Phuket low season scuba diving is not about choosing every famous dive destination. It is about choosing the right local day trip for the diver, the weather, the sea conditions and the certification level.
For Thailand Divers, the main low-season scuba day trip choices are the Racha Islands, Phi Phi Islands, and the advanced King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and Koh Doc Mai route. Seasonal national-park trips are not included in this low-season day-trip guide.
Quick answer
- Open Water certified divers: choose the Racha Islands first.
- Comfortable certified divers: Phi Phi can be a good longer 3-dive day when conditions suit.
- Advanced divers only: King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and Koh Doc Mai.
- AOW students: the King Cruiser/Shark Point day is commonly used as the second day of the PADI Advanced Open Water course.
- Thailand Divers service: private Divemaster / Instructor and lunch are included at no extra cost.
- Diving insurance: certified divers need their own suitable cover for day trips, liveaboards, Refresher, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox and Deep Diver courses. Existing suitable travel or personal dive insurance is accepted. Discover Scuba Diving, Explore Scuba and Open Water students have included accident cover during their booked course activities, subject to eligibility and policy terms. Read the full insurance requirements.
- Not certified yet: start with Discover Scuba Diving or the PADI Open Water course.
Low season Phuket scuba day trips compared
| Day trip | Best for | Diver level | Typical return | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Racha Islands | Easy local 3-dive day, confidence building, recently certified divers | Certified divers, including Open Water where conditions and sites are suitable | Usually 17:30-18:00 hotel return | Best first choice for most Open Water divers in low season |
| Phi Phi Islands | A longer scenic 3-dive day with reef life and Shark Point on the route | Certified divers only; comfort level and conditions matter | Usually 18:00-19:00 hotel return | National Marine Park fee is normally paid in cash onboard |
| King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point, Koh Doc Mai | Wreck, deeper diving, Shark Point reefs, stronger adventure day | Advanced divers only or suitable AOW course students | Usually 17:30-18:30 hotel return | No Open Water divers. King Cruiser is around a 30-32m wreck dive. |
Racha Islands:
the safest low-season starting point for many certified divers
The Racha Islands are usually the first low-season day trip to consider if you are Open Water certified, newly certified, returning after a break, or simply want the most sensible local diving option from Phuket.
The Thailand Divers Racha day is a three-dive trip. The normal route includes Racha Noi and Racha Yai, with breakfast and lunch onboard and hotel transfers included. Racha Yai in particular has shallow sandy areas, good visibility, reef life and sites that can suit a wide range of certified divers.
Typical Racha day-trip schedule
- 07:00-07:30 – hotel pick-up
- 08:30 – meet your private Divemaster / Instructor onboard
- 09:00 – dive briefing and breakfast
- 10:15 – first dive at Racha Noi
- 12:00 – lunch served onboard
- 13:00 – second dive at Racha Noi
- 15:30 – third dive at Racha Yai
- 17:30-18:00 – return to your hotel, depending on location and conditions
For Open Water divers, Racha is normally the best low-season starting point. If conditions change, Thailand Divers can advise whether the planned sites still match your level.
Phi Phi Islands: a longer certified-diver day
Phi Phi is a longer scuba day from Phuket and can be a very rewarding option for comfortable certified divers. The route normally includes sites such as Ko Bida Nok, Turtle Rock and Shark Point, with three dives, breakfast and lunch onboard.
This is not a first-time-diver article and Phi Phi is not the automatic answer for every new Open Water diver. It is certified-only, conditions matter, and the day runs later than a Racha day.
Typical Phi Phi day-trip schedule
- 07:00-07:30 – hotel pick-up
- 08:30 – meet your private Divemaster / Instructor onboard
- 09:00 – dive briefing and breakfast
- 10:15 – first dive at Ko Bida Nok
- 12:00 – lunch served onboard
- 13:00 – second dive at Turtle Rock
- 15:30 – third dive at Shark Point
- 18:00-19:00 – return to your hotel, depending on location and conditions
Phi Phi is part of the Thai National Marine Park. The marine park fee is 600 THB per scuba diver and 400 THB per snorkeller, paid in cash onboard when entering the park.
King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and Koh Doc Mai:
advanced divers only
This is the point that needs to be crystal clear: the King Cruiser/Shark Point day trip is not a beginner trip and it is not for Open Water divers.
The King Cruiser Wreck is a deeper wreck dive, usually around the 30-32m range. The Thailand Divers Shark Diving route is an advanced three-dive day: King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and Koh Doc Mai. Shark Point can offer beautiful soft corals, sea fans, reef life and possible leopard shark sightings, while Koh Doc Mai is a wall and drift-style dive that can have current and variable visibility.
Typical King Cruiser and Shark Point schedule
- 07:00-07:30 – hotel pick-up
- 08:30 – meet your private Divemaster / Instructor onboard
- 09:00 – dive briefing and breakfast
- 10:15 – first dive at King Cruiser Wreck
- 12:00 – lunch served onboard
- 13:00 – second dive at Shark Point
- 15:30 – third dive at Koh Doc Mai
- 17:30-18:30 – return to your hotel, depending on location and conditions
Important suitability note
No Open Water divers on the King Cruiser/Shark Point day trip. If you are Open Water certified, choose the Racha Islands instead, or use this advanced route as part of your PADI Advanced Open Water training with Thailand Divers when your instructor confirms it is suitable.
