Ao Nang Diving: Trips, Prices & Which Option Fits (2026)

Featured image: deror_avi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Diving from Ao Nang at a glance

Ao Nang is a departure point, not a dive destination. Reefs sit offshore, so every dive day starts with a hotel pickup and a boat. Three trip types cover most plans. Local island trips run all year with about 40 minutes of cruising. Phi Phi trips run daily from 1 November to 31 March. Shark Point days add three dives and the King Cruiser wreck. Snorkel-only seats and Discover Scuba try dives cover everyone without a license.

• Local islands: 2 dives, about 40 minutes of cruising, all year, from ฿3,190
• Phi Phi: 2 dives, daily 1 November to 31 March, from ฿4,300
• Shark Point area: 3 dives including the King Cruiser wreck at about 30 m
• Discover Scuba: no license needed, from ฿4,500

Ao Nang diving trips compared

Treat the table as a range, since operators price similar trips differently. Sawasdee Divers lists two local dives at ฿3,190 and two Phi Phi dives at ฿4,300. Krabi Scuba Club lists the same fun dives at ฿3,500 and ฿4,900. Its snorkel tours cost ฿1,900 local and ฿2,900 for Phi Phi. Shark Point day pricing was not published, so request a quote from your shop.

What the dive sites offer

Local islands: about six islands near Ao Nang are dived regularly. Seahorses and many nudibranchs are the draw. Phi Phi dives sit inside Phi Phi National Marine Park. Moray eels and cuttlefish are common there. Blacktip reef sharks and leopard sharks also turn up. King Cruiser was a car ferry that sank in 1997 and rests at about 30 m. That depth suits advanced divers, or an adventure dive for others. Anemone Reef is a rock pinnacle covered in anemones, with zebra morays, squid, seahorses and ghost pipefish. Shark Point itself offers sponge barrels, gorgonian sea fans, and passing jacks and barracuda. Sharks have declined over the years, so go for the coral. Browse site-by-site notes on Krabi Dive Sites: Best Spots by Level & Distance.

Real cost: what is and isn't included

Headline prices leave out several lines. Sawasdee Divers lists a national park fee of ฿600 on day one and ฿200 on day two. Rangers collect it only if they come aboard. Bringing your own full kit takes ฿300 off. Nitrox runs ฿250–฿300 per tank, as the operator's own page shows both figures. A dive computer adds ฿300 per trip. Passengers who stay on deck pay ฿1,200 for local islands and ฿2,500 for Phi Phi. Hotel pickup, lunch, water and insurance come inside the listed price. Compare more rates in our Krabi diving price guide.

• Park fee: ฿600 day 1, ฿200 day 2, only if rangers board
• Own full kit discount: ฿300 off
• Nitrox: ฿250–฿300 per tank
• Dive computer: ฿300 per trip
• Passenger rate: ฿1,200 local, ฿2,500 Phi Phi
• Included: Ao Nang hotel pickup, lunch, water, insurance

Pickup, departure points and a typical day

Krabi Scuba Club departs daily from Nopparat Thara Pier and includes Ao Nang hotel pickup. Free Ao Nang-area pickup is also listed by Sawasdee Divers and Railay Dive Center. Railay Dive Center is based on Railay Beach and collects Ao Nang customers every morning. Pickup times vary by booking, so you receive a slot rather than choosing one. Local island trips return early in the afternoon. A typical day runs pickup, cruise, two dives, lunch on board and a return to your hotel. If you sleep on Railay, ask your shop where the boat meets you. Details sit on our Railay Dive Center: Courses, Dive Sites & Booking Tips page.

Best time to dive from Ao Nang

Local island dives run all year. Railay Dive Center says it dives nearly every day, even in low season. Phi Phi trips run daily from 1 November to 31 March, so a mid-November visit sits inside the window. From April to October, Phi Phi dates are by enquiry. Destinations can change for weather or group numbers. That is why local islands act as the fallback. See Krabi Diving Season: Best Months & Sites by Month for month-by-month planning. Sea temperatures by month are on our water temperature page.

Which option fits you

Match the trip to the least experienced person in your group. Putting a diver below advanced level on the wreck is the classic mistake. Booking Phi Phi outside 1 November–31 March is another. Assuming the headline price includes the park fee is a third.

• First-timer: Discover Scuba on the local islands, from ฿4,500
• Certified, short on time: two local dives from ฿3,190, back early afternoon
• Certified, want variety: Phi Phi, November to March, from ฿4,300
• Advanced diver: Shark Point day with the King Cruiser wreck
• Family: one operator sets a minimum age of 10 for diving; younger children can snorkel or ride as passengers
• Mixed group: divers dive, companions pay the passenger rate from ฿1,200

Courses and Discover Scuba, briefly

Discover Scuba needs no license. Krabi Scuba Club lists it at ฿4,500 for local islands and ฿5,900 for Phi Phi. Certified trips require reasonable health, and Sawasdee Divers sets a minimum age of 10. For a full license, start with our PADI courses in Krabi guide. Course structure is outlined on the PADI Open Water Diver course page. Liveaboards, cave diving and Similan trips are covered in the Krabi diving hub.

How to choose a dive shop

Judge each shop on the same points. Sawasdee Divers caps groups at four divers, which is a useful benchmark. Ask what the price includes, who guides, and what happens in bad weather. Shortlists live in our Krabi Dive Shops: How to Choose the Right One guide.

• Group size and guide ratio
• Inclusions: pickup, lunch, water, insurance, park fee
• Gear condition and Nitrox availability
• Safety briefing before each dive
• Cancellation and weather-change policy