Snorkeling in Thailand

Snorkeling in Thailand is an amazing experience that the whole family can enjoy. It’s a great way to see the “other Thailand” – that mysterious world under the sea. Bounded by two bodies of water, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, Thailand has approximately 2000 km of coastline and an abundance of underwater life. Colorful tropical fish, sea horses, rays and other marine creatures cavort beneath the clear blue sea. There are also intricate rock formations hidden under the waves to admire. Snorkeling is a fun and easy way to view these exotic sights. Simple to learn, snorkeling is safe even for family members such as relatively young children or pregnant women (unlike scuba diving), as long as they are good and experienced swimmers.

What you’ll need

Due to the pleasantly warm temperature of Thailand’s waters all year round, you will not need a wetsuit. Just wear a comfortable bathing suit, covered by a t-shirt to protect against sunburn. (Don’t forget your sunscreen as well!) The only equipment required is a diving mask, a snorkel (breathing tube) and preferably fins. Some people do go snorkeling without fins, but they prevent leg fatigue and allow you to swim and explore much further. It’s important to have your mask fitted properly to avoid discomfort and water leakage. The snorkel tube should be approximately 30 cm long, up to a maximum of 40 cm. This permits you to swim and maneuver underwater with the end of the snorkel above the surface, without descending to an underwater level where there will be dangerous pressure on your lungs.

Where to go

There are many lovely spots for snorkeling in Thailand. From quite a few coastal areas, you can just snorkel straight off the beach closest to your hotel. If you would like to venture farther afield, the Similan Islands in the Andaman Sea are considered one of the best sites for snorkeling, with great underwater visibility, colorful reefs and hundreds of species of fish, and they are just an hour from Khao Lak by speedboat. Another interesting snorkeling tour out of Khao Lak is a visit to Koh Bon, where you can swim with manta rays. Or snorkel with turtles at the Surin Islands. Koh Phi Phi offers a number of exciting spots to explore, such as Monkey Beach, Bamboo Island and Viking Cave. Favorite Gulf of Thailand snorkeling destinations is Koh Tao and Koh Samui, although there tend to be fewer reefs to see and visibility may not be as clear.

When to go

Thailand is famous in tourist brochures as a bright and beautiful tropical paradise. But remember that a “tropical paradise” means tropical weather patterns. Thailand is swept by monsoons several months of the year. Many tourists do still visit during the rainy season, when hotel prices are much lower and crowds are less. However, if your visit is centered primarily around beach activities, rainstorms may put a crimp in your style. Heavy rains affect the water clarity and may make for dangerous swimming conditions. The Andaman coast is affected from May through October, while the Gulf coast bears the brunt of the weather in November and December.