All activities / Freediving / Phuket
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Freediving in Phuket
The Andaman's charter and training capital: RYA courses and island-hopping charters through the limestone karst seascape of Phang Nga Bay.
Why here
The northeast monsoon flips Thailand's two coasts. From November through April the Andaman side is dry and calm while the Gulf, including Koh Tao, turns choppy, which makes Phuket the right side of the country for a November or December course. The main school has taught freediving at Kata since 2008 across AIDA, Molchanovs, SSI and PADI Freediver, caps instruction at three students per instructor, and runs open water at Racha Yai, 30 minutes south by speedboat from Chalong Pier. Water sits at 28 to 30C year round, which is as warm as freediving gets.
Best months
November through April is the calm window on the Andaman coast and operators name it directly. Water stays 28 to 30C year round, warm enough for a shorty. Racha Yai has site depth beyond 40 meters, which covers every recreational certification level, but recreational training tops out around 32 meters for AIDA 4. The 40 meter figure is the seabed, not the line. Pool sessions run at Chalong. The site is a 30 minute speedboat ride, so a training day is a boat day.
Getting there & around
Phuket International is one of the best connected airports in the region, which makes this the easiest destination in this batch to reach. The main school is at Kata Noi on the southwest coast. The second operator is based around Wichit and Chalong and also runs sites in Krabi, Koh Lipe and Switzerland, so confirm they are staffed in Phuket for your dates. High season runs November through April and Phuket fills over Christmas and New Year, so reserve early for December.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Cortex Freediving
SchoolAIDA and Molchanovs school running discovery through instructor courses with classroom, pool, private boat and beach access, also operating sites in Krabi, Koh Lipe and Switzerland.
SSS Phuket Freediving
SchoolKata Beach school teaching since 2008 across AIDA, Molchanovs, SSI and PADI Freediver, capped at three students per instructor, with pool work at Chalong and open water at Racha Yai.
Also good for freediving in November:
Torn between Phuket and Skjervoy for November?
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