Descend into the clear, tropical waters surrounding Koh Samui and you’ll know you’ve found aquatic paradise. The Gulf of Thailand is teeming with tropical marine life, and divers from all over the world come to dive in Koh Samui to experience this underwater wonderland.
Offering a range of sites from granite pinnacles, rocky seamounts and vibrant coral reefs teeming with life, this small island packs a mighty punch. You can see why diving in Koh Samui is a popular choice.
As you head out to deeper sites, keep your eyes out into the blue for whale sharks who frequent these waters. Stingrays, eels, barracuda and turtles are often pass you by. Black coral, barrel sponges, sea fans and an abundance of soft coral peppered with sea anemones make diving in Koh Samui a firm favourite.
Koh Samui’s calm, bright waters provide stable conditions throughout the year. With water temperatures never dropping below 84°F/29°C, you can see why diving in Koh Samui is loved by so many.
You can appreciate rock and coral formations, as well as titan triggerfish, sea snakes, hawksbill turtles at any time of year. Whale sharks cruise into the deeper pinnacles through all seasons but are most likely to appear in April-May when the plankton levels are higher. Keep your eyes peeled for these majestic creatures cruising through.
Visibility stretches to 30m from July-September - the best conditions for spotting small critters. Macro lovers seek nudibranch and shrimp inside crevices and gaps between rocks or hiding in artificial reefs. Beautiful subjects for underwater photography.
Koh Samui is part of the Chumphon Archipelago made up of 600 islands that include Ang Thong Marine Park, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.
For diving in Koh Samui most visitors arrive at the quaint tropical Koh Samui Airport from Bangkok (1h 30m by connecting flight) or Phuket (1h). This little airport is actually classed as an international airport as it receives direct flights from Hong Kong and Singapore.
High-speed ferries connect Koh Samui to the mainland, and its closest neighbours Koh Phangan and Koh Tao can be reached in 30m and 3h respectively. The mode of transport and route you decide to take depends on your budget and where in Thailand you're traveling from.
Once on Koh Samui you have many options to get around; choose from songthaew, car, bike or taxi or walk. A songthaew (pronounced “song-tao”) is a converted pick-up truck with two benches on the back seating 8-10 passengers. This is the most popular way to travel around the island and a way to make new diving buddies.
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