Koh Phangan is located in the Gulf of Thailand between Koh Samui and Koh Tao. The island is ideal for young divers who want to get their diving license and want to experience incredibly adventurous dives right from the start. How is diving on Koh Phangan? Which diving school did we dive with on site? And where are the most beautiful diving spots? We have put together all the important information about diving on Koh Phangan for you. 

The small island Koh Phangan (travel report) The Gulf of Thailand is still a sleepy paradise today: Unless there is a full moon and thousands of party-loving holidaymakers flock to the island to take part in one of the legendary full moon parties, Koh Phangan is a totally relaxed and sleepy island - even for Ideal for divers and anyone who wants to learn to dive on site.

Especially in the low season, you have many areas - the dream beaches, the hotels and resorts and also the diving spots - of the island almost to yourself. Of course, you can also simply snorkel on vacation on Koh Phangan without using diving equipment. With the incredible, great underwater world, that alone is snorkeling great fun. 

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Good alternative to Koh Tao

Those who want to dive normally do so on Koh Tao - the turtle island. The smaller of the islands of the archipelago is reputed to be the best point of contact for divers and is opposite Koh Phangan and Koh Samui (travel report) prefers. But is she really? On Koh Tao there are more divers and dive centers per square meter than anywhere else. The competition is great - the quality of diving and in particular suffers in part strongly. On Koh Tao there is a mass production of divers and instructors - not always to the highest standards.

Not so on Koh Phangan. Both that Diving Diving training on Koh Phangan is exemplary at many of the local dive centers. In addition, the island still has something untouched. Diving centers usually work together and you get a pretty high quality of safety and diving education. If I started diving again, I would definitely prefer Koh Phangan to Koh Tao. 

Overview – Why should you dive on Koh Phangan?

• beautiful dive area between Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand
• Marine reserves with high biodiversity such as Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park
• The Sail Rock between Koh Phangan and Koh Tao is considered the best dive site in the Gulf of Thailand
• Koh Phangan has several excellent, safe diving schools under European management
• The island offers numerous excellent hotels and resorts, is still relatively natural and offers numerous dream beaches as well as many other recreational opportunities
• High quality diving education in very professional diving schools

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Diving on Koh Phangan - the selection of diving centers is large

When I was on the island in the Gulf of Thailand Of course, I am also looking for a direct contact point for diving on Koh Phangan. Of course I'm looking for a dive center again. On Koh Phangan, there are an estimated 12 vendors specializing in scuba diving and training. Unlike on the west coast of Thailand, the dive centers here in the Gulf of Thailand focus on training new divers: Starting with the OWD, many of the young world travelers who strand here make internships where the newcomers are trained up to the instructor.

These are of course very different conditions than in the Andamenensee, where the dive centers mainly offer tours to start the already trained divers. There is the Richelieu Rock north of Khao Lak at the Surin Islands the hotspot for divers, we on a Thailand liveaboard And Sail Rock is not without reason called his little brother. When looking for a suitable dive center I consult as always all available sources: I look on the Internet at rating portals, who has done well. And, of course, doing research on the spot. That's how I end up searching for Haad Yao Divers - a very good decision, as we shall see.

Overview – the most popular diving centers on Koh Phangan

diving Center	Phone number	Website
Haad Yao Divers	+66 (77)349 367	haadyaodivers.com
Chaloklum Diving	+66 (77)374 025	chaloklum-diving.com
Reefers Dive Resort	+66 (93)731 8518	reefersdiving.com
Sail Rock Divers	+66 (77)374 32	sailrockdiversresort.com
Pirate Divers	+66 (81)077 4470	piratediversthailand.com
The Dive Inn	+66 (81)476 6528	-
Dreamland Miscellaneous	Tel. + 66 77 445 181	dreamland-diver.com

Diving on Koh Phangan with the Haad Yao Divers day boat - lots of space and a spacious diving deck

When I storm into the office at Haad Yao Divers, my first impression is positive and I don't even try it in English: "I'm sure you speak German," I say in greeting. And I'm right: "How do you know that?" asks Ute, who welcomes me at the Haad Chao Phao branch of the dive center. Because everything is so clean and tidy and looks typically German,” I explain mischievously: As comfortable as a living room.

The perfect basis to dive with the Haad Yao Divers. Base owner Heike shows me the headquarters at Haad Yao Beachin which the equipment is stored and started on the full-day tour - and usually there is a lot of activity, over the base manager Richi has sovereign control.

The best dive sites on Koh Phangan

The objectives of the day tours are, in addition to all other destinations in the archipelago of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, especially the classic Sail Rock and the Angthong National Park. On our tours we go to the Sail Rock, because the conditions there in my Koh Phangan week top were and also one or the other whale shark has been seen these days. The day boat Haad Yao Divers is spacious with interior and upper deck that tapers back to a sundeck. It is always entertaining with the guides Sasja, Mikkel and Thomas, who are all enthusiastic about the matter.

I dive with my guide Mikkel, a young Norwegian who has a thing for what he calls “muffin rock”. The young divemaster knows the dive site very well, which is located between Koh Phangan and Koh Tao and consists solely of a small rock on the high seas, which is dived daily by legions of divers. So when diving on Koh Phangan do you go to the same dive sites as from Koh Tao?

