An east-coast bay where the reef starts at the shoreline and runs across the whole bay, so it is dived from the beach as well as from boats. The edge of the reef sits between 8 and 15 m, and the bay also holds small caverns, several artificial reef structures and the Katamaran Wreck at 18 m. Turtles and stingrays are regular over the coral.
Where it is and how deep
10.0841° N, 99.8489° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The reef here starts at the waterline, which changes how the dive is planned: instead of a descent to find the structure, you swim out over coral that is already under you and let the bottom fall away. The edge of the reef, where the coral gives out, sits between 8 and 15 m, and that band is where most of the dive is spent. Because the reef reaches across the whole bay there is no single route, and the shallow ground on the way back in makes a safety stop almost automatic.
The bay carries more than coral. There are small caverns in the rock, several artificial reef constructions, and the Katamaran Wreck sitting at 18 m, which is the deepest point most groups take in. On the reef itself there is a large field of soft coral alongside a good spread of hard corals and anemones, with sea turtles and stingrays both seen regularly, so a slow first half over the coral and a look at the structures on the way back covers the site well.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
- Stingrays
| 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.
Questions divers ask
Can you shore dive Tanote Bay?+
Yes. The reef starts right at the shore and reaches over the whole bay, with the reef edge at 8 to 15 m, so the site is dived from the beach as well as from boats.
Sources
- Tanote 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
Redang's Long Beach house reef, 3 to 15 m off the sand
Easy 3-15 m reef with hawksbill turtles seen year-round
Boulders and coral off Karon Beach, dived from the shore in mild current
Rows of crosses on the sand at 15 m, set here in 1999