Koh Lipe & Tarutao · Thailand · Reef · Coral garden
Koh Pung
Soft-coral outcrops and boulders, mantas in the current
Area photo: fototaube · CC BY-SA 2.0
A rocky reef west of Ko Lipe, built from large outcrops draped in soft coral and gorgonian sea fans that give way further down to big boulders. The usual dive runs between 10 and 25 m and the ground continues to about 35 m. Current is the variable here, reported anywhere from mild to very strong, and manta rays, octopus and pipefish are all on the list of what turns up.
Also known as Ko Pung.
Where it is and how deep
6.5381° N, 99.1650° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The site is rock rather than reef flat. Large outcrops stand up from the bottom covered in soft coral and gorgonian sea fans, and further down they give way to big boulders in white and purple soft corals. Most dives work between 10 and 25 m, with the ground carrying on to about 35 m for anyone with the training and the plan to go there.
How it dives depends entirely on the current, which is reported anywhere from mild to very strong. On a gentle day it is a slow tour of the outcrops, with nudibranchs and colourful sea stars among the coral and pipefish in the growth. When it is running, the sensible dive is to stay in the lee of the rock and let the water bring things past: octopus in the boulders, and manta rays over the top of it all.
Marine life and season
- Manta rays
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Koh Lipe & Tarutao: November-April is the dry-season diving window and February-April the best of it; from mid-June to mid-October only the Pak Bara speedboat runs and visibility falls toward 10 m.
Know before you go
- Current is reported from mild to very strong; check with the guide before entry and plan to shelter behind the outcrops if it is running.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Koh Pung?+
Sources give 10 to 25 m for the usual dive and up to 35 m for the deepest ground on the site, so most of the diving sits inside ordinary no-stop limits.
Sources
- Koh Pung - Scubago — Scubago
- Diving in Thailand — Wikivoyage
More dive sites in Koh Lipe & Tarutao
Reef
Walk-in beach reef, 5 m deep, where courses start
Wall
Wall and coral garden on Ko Lipe's own coast, 12 to 30 m
Coral garden
Coral garden and short walls, 12 to 25 m, strong on macro
Pinnacle
Mild-current ridge at 5 to 18 m with feeding hawksbills
Pinnacle
Soft-coral dome from 6 m to a sandy base at 12-18 m
Reef
Cascading granite boulders from 5 m down to 25 m
Wall
Crevices and overhangs down a 10 to 30 m wall
Reef
Broken coral ground and sand patches, 5 to 25 m
Similar dives elsewhere
Swim-throughs behind walls of glassfish, and no current
Shallow hard-coral shelf that works for snorkellers and divers alike
Longest reef in the Similans, over 300 coral species
A 40 m drop-off on the west side, with 20 to 30 m of visibility