KOH TAO - DIVESITES

Koh Tao boasts one of the greatest number of dive sites for a small island anywhere in the world, so no matter how long you are staying, we are sure you won’t get bored. With depth limits to suit all certification levels and comfort zones, we can tailor make our fun dive trips to suit your needs and wants. From shallow, rocky sites to huge pinnacles, and a wide array of hard and soft corals, not to mention an abundance of impressive marine life, there really is something for everyone.

Koh Tao is also home to a number of artificial reef projects, developing a safe environment for coral growth and fish nurseries, while simultaneously providing many extra nooks and crannies for divers to explore underwater. Dive sites with swim throughs and caves are also common here. One of the star attractions is our new wreck, sunk in 2011 as an artificial reef for fun diving and specialty courses.

SAIREE REEF

Depth: 5m-10m
Rating: easy

ABOUT:

It’s amazing how much there is to see right off of the beach. The reef stretches the entire length of the bay and boats a variation of layered corals, boulder corals and aquatic life.

THINGS TO SEE:

Butterflyfish, Bannerfish, Angelfish, Nudibranch, Saddleback anemonefish

HTMS SATTAKUT

Depth: 20m-30m
Rating: Advanced

ABOUT:

HTMS Sattakut is Koh Tao’s newest dive site, sunk in June 2011, and has quickly become a popular spot for divers and marine life alike. Almost 50m in length, this retired navy ship boasts two large cannon guns and has swim through opportunities for the more experienced diver. The flat bottom of the boat allows divers to view it exactly as it would sit on the surface.

THINGS TO SEE:

Jenkins stingray, Black spotted pufferfish, Bannerfish, Yellow tailed barracuda, White eyed moray eel.

HIN PEE WEE

Depth: 8m-28m
Rating: Intermediate

ABOUT:

This small and quiet deep dive site only a short journey from shore. With one large rock formation and a few smaller surrounding pinnacles, it is easily explored, and amongst the soft corals you will find plenty of aquatic life.

THINGS TO SEE:

Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Barracuda, Bannerfish, White eyed moray eels, Rabbitfish, Porcupine pufferfish, Strapweed filefish, Scorpionfish.

WHITE ROCK

Depth: 5m-22m
Rating: Intermediate

ABOUT:

Being one of the largest dive sites on Koh Tao, white rock has a large variety of marine life. It is comprised of two large rock formations, with beautiful coral gardens in between. The actual ‘White Rock’ is located to the north east of the dive site. A fantastic choice for fun dives and courses alike, and definitely worth visiting more than once.

THINGS TO SEE:

Sea turtle, Titan triggerfish, Angelfish, Blue spotted stingray, Banded sea snake, Scribbled filefish, Janns pipefish, Great barracuda (on night dives)

NO NAME PINNACLE

Depth: 8m-30m
Rating: Hard

ABOUT:

If you are looking for a quiet deep dive site, No Name Pinnacle is a great choice. Located to the west of Twins and Buoyancy World (5 mins swim), and with an abundance of fish life, you will be free to coast around without worrying about lots of other divers.

THINGS TO SEE:

Nudibranch, Banded sea snake, Titan triggerfish, White eyed moray eels, Bearded leatherjacket, Jenkins stingray, Tube anemones.

TWINS

Depth: 5m-18m
Rating: Intermediate

ABOUT:

Definitely one of the most popular dive sites on Koh Tao, Twins is made up of two rock formations in calm, shallow waters. It is a site that will appeal to all levels of divers as it is lots of fun and has so much to offer.

THINGS TO SEE:

Saddleback anemonefish (Nemo), Gobys, White eyed moray eels, Blue spotted stingrays, Yellow boxfish, titan triggerfish, Durban dancing shrimp, Porcupine pufferfish.

BUOYANCY WORLD

Depth: 10m-16m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

If you want to see something completely different, this is the dive site for you. Buoyancy world was built by many of the dive schools on the island to provide a training area for new divers, and to stimulate coral growth and biodiversity. The diverse range of sculptures and buoyancy aids makes this site a fun place to visit before you leave Koh Tao.

THINGS TO SEE:

Interact with many buoyancy aids and sculptures.

GREEN ROCK

Depth: 5m-25m
Rating: Advanced

ABOUT:

Green Rock is a really unique dive site. It is comprised of many large boulders, with lots of swim throughs weaving their way in between. Strong currents are not commonplace, but are definitely not unknown. Watch out for the many Triggerfish that inhabit this area, as they may ensure your dive will be an ‘exciting’ one!

