Are you planning to go scuba diving during your vacation and aren’t settled on the location? If so, then consider Koh Tao in Thailand. This destination has dive sites that are usually easy and shallow, making them perfect for both experienced and inexperienced divers. Let’s not forget its low currents and good visibility both of which make Koh Tao the best destination to start scuba diving. Beginners will also love this divers paradise because it has the largest number of PADI diving courses offered at relatively low prices in Thailand.
Even though there are only 24 dive sites in Koh Tao, most of them are ranked among the best in the Gulf of Thailand. In this piece, we will list some of the best sites to go scuba diving Koh Tao.
Sail Rock
Also called, Hin Bai, Sail Rock is one of the best diving sites in the Gulf of Thailand. The depth of water at this location is 40 meters, has a visibility of between 15-35 meters, and experiences weak to medium currents all year round. These conditions make Sail Rock perfect for all divers. The only downside to this dive site is its location. To access it, you’ll have to take a 2 hours boat ride from Koh Tao. Diving at this site gives you the opportunity to swim with a huge variety of marine life, such as the chevron barracudas, king mackerel, manta rays, whale sharks, giant groupers, and large tuna among sea dwellers.
Chumphon Pinnacle
Located north-northwest of Koh Tao is Chumphom Pinnacle. This location is composed of four anemone-covered pinnacles and is also one of the most famous dive sites in Koh Tao. You can access this dive site by boat from Sairee beach. This beach is rich in marine life and offer very good visibility most of the time, so you will love it. Another reason why Chumphon Pinnacle is ranked as the most popular dive site in Koh Tao is the fact that divers get the chance to dive with sea creatures such as the big eye jack, trevally, bat fishes, barracuda, and giant groupers all year round, and with cobias, remoras, and whale sharks from March to May, and August to October.
South West Pinnacle
Another site to visit for scuba diving in Koh Tao is South West Pinnacle. This site is perfect for open water diving that is why most dive shops in Koh Tao bring their students here for the 3rd dive during their open water course. As the name suggests, South West Pinnacle comprises of many small pinnacles with a larger one in the center. Diving at this site should give you the opportunity to swim with a variety of creatures including leopard sharks, yellow tail barracudas, groupers, and scorpion fish. If you are lucky enough, you might spite whale sharks, and in rare occasions, whales.
White Rock
White Rock is another great dive site in Koh Tao. It is easily accessible from Sairee beach and you can get there in just 10 minutes by boat. This site is popular for the fourth dive of the open water (PADI level 1) and also for night dives. Some of the marine creature you can meet includes barracudas, blue spotted stingrays triggerfish, Moray eels, and angel fish.