Joy Joy Scuba

Established in 2012, Joy Joy Scuba has become a staple for divers looking to explore the Andaman Sea. Located on Kata Beach, the centre serves as a gateway to some of Thailand's most iconic underwater landscapes, from the shallow reefs of Racha Yai to the deep, nutrient-rich waters of the Similan Islands.

The centre operates with a focus on tailored excursions, selecting dive sites based on your specific experience level and interests. Whether you are looking for a relaxed reef dive or a more challenging drift dive, the team organises trips that suit your requirements.

The instruction team is comprised of highly seasoned professionals, with individual instructors boasting over 5,000 dives each. They provide guidance in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Thai, and Chinese, ensuring clear communication regardless of your native tongue.

Safety and individual attention are central to their operation. For recreational dives, the guide ratio is kept to a maximum of four divers per instructor, while training courses are conducted with a maximum of three divers per instructor. For those taking a discovery dive, the ratio is even tighter, with no more than two divers per instructor.

Joy Joy Scuba provides a comprehensive training programme through SSI, PADI, and CMAS affiliations. You can begin your journey with the Open Water Diver course and progress through the Advanced Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver levels, all the way to Divemaster and Instructor training.

Speciality courses are widely available to refine your skills, including Nitrox, Deep Diving, Wreck Diving, Navigation, and Night Diving and Limited Visibility. They also offer specific training for Waves, Tides & Currents, as well as the SSI React Right course covering first aid, CPR, and oxygen administration.

Daily boat trips depart from Chalong Pier, taking you to sites such as Racha Yai and Racha Noi. For those opting for Similan Island safaris, the centre organises multi-day trips that allow you to reach the more remote northern reefs.

On board, you will find refreshments including water, snacks, fruit, coffee, tea, and non-alcoholic beverages. Meals such as breakfast and lunch are provided during the trips to keep you fuelled between dives.

The centre offers a full range of equipment hire for those who do not wish to carry their own kit. This includes regulators, wetsuits, and fins, as well as masks and torches for night diving.

Nitrox is available for use, with 12-litre cylinders and 15-litre options provided. For divers using DIN valves, Yoke to DIN adapters are also available on site.

The Andaman Sea is home to a vast array of pelagics, particularly during the plankton accumulation from February to April. During this window, you may encounter a Whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Manta ray (Mobula alfredi), and various species of sharks including Leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata), Grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), and Whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus).

On the reefs, you will find a colourful community of fish including Parrotfish (Calotomus), various species of Angelfish (Pomacanthidae), and Fusilier (Caesio). Large schools of Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) and Tuna (Thunnus) are common, alongside Jacks (Carangidae) and Trevally.

Macro enthusiasts can look for a variety of smaller creatures such as Seahorse (Hippocampus kuda), various species of Shrimp (Caridea), and Moray eel (Muraenidae). You may also spot Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), Nudibranch (Chromodoris willani), and several types of pipefish and crabs.

Fixed life is abundant across the sites, with extensive covers of Soft coral (Alcyonacea), Sea anemone (Actiniaria), and various types of corals providing habitat for the local marine life.

Diving conditions in the area vary by season. The high season for the Similan Islands runs from November to April, while the southern sites remain accessible from May through October.

Be aware that certain sites are known for challenging environments; for example, South Tip at Racha Noi and Elephant Head in the Similans are subject to very strong currents.