Dive Tribe Phi Phi

Located in Tonsai Village on Koh Phi Phi Don, Dive Tribe Phi Phi serves as a base for exploring the diverse underwater topography of the Krabi region. The centre is positioned just minutes from the pier, making it easily accessible for those staying on the island.

The local waters are characterised by a mix of reef flats, steep walls, and swim-throughs. Divers can expect to find a variety of environments, from shallow coral gardens to deeper sites like the Kled Kaew wreck, which was intentionally sunk in 2014 to create a new habitat.

As a PADI 5 Star dive centre, Dive Tribe Phi Phi maintains a professional standard for both recreational and training divers. The team is multilingual, with instructors capable of communicating in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Thai, Afrikaans, and Hebrew.

The centre emphasises a personalised approach through small group sizes, ensuring that whether you are a novice or an experienced diver, you receive appropriate guidance. Their commitment to the environment is reflected in their operational approach to the local marine ecosystems.

The training programme covers the full spectrum of PADI certifications. Beginners can start with the Open Water Diver course, which can be combined with the Advanced Open Water Diver course for a comprehensive start to your diving career. The centre also offers the Rescue Diver and Emergency First Response courses to build essential safety skills.

For those looking to specialise, Dive Tribe Phi Phi provides several PADI specialty courses, including Nitrox (Enriched Air Diver), Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, and Peak Performance Buoyancy. They also offer niche training such as Underwater Imaging, Fish ID, and Naturalist programmes.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit for those not travelling with their own equipment. This includes regulators, BCDs, wetsuits, fins, and masks. For those looking to capture their dives, action camera rentals such as the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro or Olympus TG-5 are available.

Nitrox is available on-site, allowing divers to extend their no-decompression limits during multi-dive days. Dive computer rentals are also provided to ensure every diver can monitor their profiles accurately.

The reefs around Koh Phi Phi are teeming with life, from large pelagics to colourful reef fish. You will regularly encounter blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus), sea turtles (Cheloniidae), and various species of rays, including blue-spotted stingrays. Large schools of tropical fish, including fusiliers, snappers, and jacks, move through the water columns.

The hard coral (Scleractinia) and soft coral (Alcyonacea) structures provide a complex habitat for many species. Look for parrotfish (Calotomus), butterflyfish (Chaetodon), and angelfish (Pomacanthidae) amongst the sea fans (Gorgoniidae) and sea anemones (Actiniaria).

For those with a keen eye for macro life, the sites offer plenty of interest. You can find various nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani), seahorses (Hippocampus kuda), and ghost pipefish (Solenostomidae). The crevices in the reef also hide octopuses (Octopus vulgaris), shrimps (Caridea), and various scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae).

Seasonality plays a role in certain sightings; Leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata) are specifically noted to be present around the days of the half-moon.

Diving conditions in the area can vary depending on the lunar cycle. Currents tend to be weaker and visibility is often described as crystalline around the days of the half-moon.

Divers should be aware that the local National Park regulations apply to all excursions. It is also standard practice to allow at least 18 hours between your final dive and any subsequent flights.