Question: Shore diving Kata Beach possible without a guide?

[MirV]

Hello,
We are a family of 3 who love shore diving. We would like to go to Thailand (first time) and I understood from several post that shore diving is nice at Kata beach.
Hope someone can help me answering the questions below.

- Do you know if you can shoredive independently (after a few times with a guide?)
- If it is possible to shoredive independently, is there a diveshop you can recommend where we can find a good guide for the first few dives, leave our dive stuff, pick up tanks clise to the North reef?
- We were thinking of staying at beyond Kata. I think you can walk to the reef via the beach right? Does anyone know if you can snorkel in front of the hotel?

Thanks so much.

 

[JonnieB]

The problem you will have is sourcing your scuba cylinders. There are local dive clubs and independent divers who live in Phuket, who are "known" by shops, able to source cylinders and dive Kata Bay independently. Being short-term visitors, dive shops don't know your qualifications for diving without a guide/safety monitor (regardless of certifications) and they will not let you dive using their cylinders without using one of their Divemasters. They would be responsible if some mishap occurred during your dives.

Beyond Kata is a good choice, at the southern end of the beach. It's a bit of a crowded area there as there is an active food and souvenirs vendor market there, along with an artificial wave attraction. I wouldn't recommending snorkeling the southern area as there's no reef there, only large rocks, with only a few fish. But you snorkel along the rocks as there are some fish and cuttlefish there. The reef starting about 100 meters and extending to 500 meters is on the north end of the beach.

You didn't mention when you plan to visit. Kata Bay is only recommended for diving and snorkeling from November to late April or early May.

 

[MirV]

Thanks so much Jonnie. That is very helpful.

Do you think that if we dive a few times with a guide so they can check our skills and experience in action, we could maybe rent their tanks and dive by ourselves?
Could you walk from beyond Kata to the North Reef over the beach? Is there a place to stay on the North Reef you would recommend?
Are there nice boat dives you can do from there?

We are going with our 15 year old daughter who is also diving. We are planning to arrive around 15 December till X-mas or a bit after X-mas. Maybe we can combine it with Ko Tao? I understood that we could shore dive from Coral View. Have not checked logistically at all yet if that would work. We are considering to go with 2 other couples and their daughters. Only one of them is diving. Others like to play golf, be entertained and eat . I thought Kata might be place we all would like. Maybe we can go the last few days with the 3 of us to Ko Tao.

How are things around X-mas at Kata beach, will it be crazy busy?

Thanks so much for your reply.

 

[Centrals]

1. Are you sure Thailand permitted unguided diving? Better enquire ahead.
2. Koh Tao requires quite a bit of travelling and the diving is very ordinary except two sites.
3. Khao Lak + Khao Sok would be much better than anywhere on Phuket.
Day trip to dive Richelieu Rock is expensive but compensate with excellent diving. Koh Sok is well known for the Rain Forest.
4. Koh Lanta + Koh Lipe, but need to travel a bit especially Koh Lipe. Langkawi(Malaysia) is just about 2hrs away by big ferry.

 

[JonnieB]

Thanks so much Jonnie. That is very helpful.

Do you think that if we dive a few times with a guide so they can check our skills and experience in action, we could maybe rent their tanks and dive by ourselves?

It's not very likely; the truth is there isn't much profit in only renting cylinders to short term visitors. The shops make money selling a dive package...tank, gear, and a guide. There are several shops in Kata that do dive Kata regularly so contact them and see what they say.

Could you walk from beyond Kata to the North Reef over the beach? Is there a place to stay on the North Reef you would recommend?
Are there nice boat dives you can do from there?

Yes, it's about a 15-20 minute walk from one end of the beach to the other on a paved pathway (or longer if you take the sand).

We are going with our 15 year old daughter who is also diving. We are planning to arrive around 15 December till X-mas or a bit after X-mas. Maybe we can combine it with Ko Tao? I understood that we could shore dive from Coral View. Have not checked logistically at all yet if that would work. We are considering to go with 2 other couples and their daughters. Only one of them is diving. Others like to play golf, be entertained and eat . I thought Kata might be place we all would like. Maybe we can go the last few days with the 3 of us to Ko Tao.

