Where are the blacktip reef sharks in Phuket?

Not at Phuket itself so much as on the Phi Phi day-trip sites, especially the shallow bays of Koh Bida Nok and Koh Bida Nai. Most Phuket operators run these as a standard two-dive day.

Can beginners see them?

Yes. The sharks sit in five to twelve metres of water, which is well within Open Water limits, and the Phi Phi sites are used for training dives.

Is Koh Tao good for blacktips?

It is a documented pupping ground, so the sharks there are mostly juveniles in very shallow water, often snorkelled rather than dived. It is more variable season to season than Phi Phi.

Koh Bida Nok, Phi Phi Islands, Andaman Sea

Where to see blacktip reef sharks in Thailand

The Phi Phi Islands are the most dependable blacktip location in Southeast Asia, with animals from pup-size to nearly two metres in the shallow bays of Koh Bida Nok. Operators treat them as a very frequent sighting rather than a lucky one. Koh Tao, over on the Gulf side, is a separate and well-documented pupping ground where juveniles sit in knee-deep water.

Best time: Resident year-round; November to April for the calmest Andaman seas

High confidence verified 2026-07-22

Well documented, and reliably seen in season.

When to go

Resident year-round; November to April for the calmest Andaman seas

The Andaman sites become unpleasant or inaccessible during the southwest monsoon, and the Similan Islands national park closes from roughly mid-May to mid-October. The sharks stay; the access does not. Koh Tao on the Gulf side runs the opposite calendar and is worst in November.

Best dive sites for blacktip reef sharks in Thailand

Koh Bida Nok, Phi Phi

The shallow bay at the drop-off point is the highest-probability spot, and sharks also work the shallows on both sides. Usually the first dive of the day.
Koh Bida Nai, Phi Phi

The sister pinnacle with the same shallow-shelf pattern — a good second roll of the dice on a Phi Phi day trip.
Tanote Bay and Laem Thian, Koh Tao

A juvenile nursery on the Gulf coast, with pups in very shallow water that can be snorkelled from shore. More variable year to year than Phi Phi.

How to see them

Go early. Operators consistently say the first dive of the day, before the boat traffic builds, is the difference between a couple of sharks and none at all. On Phi Phi they hold in the shallow bay and reef shelf, so stay between five and twelve metres rather than dropping down the wall — this is a species you find by going shallower, not deeper. On Koh Tao, snorkelling the bays at dawn or dusk beats diving outright.

What an encounter is like

Phi Phi holds all size classes, which is unusual and makes the encounter a genuinely good one: a 1.8 metre female and a 50 centimetre pup on the same dive is realistic. They stay wary and keep their distance, and they scatter from a large group, so a crowded boat is the biggest single threat to the sighting.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the blacktip reef sharks in Phuket?: Not at Phuket itself so much as on the Phi Phi day-trip sites, especially the shallow bays of Koh Bida Nok and Koh Bida Nai. Most Phuket operators run these as a standard two-dive day.
Can beginners see them?: Yes. The sharks sit in five to twelve metres of water, which is well within Open Water limits, and the Phi Phi sites are used for training dives.
Is Koh Tao good for blacktips?: It is a documented pupping ground, so the sharks there are mostly juveniles in very shallow water, often snorkelled rather than dived. It is more variable season to season than Phi Phi.

Sources

Blacktip Reef Sharks — Local Dive Thailand
Black Tip Reef Shark in Koh Tao — Black Turtle Dive