The postcard-worthy Phi Phi Islands consist of a few small islands all close to one another, among which there are three popular diving areas. The main island of Phi Phi Don is where all local dive centers and resorts are based, and is the only island that’s inhabited. The party-town of Tonsai is a hotspot for backpackers and vacationers, where there’s plenty of low-cost dive options in an exciting, bustling setting. However, for a quieter, but slightly more expensive island vibe, head to the North of Phi Phi Don, particularly Laem Tong Beach, where high-end resorts and dive centers are dotted along the much less-crowded coastline.

Phi Phi Leh, home to Maya Bay, was made famous by the Hollywood blockbuster “The Beach”, hence its popularity. The bay itself is currently closed to tourists in a bid to improve the ecosystem after years of mass tourism. Recent reports are suggesting an incredible recovery to the corals and marine life here, including many blacktip reef sharks that are making the bay their home again. The dive sites around this island can be more crowded, but they’re definitely worth it thanks to the sheer abundance of life.

Koh Bida Nok and Koh Bida Nai are two small limestone islands that are just as beautiful above the surface as they are below. Featuring sensational walls, colorful coral reefs, underwater caves and tons of critters, these sites are a must if you’re fortunate enough to visit the area.

Further afield, the world-famous sites of the King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and Anemone Reef await, along with distant spots like Hin Daeng and Muang. Due to their distance, these sites are often accessed by speedboats on longer day trips.

Lots of dive operators based in Phuket and Krabi travel to Phi Phi daily, though travel time can be around two hours. If you’re staying on Phi Phi, expect travel times from five minutes to an hour, depending on the destination. Typically, operators offer two or three tank dive trips, departing in the morning and returning in the afternoon. All diving is done by boat, either by large diving boat, speedboat, or traditional Thai longtail boat. Liveaboard cruises are also plentiful and include Phi Phi's best dive sites on their itinerary in addition to neighbouring islands.

As for dive courses, they’re all available, from beginner to professional level, and in a myriad of languages. It’s a fantastic place for newbies to take entry-level certifications thanks to easy, shallow reefs, while seasoned divers can opt for advanced courses, with plenty of suitable training sites, including deep shipwrecks, plunging walls and speedy drift dives depending on the current.
 

Thanks to its tropical climate, Phi Phi offers year-round diving, with warm water temperatures ranging between 28°C-31°C (82°F-88°F). The high season from November to April is the best time to dive here in terms of weather and ocean conditions when there’s less rainfall, better visibility that averages between 10-30 meters, and calmer seas around the best dive sites. 

The low, rainy season from May to October still boasts awesome diving however, the best sites are often too wavy as a result of changing winds. Sites that are sheltered from the winds are just as beautiful, but there’s simply less of them available. Sunny days still occur frequently, and most showers pass quickly and are refreshing. What’s more, you’re likely to grab bargains on diving and accommodation.

It’s important to note that in any season, the absolute best visibility and mildest currents here happen during the half-moon period of the month, due to lesser tidal variation.
 

Boat diving is common practice, as there aren’t really any shore dives here. Most divers enjoy colorful, shallow reef diving in this area, such as at sites like Lanna Bay, Bida Nai, Palong/Malong and Viking Cave, along with dramatic wall diving thanks to the islands’ breathtaking underwater topography, like at Bida Nok, Nui Bay and Phi Leh Wall. 

Cave diving is possible in some parts, and many dive sites boast adventurous tunnels and swim-throughs. Wreck diving is another attraction, including such sites like the King Cruiser and Kled Geaow. 

Night diving also promises a memorable experience, when the dive sites are a completely different story in the dark.
 

If you can think of it, it probably lives here. Indo-Pacific species thrive around these islands, from rainbow hard and soft corals and tiny macro cuties like nudibranch, shrimp, seahorses and crabs, to reef sharks and turtles. Blacktips and hawksbill turtles are common sightings around Palong/Malong and just north of Maya Bay, all while a plethora of colorful reef fish decorates the sites, including batfish, angelfish, lionfish, damselfish, anemonefish, and so many more. 

Eels, sea snakes, octopus and cuttlefish hunt around the reefs, while schools of barracuda and tornadoes of yellow snapper create tornadoes. Blue-spotted stingrays glide along the sandy floor, where lucky divers may spot a resting leopard shark.  Eagle rays sometimes frequent the area, and the sites of Hin Daeng and Muang offer a chance to see manta rays. The luckiest of divers might encounter a whale shark, though this is an exceptionally rare occurrence. 
 

Lanna Bay is a shallow, seemingly endless reef on Phi Phi Don that is teeming with tropical life. As an easy, relaxing site for beginners, it’s akin to diving in an aquarium and is normally uncrowded.

Bida Nok and Bida Nai are premier sites boasting topography that’s as exhilarating as its prolific marine life. With tons of hard and soft coral and immeasurable amounts of fish and reef critters, these sites offer some of the best diving in the area.

Anemone Reef is a limestone pinnacle carpeted by thousands of swaying anemones that seem to hypnotize divers and the vast amounts of fish that live here, among which include an eerie school of great barracuda. The King Cruiser Wreck, a ferry that sank in 1997 after hitting Anemone Reef, is overflowing with life, including clouds of lionfish and pufferfish. Now resting at the bottom housing volumes of creatures, the encrusted wreck has been taken over by the sea.

Viking Cave features an artificial reef system consisting of hollow concrete blocks forming lego-like towers. Covered in epic amounts of life, it’s a great spot for macro photographers. The natural reef at the other side of the site boasts beautiful corals, anemones, and a wealth of diverse life. Palong/Malong is a wall and sloping reef dive, where divers often spot black tip sharks and hawksbill turtles. The corals and fish action are just as diverse and impressive.

Hin Daeng and Muang are underwater pinnacles situated around two hours by speedboat from Phi Phi. The journey is worth it, as the reefs, fish and critters here are mesmerizingly beautiful, and what’s more, mantas are known to visit these spots.