| Thailand is sandwiched between The Gulf of Thailand | | | | visually appealing as those of the Andaman Sea as it |
| on its eastern coastline and the vast expanse of the | | | | has slightly less variety of marine life. Marine parks |
| Andaman Sea on its western coast. It is in these | | | | such as the Ang Thong Marine Park include |
| body of waters that scuba divers can explore the | | | | spectacularly formed limestone islands with lush |
| marine life of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean | | | | rainforest covering them and many of these islands |
| without having to cross continents. | | | | are actually uninhabited. |
| The waters in Thailand have one of the richest and | | | | World famous resorts of Pattaya, Phuket and Koh |
| diverse marine life in the world because conditions | | | | Samui offer excellent scuba diving facilities as well as |
| here for coral growth is almost perfect with an | | | | other reacreations and entertaiment. |
| average temperature of 28C all year round and | | | | The Andaman Sea was already thriving thousands of |
| fantastic underwater visibility. | | | | years ago with Chinese, European, Thai and Indian |
| Because of these almost ideal scuba diving conditions | | | | trading vessels plying its waters. Today, the |
| and attractions, the scuba diving industry in Thailand is | | | | Andaman Sea is more of a playground for dive boats |
| thriving robustly with the proliferation of first class | | | | and sailing yachts rather than for trading vessels. |
| scuba diving facilities, services and diving schools. | | | | One of the better known playgrounds for divers in |
| When you throw in what the tourist industry has to | | | | the Andaman and is often rated amongst the top |
| offer in Thailand such as fantastic entertainment, a | | | | scuba diving destinations in the world are the Similan |
| spread of accommodations, hotels and resorts for | | | | Islands. Divers can explore Similan, the Surin Islands |
| every budget and Thailand's renowned delightful | | | | and the Mergui Archipelago in liveaboard diving cruises. |
| cuisines, you can be assured of an enjoyable scuba | | | | Thailand's Andaman Sea stretches 870km (541 miles) |
| diving vacation. | | | | from Tarutao National Park on the border of Malaysia |
| The Gulf of Thailand has hundreds of islands on its | | | | to the Surin Islands on the border of Myanmar |
| 1,840km (1,143 miles) long coast. The gulf is a shallow | | | | (formerly known as Burma). It is part of the Indian |
| bowl shaped body of water separated from the | | | | Ocean and is separated from the Bay of Bengal by |
| South China Sea by a pair of underwater ridges that | | | | the Andaman-Nicobar Ridge. Quaint formations of |
| extend from Vietnam on one side and Malaysia to | | | | granite outcrops can be senn in the Surin and Similan |
| the other. | | | | Islands. |
| The sea bed bottom here is mostly mud mixed with | | | | Other island groups such as Koh Phi Phi are shaped |
| sand and shells. Corals are usually found around the | | | | by massive limestone and calcium carbonates since |
| fringes of the gulf islands. There are several rivers in | | | | prehistoric time. |
| the north bringing enough sediment and freshwater | | | | The only problem when you travel to Thailand for |
| to inhibit coral growth until to the south or the | | | | scuba diving is where to start your diving vacation |
| eastern side of the Gulf of Thailand. | | | | since there are so many excellent dive spots to |
| The underwater scenery in the gulf is perhaps not as | | | | choose from and you will be spoilt for choice. |