Which low-season day trip should you choose?
| Your situation | Best first choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Open Water certified and want a sensible local day | Racha Islands | Most practical low-season certified-diver option |
| Recently certified or not dived for a while | Racha Islands | Easier to match to comfort and conditions |
| Certified, comfortable and want a longer day | Phi Phi Islands | Three varied dives with a later return |
| Advanced certified and want wreck/reef/wall diving | King Cruiser, Shark Point, Koh Doc Mai | Advanced-only route with deeper and more challenging dives |
| Doing your Advanced Open Water course | Racha day + King Cruiser/Shark Point day | Matches Thailand Divers AOW structure when conditions allow |
| Not certified yet | Discover Scuba Diving or PADI Open Water | Day trips in this article are for certified divers |
Prefer to build a new skill during your stay? The one-day PADI Nitrox Diver course includes three Racha Islands dives. Our two-day PADI Deep Diver course combines Racha with the King Cruiser route, with private instruction and training towards a maximum recreational depth of 40 metres.
Why Thailand Divers checks suitability before booking
Low season diving can be excellent, but trip choice should be honest. Certification level, recent experience, comfort in the water, currents, weather and the planned dive sites all matter.
If you message Thailand Divers, include your certification level, number of dives, date of your last dive, and whether you are comfortable with deeper dives or current. That makes it much easier to recommend the right day trip instead of simply selling the most exciting-sounding name.
Every Thailand Divers scuba day trip includes lunch onboard and a private Divemaster / Instructor at no extra cost. For certified fun divers this means private Divemaster support; for training dives it means instructor support as part of the course structure.
Thailand Divers requires all certified divers joining scuba day trips, liveaboards or courses for certified divers to have their own suitable scuba-diving insurance before diving. This includes Refresher, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox and Deep Diver courses. Insurance is not included in these bookings.
Scuba-diving accident cover is included for Discover Scuba Diving, Explore Scuba and Open Water students during their booked course, subject to eligibility and policy terms. These students do not need to arrange separate scuba cover for those course activities. This does not replace travel insurance or cover later certified fun dives.
Existing suitable travel or personal dive insurance is acceptable. See our scuba insurance guide to check the requirements and optional DAN route.
FAQ
Do I need scuba-diving insurance?
Thailand Divers requires all certified divers joining scuba day trips, liveaboards or courses for certified divers to have their own suitable scuba-diving insurance before diving. This includes Refresher, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox and Deep Diver courses. Insurance is not included in these bookings.
Your existing travel insurance or personal dive insurance is acceptable if it covers your planned scuba diving in Thailand, including the activities, maximum depth and all dive dates, with cover for dive-accident medical treatment, emergency evacuation and recompression chamber treatment. Check eligibility, limits and exclusions with your insurer and bring confirmation of cover.
If you already have suitable cover, you do not need to buy another policy. If you need cover, see our scuba insurance guide and DAN short-term option. Check the policy before purchasing.
Scuba-diving accident cover is included for Discover Scuba Diving, Explore Scuba and Open Water students during their booked course, subject to eligibility and policy terms. These students do not need to arrange separate scuba cover for those course activities. This does not replace travel insurance or cover later certified fun dives.
Are seasonal national-park trips included in this low-season guide?
No. This article is focused on Phuket low-season local scuba day trips only. Seasonal national-park routes should be treated separately because they depend on the operating season.
Can Open Water divers dive King Cruiser Wreck?
No. Thailand Divers lists the King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and Koh Doc Mai route as advanced divers only. Open Water divers should choose Racha Islands or continue training towards Advanced Open Water.
Is King Cruiser part of the PADI Advanced Open Water course?
It can be. Thailand Divers uses Racha Noi/Racha Yai for day one of the PADI Advanced Open Water course and the King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and Koh Doc Mai route for day two when conditions and scheduling allow.
Which low-season trip is best if I have just passed Open Water?
Start with the Racha Islands. It is the most sensible low-season certified-diver day trip for many new divers and returning divers.
Can non-divers join the day-trip boat?
Non-divers may be able to join some boats, but if the person wants a snorkelling-only day, a dedicated snorkelling trip may be a better fit. Ask Thailand Divers before booking.
Useful links
- All Phuket scuba day trips
- Racha Islands 3-dive day trip
- Phi Phi Islands 3-dive day trip
- King Cruiser Wreck and Shark Point day trip
- PADI Advanced Open Water course
- PADI Open Water course in Phuket guide
- Scuba diving insurance guide
- Advertisement: DAN short-term diving insurance
Need help choosing the right low-season dive trip?
Send Thailand Divers your certification level, last dive date and comfort level. We can then help match you to Racha, Phi Phi, or the advanced King Cruiser/Shark Point route.
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