Pattaya

Pattaya is a resort city in Thailand, popular with tourists and expatriates. It is located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 100km/62mi southeast of Bangkok. Utapao-Rayong-Pataya International Airport is located in 38km/23.6mi from Pattaya. Pattaya features some of the best dive sites in the Andaman Sea.

Most popular dive sites

The best known wreck sites include HTMS Khram, HTMS Kud and Hardeep. Khram Wreck is a dive site best suited for experienced divers (maximum depth 30m/98ft). It was sunk on January 30, 2003 to create an artificial reef. The soft corals covering the wreck are spectacular and the surface of the wreck is covered in shell life. There are many things to discover inside the wreck as there are instrument gauges, lockers and desks, toilets and showers, an infirmary, mess room and kitchen, boilers and store rooms still remain good condition. It is a good site for macro photographers. Some other popular dive sites are located in the Pattaya Near Islands - Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Krok, which are good for beginners, while advanced divers may prefer the outer islands of Koh Man Wichai and Koh Rin, which have better visibility and marine life. For example, Koh Krok is the inner most of three islands and is situated 6km/3.7mi of Pattaya beach. The west side of Koh Krok is a huge garden of sea anemone with all of the clown fish flitting around.