Cheap diving in Thailand

Times are tough all over, and these days fewer divers can afford to stay in the Caribbean or the expensive resorts of the Red Sea. However, there are still plenty of places to dive on a budget. South East Asia has long been a mecca for shoestring travellers of all kinds. Most people go for the beaches, the food, the culture and the warm climate, but there is more than enough to keep any keen diver busy.

Koh Phi Phi (Phi Phi Island) may be the best dive location in Thailand. Getting there may not be cheap (international airfares rarely are) but once you’ve arrived there is plenty of budget accommodation close to the sea. Food is very cheap, although it pays to take care when buying from street vendors, unless you have a stomach of iron.

The water is very warm all year round and the visibility around Koh Phi Phi is generally good. It ranges from about 25 to 100ft depending on wind conditions- the pattern of prevailing wind direction means the best time to go is between October and May. Go in these months and you’ll also avoid the monsoonal rains. There is a lot of good diving in relatively shallow areas, which means better light for underwater photographers and longer dive times for everyone.

In addition to a first-class assortment of tropical fish, sharks, sea snakes, and corals, Koh Phi Phi is also home to an underwater feature of another kind. The underwater Tsunami memorial in Tonsai Bay is was deliberately placed about 60ft down and almost a mile offshore. There are four carved granite blocks, arranged in a precise configuration that reflects the number of Tsunami deaths that occurred when a massive wave hit the area in 2004. It’s marked with buoys and easy for divers to find.