Dive sites Koh Tao

Where is the best diving in the Gulf of Thailand?

Koh Tao is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand known as 'Turtle Island' because of the sea turtles that live there. The island has beautiful coastlines with clear, warm water and 11 bays with coral reefs and marine life. The relaxed atmosphere and thriving diving industry make Koh Tao a popular destination for thousands of visitors every year.

Why diving with us

Come dive in Koh Tao at one of at least 20 dive sites, most of which are a maximum of 40 minutes by boat, and some only 20 minutes away. That is why we can sail twice a day.

Small groups of maximum 4 divers per dive leader, and dive times of 1 hour or 50 bar are allowed.

And whether you learned to dive through I.D.D., PADI, SSI, or another diving organization, you can always continue your diving training with us and you can always dive with us.

Morning trip

Then we usually go to the deeper dive sites such as the H.M.S Sattakut wreck; Chumpon, South West or Hin Wong pinnacle. Followed by a 2nd dive around Nang Yuan, White Rock or Light House.

Afternoon trip

Then we go to the shallower areas such as Aow Leuk-; Mango bay or again around Nang Yuan Island. The afternoon dives are also ideal for those who to snorkel (availability depending)

Night dives

Level of Diving: Advanced open water

Night diving depends on a minimum occupancy of 2 divers and the weather conditions.

Overview of the most interesting dive sites on Koh Tao

Aow Leuk

Location: Opposite Shark Island.
Minimum 5 m / maximum 16 m.
Level of Diving: beginners and advanced divers.

Aow Leuk is a sheltered bay with beautiful views and is home to lots of young marine life. We often spot young blacktip reef sharks here.

Sheltered from strong winds, this shallow dive site has a sandy bottom that is home to garden eels, scorpionfish, butterflyfish, sergeant majors and schools of yellowtail barracuda.

At this beautiful diving spot we regularly do shallow exercises for the open water course, as well as the navigation dive of the advanced open water course.

Hin Ngam is often the second open water dive after we visit South-West Pinnacel or

Chumpon Pinnacle

Location: About 5 km northwest of Nang Yuan. Minimum 14 m / maximum 40 m.
Level of Diving: Experienced divers.

This dive site is usually for advanced divers, but is accessible in calm weather during the for  experienced open water divers. It offers majestic views, breathtaking rock formations and is rich in marine life, with a 50% yes or no chance of whale shark sightings.

The trip price is 1,600 Thai baht. For this price you can make 2 dives.  The second dive is usually around Koh Nang Yuan Island or White Rock.

Green Rock

Location: Northwest of Koh Nang Yuan.
Min. 12 m / max. 30 m.
Level of Diving: Beginner to experienced divers.

A spectacular dive site with adventurous passages through large arches, caves and crevices that cut through the submerged, bouldering rocks.

Home of the yellow margin triggerfish. Loons may encounter a ‘trigger attack’ during spawning season as they become very territorial and protective of their nests. This makes it an interesting dive.

Hin Wong Pinnacle

Location: East coast of Koh Tao.
Min. 12m / max. 26m.
Level of Diving: Experienced divers.

The less visited dive sites on the east coast offer a different variety of marine life than the west coast of Koh Tao. These peaks at a depth of 26m offer blue soft sponge corals, colorful sea fans and sea streamers. The second dive usually takes place around the Light House or Koh Nang Yuan Island.

Mango Bay

Location: North of Koh Tao.
Minimum depth: 5m / Maximum depth: 16m.
Level of Diving: experienced divers.

A breeding ground for all small fish species, Mango Bay (Aow Muang) has reefs on the east and west coasts of the bay, along with coral rocks in between providing a natural ‘coral garden’ as we know it today.

This bay is also perfect for snorkelers and novice divers to gradually make the transition from shallow sandy bottoms to deeper depths with rocky contours.

Japanse Gardens

Location: East of Koh Nang Yuan.
Min. 6m / Max. 16 m.
Level of Diving: Beginner to experienced divers.

Located on the eastern side of Koh Nang Yuan, the Japanese Gardens are separated by one of the few sandbanks in the world that connects three strips of land.

Fantastic snorkeling and great conditions for novice divers. This dive site offers sandy bottoms to prepare divers to adjust their buoyancy before venturing out to the reef areas. The reef dive itself is beautiful, with many young fish. Sometimes we see the black and white striped sea snake here.

Twin Peaks / Buoyancy reef

Location: Western Side of Koh Nang YuanDepth:
Min. 10 m / maximum 18 m
Level of Diving: Beginner to experienced divers

Spread over the three rock pinnacles. Between two of the shallow pinnacles (12 – 14 m) you will find the Clark’s clownfish family protected by a ring of shells.

North of the midpoint is Buoyancy World, an ‘alternative’ dive site to reduce the number of divers at Twins. Here, artificial structures have been built from materials that will attract fish life and coral development, and for novice divers to improve their diving skills.

Sattakut wreck

Location: 30 m from Hin Pee Wee
Min. 18 m / max. 32 m
Level of Diving: Advanced open water divers

The shipwreck of H.M.SSattakut (LCI: Landing Craft Infantry 724) has become a favorite diving site for visitors to Koh Tao. This former World War II Navy ship measuring 48m along the seabed was sunk on June 18, 2011 to create a new artificial reef. The keel or base of the wreck sits in the sand at a maximum depth of between 27 and 30 meters, while the top of the mast reaches a depth of 18 meters – making this dive best suited to Advanced Open Water divers -license . Located 30 meters from Hin Pee Wee, it offers a free dive site with an abundance of marine life nearby. Here you will find large schools of fusiliers, juvenile yellowtail barracudas, various snappers, wrasse and groupers.

Koh Tao duik locaties

H.M.S Hanhak Sattru

Location: Ao Mao bay (east coast)
Min. 22 m / max. 24 m
Level of Diving:  advanced open water

Koh Tao dive sites

H.M.S Suphairin

Location: No Name Pinnacle  (west of Twins Pinnacle)
Min. 24 m / max. 28 m
Level of Diving:  advanced open water

Shark Island

Location: 1 km from the southern tip of Koh Tao
Min. 15m / Max. 28 m
Level of diving: Beginner to experienced divers

Shark Island is not named for its carnivorous marine life, but for the island’s resemblance to a shark fin from certain angles.

Occasionally, currents bring in nutrient-rich water that encourages an abundance of marine life. Groupers, turtles and schools of butterflyfish inhabit the shallower depths.

South West Pinnacle

Location: About 7 km southwest of Koh Tao
Min. 15m / Max. 28 m
Level of diving: Beginner to experienced divers

A row of pinnacles with wall diving and fantastically varied marine life such as snapper, trevally and barracuda. The shallower points are covered with gardens of sea anemones and the deeper channels are filled with healthy gorgonians and whip corals.

One of our favorite diving spots. Visited less often compared to Chumpon Pinnacle.

Fixed trip price of 1,600 Thai baht.
2nd dive usually White Rock

White Rock

Location: West side of Koh Tao
Min 14 m / Max. 28 m
Level of diving: Beginner to experienced divers

White Rock is one of Koh Tao’s most popular dive sites for both day and night dives.

The rock structures are a series of raised shelves that provide shelter for honeycomb groupers, long-spined black sea urchins and various sea anemones, along with the soft coral mixed with button and pore corals and the colorful Christmas tree worms.

If you like underwater photography, this dive site offers the composition and marine life for great photos.