INTO Dive center

INTO Dive is a Phuket-based centre established in 2021, founded by ocean enthusiasts dedicated to the future of diving in Thailand. Located in Chalong, the centre operates with a flexible approach, tailoring schedules to suit your holiday programme rather than sticking to rigid weekly timetables.

The centre provides access to the most iconic destinations in the Andaman Sea. You can choose between daily excursions to local sites like Phi Phi or embark on longer 3 to 5-day safaris reaching the Similan and Surin islands.

The team is led by Anna, a PADI Master Scuba Diver and SSI Divemaster Instructor with nearly 3,000 dives. Her expertise extends into underwater photography and marine ecology, which informs the centre's teaching style.

Safety is managed through affiliations with PADI, SSI, and DAN. The staff is trained in first aid and emergency response, and the centre maintains a close partnership with DAN World for diving insurance. Instruction is conducted in English, and Finnish is also spoken on-site.

The course catalogue is extensive, covering everything from initial Snorkel Diver and basic courses to advanced professional levels like Divemaster and Instructor. You can work through PADI and SSI certifications including Open Water, Advanced Open Water, and Master Scuba Diver.

For those looking to specialise, there is a significant focus on technical and skill-based training. This includes Nitrox (Enriched Air), Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, Sidemount Diver, and Underwater Navigation. The centre also offers specialised training in Peak Performance Buoyancy, Search & Recovery, and Gas Blending (Nitrox/Trimix).

Environmental and scientific programmes are also available, such as AWARE Coral Reef Conservation, Marine Ecology, and various courses focusing on the ecology of sharks, sea turtles, and nudibranchs.

For longer safaris, the centre organises multi-day trips where diving is structured to manage depth and time effectively. These trips typically involve successive dives at decreasing depths, such as 30m, 25m, 20m, and 15m, with bottom times limited to 60 minutes.

On the boats, you will find essential amenities including water, non-alcoholic drinks, snacks, and full meals consisting of breakfast, lunch, and snacks. For night dives, the boats are fully equipped to support the operation safely.

The centre offers full equipment hire for those not travelling with their own kit. This includes complete sets, as well as individual items such as fins, masks, and snorkels, or wetsuits.

For those needing specific technical components, regulators and BCDs are available for hire. The centre also provides dive computers and compasses. All rental equipment is maintained and disinfected between uses to ensure hygiene and reliability.

The Andaman Sea around Phuket is home to a vast array of pelagics and reef inhabitants. You can regularly encounter blacktip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, white-tip reef sharks, and leopard sharks. Larger visitors include whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) and various species of rays, such as eagle rays (Aetobatus) and manta rays (Mobula alfredi).

The reef structures themselves are vibrant, covered in hard corals and soft corals (Alcyonacea). You will see a high diversity of reef fish, including angelfish (Pomacanthidae), butterflyfish (Chaetodon), damselfish (Pomacentridae), and various snappers (Lutjanus). Large schools of fusiliers (Caesio) and jacks (Carangidae) often move through the water column.

For those interested in macro life, the sites offer incredible opportunities to find nudibranch (Chromodoris willani), seahorses (Hippocampus kuda), and various species of shrimp (Caridea). Look closely at the coral heads to find octopus (Octopus vulgaris), moray eels (Muraenidae), lionfish, and scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae).

Diving in this region is subject to varying conditions depending on the site. Some locations, such as Hin Klai and Hin Dot, can experience strong currents that require experience to navigate.

Night diving is a regular part of the programme, particularly at sites like Losama Bay and Lana Bay. For the best experience during night dives on the west coast of Phuket, the period from November to May is recommended.