Racha Yai Two-Dive Day Trip from Phuket
Two dives at Racha Yai, the sheltered island an hour and a half south of Phuket where the boat ties to a mooring and entries are easy. ฿3,690 per certified diver with transfers, breakfast, lunch and guide included; equipment rental is ฿500 extra. Chalong pier at 08:30, back at the pier at 15:15.
Phuket, Thailand · 8h 30min · ฿3,690 per certified diver, two dives · EN
So glad we went with our gut feeling and chose Sharkey over bigger dive operators. After not diving for two years we were a little rusty, but Oui made us feel completely safe with a thorough refresher and helpful tips. She is passionate, patient and by far the best dive master we had.
What is this tour like?
Two dives at Racha Yai, the sheltered island an hour and a half south of Phuket where the boat ties to a mooring and entries are easy. ฿3,690 per certified diver with transfers, breakfast, lunch and guide included; equipment rental is ฿500 extra. Chalong pier at 08:30, back at the pier at 15:15.
Racha Yai is about ninety minutes by boat from Phuket, and it is the calmest of the local dive areas: the dives are made in sheltered bays, the boat ties to a mooring instead of drifting, and getting in and out of the water is about as simple as it gets around Phuket. That is why the operator calls it the right place for a first dive after certification.
The day is shorter than most: transfer between 07:00 and 08:00, departure at 08:30, first dive at 10:00, buffet lunch cooked on board at 11:15, second dive at 12:45, and back at Chalong pier by 15:15.
What is in the price is unusually generous for Phuket — insurance, transfers, breakfast, lunch, water, tea, coffee, fruit, a professional guide and tanks with weights. What is not is the scuba equipment itself: ฿500 for a full set per trip, or ฿650 with a dive computer.
There is no national park fee here. Racha is not inside a marine park, unlike Phi Phi (฿600) or the Similans (฿700), so the price you see is close to the price you pay.
What are the highlights?
- Racha Yai is sheltered — the boat ties to a mooring, so entries and exits are simple
- Suitable for any certified diver, including freshly qualified Open Water
- No national park fee at Racha — unlike Phi Phi or the Similans
- Maximum four divers per guide, with dive times up to 50 minutes
- Free dive accident insurance and free transfers from seven towns
How does the day go, hour by hour?tap a photo to enlarge
- 07:00Transfer to Chalong pier
Between 07:00 and 08:00, free from Chalong, Kamala, Kata, Karon, Nai Harn, Patong and Rawai.
- 08:30Depart for Racha Yai
Breakfast on board, gear set up and the briefing during the ninety-minute run.
- 10:00First dive
In a sheltered bay with the boat on a mooring; up to 50 minutes underwater.
- 11:15Buffet lunch on board
Freshly cooked, a mix of Western and Asian; vegetarian on request when booking.
- 12:45Second dive
The site is chosen on the day for the calmest conditions.
- 15:15Back at Chalong pier
The boat leaves Racha at 14:00 and you are transferred back to your hotel from the pier.
What's included in the price?
- Two dives with a professional guide, maximum four divers per guide
- Dive accident insurance
- Hotel transfers from Chalong, Kamala, Kata, Karon, Nai Harn, Patong and Rawai
- Breakfast and a freshly cooked buffet lunch on board
- Water, tea, coffee, fruit and snacks
- Tanks in DIN or Yoke and weights
What's not included?
- Scuba equipment — full set ฿500 per trip, or ฿650 with a dive computer
- Nitrox 12-litre tank — ฿250 per tank; 15-litre air tank — ฿300 per diver per day
- HD action camera rental — ฿1,500 per day trip
- Sodas and alcoholic drinks
What should you know before you go?
Who runs this tour?
Where do we meet?
Free hotel transfer between 07:00 and 08:00 from Chalong, Kamala, Kata, Karon, Nai Harn, Patong and Rawai; other areas carry a small surcharge, quoted on request. The boat leaves Chalong pier at 08:30. Racha Yai is an island about ninety minutes south of Phuket, not part of it. The dive centre is at 363/10 Patak Road, Karon Beach.
Exact meeting point shared after booking.
FAQ
Is there a national park fee on this trip?
Is this suitable for a newly certified diver?
How long are the dives?
What is the total cost with equipment?
Can a non-diver come with us?
Which certification agencies are accepted?
Does the price drop if we book several days?
How far is Racha Yai and is it in Phuket?
Are special diets possible?
Until when is this price valid?
Quick questions
What do guests say?
“So glad we went with our gut feeling and chose Sharkey over bigger dive operators. After not diving for two years we were a little rusty, but Oui made us feel completely safe with a thorough refresher and helpful tips. She is passionate, patient and by far the best dive master we had.”
“We did four days of diving with Sharkey Scuba over a two-week holiday in Phuket. From the first email before we arrived to the last pickup from the jetty they were brilliant. We are experienced British divers looking for a more personal dive centre, and we certainly found it. Oui knows the dive sites very well and finds all the small things we like to see.”
“My brother and I did a day trip with Sharkey yesterday and the service was out of the ordinary. Oui and Iain arranged a three-dive trip out to Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi. Service on board was really good and comfortable, even the included food was good. Already booked another trip to go diving again tomorrow.”
How can you pay?
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