Probably one of the best, and among the best-known, Phuket local dive sites is Shark Point. It is located not far from King Cruiser Wreck, east of the southern part of Phuket Island. The dive site is very large, and it is made up of three main pinnacles which are almost in line.
There is a small part of rock that breaks the surface, but nowhere to walk around.
Unsurprisingly, Shark Point got its name from the resident Leopard/Zebra Sharks (Stegostoma fasciatum) which can usually be seen on the sandy bottom. These sharks are both nocturnal and harmless and are therefore great for divers of all levels to see. However, it’s not just about the sharks. There are plenty of other species, which include schooling fish and those which hang around on their own. For example Moray Eels (Gymnothorax) and many others.Most divers at Shark Point are there as part of a 2-dive or 3-dive day trip from Phuket. These trips are very popular, but also busy and sometimes crowded both onboard and underwater. The best way to enjoy diving at Shark Point is to join a short liveaboard diving cruise from Phuket. Liveaboard diving at Shark Point enables divers to relax more on the boat between dives and to be at dive sites early in the morning and in the evening or at night. This usually means being the only boat there.
Diving is possible all year round at Shark Point Phuket, but the Indian Ocean monsoon season (May to October) brings stronger and unpredictable winds, waves, and weather. The best months are from December to March.
Shark Point is a group of three pinnacles than are in a straight line running north to south. Pinnacle #1 breaks the surface, and the other two are just below it. The pinnacles are covered in corals, anemones and sea fans, which attract lots of life.
Approximately half way between Phuket and Koh Phi Phi there are several popular dive sites, including Shark Point. The location is perfect to attract dive boats from both islands, but of course, this results in it becoming very busy during the high season.
You can get to Shark Point by day trip diving boat from Phuket (normally Chalong Pier) or from Koh Phi Phi. The day trips will offer two or three dives. Also, someday trip boats come from Koh Lanta and normally offer three dives.
The best way to enjoy diving at Shark Point is by liveaboard diving safari. These can visit the more-popular dive sites early in the morning or late in the afternoon, thus avoiding the crowds.
Shark Point is suitable for all levels of scuba diver and all but the least experienced. Advanced, experienced & professional divers can still enjoy this dive site, so don't worry. Also, if you are Nitrox certified, you can benefit from staying deep for longer, and avoiding the crowds while exploring around the bases of the pinnacles.
Shark Point originally got its name from the resident Leopard/Zebra sharks (Stegostoma fasciatum) which could often be seen resting on the sand. But due to several reasons (including boat and diver traffic) these harmless sharks are not seen very much anymore. They are shy and easily scared off in the morning. There's plenty of other species to see there, including other small sharks, medium to large rays, bony reef fish, invertebrates and reptiles.
Shark Point is an excellent dive site and easily reached from Phuket or Phi Phi. It's also suitable for all levels of scuba diver. Therefore, something so good and easily accessible is naturally very popular. Shark Point's popularity is an unavoidable downside for divers who want to see fish more than other divers. There's plenty of marine life here, and it's a very large dive site, so there's space for everyone, and with three pinnacles running north to south, there's something to see at all depths.