Chumphon Pinnacle – This is one of Koh Tao’s most famous dive sites and is located within reach of Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. This well-known dive site features a series of stunning granite and coral encrusted pinnacles which are home to batfish, giant grouper, travelly and giant schools of barracuda and snapper. The occasional whale shark and manta ray also visit. Look for plateaus rich in anemones of all different colours, branching corals, sea whips and barrel sponges.
HTMS Sattakut Wreck – One of Thailand’s premier wrecks, the 48 metre/158 foot HTMS Sattakut, which started out as the USS LCI -739, was sunk on 18 June 2011 in about 30 metres/100 feet of water near Koh Tao. The Landing Craft, Infantry (or LCI) was one of several amphibious assault ships deployed during WWII. The artificial reef is home to dense schools of fusiliers and yellowtail barracuda as well as groupers, trevally, moray eels and blennies. This is one dive site which continues to thrive year after year.
South-West Pinnacle – Explore a series of rock formations ranging from 4 metres / 13 feet to 30 metres / 100 feet and discover breathtaking carpet anemones in brilliant greens, pinks and blues, with their cavalcade of pink anemone fish. The crevices and ledges among the pinnacles are hot spots for snappers, emperor and harlequin sweetlips. Leopard sharks and whale sharks are occasional visitors to the site, which is home to large schools of snapper, yellowtail barracuda and fusiliers. If you are interested in critters then scorpionfish, stonefish and other bottom dwellers can be found here too.
White Rock – This site features two rock pinnacles separated by a narrow sandy channel fringed with a series of ledges and steps. On the current exposed sides of the pinnacles, the fan corals are a definite highlight. Look closely in the recesses and holes in the pinnacles which are often home to moray eels, cleaner shrimps and other reef fish seeking shelter. Other reef life which divers can expect to see here include sea snakes, porcupinefish, passing turtles, Moorish idols and a range of butterfly fish and angelfish species.
Shark Island – This dive site is best known for its incredible variety of marine life. It features a wall, pinnacles and a coral garden abundant in colourful soft corals. On the deeper edges of the site it is possible to see passing pelagics such as whale sharks, reef sharks and leopard sharks. The coral garden guarantees a range of marine life including moray eels, angelfish, scorpionfish, pipefish, nudibranch, crustaceans and great macro critters.
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