Koh Samui Dive Sites

Please note that the majority of the dive sites dived from Koh Samui are often the same as those dived from Koh Tao. The main difference is that more time is spent travelling to and from the dive sites from Koh Samui due to the extra distances involved as shown on the map. Ko Samui however does have quicker access to the Angthong National Marine Park to the West which offers some attractive sheltered dive sites for when the weather is not good for longer boat trips.

Shark Island

• Granite Island
• Many Hard & Soft Corals
• Sweetlips, Neon Damsel, Butterfly Fish
• Mild to Strong Currents
• 10 to 30 Meters Visibility
• All Levels of Diver

Shark Island Located just off the Southeast coast of Koh Tao, Shark Island is one of the most popular dive sites in the area.

Depths range from 28m and above at the southern tip to the surface, and at the deeper depths you may find Leopard and Reef Sharks.

At the shallow end you'll find beautiful gardens of vividly colourful corals and anemones and at high tide it is even possible to cross from one side of the southern island to the other.

This site offers a great range of fish including the Blue Ringed Angel, Long Fin Banner, and if you are lucky the odd resident Hawksbill Turtle.Huge boulders and rock formations give this site a great topography that is ideal for divers of all levels.

Sail Rock

sailrock sail_rock • Granite pinnacle
• Small patches of hard & soft coral
• Barracuda, Batfish, Jacks, Whalesharks
• Mid to strong currents
• 10-30m visibility
• All levels of diver

Sail Rock is undoubtedly the most famous dive site in the Koh Samui archipelago. This rock pinnacle, shaped like an iceberg, emerges from a sandy bottom at 40m to tower 15m above the oceans surface.

Located 45 kilometres north of Koh Samui, it is mid way between Koh Phangan and Koh Tao and provides large schools of pelagic's, steep walls, rugged rock formations and an awesome 'vertical chimney' swim through.

The swim through, located on the northwest side starts from 18m down and exits at 6m where the natural light penetrating the top makes it fantastically picturesque.

At 18m, two divers can enter the cavern abreast where it bends vertically upwards. At 12m you'll spot a hole that opens up and it is possible to swim back into open water from here. At the exit, just 6m from the surface, you'll find yourself surrounded by a magnificent carpet of pink anemones full of vibrant anemone fish.

Koh Ma

• Small Resort Island
• Assorted Hard & Soft Coral Garden
• Barracudas, Rays, Giant Groupers, Clown Fish
• None-Slight Currents
• 5 to 15 Meters Visibility
• All Levels of Diver

All Levels of Diver
Koh Ma is between 1 and 20 m deep making it a fantastic site for all levels of diver. Many types of coral can be found; boulder, table, staghorn, fan, all in immaculate condition. One of the main attractions of Koh Ma is a huge anenome garden stretching for 30 metres by around 10 metres and offering homes to the beautiful anemone fish. The calm & sheltered conditions at Koh Ma make it a very easy dive site, with much of the reef fairly shallow. This makes it perfect for extended dives and superb for snorkellers. The reef here also offers virtually all year round diving opportunities when the more exposed sites cannot be dived due to weather conditions. Fish life is in abundance with many Blue Spotted Sting Rays, Great Barracuda, Butterflyfish, Giant Grouper and the occasional reef shark.

Koh Yippon

• Fringing Island Shallow Reef
• Many Soft & Fewer Hard Corals
• Fusiliers, Rays, Angel Fish
• Mild to Moderate Currents
• 8 to 15 Meters Visibility
• All Levels of Diver

Koh Yippon is located at the northern extremes of the Angthong National Marine Park. This beautiful archipelago due west of Koh Samui consists of over 50 Islands and is world renowned for the area where the movie 'The Beach' was set.

The visibility here is often lower than at other dive sites but the snorkelling & diving combined with the stunningly picturesque topside scenery make an enjoyable day-trip.

Koh Yippon along with Koh Wao is the most popular area for diving and is noted for its shallow caves and swim-throughs, schools of fusiliers and its magnificent array of colorful soft corals and stingrays.

If you're a novice diver then this destination with its mild currents and shallow depths will provide a great days diving.rracuda, Butterflyfish, Giant Grouper and the occasional reef shark.

