Two large granite boulders a few metres apart, mid-way between Mae Haad pier and Koh Nang Yuan, with smaller boulders and coral patches spread around them. The rock and the coral garden sit above about 20 m, the current runs from none to light and the navigation is simple, which is why White Rock takes course dives through the day and is a popular night dive after dark.
Where it is and how deep
10.1053° N, 99.8153° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Dives drop onto the pair of large boulders that give the site its name, only a few metres apart, then follow the smaller boulders and coral patches scattered around them. Most of the dive runs above 20 m over the rock and the shallow coral garden, with the sand alongside dropping to about 28 m, so the dive is long rather than deep and the boulders lead back into the shallows for the safety stop.
The fish are reef standards seen up close: butterflyfish, parrotfish and angelfish over the coral, red-breasted wrasse and barracuda off the rock, blue-spotted stingrays under the ledges. Titan triggerfish hold territory here, and one of them, known locally as Trevor, has a reputation as the most aggressive triggerfish at Koh Tao, so guides tend to point him out at the start of the dive.
After dark the site changes character. White Rock is a popular night dive, and the shallow depth, the short boat run and the simple boulder-to-boulder navigation are what make it work under torchlight: groups stay on the rock and never have to cross open bottom to find the way back to the shallows. The same two boulders that carry the day's course dives are the landmarks used at night.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- 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.
Know before you go
- Titan triggerfish hold territory here, one with a reputation as the most aggressive on Koh Tao: swim horizontally away from a nesting fish rather than ascending over it.
Dive videos
White Rock Koh Tao · The Film Company on YouTube
White Rock dive site, Koh Tao, Thailand. · Big Blue Diving Koh Tao on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is White Rock?+
The boulders and the coral around them sit above about 20 m, and the sand alongside runs to roughly 28 m. Most of the dive stays shallow, which is what makes the site work for courses and for night diving.
Is White Rock good for beginners?+
Yes. It is described as a relatively easy site: shallow, with current from none to light, and straightforward navigation between two large boulders and the smaller rocks around them.
Sources
- Diving in Thailand — Wikivoyage
- Diving Sites Thailand - Koh Tao — Dive The World
- White Rock dive site — Divezone
- White Rock, Koh Tao — PADI
In The Logbook
- What stings you underwater, and how to avoid itBody & health · 8 min read
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
Staghorn coral and garden eels on a long sandy slope
Easy shallow reef with blacktip sharks and green turtles
Shallow coral-block reef the dive tables list as a night dive
Shallow bay under the duck-shaped rock, with no current