula rays on rare occasions. In the past, lucky divers have even reported seeing whale sharks and dolphins around Pattaya, so make sure to be exceptionally observant.

Best places to dive

HTMS Khram, an encrusted wreck which lies upright at about 30 metres, hosts a myriad of fish and marine species, including blue-spotted stingrays, schooling fish, huge groupers and even bamboo sharks. The Hardeep Wreck, also known as the SS Suddhadib, was sunk by British Allied bombers in world war two. Lying at 30 meters, the 64 meter- long cargo ship provides a home for a ton of marine life, and has been overtaken by nature. Koh Chuang offers shallow, easy diving on healthy coral reefs, where an array of beautiful fish and marine life thrive. Turtles, stingrays and reef sharks are just the beginning of this world-class site, where beginners and advanced divers alike all dive with a constant smile. HTMS Kood (HTMS Khut) was sunk to form an artificial reef in 2006, though it was originally a world war two era U.S landing ship. Lying at 30 metres, the encrusted shipwreck is now home to an amazing bundle of rich, diverse marine species.

The Far Islands, which a group of six, are only around an hour and a half from Pattaya, are absolutely unmissable if you’re diving in the area. There are many sites to explore here, all around the small islands of  Koh Rin, Koh Phai, Koh Man Wichai, Koh Klueng Badan, Koh Hoo Chang and Koh Luem. They are suitable for divers of all skill levels and feature diverse topography and a fantastic amount of exceptional marine life.

The Near Islands are only 45 minutes from Pattaya, and offer seven amazing reef sites and two shipwrecks. Koh Sak, Koh Larn and Koh Khrok all boast healthy corals and tons of marine life. Koh Larn and Koh Sak are especially good during the monsoon season, as they’re sheltered from rougher conditions during this time. 

The Samae San Islands also shouldn’t be skipped, as not only do they possess the world-renowned Hardeep Wreck, they also have unforgettable reefs, particularly at dive sites like Shark Fin Rock (Hin Lak Bat), Hun Charlam and Japanese Gardens. Three largest islands are Koh Samae San, Koh Chuang, and Koh Jan, and the smaller sites consist of Koh Ron Nang, Koh Chang Klua, Hin Chalarm, and Hin Kunjear. The area will keep even seasoned divers intrigued for multiple dives.
 

FAQ

Rescue Diver prices range from €320-€517. See all Rescue Diver courses in Pattaya.

Discover Scuba Diving prices range from €74-€102. See all Discover Scuba Diving courses in Pattaya.

You can obtain your Rescue Diver in Jomtien.

You can obtain your Discover Scuba Diving in Jomtien.