Koh Tao – Versatile Dive Sites
Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand. The “Turtle Island” rewards divers with multi-faceted territories and an underwater life that could hardly be more colourful. We’ll show you what awaits you in the picturesque diving area!
Koh Tao: This is what awaits you in the diving area
Koh Tao is popular with divers all over the world – and for a good reason. After all, the area not only offers an excellent diving infrastructure, but also dive sites, which could hardly be more beautiful. What else is there to know about the area? For example:
- Koh Tao essentially means “Turtle Island”. After the sea turtles had almost disappeared from the area, today a few specimens can be admired again.
- Koh Tao offers a variety of dive sites within a small area.
- There are dive sites for both beginners as well as experienced divers.
- Many dive sites have no or only a slight current.
- On good days in many dive areas visibility is up to 30 metres!
- The underwater world is versatile and offers the right diving area to divers of any kind!
Practical information: On Koh Tao there are several diving schools, where you can complete the practice part of the certificate you have already acquired.
Dive Sites: 5 Tips around Koh Tao
The small Koh Tao is waiting with numerous dive sites, which are worthwhile to explore. But the choice is not easy. We present you five rewarding dive sites with different difficulty levels!
1.) Green Rock – Fascinating schools of fish
Anyone who dives in Green Rock will immediately notice one thing: the number of fish swimming here could hardly be bigger! Above all, you’ll find plenty of pufferfish, but also other kinds of fish swim around fascinating underwater rock formations. There are even caves that are waiting to be explored here!
2.) Shark Island: Admire leopard, whale and reef sharks!
Around the uninhabited Island of Shark Island, diving is par excellence. You’ll find diving sites suitable for beginners as well as advanced divers. There is a light to strong current and visibility of up to 30 meters is not a rarity. Particularly fascinating are the numerous marine creatures floating around the rocks scattered in the water in between the colourful corals. There are among other things to be admired:
- Pufferfish,
- Rays,
- Moray eels,
- Sea snakes,
- Barracudas and
- Turtles.
With some luck, you may find one of the sharks Shark Island took its name from. Here you can see whale sharks, reef sharks and leopard sharks.
By the way, Shark Island also has a lot to offer to snorkelers!
3.) Japanese Garden: A Japanese underwater garden
The “Japanese Garden” dive site in the north-west is suitable for beginners. Both snorkelers and divers can admire the magnificent corals of the dive site, which are reminiscent of a Japanese garden. The dive is at a depth of 6 to 18 meters.
4.) South West Pinnacle: Great variety of species
At the Southwest Pinnacle, an interesting coral-covered rock formation, reminiscent of a small volcano, can be dived at depths of 5 to 28 meters. On site particularly the large variety of species attracts attention. You may admire, among others, angel fish, fusiliers, anemone fish, barracudas, snappers, mackerel, grouper and sometimes even rays.
Beginners as well as advanced divers may dive in the area. To some extent, the pinnacle has a slight to strong current.
5.) Laem Thian Caves: Dive sites for caves explorers
The Laem Thian Caves, located in the west of Koh Tao, are just the place to be for advanced divers who would like to explore dreamlike caves. There are smaller and larger caves waiting to be explored. When the sun is shining and individual rays fall into the underwater caves, divers can expect a fascinating play of light.
