Pattaya, Thailand is renowned throughout the world not only for it’s pristine oceans, breathtaking coastline, exotic, palm-tree lined beaches, but for its fabulous diving waters. For anyone who has taken a dive beneath the waters and waves, Pattaya’s coastal waters are teeming with aquatic life, and some of the best corals and intriguing shipwrecks.

The ‘Far Islands’ , is Pattaya’s main scuba diving areas, which are located 20 to 30 KMs from Pattaya’s coastline. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) controls the islands, by keeping boat traffic to a minimum and making sure there are no permanent structures are being built there. ‘Far Islands’ consist of 5 islands, Koh Man Wichai, Koh Rin, Koh Hu Chang, Koh Keung Badaan and Koh Phi. Any of the Pattaya hotels you’ll be staying at will provide you with a list of diving companies who have permission to dive around the ‘Far Islands’.

While on your diving tour, you’ll get to experience many types of hard and soft corals, swim through large schools of Jacks, Tuna and even swim by Barracuda. You’ll get to see the Porcupine Pufferfish, the Moray Eels, the Blue Spotted Stingrays in their natural habitats and they are virtually every where you’ll dive.

As for shipwrecks, the HTMS Khram is located south of Koh Phi island, sits 30 meters underwater and is considered the best shipwreck for serious divers. The HTMS Khram was decommissioned by the RTN to mark His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 50th birthday. The sheer amount of marine life that has established themselves in this wreck will astound even the most seasoned divers. Go a little bit further to the Samae San/Sattahip area and you’ll be able to dive around the wreck of the Petchburi Bremen, which is an old freighter that is 21 meters underwater and the Hardeep, which is a cargo ship sunk down in 28 meters of water during World War II, but what’s even more amazing, is this wreck is intact and can be navigated from stern to bow completely inside.

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