You can also go to Koh Tao...it's a long day drive and ferry trip to get there and there isn't much to do but diving. If you have a mixed group, there is much more activities in Phuket like golf, treks, organized snorkeling trips, elephant camps, etc. Kata Beach is one of the nicest beaches in Phuket, with plenty of activities and a nice base.

How are things around X-mas at Kata beach, will it be crazy busy?

Thanks so much for your reply.

Yes, both places will be quite full in December. You can also book day trip dive boats in Phuket that go to the Racha Islands where your group can dive and snorkel.

 

[Centrals]

@MirV
Public speed boat from Phuket to Koh Lanta is under two hrs but the journey can be brutal if the sea is rough.
You won't even reach Surat Thani on the way to Koh Tao.

New Scuba Diving Laws in Thailand effective from 22nd Apr 2025.
"touching marine life, moving corals and fish feeding etc are BANNED". What is the chance for foreigner to dive without a guide.

Look it up.

 

[MirV]

1. Are you sure Thailand permitted unguided diving? Better enquire ahead.
2. Koh Tao requires quite a bit of travelling and the diving is very ordinary except two sites.
3. Khao Lak + Khao Sok would be much better than anywhere on Phuket.
Day trip to dive Richelieu Rock is expensive but compensate with excellent diving. Koh Sok is well known for the Rain Forest.
4. Koh Lanta + Koh Lipe, but need to travel a bit especially Koh Lipe. Langkawi(Malaysia) is just about 2hrs away by big ferry.

Thank you very much for your reply. I will look into Khao Lak + Khao Sok.

I liked the Kata beach dive a lot as there are many nudibranch, at least that is what I read. And the fact that you can dive from the shore.

Koh Lanta sounds nice too. I will do some research for the suggestions you gave. Thank you

 

[MirV]

@MirV
Public speed boat from Phuket to Koh Lanta is under two hrs but the journey can be brutal if the sea is rough.
You won't even reach Surat Thani on the way to Koh Tao.

New Scuba Diving Laws in Thailand effective from 22nd Apr 2025.
"touching marine life, moving corals and fish feeding etc are BANNED". What is the chance for foreigner to dive without a guide.

Look it up.

Thanks, I will look into it. I would never touch marine life, move corals or fish feeding. Happy to read that these new scuba diving laws are implemented as I hope that nobody does.
Maybe diving without a guid is not possible for foreigner, I was hoping it is. We have several times been diving in Egypt and there it is quite 'normal'. It gives you a lot of freedom and become more experienced in a in my opinion safe way doing the same dive with and than without a guide. But yes Thailand is probably different. Thanks for your message.

 

[MirV]

It's not very likely; the truth is there isn't much profit in only renting cylinders to short term visitors. The shops make money selling a dive package...tank, gear, and a guide. There are several shops in Kata that do dive Kata regularly so contact them and see what they say.


Yes, it's about a 15-20 minute walk from one end of the beach to the other on a paved pathway (or longer if you take the sand).


You can also go to Koh Tao...it's a long day drive and ferry trip to get there and there isn't much to do but diving. If you have a mixed group, there is much more activities in Phuket like golf, treks, organized snorkeling trips, elephant camps, etc. Kata Beach is one of the nicest beaches in Phuket, with plenty of activities and a nice base.


Yes, both places will be quite full in December. You can also book day trip dive boats in Phuket that go to the Racha Islands where your group can dive and snorkel.

Thank you very much. I saw in a previous post that you would recommend rumblefish, correct?
We are meeting up with the people who might want to join. Kata beach sounds like a nice place with something for all. Thanks so much for all your tips!

 

[JonnieB]

Thank you very much. I saw in a previous post that you would recommend rumblefish, correct?
We are meeting up with the people who might want to join. Kata beach sounds like a nice place with something for all. Thanks so much for all your tips!

Yes. Rumblefish Adventure dives Kata Beach regularly and it's guides know the dive site well. If it's your first time to Thailand, don't try to do too much and visit far off places; I'm sure your family and friends will enjoy Kata and Kata Noi beaches, and other Phuket attractions are accessable from there.