Diving and watersports in Thong Nai Pan

(updated November 2011)

The Gulf of Thailand has one five star rated PADI diving site. It's called Sail Rock and it's about 2 hours by boat from Thong Nai Pan. Other noteworthy sites are Chumphon Pinnacles and Angthong Marine Park. There is a wide variety of marine life to see including blue ringed angel fish, green turtles, whale sharks, hexagon groupers and clown fish. If you don't want to travel far there is Koh Mah and Koh Tae Nok, both small islands near Koh Phangan where there is live coral and an abundance of marine life to see.

On Thong Nai Pan Noi there are three dive shops: H20 Scuba, Tropical Dive Club and All Star Diving. H20 is next to Handsome Sandwiches in the village. Tropical Dive Club is now on Thong Nai Pan Yai. Tropical Dive Club has its own speed boat. H20 also uses a speed boat. At present H20 Scuba School is offering free trial dives (in a pool) for anyone interested in learning scuba diving. For directions to these dive shops see the map in the about Thong Nai Pan section. On Thong Nai Pan Yai there is Dreamland Diver which is affiliated to Dreamland Resort. For directions click here. All dive shops offer a full range of PADI courses and recreational dives. On Thong Nai Pan Noi you can normally find Lee at Handsome Sandwich. He is vastly experienced and offers PADi courses and fun dives.

Most resorts will organise boat and snorkelling trips which usually include lunch and transfers. Fishing trips are also possible to organize.

From November to February there is often a few waves in the bay. Be careful of the under tow. A few days a year it's too dangerous to swim but most of the time a bit of swell makes kayaking and body boarding great fun. You can rent kayaks at Panviman and Baan Panburi in Noi and at Dreamland Resort and Candlehut Resort in Yai.

On calm days there are often 2 jet skis for hire and on occasion, the Jungle Bar boys can be seen out on the 'Lovely Jubbly' speed boat practising water skiing.

For those who prefer to stay on the beach there is often a volley ball game going on around 5pm when it gets cooler.