Scuba Diving: Dive Sites near Koh Lanta

Koh Haa

Five Islands located off the west coast of Koh Lanta. (There are infact 6 but who’s counting??) View a map of Koh Haa Lagoon. The topography at Koh Haa, both above and below the surface is really quite beautiful. All the islands have different things to offer. Koh Haa Yai (the largest of the group, also known as Island 5 View a map of Koh Haa Yai) has a huge underwater cave to explore, whilst Island 1 (they seem to be numbered 1 - 5) offers some great swim thrus. View a map of Koh Haa 1 Visibility is more often than not quite good at the Koh Haa islands, up to 25m on a good day. There is a lagoon situated in the middle of islands 2, 3 and 4.

A sandy bottom at 6m, with coral boulders and many small reef fish, which makes this site ideal for introductory dives (see our section on courses) or snorkelling if diving is not your preference.
Venturing away from the lagoon to the outer edge of the plateau the seabed starts to slope away from you to depths of approximately 25m.

Islands 2 and 4 are the smallest of the islands and a nice figure of 8 dive can be made around the two. Look out for the lionfish there, hovering motionless with their fins displaying an almost regal pose. The porcupine puffer fish are extremely inquisitive and seem to enjoy watching the students undertaking their skills. Garden Eels can be seen, but approach slowly and quietly as they quickly take cover back into the sand if they are aware of your approach.

This dive site can be enjoyed by everyone whether novice diver or experienced.

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The King Cruiser Wreck

On the 4th of May 1997,The King Cruiser, a car ferry operating from Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands in southern Thailand, ran aground on a reef and the impact tore a large hole in the vessel’s hull. The vessel took only 17 minutes to sink and now lies on the seabed in 30m of water. Thankfully all 561 passengers on board at the time were rescued.

The wreck sits upright in thirty metres of water and remains in one piece although the foreword upper deck has collapsed. The simplest and safest point of entry is through the vessels stern where divers can explore the once active car decks. This can be reached via a descent line averaging only 10 metres. Machinery still sits on the deck. Inside the car deck are a couple of vehicle tyres and an engine trolley. The interior darkens as you continue through and up one of the stairways on either side; the handrails are totally covered in barnacles. Both these stairways lead through open doors and out to walkways.

The collapsed foredeck is at 16 metres; where you can find some plastic chairs and tables being enjoyed by a vertical cloud of snappers using the unlikely structure to shelter from any ensuing currents. The upper deck is split from front to back and this has obviously caused it to collapse; two funnels act as boundaries for parrotfish and wrasse as they go about their daily business on this artificial reef.

As for Anemone reef (the reef the King Cruiser hit) well, half remains where it always has been, the remainder is on the mend, not as the once rocky haven of marine life but as a steel one!

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Shark Point

This site boasts a misleading name – with the exception of a few leopard sharks, you will not find the schools of sharks you may be hoping for. Nevertheless, the site offers spectacular diving!

Superb sponges, soft corals, and a multitude of colourful and exotic fish make this a beautiful site. It is a pleasure to dive, both for beginners and more experienced divers. Depth varies from 12m -25m, and the topography is incredibly diverse – small canyons, passages, reef plateaus and sandbars. Here, you can find stingrays, sole, cuttlefish, leopard sharks, and seahorses. Shark Point is close to both Anemone Reef and the King Cruiser wreck.

Due to the close proximity of all three sites, an excursion to dive the King Cruiser wreck could also include dives at Anemone Reef and Shark Point. Return to Koh Lanta is typically around 17h30.

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Hin Bida

Hin Bida is a submerged reef with a maximum depth of 20m. Ideal for beginners or those who have been away from diving for some time, the site is easy yet interesting. There is very little current. The reef is somewhat shaped like the fingers of a hand on one side, and plunges smoothly to a sandy bottom at 18m on the other side.

Multitudes of reef fish can be found, such as trumpet fish, parrotfish, and cuttlefish – depending on the season, you may see them mating! Turtles are also frequently spotted lunching on coral. Hin Bida is only 45min from Koh Lanta, and close to Koh Bida.

The first dive of the day is usually Koh Phi-Phi or Koh Bida, and then Hin Bida as the second dive. Boats return to Koh Lanta for 15h00.

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Koh Bida Islands

The Bida islands are known locally as ‘the place to see Leopard sharks’ and boast an abundance of marine life. A huge variety of species can be seen here, including the rare and beautiful seahorse and ghost pipefish. At very shallow depths it is not uncommon to come across schools of baby black tip reef sharks and the odd banded sea snake.

The Bida islands range from 3m to 25m making it an ideal site for certified divers and students alike. Other interesting and exciting things these islands have to offer are fantastic wall dives and swim thrus.

Large underwater pinnacles lie between the islands of Bida Nok - View a map of Koh Bida Nok - and Bida Nai - View a map of Koh Bida Nai - and this is where most often the leopard sharks are seen, usually hanging out on the sandy bottom. The leopard shark is perhaps the most docile of all sharks and can come within extremely close distances of divers - an unforgettable experience.

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Phi Phi Ley

This is the uninhabited and unspoilt island lying south of Phi Phi Don. Its sheer limestone cliffs offer stunning scenery and has some beautiful bays with white sand beaches and crystal clear waters.

The sites around Phi Phi Ley are not considered deep with a maximum depth of 20m. We dive various dive sites, Maya Corner, Overhang Point, Lo Sama Bay and Palong, these are situated in and around Phi Phi Ley and offer overhangs and crevices, canyons and gorges hosting some large gorgonian sea fans and colourful soft corals. Vertical wall dives are lavished in clams and wing oysters, lionfish nestled in large cracks and the camouflaged bearded scorpion fish.

Coral trouts, bannerfish, butterfly fish and angelfish are to name but a few of the many reef fish you will come across. You may also find the gentle Leopard Shark around the island as well as some black tips swimming along the reef.

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Anemone Reef

Situated nearby the wreck of the King Cruiser, this site is often the second dive of the day after the wreck. As the name suggests, an anemone garden covers a huge portion of the reef, providing shelter for a multitude of small fish and nudibranches.

From time to time, the current can be strong enough to attract some larger fish, such as leopard sharks, black tip reef sharks, barracudas, and groupers.

Visibility varies, at times no more than 10m but often as great as 30m; however the temperature remains a constant 29°C. The depth averages 18m with a maximum of 30m. The site is perfect for divers of all levels.