Diving in the land of smiles

As well as being renowned for its polite, friendly, and smiling people, Thailand also offers magnificent diving experiences in some of the most stunning locations on the planet.

Racha Yai, also known as Raya Yai, is located 20 km south of Phuket. With its clean sandy beaches and shallow, crystal clear waters, it is a major attraction for every diving or snorkeling enthusiast. The emerald green waters and numerous dive sites surrounding the island boast an incredibly diverse marine ecosystem with vast soft coral gardens, stunning sloping reefs, and steep hard coral walls, all thriving with exotic marine life.

The Finnish-owned dive company Raya Divers (www.rayadivers.com) operates on the island and offers a wide range of diving courses - from beginner to professional levels. Raya Divers also organize guided trips to dive sites around the island, as well as day trips and live-aboards to other world-class dive locations nearby.

Island Hopping - the traditional way

As it is a granite island, the waters surrounding Koh Racha Yai are crystal clear and the numerous hidden bays around the island offer exceptionally good recreational diving. The diving conditions around the two islands are suitable for divers of all levels. The main underwater attractions can be found in depths ranging from five to 35 meters. Depending on the time of year, as well as the tide and current situation, visibility can vary anywhere between 10 and 40 meters. Diving conditions are best outside the rainy season, between November and April when the water is clearer and calmer.

One of the main attractions while diving around sites on Racha Yai, and its neighboring island Racha Noi, is the use of traditional longtail boats. These sturdy narrow-bodied wooden boats, named after their long propeller shafts that extend beyond the stern, serve as excellent vessels for getting small groups of divers around the islands.

In addition to soft coral and anemones scattered among the hard corals, vast stretches of staghorn can be found in some places around the island. Enormous barrel corals scatter the white sand bottom, hiding an array of small marine life. Titan triggerfish, lionfish, cuttlefish, moray eels, batfish, nudibranchs and countless other fish and invertebrates are a common sight in these waters. The island also attracts some bigger visitors, such as leopard sharks, barracuda and the odd turtle as well as the usual array of other reef inhabitants. Blue-spotted stingrays bury themselves in the sandy area near the reef, while giant manta rays with a wing span of up to six meters can be seen in the less-confined waters of Koh Racha Noi.

A Diver's Playground

Thailand's vast coastline, numerous offshore islands and submerged pinnacles scattered along the Andaman Sea offer some of the most spectacular dive sites in the world. And while Koh Racha Yai boasts some great dive sites near and around the island, the real treasures can be found within a few hours' travel. The Phi Phi Islands with Koh Bida Nok and Koh Bida Nai, Anemone Reef, Shark Point and the King Cruiser Wreck are all accessible by boats that leave the island in the morning and return in the afternoon. The diversity of life forms in these dive sites is staggering. You will find submerged pinnacles covered in carpets of sea anemones, rocky ledges with gorgonian sea fans and unimaginable forms of soft coral in every possible color. Combining all of this with some of the most exotic fish and invertebrates known to the underwater world, you will truly have something to write home about.

Text: Robert Pudelski
Images: Timo {Air}aksinen and Sami Turunen