Ban Ao Nang Sports & Outdoors

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Diving in Ao Nang is just as good as those staying in Phuket or Phi Phi because you get to visit the same sites. Reaching the Phi Phi sites is just about an hour to hour half boat ride from the river departure point of Ao Nang.

Diving in Ao Nang offers great reefs as well as underwater life from fish to leopard sharks. It was actually in Thailand that I got a chance to see my very first shark underwater while diving and it was quite a memorable experience. Leopard sharks are quite timid so there is no reason to fear them...in fact often they will turn tail and swim away if you startle them.

From my diving experience, I would recommend Coral Diving at Krabi Resort for all your diving needs. The dive center is well staffed and has a great boat called Nantanit. In fact, while we were diving, due to the bad sea conditions the other dive centers were booking space with Coral Diving because their boat was fresh out of dry-dock and in the best condition.

Probably my favorite dive site was Paradise Reef in Phi Phi. It was truly paradise with the number of fish and the water conditions that day. I can't count how many pictures I took during that dive but it was a lot! In addition to a leopard shark, we saw moral eels, cuttlefish, nubi branches, stonefish, blue-spotted stingrays, a million anemones with clownfish, and lots of Moorish idols and other colorful reef fish.

Equipment: Coral Diving rents all necessary equipment for diving from their dive center or you can bring your own.

There also is a small dive shop in Ao Nang that will offer you a 10% discount if sent by the dive center. It is called Krabi Dive Supply or One Stop Dive Shop and is located on the Fossil Road. The shop stocks quality brands like Halcyon, Scubapro, Suunto, and Seac Sub. The shop's website is www.onestopdive.com or by telephone (66) 7563 792