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KRABI DIVING
Diving
courses, day trips and
even liveaboard excursions are all offered. Sightseeing tours are also very popular with
plenty of oppurtunities to enjoy the wonderful scenery or to visit the local islands and
beaches. Hot springs, temples and caves are also visited. Slightly more energetic
activities include rock climbing on Railae beach and sea kayaking.
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Diving from Ao Nang
BeachThis area consists of a group of 7 main islands dotted around
Koh Poda - Koh Ha, Koh Si, Koh Yawabon, Koh Dor, Koh Talu, G.K.
Island and Koh Yawasam. Local marine life that you'll see when
you're diving in Krabi is both diverse and prolific with over 200
species of fish and 80 species of coral catalogued. The region lies
within the Hat Nopparat Thara - Mu Koh Phi Phi Marine National Park.
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Koh Ha contains at least 60 species of corals and many of
the gorgonian seafans host a fascinating range of shrimps
and crabs. This Ao Nang dive site often has large schools of
barracuda, small groups of squid, and early in the morning
leopard sharks are often found lazing in the sand.
With 2 large shallow coral covered plateaus on either side
Koh Si competes with Yawasam for the best snorkelling site
in Ao Nang. The southern end of the island is particularly
picturesque and frequently has good visibility. Huge schools
of snappers and the occasional large grouper make a
breathtaking sight when the visibility is up, and otherwise
you can always look for seahorses, nudibranchs and
scorpionfishes which make their home on the rocks here. The
northern end of the island is a relatively steep wall
covered in Tubeastrea barrel corals, sponges, and sea whips.
Koh Si is also a good place to briefly spot the shy
black-tip reef shark. Dive sightings are common but brief as
the shark commonly flees contact with humans.
Koh Yawabon is famed for the longest swim-through in the
area, but has a large no light zone and can be subject to
strong currents. Because of this, divers are reminded that
penetrating overhead environments requires specialised
training and equipment. With the majority of Krabi diving
boats going to other islands, this site is often swarming
with large schools of unconcerned fish. Lobsters and large
groupers are commonly observed here as well the occasional
stingrays.
During the afternoon the western side of Koh Dor often plays
host to a group of the normally shy black-tip reef sharks.
Whilst brief sightings of these sharks are possible on scuba
they are best observed by snorkelling in the lunch break.
Koh Dor has a good mix of large porites species and
Diploastrea Heliopora hard corals and soft corals, sea fans,
sea whips and leather corals. Several large barrel sponges
are also found around this site.
The large island of Koh Talu boasts 2 shallow swim-throughs
that are suitable for most levels of divers and large
barracuda often frequent the entrances. Mantis shrimps are
sometimes found scuttling across the bottom as you move to
deeper waters. The coral extends a long way south and it is
even possible to swim from the western side of this island
right across to the next site, G.K. Island.
If you like soft corals and their attendant hosts of
shrimps, crabs, and brittlestars Krabi scuba diving at G.K.
Island will be paradise for you. Deceptively small on the
surface, the underwater coral plateau to the south seems to
go on forever. Sea whips and gorgonians abound and every
rock is covered with a plethora of corals. Large school of
fusiliers move along the edges of the larger rock
formations, whilst the occasional sea snake probes the
cracks and crevices for its next meal.
Koh Yawasam is blessed with large areas of shallow coral and
flat areas of sand, but boasting deeper water with coral and
sandy patches a short swim away, Yawasam could have been
built with dive instruction in mind! The marine life here is
as varied and numerous as any Krabi dive site. Koh Yawasam
also is the easiest place to observe the red saddleback
anemonefish, which is rare compared to the other
anemonefishes found in our area.
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Diving Season
Scuba diving in Krabi
runs all year round, but the best diving conditions exist from
November to April.
Late May to October brings monsoon winds and surface swells,
reducing visibility at the dive sites in Ao Nang by about 20%, but
it is pretty rare that trips are cancelled due to bad weather.
October also brings heavy rains to the Andaman Sea. From May to
August, the weather is better in the Gulf of Thailand, so you might
consider diving in Koh Samui.
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Other nearby sites that can be visited on
day trips from Krabi:
• Anemone Reef • Kingcruiser Wreck
• Shark Point • Phi Phi Islands
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Reef Basics
Great for: Small
animals, beginner divers, snorkelling and non-diving activities
Not so Great for: Drift dives and advanced divers
Depth: 5 - 25m
Visibility: 5 - 20m
Currents: Easy
Surface Conditions: Calm, but can be choppy in rainy season
Water Temperature: 27 - 31?C
Experience Level: Beginner
Number of dive sites: >10
Distance: ~5-10 km west of Ao Nang (? hour)
Access: Ao Nang - Krabi scuba diving day trips
Recommended length of stay: 2 - 3 days, or 1 week to dive all
destinations that are accessible from here |
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Diving Package &
Diving Day trip Rate |
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PADI Diving courses |
Duration |
Package detail |
Selling |
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Discover scuba diver package 1 |
1 Day |
Pool session plus
2 dives Aonang local islands |
3,400.- |
| Discover scuba diver package 2 |
2 Days |
Pool session plus
2 dives Phi Phi islands |
4,200.- |
| Open water package 1 |
3 Days |
4 dives Aonang local islands |
11,900.- |
| Open water package 2 |
3 Days |
2 dives Aonang local islands plus 2 dives Phi Phi islands |
12,900.- |
| Adventure diver |
1 Day |
3 dives Aonang local islands |
8,900.- |
| Advanced open water diver Package
1 |
2 Days |
5 dives Aonang local islands |
10,900.- |
| Advanced open water diver Package 2 |
2 Days |
3 dives Aonang local islands
Plus 2 dives Phi Phi islands |
11,500.- |
| Emergency First Response |
6 Hrs. |
Classroom |
3,900.- |
| Rescue diver |
2 Days |
All skills are at Aonang local islands |
12,500.- |
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SCUBA TALENT ONE DAY DIVING TRIPS |
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Dive
Site |
Time |
Day |
Price
per person |
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Ao nang local islands 2
dives |
8.30 am. - 4.00 pm. |
Every day |
2,300.- |
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Ao nang local islands 3
dives |
8.30 am. - 4.30 pm. |
Every day |
3,200.- |
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Phi Phi islands 2 dives |
7.15 am. - 4.30 pm. |
Mon, Web,
Fri, Sun |
3,300.- |
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Superday 3 dives
(Shark point, Anemone
reef and King cruiser wreck)
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7.15 am. - 5.00 pm. |
Tue, Thu,
Sat |
4,000.- |
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Superday 2 dives
Shark point , Anemone reef, King cruiser wreck
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7.15 am. - 5.30 pm. |
Tue, Thu,
Sat |
3,300.- |
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Snorkeling
(Aonang local Islands) |
8.30
am. - 4.00 pm. |
Every day |
500.- |
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Snorkeling
(Phi Phi Islands) |
7.15
am. - 4.30 pm. |
Mon, Web,
Fri, Sun |
1500.- |
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Sunset Snorkeling |
12.45
pm. – 8.30 pm. |
Every day |
850.- |
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Dive Site
Directly off Ao Nang Bay there are two islands. Koh
Podah Nai and Nok, most of the diving is concentrated around these. All the local diving,
which is relatively shallow, can be reached in an average of 45 min by Longtail boat or in
around 20 min by the larger dive boats.
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Facts about dive:
Facts about dive:
Facts about dive:
Facts about dive:
Koh Ha