THINGS TO SEE:

Titan triggerfish, yellow margin triggerfish, banded sea snake, harlequin sweetlips, White eyed moray eels, Nudibranch, Scorpionfish, Yellow boxfish.

RED ROCK
(NANGYUAN CAVE)

Depth: 5m-20m
Rating: Intermediate

ABOUT:

Red Rock offers a fantastic dive on its own, or alternatively a great drop-off dive into Japanese Gardens. Just a short swim from the pinnacle is Nangyuan Cave, a long and beautiful swim through. The picturesque corals on this wall dive are home to a wide variety of sea critters. This is a good alternative to Japanese Gardens, especially if you want to go a bit deeper.

THINGS TO SEE:

Hawksbill turtle, Bannerfish, Groupers, Snapper, Titan Triggerfish, Pink tailed triggerfish, Rabbitfish.

JAPANESE GARDENS

Depth: 1m-16m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

A pretty and shallow dive site, perfect for beginners. With its large selection of corals, divers of all levels find it very beautiful. Nestling in and around the hard and soft coral formations, you will find a diverse array of fishes. On the south side of the site, swim throughs can be found; great for testing your buoyancy control.

THINGS TO SEE:

Funnel corals, Mushroom corals, Angelfish, Porcupine pufferfish, Yellowtail barracuda, Seal face pufferfish, Groupers, Gobys.

HIN FAI
(BIO ROCK)

Depth: 8m-13m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

Hin Fai Bio Rock is an artificial dive site, created by the marine branch of Save Koh Tao, in 2008. Electricity is used to accumulate minerals on the steel structure and alter the PH level of the water; this is called mineral accretion technology. It provides a better environment for coral, clams, oysters and sponges, and can increase growth rate by up to 5 times.

THINGS TO SEE:

The bio rock structures, Lionfish, Scorpionfish, Scribbled filefish, Jenkins stingrays.

CHUMPHON PINNACLE

Depth: 12m-40m
Rating: Advanced

ABOUT:

Widely regarded as Koh Tao’s best deep dive site, Chumphon is one huge impressive pinnacle that rises from 35m up to 14m. There is a separate smaller pinnacle, Barracuda Rock (located to the south west), which is also definitely worth a visit. From large schools of fish to tiny macro life, this stunning dive site has it all.

THINGS TO SEE:

Whale shark, Grey reef shark, Bull shark, Giant grouper, Great barracuda, Scorpionfish, Pink anemonefish, Durban dancing shrimp, Banded boxer shrimp, White eyed moray eels, Lionfish.

MANGO BAY

Depth: 2m-18m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

Mango bay is an impressive shallow dive site, perfect for open water divers and above. The bay is full of large coral heads, especially at the west side. Drop-off dives on the way into the bay, or further north along the east wall, are perfect for fun divers, offering deeper dives than in the shallows closer to the beach area.

THINGS TO SEE:

Hard corals, Fusiliers, Smooth tailed trevally, Jenkins stingray, Parrotfish, Seahorse

LIGHTHOUSE

Depth: 5m-18m
Rating: Easy-Intermediate

ABOUT:

Located to the north east of the island, Lighthouse offers a range of options to divers. Staying in the bay provides a shallow dive with plenty of corals to see. If you dive around the northern rocks, there are huge boulders to explore. These are perfect for the more experienced diver, as there can sometime be a current once you pass the headland.

THINGS TO SEE:

Orange-spined unicornfish, Titan triggerfish, Harlequin sweetlips, Snapper, Barracuda, Yellow boxfish, Butterflyfish

HIN WONG PINNACLE

Depth: 12m-25m
Rating: Intermediate

ABOUT:

Hin Wong is a special dive site as it is home to a huge amount of fan type corals- more so than any other site on Koh Tao. Comprised of pinnacles and surrounding large boulders, there is plenty to see and explore, including a couple of swim throughs for the more advanced diver.

THINGS TO SEE:

Giant grouper, Goatfish, Razorfish, Chevron barracuda, Great barracuda, Green turtle.

TANOTE BAY

Depth: 5m-16m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

Tanote bay is home to one of Koh Tao’s many artificial coral reef projects. Here, special reef balls and coral nursery structures have been made. There is also a good variety of corals and also some larger pinnacle type boulders to explore, with plenty of marine life hidden in the cracks and crevices. To the north, you can also find a sunken catamaran.

THINGS TO SEE:

Yellow boxfish, Blue spotted stingray, White eyed moray eel, Angelfish, Bannerfish, Batfish.le.

LAEM THIAN

Depth: 5m-18m
Rating: Intermediate-Advanced

ABOUT:

Located on the eastern coast of Koh Tao, this is a fun and exciting dive site. The many huge boulders that cluster on the shoreline provide numerous swim throughs and caves. This site is perfect for the more experienced diver who really wants to test their buoyancy control.

