Everything you need to know about dving Pattaya
Pattaya offers a somewhat different diving experience to other destinations in Thailand. Located close to Bangkok, it is significantly more built-up than any other destination, with a bustling night-life & plenty of topside activities.
While not offering the quality of diving of some of Thailand's more remote locations, it is an extremely convenient dive spot with plenty of established dive shops & facilities for divers.
It is a popular place to learn to dive, but underwater, the main attraction is its wrecks.
Highlights
Best diving spots
The two most famous wrecks are the Hardeep & the Bremen. The Hardeep, an Indonesian freighter that went down in 1942, is probably the better dive as the wreck is in much better shape & penetration is possible. The Bremen is a 300 foot long wreck that provides a refuge to large schools of Snapper & Barracuda.
To provide a little variety to wreck diving, there are also some other dive sites in the area. The pick of the bunch is possibly Ko Rin, with its boulders, swim-throughs & healthy marine life. Closer to Pattaya, Ka Krok, Ko Chuang & Ko Samaesan have nice corals and reef-fish.
The dive sites around Pattaya, with the possible exception of Ko Rin, do not have the visibility of other dive spots in Thailand and some sites get strong currents, but for those looking for a combination of wreck-diving and coral diving, with plenty to do away from the reefs, it makes for an interesting option.
When to dive
Pattaya tends to escape the worst effects on the monsoon, meaning it is possible to dive here all year round. The best conditions are normally between May & August.
Getting there
Pattaya has an airport with connecting flights to Bangkok, Phuket & Ko Samui. It is also only a short bus ride from Bangkok, 145km away and is linked by rail to the capital. There is also a regional airport in Pattaya.
Activities
One major plus of Pattaya is its range of activities. Watersports are hugely popular, there are also golf courses & go karting tracks, plus no shortage of places to eat and drink.
Resort and liveaboard options
Pattaya receives a huge volume of tourists and has a huge number of accommodation options, but not necessarily a huge variety. Most accommodation is budget to mid-range hotels and apartments, often in built up areas. Hat Jomtien, to the south, has more luxury options.
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