In recent years Koh Phangan has become ever more popular for people to learn or improve their diving. Our smaller sister island Koh Tao is the most famous for this but we are a close second with many different dive schools to choose from, amazing aquatic life and our close proximity to the famous dive site Sail Rock.
There are now over 20 dive schools to choose from on the island and they can be found based all over including Baan Tai, Haad Rin, Haad Yao and Thong Nai Pan.
The most famous area on the island with possibly the most schools would be Chaloklum.
Most schools offer a wide range of PADI Courses including Discover Scuba Diving, Open Water, Speciality, Rescue Diver, Adventure, Advanced, Deep Diver and more!
They also run Fun Dives with PADI Guides if you don’t want to do a full course or are only here for a short time.
A lot of the schools choose the location of Chaloklum due to the area having its own Pier away from the busy Thong Sala or Haad Rin, plus the area still holds true to its Fishermen’s village heritage so Diving just seems to naturally fit in.
You will find that Chaloklum is full with divers living there, either long termers who are now instructors or even run/own the dive schools and also people who are learning to dive or helping out whilst on holiday. The diving community is a really good one on Koh Phangan who all have a passion for marine and wildlife and also know how to have a beer or few!
Popular dive sites close to Koh Phangan are;
Sail Rock (Hin Bai)
Angthong Marine Park
Koh Ma
Mae Haad
South West Pinnacle
Sail Rock is famous for its Whale Shark sightings and is also its own little eco system which attracts a wide variety of sea life. You can read more about it here.
A lot of the dive schools here have their own accommodation and sometimes even a pool to learn in. They will have their own boat or some schools share one.
We hope you enjoy diving on our island of Koh Phangan. Here are our related articles including some from the famous dive island and our neighbouring island of Koh Tao.
