Scuba Diving Racha Yai Island: 4:1 Divemaster Ratio

Two dives, two meals, one boat with a divemaster for every four divers

A scuba diving day trip to Racha Yai Island from Phuket includes hotel pickup, two dives up to 20 meters with a 4:1 divemaster ratio, breakfast and lunch cooked onboard, and access to a covered sundeck. Certified divers, intro divers (no certification needed) and snorkelers all go on the same departure. The boat is the operator's own, staffed by 5-star multilingual guides and an onboard chef.

The Experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel and a gear check at the dive center before heading to Chalong Pier. The boat carries certified divers, beginners doing their first open-water dives up to 8 meters, and snorkelers — all on one departure. Certified divers go down to 20 meters; intro divers stay shallower but see the same corals and marine life. The 4:1 divemaster ratio means you're not one of twelve on a line behind a guide — there's one certified diver leader for every four people in the water.

Racha Yai sits about two hours from Phuket and holds wrecks, coral gardens and reef fish that draw divers back. Between dives you eat breakfast and lunch cooked onboard, rest on the covered sundeck, or watch the water. The boat has indoor showers, so you rinse off before the ride back instead of sitting in salt and sun. Snorkelers stay on deck or do their own thing in the shallows while the divers descend; the same boat means no separate booking, no separate boat fee, no coordinating two different schedules.

The operator has run this trip for 30 years and owns the boat outright — not chartered, not shared with other companies on rotation. Guides speak English, German, Thai, Chinese and one additional language. Hotel pickup is included, and you can choose your dive level at checkout: certified diver, intro diver (no experience needed), or snorkeler.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return.
• two dives with multilingual 5-star certified guides.
• breakfast and lunch cooked onboard.
• coffee and tea.
• use of the boat's covered sundeck and indoor showers.
• snorkeling option available at checkout.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sea Bees Diving - Chalong

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to dive deeper than the usual resort boat allows — the 4:1 ratio and the operator's own boat mean you're not one of a dozen divers on a line, and intro divers can go without certification. If you're certified and want to see wrecks and deeper reefs in one morning, or if you're bringing a snorkeler and want one boat instead of two, this solves both.

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Top questions

Can I go diving if I've never done it before?

Yes — the intro diving option lets you do two dives up to 8 meters without certification, guided by a 5-star divemaster. You learn the basics on the boat and in the shallows before going deeper, and you see the same corals and fish as certified divers.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup, two dives, breakfast and lunch cooked onboard, coffee and tea, and use of the boat's covered sundeck and indoor showers are all included. Equipment rental costs $15 extra for the day.

How deep do certified divers go at Racha Yai?

Certified divers descend to 20 meters to explore wrecks and deeper reef sections. Intro divers stay at 8 meters or shallower, and snorkelers stay on the surface or in the shallows.

How long is the whole day?

The trip runs 8 hours from hotel pickup to return, including travel time to and from Chalong Pier, two dives with a surface interval between them, meals and rest time on deck.

What if I want to snorkel instead of dive?

Snorkeling is one of the three options at checkout. You stay on the boat or explore the shallows while divers descend, and you get the same meals, pickup and onboard amenities as the diving groups.

Is the divemaster-to-diver ratio really 4:1?

Yes — the operator runs a 4:1 ratio, meaning one certified divemaster for every four divers in the water. This is tighter than the standard 1:8 on many day-trip boats and gives you more attention and flexibility underwater.