A headland site on Koh Tao's east coast built around a small plateau and a little canyon, with diving between 5 and 24 m. The plateau runs from 8 down to 18 m and carries sponges, with a good chance of turtles along it. There is a chance of blacktip sharks and cobia, and at the edge of the site the current can run hard, normally north along the coast.
Where it is and how deep
10.0885° N, 99.8542° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive is built around the plateau. It starts at 8 m and steps down to 18 m, it is covered in sponges, and it is the part of the site where turtles are a genuine chance rather than a hope. Above and below it the site runs from 5 m in the shallows to 24 m at its deepest, so there is scope to set the profile around whichever end of the plateau you want to spend time on rather than following a fixed route around a single feature.
The edge is the other half of the site and a different proposition. Drop down to it and there can be a good deal of current, which normally flows north along the coast, so it is worth checking the flow before committing to it. Blacktip sharks and cobia are both a chance at this site. The sensible plan is to look at the edge early, with the current understood and a clear turn point, then come back up onto the sheltered plateau and the shallow rock and canyon, where there is plenty of coral and fish, to finish the dive.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Koh Tao: No official closure; whale shark sightings peak March-May and September-October, while October-November bring more rain and surface chop.
Know before you go
- The current at the edge of the site can be strong and normally runs north along the coast: check it before dropping down, and plan the deep leg so the return to the plateau is with the flow.
Sources
- Laem Thian Bay - Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Koh Tao
Offshore granite tower where barracuda and jacks school in the blue
Drift
Drift over the Nang Yuan rock, with 40 m a short swim west
Reef
Sheltered fringing reef, sandy bottom at 12 m
Pinnacle
Coral-covered pinnacles beside the Sattakut, 7 m to 22 m
44.9 m navy attack craft, mast at 13 m, seabed at 23 m
Upright navy wreck, superstructure at 18 m, keel at 30 m
Reef
Calm reef in the lee of Koh Nang Yuan, 2 to 16 m
Artificial reef
Sunken jeep and scrap at 10 to 12 m, colonised by reef fish
Similar dives elsewhere
Easy shallow reef with blacktip sharks and green turtles
Blacktip reef sharks over a granite slope on the western side
Easy 3-15 m reef with hawksbill turtles seen year-round
Boulders and coral off Karon Beach, dived from the shore in mild current