Koh Lipe & Tarutao · Thailand · Reef · Coral garden
Talang Steps
Cascading granite boulders from 5 m down to 25 m
Area photo: fototaube · CC BY-SA 2.0
A set of granite boulders off Koh Talang that cascade down in steps from 5 m to about 25 m, with coral formations filling the gaps between them. The shallow end is bright and easy; the deeper steps are where the macro hunting is, with seahorses and frogfish camouflaged against the coral and coral catsharks tucked under the rocks.
Also known as Koh Talang Steps.
Where it is and how deep
6.4885° N, 99.3317° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The site is exactly what its name describes. Granite boulders fall away from Koh Talang in a series of steps, starting at about 5 m and reaching 25 m, with coral formations growing in the gaps between them and on the flat tops. It dives as a descent along the steps and a slow return through the shallows, and the profile stages itself without much planning.
Most of what is worth seeing here is small and holding still. Seahorses and frogfish sit camouflaged against the coral, and coral catsharks hide under the rocks, all of them animals you find by working one boulder at a time rather than by covering distance. Carry a torch for the undercuts, and expect to spend the second half of the dive up among the coral in the shallows.
Marine life and season
- Frogfish
- 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.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Talang Steps?+
The boulders step down from about 5 m to 25 m, so you can set your own depth. Most dives work the deeper steps first and finish among the coral in the shallows.
Sources
- Koh Talang Steps - Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Koh Lipe & Tarutao
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Wall
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Coral garden
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Pinnacle
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Pinnacle
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Wall
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Reef
Broken coral ground and sand patches, 5 to 25 m
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