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