ABC Phuket Diving

Located in the heart of Phuket, ABC Phuket Diving has been operating since 2018 as a dedicated French-speaking school. The centre is built on a foundation of professionalism and a respect for the marine environment, catering to divers from those taking their very first breaths underwater to advanced students pursuing professional qualifications.

The school provides a gateway to the best of the Andaman Sea, from the sheltered granite reefs of the Koh Racha islands to the dramatic limestone landscapes of the Phi Phi archipelago. By offering training through multiple major agencies, the centre maintains an objective approach to education, ensuring the focus remains entirely on the quality of your training and your safety.

The team is composed of multilingual instructors capable of guiding you in English, French, German, and Thai. This ensures clear communication and precise instruction, which is vital whether you are learning basic buoyancy control or complex decompression procedures.

Safety is the core priority, with a strict instructor-to-diver ratio of one guide for every two divers. This personalised approach allows for attentive supervision and a tailored experience for every member of your buddy pair.

The training programme is extensive, covering all levels of certification through PADI, SSI, SDI, and TDI. Beginners can start with Discover Scuba Diving or the Open Water Diver course, with various 'Gold' and 'Diamond' packages available to include more dives and specialties.

For those looking to advance, the centre offers Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, and Divemaster training. The curriculum also extends into technical and specialty areas, including Nitrox, Deep Diver, Wreck, Sidemount, and Decompression Procedures, as well as Scuba Skills Update and React Right courses.

The centre provides a full range of equipment for hire, allowing you to travel light if you prefer. This includes regulators, wetsuits, and fins, as well as torches for those looking to explore the reefs during night dives.

Nitrox is available for divers looking to extend their bottom time, and the centre is equipped with oxygen safety kits on site. For those staying in the Chalong, Rawai, Kata, Karon, Patong, or Kamala areas, the centre provides pick-up and transfer services to the dive sites.

The reefs are home to a vast array of colourful marine life, including various species of angelfish (Pomacanthidae), butterflyfish (Chaetodon), and colourful corals. You will often see schools of fusiliers (Caesio) and snappers (Lutjanus) moving through the water alongside large trevallies and mackerel.

For those interested in larger pelagics, the area can host blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus), white-tip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus), and various species of rays, including marbled rays and blue-spotted rays. You may also encounter turtles and large tunas (Thunnus) cruising the deeper sections of the reefs.

Macro enthusiasts will find plenty to observe among the corals and crevices, such as flamboyant cuttlefish, various nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani), and octopus (Octopus vulgaris). Look closely for garden eels (Gorgasia), ghost pipefish (Solenostomidae), and various species of seahorse (Hippocampus kuda) tucked away in the reef structure.

Small but fascinating creatures like dancing shrimp, cleaner shrimp (Lysmata), and various species of shrimp (Caridea) are frequently found near the reef top, often providing cleaning services to larger fish like groupers or moray eels (Muraenidae).

The best time to dive in this region is from November to May, when conditions are most stable. During this period, you can expect water temperatures to range between 26°C and 31°C.

While visibility can vary, it is often excellent, frequently reaching depths of 50 metres in the clearer waters of the Similan Islands and Koh Racha.