Pattaya and Samaesan dive sites are divided into island zones. A lot of people wonder whether to go for Pattaya dives or Samaesan ones, and the answer is more interesting than you might think. In Pattaya there are the Near islands around Koh Larn, and the navy-protected Far islands near Koh Phai. Samaesan diving area consists of 9 navy-protected islands. These places all have their positives and negatives, but perhaps the most important fact is that you can reach them from Bangkok in about 2 and a half hours. This makes them easy to reach for holiday makers and expatriates. But let’s compare them according to other factors.
Pattaya and Samaesan Ecosystems
Pattaya Near and Far islands are located in the Bay of Bangkok, at the Northern end of the Gulf of Thailand. Agricultural runoff from rice and other farming means that there is a very rich plankton ecosystem at the surface and midwater. This means that the coral is better able to feed itself during bleaching so coral reefs are in very good condition. Visibility tends to be a bit lower in the Near islands than in the Far islands, but there is a better chance of seeing giant Hawksbill turtles.
The Samaesan 9 islands navy protected area is located around the corner near Sattahip navy base, where the Bay of Bangkok opens up into the Gulf of Thailand. There’s more water movement and the agricultural nutrients dissipate into the greater body of water. This means that there is usually better visibility, sometimes as good as 20 metres, than in the Near and Far islands. New types of coral unknown to science have recently been found there. Turtles can quite often be seen there, but not as regularly as the Near islands. Whale sharks and Guitarfish are sometimes found, although this is rare.
Wrecks around Pattaya and Samaesan
Pattaya is the wreck diving capital of Thailand. There are two navy landing ships sunk on purpose around the Near islands, and one at the Far islands. They have all been on the sea bed for more than 10 years and are heavily encrusted with sea life, with many different fish and critters living on them. There is an artificial reef around the HTMS Mattapon, and HTMS Kud near Koh Sak is the sister ship of HTMS Khram near Koh Phai.
In Samaesan, the HTMS Suddhadip (known as the Hardeep) is one of Thailand’s most famous wrecks. It was sunk by British bombers during world war 2 and you can still find 500 kg bombs around it if you know where to look. The currents around it can be fierce, so it’s best dived by experienced divers. There is also a Japanese bomber that was shot down during the same war, but people don’t usually dive there. The other shipwreck nearby is the HTMS Bremen, a natural wreck which is rarely dived.
Learning Scuba in Pattaya or Samaesan?
When learning Scuba in the area, it’s good to remember that training in varying visibility, weak and strong current, calm and choppy conditions makes you a better diver. Many people want to take their open water or advanced diving courses in aquarium-like conditions, but when faced with the varying currents and visibility of global dive sites, can struggle to deal with more challenging conditions which are often present at some of the best sites in the world.
Pattaya Near and Far islands offer the most varied visibility conditions. Samaesan offers the strongest currents and wildest drift dives. If you’re interested in learning about artificial reefs, there are many around Koh Larn archipelago. If you want to learn Tec diving, there’s a 90 meter dive site at Samaesan to practice in. There is even a Shark release course that you can take, focusing on harmless Bamboo sharks and Guitarfish.
In conclusion…
Whichever site you choose, make sure that you go with a professional diving company. Our instructors are all highly experienced and qualified, and we dive in small groups to increase safety. Both areas have a lot to offer fun divers and diving students: Pattaya Near and Far islands have more varied ecosystems, while Samaesan has better visibility. Wrecks are more plentiful around Koh Larn and the Far islands, but Samaesan’s Hardeep is a bucket list dive. Learning scuba is rewarding in both areas, with better options for learning about reef cleanups and artificial reefs around the Near islands, and Tec diving in Samaesan.
So it’s really up to the individual diver. What do you need? We’ve got everything.