THINGS TO SEE:

Angelfish, Bannerfish, Butterflyfish, White tip reef shark, Tube anemones, Groupers.

KING KONG

Depth: 5m-18m
Rating: Easy-Intermediate

ABOUT:

Hidden around the corner from Aow Leuk, King Kong is a secluded paradise. As not as many dive shops visit, it’s a great choice if you want to dive without any other boat traffic disturbing you. There is much coral and marine life to keep you happy, and also some larger boulders to investigate.

THINGS TO SEE:

Yellow boxfish, Harlequin sweetlips, Blue spotted stingray, Lionfish, Porcupine pufferfish, Batfish.

AOW LEUK

Depth: 4m-14m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

Hidden in a sheltered bay to the south east, Aow Leuk boasts calm and shallow waters, perfect for more novice divers. With an abundance of corals and small rock formations, this pretty wall dive provides plenty marine life.

THINGS TO SEE:

Yellowtail barracuda Black spotted porcupinefish, Titan triggerfish, Goatfish, Groupers, Gobys.

HIN NGAM

Depth: 4m-18m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

An impressive wall dive with plenty of corals and boulders with an array of marine life to see. Sheltered by the coastline boulders, the water here is usually very calm. If you want something a little different, a short swim will take you to Suan Olan artificial reef, where a series of underwater structures have been built to provide a safe environment for aquatic life.

THINGS TO SEE:

Yellowtail barracuda, White eyed moray eel, Eel catfish, Scorpionfish, Blue spotted stingray

SHARK ISLAND

Depth: 4m-25m
Rating: Advanced

ABOUT:

Better suited to divers with a little more experience, Shark Island is an impressive looking dive site. Many coral, boulder and rock formations encircle the edge of the island, giving divers’ lots to explore and discover. Be wary of currents though, they can often be strong.

THINGS TO SEE:

Pink anemonefish, Yellow boxfish, Batfish, Butterflyfish, White eyed moray eel, Grouper, Snapper

SOUTHWEST PINNACLES

Depth: 5m-30m
Rating: Advanced

ABOUT:

Another fantastic deep dive site, Southwest has become a firm favourite amongst divers and comes highly recommended. It consists of one main pinnacle, with several further smaller pinnacles and boulder formations surrounding it. There is also a further ‘secret pinnacle’ to explore (if your dive guide knows the compass bearing!).

THINGS TO SEE:

Giant grouper, Great barracuda, Chevron barracuda, Whaleshark, pink anemonefish, Banded boxer shrimp.

SAIL ROCK

Depth: 1m-35m
Rating: Intermediate

ABOUT:

Ask any diver which dive site is the best of all that surround Koh Tao, and your answer will be the same: Sail Rock. It’s closer to Koh Panghan than Tao, so it takes a while to get there, but is totally worth it. It’s a huge rock pinnacle that rises from the sea bad, reaching up to and above the surface. Sail rock is a haven for marine life, with large schools of fish wherever you look. There is also a ‘chimney’, dropping from 5m down to around 20m.

THINGS TO SEE:

Giant groupers, Trevally, Barracuda, Batfish, Whaleshark, Fusiliers, Scorpionfish, Nudibranch

BUDDHA POINT

Depth: 6m-12m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

To the south of the island, offshore from the sleepy town of Chalok Baan Kao, Buddha point is a hidden gem. It is generally a quiet dive site, with calm conditions, a variety of corals and an abundance of marine life.

THINGS TO SEE:

Grouper, Goatfish, Gobys, Angelfish, Bannerfish, Parrotfish

TAO TONG

Depth: 5m-10m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

This small, shallow and sheltered site to the south west of the island is perfect for training dives. With its selection of corals and fish life, you will find enough here to keep you entertained.

THINGS TO SEE:

Green turtle, Butterflyfish, Bannerfish, Blue spotted stingray, White eyed moray eel.

3 ROCKS & POTTERY

Depth: 5m-12m
Rating: Easy

ABOUT:

Located just 2 minutes from Mae Haad pier, these two dive sites are an excellent choice for beginners. 3 Rocks can be seen from the surface, and underwater there are many boulders and a swim through to explore. Pottery is slightly deeper and is made up of many small rock formations.

THINGS TO SEE:

Porcupine pufferfish, Giant pufferfish, Jenkins stingray, Blue spotted stingray, Angelfish, Seahorse, Bannerfish, Butterflyfish, Nudibranch.

Check out our range of PADI Dive Courses

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