Koh Tao Diving Guide

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The small islet of Koh Nang Yuan is connected to Koh Tao by a thin strip of white sand and is surrounded by several interesting sites. It's a very relaxed area to dive or snorkel and to chill out on the boat between dives.

'Nang Yuan Pinnacle', is like a mini version of Sail Rock. It starts at just 2 metres below the surface and there are many interesting boulders, nooks and crannies to explore, and the occasional swim-through.

Moorish idols, angelfish and oriental sweetlips are some of the common inhabitants here. Also keep an eye out for octopus hiding in the rocks and, if you see a cuttlefish, look around for the mate which is probably nearby as they often travel in pairs.

'Twins' is just south of Koh Nang Yuan and is actually 2 rocks starting at 6 metres and going down to 18 metres. Visibility can drop at times and big fish visits are rare but there are plenty of tropical reef fish to charm divers. There are lots of anemones too, with their resident families of clownfish, including the rare saddleback clownfish.

'Japanese Garden' is situated on the east side of Koh Nang Yuan, north west of Koh Tao. It is named after the pretty coral formations that can be seen in the sheltered bay here. The bay ranges from a depth of 2 to 18 metres with an average of 10m and frequently boasts good visibility. There is a myriad of staghorn and plate coral, as well as interesting boulders. This is a great site for beginners or is often the final destination of a dive from Koh Nang Yuan through a series of swim-throughs.

You can expect to see bannerfish, butterflyfish, triggerfish and schools of jacks. Juvenile eagle rays often make an appearance too. There is now a small wooden wreck here at 17m depth, close to the coral formations. The wreck attracts barracuda, trumpetfish and small schools of colourful reef fish.

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Ao Leuk, located on the south side of the island, is one such bay and it is highly recommend for beginners or for people who haven't dived for a while and need a refresher. There are a surprising amount of reef fish such as parrotfish, angelfish and butterflyfish, schools of yellowtail barracuda and turtles.

The name is rather misleading since it means 'Deep Bay' - something that this bay certainly is not. With its sandy bottom just 12-14 metres deep, it is one of the shallowest on Koh Tao.

Also in the south of Koh Tao is a small rock islet called Shark Island. It is so named due to its fin-like appearance at the surface and as occasionally you can find leopard sharks here, as well as turtles and many types of reef fish. The east side is the most interesting, with big boulder formations for scuba divers to explore. On the south side is a soft coral garden growing on a bed of rocks at a depth of 14 metres. The site is not for absolute beginners as sometimes there can be strong current at Shark Island, runing from either the southeast or northwest.

Green Rock and White Rock are 2 sites located midway between Koh Tao's Mae Haad Pier and the nearby island of Koh Nang Yuan. Green Rock is the more interesting and is characterised by an impressive ensemble of swim-throughs, small caves and pinnacles formed by the huge granite boulders that are typical of Koh Tao. The dive site ranges in depth from 5 to around 32 metres and masses of marine life can be found here sheltering in the crevices and under rocks, including moray eels, grouper, pufferfish, batfish, blue-ring angelfish, blue damselfish and sea snakes.

There is often a strong current here which makes it a great location for drift diving and deep dives. The site is also a breeding ground for both yellow margin and titan triggerfish so you are practically guaranteed an encounter. Approach cautiously if you venture near their nests in the sand to the north of the area as these fish can be very aggressive guardians.

The main attraction at White Rock is Trevor the Triggerfish, who is known as just about the most aggressive triggerfish around. The site is comprised of 2 large boulders which are just a few metres apart. These big tablet-shaped stones are surrounded by smaller rocks and coral formations. Trevor aside, dives here are relatively easy with the maximum depth of around 20 metres.

Many frequent visitors to Koh Tao claim that Hin Wong Pinnacle is the best dive on the island. This large granite boulder is located on the north point of Hin Wong Bay. The north side is very beautiful with purple soft corals and different kinds of sea fans, whip corals and black corals. Black and blue damsels will give you a warm welcome as you enter the water. Then down on the bottom you might see small groups of razorfish drifting by.

As you spiral up the pinnacle back to the shallower area you'll find forests of Christmas tree worms embedded in the hard coral reef. There are white-eyed moray eels hiding in the rock and some big groupers here too. Look up to see schools of fusiliers or turtles swimming past. Altogether the most unique site at Koh Tao.

Laem Thian is a point located along the east coast of Koh Tao. It has a series of swim-throughs and small caves along the coastline that are worth exploring for nudibranchs. Depths range from 6 to 20 meters, so it is relatively easy to explore this isolated dive site, searching for marine life that includes green turtles, blue-spotted stingrays, groupers and trevallies.

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The pinnacle is a group of submerged limestone rocks and big boulders that are carpeted with pink and gold anemones hosting pink spinecheek anemonefish. Surrounding the rock formations are black corals and fans. Leopard sharks, marble groupers and blue-spotted sting rays are often found near here on the sandy substrate.

Whale sharks can sometimes be spotted at Southwest Pinnacle from February to October. Apart from the big stars, the pinnacle is also popular with pelagic fish and their juveniles such as yellowtail barracuda, yellow snapper and a few squid that have so far managed to evade the many squid fishing boats of Koh Tao.

This pinnacle is located approximately 13 km from Koh Tao. It is best visited when the sea is calm as it's completely out in the open sea and has no protection from the ocean waves. But do take the opportunity if it presents itself as Southwest Pinnacle is one of the best diving sites near Koh Tao.