The deep and tranquil waters around the islands of Langkawi are home to umpteen species of fish, precious coral reefs and intriguing undersea rock formations. Diving in the warm Andaman Sea, is a pleasing way to explore the thriving aquatic ecosystem. With a tropical climate, this underwater activity can be carried out anytime during the year. However, the dry season from December to April, offers the best possible visibility. Langkawi is the only place on the west coast of Malaysia, where you can go scuba diving, and the archipelago has no shortage of dive sites to give you an incredible experience.
The Pulau Payar Marine Park is the most visited diving location in Langkawi. Made up of four smaller islands, it can be reached by tour boats from the Kuah jetty. Diving below the pier of the park centre is a good place for novice divers, as the water here is shallow and has coral with ample variety of sea life. Seasoned divers can go to Pulau Segantang, about twenty minutes on boat from Pulau Payar for deep sea wreck diving. Here, you can see diverse coral along with scorpion fish and schools of barracudas which are attracted by lustrous objects. If you go further into the open sea, you can bump into grey manta rays and enormous whale sharks. A trip to the marine park usually lasts a day, however if you have limited time in Langkawi, then White Coral Corner near Pantai Cenang is a good option too. Here, you can see soft coral and anemones with clown fish, pipefish, and bamboo sharks.
There are many operators in Langkawi offering various diving programs, scuba certifications and tours for all skill levels. When diving be mindful of preserving this fragile marine ecosystem and do not damage the reef or feed the fish by yourself.
