Phi Phi Barakuda Scuba - Dive Center, Diving Phi Phi Island

Diving out of Phi Phi Don rather than Krabi or Phuket changes the day entirely. The boat ride to the reefs is short, so you spend your time in the water instead of watching the coastline crawl past. That alone makes an island-based operator like this one worth the booking, whether you've never breathed through a regulator or you've got a logbook full of stamps.

They run the whole ladder, from a first try-dive for people who just want to see what it's like, up to full open water certification over several days. Instructors here know the local sites and how conditions shift, and they'll pick a reef that suits your level rather than dropping everyone in the same spot. The desk is open daily from 09:00 right through to 21:00, which is handy if you only decide to dive after dinner on your first night.

If you're going for the certification, don't leave it to your last two days on the island. The course runs across consecutive sessions and weather can shuffle the schedule. Book ahead between November and April, when the sea is calmest and every boat fills up.