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Hello Arun, Snorkelling is available in Pattaya as well as Phuket. Both of the destinations have good options for watersports and reasonable prices for Snorkelling. Thus, you can go for any of then when it comes to snorkelling. Concerning the second question, you can travel from Pattaya to Phuket via flight, bus, train or rather take a ferry for a different experience. Travelling by road can be tiresome as the distance between both the destinations is 970 km. Talking about where to stay in Phuket, picking the right destination is a must. Phuket is a beautiful city with a lot of beaches and different options for accommodation. You can choose to stay near Patong Beach, Kata Beach, Karon Beach, Kamala Beach, Bangtao Beach, Mai Khao Beach and the list goes on. Depending on the budget, choice of property, duration, surroundings and other factors, you can check out the best hotels and resorts in Phuket on Tripoto. Check out this link - https://www.tripoto.com/hotels?location_name=phuket&embed=collections&checkin=2020-01-25&checkout=2020-01-26&guests=1 Thanks.
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I would say Phuket, cleaner water. For accommodation, we stayed at Patong mansion hotel and I highly recommend them. It’s not the one for people wanting luxury but we had great value for money considering the customer service, spread of breakfast, location and the cute rooftop swimming pool
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I will say, try Phi Phi islands, water is clear and you can actually see a marine life rather than Pattaya/Phuket as these are more commercial, at most of the watersports that we have enrolled, it was quite sandy, Phi Phi was the best in terms of snorkelling, if in Phuket you can easily take a ferry ( 3 hours from it).
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IMHO, snorkeling is great in Pattaya as well as Phuket but one should know where to do it.
Pattaya:
Koh Larn/Koh Larn is a small island from mainland Pattaya where most of the tour guides take you to do water sports. Ask the guys to get you a snorkeling gear (hopefully free of cost). Go around the back to the other beach and snorkel there.
My personal favorite is Koh Phai/Koh Pai. It's further away from Koh Larn and is uninhabited. There you'll find two Thai Navy guards to whom you have to pay 50 THB as an official fee and the island is all yours for the day. The boat ride can be a bit expensive to Koh Phai and the boatman will initially ask for 7000 THB. But make him agree for 3500 THB and he will. He'll also get you an ice box and snorkeling gear (discuss in advance) so now you have an entire island to yourself, chilled beer, powder sand beach and clear clear water to snorkel around. Phuket:
Phuket is huge! Patong beach alone usually defines it but for beach bums like me, Patong is a no no. Head to Ao Sane which is a 200-metre-long beach next to Nai Harn Beach in the south part of Phuket. It has 2 distinct snorkelling areas – one is a sharp drop off out into deeper waters populated by parrotfish, clownfish, and eels. Another prominent snorkelling area in Ao Sane is to the right of a beach restaurant. It's only accessible at high tide as the coral is close to the surface. The waters surrounding the beach are clear and safe year-round.
Another one, Paradise Beach lies around 5 km southwest of Patong, with a coral reef about 100 metres offshore. This 150-metre sheltered beach is managed by Paradise Beach Phuket Club, which offers snorkelling, kayaking, SUP boarding, and scuba diving. You can enjoy good and safe snorkelling as jet skis aren't allowed to get close to the beach. If you are looking for a perfect snorkeling destination there are 1000 more in Thailand. I would be glad to help you out with that too.
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Because of the smoother seas and more abundant marine life, snorkeling in Phuket is usually superior to that in Pattaya. Popular locations for snorkeling include Koh Phi Phi, the Similan Islands, and Coral Island, which all have lively reefs and a wide variety of marine life. The quickest method to get from Pattaya to Phuket is by plane from U-Tapao Airport, which is close to Pattaya, to Phuket International Airport. For a lengthier trip, you can also take a bus or taxi to Bangkok before taking a flight. Choose to stay in Phuket at Old Phuket Town for a taste of local culture, Kata Beach for a laid-back vibe, Karon Beach for family-friendly resorts, or Patong Beach for nightlife.
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