That would be great I think - Koh Phangan is the prettier island and diving on Koh Phangan is just as good as Koh Tao. That would be perfect. Diving on Koh Phangan is similar to Sail Rock: inconspicuous on the surface - but also inconspicuous under water?

Overview – the best dive sites around Koh Phangan

• Sail Rock
• Ang Thong National Park
• Koh Ma (the small island right on Mae Haad Beach)
• Beach dive in Haad Yao and Haad Salad
• Koh Tae Nok

Diving at Sail Rock – There’s a lot going on around the small rock

The Sail Rock is one of the most famous dive spots in the Gulf of Thailand and is commonly referred to as the little brother of Richelieu Rock. And there's a lot of it. We approach the rock to a few meters and then dive the submerged slopes - and the abundance of fish are quite memories awake! Swarms of spiny mackerels and barracudas circle the rock, repeatedly traversed by individual tuna.

On the river side is a large school of batfish. All in all, a wonderful dive Site with many surprises. Also the way to the somewhat remote pinnacle through the open water is well worth the effort, because there is often the opportunity big fish like one of the many Shark species in Thailand results. And where is he? Whale Shark? He is unfortunately in all my four dives on two days wrong. It is almost over, one could say, is also over: Because I see more often in the next few days on Facebook, if one of the guides cheers that he has once again caught a whale shark.

Diving on Koh Phangan: And every day you go to Sail Rock

After arriving on Koh Phangan, I first noticed that all dive centers offer daily trips to Sail Rock. It sounds like it's a coincidence that counts for today Excursion Sail Rock is offered and on the other days other dive sites are on the program. This is rarely the case. Mostly they say: Up to the Sail Rock! Is not boring, is my first thought. After a week diving on Koh Phangan I can say: No, that's not boring, that's fortunately so! Because a better dive site can hardly exist to the Wildlife in Thailand to watch underwater.

Directions to Sailrock – How to get there

The Sail Rock is called in Thai Hin Bai and is not for nothing one of the most popular Dive sites in Thailand, It usually offers good visibility, where divers can spot mackerel swarms and many large fish such as barracuda, tuna and whale sharks. The underwater landscape around the Sail Rock is spectacular. Diving depths of 40 meters and more are possible around the Sail Rock.

The Sail Rock is usually driven from the Chaloklum Pier in the north of Koh Phangan and is one hour by boat from the jetty. Depending on the weather, the tours start every now and then in the capital Thongsala. The pinnacle of the Sail Rock rises about 15 meters out of the water into the air and drops in the north as a cliff to 35 meters in the depth. There is also a fireplace that is wide enough for divers, so you can immerse yourself. The openings of the underwater chimney are on 19 meters, 12 meters and 7 meters.

On the south side of the Sail Rock are some terraces and plateaus up to 32 meters, which are accompanied by steep rock formations. The Sail Rock is located in a quite isolated position between the two islands Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. in the Channel between the two islands There are often stronger currents, which attracts a lot of schooling fish and pelagic fish. The currents that surround the rock also fuel the growth of corals: crustal anemones, yellow cup corals and large sponges grow very frequently here.

Many hydrozotes and black corals have settled deeper down. Many white-eyed moray eels, scorpionfish and large groupers live here around the rock walls. It's not just batfish that make Sail Rock unsafe: also fusiliers, snappers and mackerels. Anyone who looks into the blue water can often see Pacific jacks and marlins hunting for prey. Sail Rock is also a popular spot for whale sharks, which are probably the shooting stars of this dive site.

Picture gallery – exciting diving on Koh Phangan

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Diving on Koh Phangan – Sail Rock is the best diving site in the Gulf of Thailand

My conclusion

Koh Phangan is one very special island and diving on Koh Phangan a very special number: The island is sometimes a bit sleepy and strange. That's right, diving has quite a positive effect. It's very different from the rest of the world because it's primarily about training new divers, not primarily UW tours. But Koh Phangan is a real hit and even counts among its members for its overall package most beautiful places in the world.

I agree with that. Diver So far, Phangan has less on screen. The location is very good: The Angthong National Park and the Sail Rock are easily accessible from the middle island in the archipelago. And just at Phangan is absolutely the total package for young divers: On the one hand, the island is slightly sleepy and in places in a wonderfully pleasant way like a dropout retreat.

Lively, diverse island – diving and on land

On the other hand, Koh Phangan has a lively nightlife in the south and also a lively island capital, Thong Sala. If you think the Fullmoon Party is an overrated mass event, there are brilliant alternatives all over the island, such as live music at jams, numerous beach bars or various offshoots of the Fullmoon Party such as Blackmoon, Halfmoon or Waterfall Party.

In complete contrast to the lively nightlife is the entire east of the island, which is almost undeveloped in places and still offers real opportunities for adventurers, the rainforest and remote areas Beaches in Thailand to discover. Diving table is the Sail Rock a great dive site, which is worthwhile not only for one or two dives, but during a whole dive week.