Nangyuan Pinnacle

• Granite Pinnacle & Boulder Swimthroughs
• Assorted Hard & Soft Corals
• Long Fin Banner Fish, Rays, Groupers
• Slight Currents
• 8 to 20 Meters Visibility
• All Levels of Diver

Koh Nangyuan or Nangyuan Island is located approximately 250 meters off the north west coast of Koh Tao. With its crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches (landbridges at low tide) it is the jewel in the Koh Tao crown.

The pinnacle, located on the east coast of Koh Nangyuan, extends to within one metre of the surface and although quite small it is only a short swim across to the main island of Nangyuan. If you enter the water above the pinnacle you can continue your dive up and down the impressive boulder formations.

The granite boulder formations offer a variety of interesting swim-throughs and numerous tropical reef fish.

You'll also find an assortment of soft and hard corals, Groupers, Longfin Bannerfish as well as Blue Spotted Stingrays.

Southwest Pinnacle

• Broken Granite Pinnacles
• A Few Hard & Soft Corals
• Whalesharks, Reef Sharks, Large Groupers
• Slight to Moderate Currents
• 10 to 25 Meters Visibility
• Advanced Divers

South West Pinnacle. This dive site ranges from 30 to 5m deep. Southwest is dived less then some of the other sites around Koh Tao and Koh Samui and so it is quite possible you will be on the only dive boat at the site. The dive site itself consists of a series of steep pinnacles rising from the sandy seabed & offers an ample variety of marine life.

Around the outside of South West Leopard Sharks can be seen asleep on the sand as well as Blue Spotted Rays. The site also hosts the usual range of colorful tropical marine life such as Butterflyfish and Blueringed Angelfish. Pelagic?s such as Jacks, Barracuda & the occasional Whaleshark can often be seen as well as it is one of the deeper water sites laying in similar depths to both Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacle. This makes it popular with the bigger pelagics also.

Twins

• 2 Rock Formations, 1 Smaller, Soft White Sand
• Assorted Hard & Soft Corals
• Butterfly Fish, Wrasse, Clown Fish, Tropicals
• Slight Currents
• 10 to 20 Meters Visibility
• All Levels of Diver

Just off the west side of Koh Nangyuan, Twins consists of two groups of rocks with depths ranging from 18 to 6m.

At the deeper end of the site expect to find Big Grouper, White Eyed Moray Eels and Blue Spotted Rays amongst the hard corals and granite rocks.

On the shallower side of the deeper rock you'll find an entertaining family of Clark's Anemone Fish (Clown Fish) nestling on the sand. This is a great photo opportunity if you have a camera!

As always, Pink Anemone Fish adorn the shallower rocks, as well as teems of the black & white Sergeant Major fish and the colorful inquisitive Wrasse.

Twins is a dive site for all levels of diver and one of the more interesting dive sites around Koh Tao.

Chumphon Pinnacle

• Granite Pinnacles & Boulder Formations
• A Few Assorted Hard & Soft Corals
• Whalesharks, Batfish, Sharks, Jacks, Anemone Fish
• Slight to Moderate Currents
• 10 to 30 Meters Visibility
• Advanced Divers

Chumpon Pinnacle is located 11km to the north west of Koh Tao and is considered by many, as the best dive site in the region. Made up from one huge granite pinnacle and a series of smaller ones, Chumphon's main difference to Sail Rock is that the pinnacle starts 14m underwater and drops off to over 36m.

Chumporn, like Sail Rock, is covered with sea anemones and pink anemone fish. You'll find shoals of barracuda and schools of Jacks and Bat Fish.

Some of the most impressive groupers in the Gulf can be found at this site as well as seasonal visits from large pelagic's such as Whale Sharks and Mantas.

White Rock

• Granite Pinnacle, Boulders, Sand & Shale
• Assorted Hard & Soft Corals
• Trigger Fish, Butterfly Fish, Rays, Moray Eels
• Slight to Moderate Currents
• 10 to 20 Meters Visibility
• All Levels of Diver

With depths from 22 to 1m, White Rock is situated close to Twins and is one of the most popular dive sites around Koh Tao. It offers a good depth for beginners and intermediate divers and enough marine life for all.

It is also popular for night dives, as is Twins, it's neighbour.

Butterfly Fish, Parrot Fish, and the Red Breasted Wrasse are colorful companions as well as the beautiful Angel Fish. Titan trigger fish are notorious for tenaciously defending their nest from all who pass too closely here so be sure to keep an eye out for them.

If you're night diving it is common to see large barracuda joining you on the dive using your torch beam to help them feed. As always when night diving watch out for the colorful crustaceans.