Ao Nang Bay
For those staying in Ao Nang, the house reef directly in front of the beach offers easy shore diving or a short boat ride. The reef is shallow, maximum 6-8 metres, and is used for Discover Scuba Diving courses and refresher dives. Despite the shallow depth, the marine life is surprising. Juvenile reef fish shelter among the coral rubble, octopus and cuttlefish hunt at night. Seahorses have been spotted here. A good site for a night dive or for practising skills. Not a highlight site, but a useful local resource.
Ao Nang Wrecks
The HTMS Ravi and HTMS Talibong are two of the 3 local wrecks sunk off the coast of Ao Nang in May 2013, making them true local Krabi dive sites. They are both 36m long, 10m wide vessels with a fascinating WWII history, participating in the Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945. After the war, they were transferred to the Royal Thai Navy, then scuttled as artificial reefs on 20 April 2013. They sit upright at a depth of approximately 20-25 metres. The wrecks are now covered in corals and attracts marine life, including schools of fusiliers, lionfish, and bamboo sharks. They are often dived alongside the HTMS Kolam, which was also scuttled in the area.
Koh Dor
In the afternoons the west side of Koh Dor Island often hosts a group of the usually shy black-tip reef sharks. Whilst brief sightings of these sharks are possible on scuba, it's best to watch them on snorkel at lunchtime. The island has a good mix of larger Porites and Diploastrea Heliopora hard corals and soft corals, sea whips, fans and leather corals. Several large barrel sponges are also dotted around the dive site.
Koh Ha
This island has over 60 coral species and the many gorgonian fans host a range of fascinating shrimps and crabs. Often there are large schools of barracuda and some small groups of squid here, and in early mornings leopard sharks are often seen lazing on the sea's sandy bottom.
Koh Klang
Koh Klang sits in the mangrove-fringed estuary near Krabi town. The diving here is different: darker, more silty, and full of unusual macro life. This is muck diving, local style. Look for seahorses, ghost pipefish, frogfish, and a variety of nudibranchs. Flounders and stingrays lie buried in the sand, octopus hunt across the rubble. This is not a pretty coral reef, but it is a fascinating one for the patient diver. Maximum depth 8-10 metres. Best dived as a night dive. Advanced beginners welcome. A torch is essential.
Koh Pakbia
A small island between Koh Poda and Koh Si. The reef here is similar to its neighbours: shallow, gentle, and colourful. The coral cover is good and the fish life is abundant. The site is reliable for turtles. Hawksbill and green turtles feed on the sponges and algae. Blue-spotted stingrays rest on the sand. Schools of fusiliers and snapper move above the reef. Maximum depth 10-14 metres and very beginner-friendly. A good choice for a third dive or for mixed groups of divers and snorkellers.
Koh Poda
A classic local dive site for Krabi scuba diving, located just a 20-30 minute boat ride from Ao Nang. Koh Poda is a small limestone island surrounded by shallow fringing reefs. The coral is healthy, with a good mix of hard and soft corals, sea fans, and anemones.
The gentle sloping reef is perfect for beginners or for those who have not dived in a while. Expect to see clownfish in their anemones, butterflyfish, angelfish, and schools of fusiliers. Blue-spotted stingrays rest on the sandy patches, moray eels peer from crevices. Turtles are frequently sighted here. Maximum depth is around 12-15 metres. Calm conditions, good visibility. A reliable site for a relaxed first dive.
Koh Pu
Koh Pu is located south of Ao Nang, close to the river mouth. The island is small, the reef is modest but healthy. Hard corals dominate. The site is quiet with few boats. Expect blue-spotted stingrays, moray eels, and schools of snapper. Turtles occasionally pass through. The sandy patches are good for flounders and garden eels. Calm conditions. Maximum depth 10-12 metres. Suitable for beginners. A solid alternative when other sites are crowded.
Railay Beach
The dramatic limestone cliffs of Railay are famous for rock climbing. Underwater, the reefs off Railay East and West offer gentle, easy diving. The reefs are shallow, 6-10 metres, and are home to a wide range of reef fish, moray eels, and octopus. The site is popular for night dives. Octopus, cuttlefish, and hunting lionfish are common. The shallow depth allows for long bottom times. A good option for a late afternoon or evening dive after a day of climbing or relaxing on the beach.
Koh Si
This Krabi site competes with Koh Yawasam for the best snorkelling area in Ao Nang, with 2 large shallow coral covered plateaus on either side of the island. The southern end is particularly picturesque and usually has good visibility. Big schools of snappers and sometimes large grouper make a breathtaking sight when the visibility is up at this dive site. Otherwise you can always look for seahorses, nudibranchs and scorpionfishes that live amongst the rocks here.
The northern end of the island has a steeper wall covered in Tubeastrea barrel corals, sponges, and sea whips. Black-tip reef sharks are here and dive sightings are common but brief as they commonly shun any contact with humans.
Koh Talu
The large island of Koh Talu boasts 2 swim-throughs and large barracuda often circle the entrances. As you move to deeper waters, mantis shrimps are sometimes found scuttling across the bottom. The coral extends a long way south and it is even possible to swim on one dive from the western side of this island right across to the next site, GK Island.
Tup Island
Tup Island is famous for the sandbar that connects it to Chicken Island at low tide. Underwater, the site offers a sloping reef with scattered boulders. The coral is healthy, with large table corals and staghorn thickets. This is a good site for macro lovers. Look for nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, and seahorses among the coral branches. Blue-spotted stingrays and flounders hide in the sand. Turtles feed on the reef. Schooling fish are abundant. Maximum depth 12-15 metres. Calm conditions. Suitable for all levels.
Koh Yawabon
This island has the longest swim-through in the Krabi area, but this has a large no light zone and can be subject to strong currents, so penetrating the swim-through requires specialised scuba diving training. With the majority of dive boats going to the other islands around Ao Nang, this island is often swarming with large schools of unwary fish. Lobsters are commonly found here, as well the Kuhl's stingrays.
Koh Yawasam
Chicken Island gets its name from the distinctive limestone pillar at its tip. The underwater terrain here is more interesting than the other local islands. Boulders and rock formations create swim-throughs, overhangs, and small caverns.
The reef is rich with hard corals, barrel sponges, and sea whips. Leopard sharks are occasionally spotted resting on the sandy patches between boulders. Moray eels hide in the cracks. Schools of barracuda and trevally patrol the deeper edges. Maximum depth 14-18 metres. Suitable for advanced beginners and above as currents can pick up around the point. A good site for a bit more adventure.
