The Adventure Club

Located on Koh Phi Phi, The Adventure Club has been a fixture of the local diving community for over 25 years. As a PADI 5 Star Career Development Center, they specialise in everything from initial entry-level certifications to advanced professional training.

The centre operates two boats, providing morning or afternoon departures to the various reefs and wrecks surrounding the Phi Phi Islands. Whether you are looking for a relaxed reef flat dive or a more challenging drift dive, the schedule is designed to accommodate different experience levels.

The team is led by the owner, Tero, who also provides local expertise on regional activities, dining, and accommodation. The centre is an established PADI 5 Star Career Development Center, meaning they are equipped to handle the full spectrum of diver needs, from recreational enthusiasts to those pursuing professional instructor status.

Instruction is available in English and Finnish. The centre places a heavy emphasis on marine conservation, offering specialised courses in coral reef ecology, shark ecology, and turtle monitoring to help divers understand the environment they are exploring.

The course catalogue is extensive, starting with Discover Scuba Diver and Discover Beach Plus for those new to the water. For those seeking certification, they offer the Open Water Diver (12-metre) and Scuba Diver (12-metre) paths, alongside a referral program to upgrade from Scuba Diver to Open Water.

Advanced training includes the PADI Advanced Diver (30-metre) course, Deep Diver Specialty, Wreck Diver Specialty, and Peak Performance Buoyancy. Professional development is a core focus, with offerings ranging from PADI Divemaster to the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC), including eLearning and slate packs. The centre also provides Emergency First Response training and specialised conservation courses covering coral taxonomy, sea slug ecology, and marine ecology.

The centre operates two boats to reach the local dive sites. One of the vessels, the Reef Ranger, features a dry cabin and two toilets on board to ensure comfort during longer trips.

Boats are used for various excursions, including day trips, night dives, and specific site visits like the Kled Gaeow Wreck. Nitrox is available on board for divers who require enriched air.

Full equipment hire is available on-site for divers who prefer not to travel with their own kit. For those who do bring their own gear, the centre provides a dedicated service for washing equipment after your dives.

Nitrox is available for use, and the centre is equipped to support divers looking to extend their bottom times through enriched air training.

The area is rich with pelagic life and reef residents. You can expect to see various species of sharks, including blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus), Zebra (leopard) Sharks (Triakis semifasciata), and blacktip sharks. During the low season, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) have been sighted at Bida Nok.

Reef life is abundant, with sightings of Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), and various species of snapper (Lutjanus). You will also find trevally, mackerel, tuna (Thunnus), and barracudas. Schools of fish including fusiliers, glassfish (Atherinidae), and various tropical fish are common throughout the reefs.

For those interested in macro life, the reefs host a variety of invertebrates. Look for nudibranchs, octopus (Octopus vulgaris), cuttlefish (Sepiidae), and various species of shrimp (Caridea). Scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae), lionfish (Pterois volitans), and stonefish (Synanceia) can often be found camouflaged amongst the reef structure.

Diving in the Phi Phi Islands is influenced by the seasons. The best visibility is typically found during the low season in July and August. Conversely, the period from September to mid-October is noted as the wettest part of the low season and should be approached with caution.

Conditions can vary by site; for example, the Kled Gaeow Wreck is known for having stronger currents. When crossing the channel between Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley, the swell can occasionally make for a bouncy boat ride.