Bali vs Thailand Diving: USAT Liberty vs Richelieu Rock

Updated April 2026 | 4 min read

Bali vs Thailand diving at a glance

We got our PADI Open Water certification in Bali and did our first advanced diving in Thailand nine months later. Two very different experiences, two very different dive sites. If you are deciding where to go first, here is what we learned.

The Sites: USAT Liberty vs Richelieu Rock

The USAT Liberty wreck in Tulamben, Bali is a 120-meter World War II cargo ship lying on its side, 30 meters from shore. You wade in from a rocky beach (some operators use boats to skip the awkward entry) and within minutes you are swimming alongside a hull covered in coral, surrounded by hawksbill turtles, barracuda, and more species of nudibranch than you can count. The stern sits at 5-20 meters, accessible to Open Water divers. The bow goes deeper, 20-28 meters, and requires Advanced certification.

Richelieu Rock in Thailand is a completely different animal. It is a submerged limestone pinnacle 70 kilometers offshore from Khao Lak, accessed only by long-range day trip or liveaboard through Surin National Park. Jacques Cousteau called it one of the best dive sites in the world. The pinnacle is covered in soft coral and surrounded by massive schools of barracuda, giant trevally, and — if your timing is right — whale sharks. We were not that lucky, but the fish density alone was worth the trip.

Difficulty and Conditions

Tulamben is forgiving. Currents are mild, visibility averages 15-25 meters, and the water temperature sits around 27-30 degrees Celsius year-round. We did our certification dives at Blue Lagoon in Padang Bai, which was calm enough that our instructor let us practice buoyancy control without worrying about drift. It is a perfect place to learn.

Richelieu Rock is not forgiving. Currents can be severe enough that operators cancel dives on bad days. Negative entries are standard (you deflate your BCD at the surface and drop, no gentle descent). Visibility ranges from 10 to 30 meters depending on lunar cycles and plankton blooms. We had just gotten certified nine months earlier and the step up was significant. Our dive guide from the Le Meridien dive center was excellent, but there were moments at 22 meters where we were working hard to control buoyancy in the current.

What It Costs

PADI Open Water certification in Bali runs $200-350 USD, which includes e-learning, pool sessions, and 4 open water dives. We paid about $300 at our resort’s dive center. In Khao Lak, the same certification costs 14,000-20,000 THB ($390-560 USD). Bali is roughly $100-200 cheaper for the same certification.

For certified divers, a two-tank day trip in Tulamben runs $60-80 USD. A two-tank day trip from Khao Lak to Richelieu Rock or the Similan Islands costs 5,500-6,500 THB ($155-185 USD). The price difference reflects the distance — Richelieu is a 3-hour boat ride each way.

If you want the full Similan experience, a 2-night liveaboard from Khao Lak runs $550-900 USD depending on the boat. You get 8-11 dives including multiple passes at Richelieu Rock, and sleeping on the boat means you are first in the water before day-trippers arrive. Divers on ScubaBoard consistently recommend the liveaboard over the day trip for Richelieu specifically.

When to Go

Bali’s best diving is April through November. The dry season means calmer seas and better visibility on the east coast where Tulamben sits. July through October adds the chance of seeing mola mola (ocean sunfish) at Nusa Penida, and manta rays are nearly guaranteed at Manta Point from April onward.

Thailand’s Similan and Surin parks are only open October through May. The sweet spot is February through April: warmest water, best visibility, and peak whale shark season at Richelieu Rock. We went in January and conditions were excellent.

There is almost no overlap in peak seasons. If you want to do both in one trip, April or November are your best bets, but neither destination will be at its absolute peak.

Which One Should You Do First

If you have never dived before, get certified in Bali. The combination of affordable courses, calm conditions, and the USAT Liberty wreck as a reward dive is hard to beat. We walked out of our third certification dive having seen a turtle at the Liberty wreck, which is not a normal experience for someone 72 hours into learning to dive. The dive sites around Bali also range from beginner to expert, so you can progress without changing destinations.

If you are already certified and want something more challenging, Khao Lak and Richelieu Rock deliver. The marine life density is on another level, the liveaboard experience adds a dimension Bali day trips cannot match, and Khao Lak itself is a relaxed base town with none of the Kuta or Seminyak chaos. A dive computer becomes essential here — the depth and current demand better monitoring than a rental gauge.

Our Verdict

We are glad we did Bali first. The learning curve was gentler, the costs were lower, and the confidence we built there made Richelieu Rock possible. If we had tried Richelieu as our second-ever dive trip without those Bali fundamentals, we would have been in over our heads. Literally.

Both destinations are world-class. The question is not which is better but which matches where you are in your diving progression.

Book on Klook:

• Bali USAT Liberty Diving
• Similan Islands Day Trip

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is USAT Liberty good for beginner divers?

Yes. The stern sits at 5-20 meters and is accessible to Open Water divers, currents are mild, and visibility averages 15-25 meters year-round. The conditions are forgiving enough that it is a perfect place to learn, and it is realistic to see turtles at the wreck during early certification dives.

How much does a PADI Open Water course cost in Bali vs Thailand?

In Bali, PADI Open Water certification runs $200-350 USD, with four open water dives included. In Khao Lak, Thailand, the same course costs 14,000-20,000 THB ($390-560 USD). Bali is roughly $100-200 cheaper for the same certification.

When is the best time to dive Richelieu Rock?

The Similan and Surin parks are only open October through May. The sweet spot is February through April, when water is warmest, visibility is best, and whale shark sightings are most likely at Richelieu Rock. January conditions were also excellent.

Is a liveaboard better than a day trip for Richelieu Rock?

A 2-night liveaboard from Khao Lak runs $550-900 USD and includes 8-11 dives with multiple passes at Richelieu Rock. Sleeping on the boat means being first in the water before day-trippers arrive. Divers on ScubaBoard consistently recommend the liveaboard over the day trip specifically for Richelieu Rock.

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Written by Jenna Fattah

I have visited 25+ countries across 6 continents, attended 7 Formula 1 races, and spent 4 years writing about what actually works and what I would do differently. Every recommendation on this site comes from trips I planned and paid for myself. Read more about me