Ibrahim Jabbari
Phuket may attract herds of backpackers, with its promise of a thriving nightlife, but the island also provides underwater explorers with a handful of stunning dive sites. One of the most popular of them all is the King Cruiser wreck. The car and passenger ferry is now home to coral-ridden toilets and an abundance of marine life. Unlike many wreck dives which were intentionally sunk to create artificial reefs, the King Cruiser sealed its watery fate after crashing into the Anemone Reef while travelling between Phuket and Koh Phi Phi on May 4, 1977. Over 500 passengers were forced to jump ship, although fortunately no one was killed. Having been submerged for almost 40 years now, the wreck has attracted a wide array of marine life, and coral continues to make both the interior and exterior of the ship both eerie and stunning. The ship itself is about 85 metres long and 30 metres wide, and it sits some 33 metres deep on the ocean floor.
