Layang-Layang · Malaysia · Wall · Reef
Dogtooth Lair
Shoals of dogtooth tuna on a wall that drops to 2,000 m
Area photo: matthew lee · CC BY 2.0
Dogtooth Lair is dived near the eastern point of the Layang-Layang atoll, on a reef that tips over into a steep drop-off. It is worked deep, at 25 to 40 m in moderate current, and named for the large shoals of dogtooth tuna that hold along the edge, with schooling barracuda and sleeping whitetip reef sharks on the same dive.
Where it is and how deep
7.3755° N, 113.8525° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts on the sandy slope off the eastern point, which falls away through coral formations before turning into a steep wall dropping to 2,000 m. The working range is 25 to 40 m, so bottom time is short: descend without delay, run the drop-off in one direction and start the ascent early. Current is usually moderate, enough to move you along the wall without making the descent hard work.
Dogtooth tuna are what the site is named for, and large shoals of them patrol the edge, with schooling barracuda in the same water. Sleeping whitetip reef sharks are the other reliable sighting. Schooling hammerheads are possible here too, but this is not the best spot on the atoll for them, so treat the blue as a bonus rather than the reason for the dive. Like every site at Layang-Layang, it ends in the shallow coral garden, where the safety stop passes over reef fish and coral.
Marine life and season
- Tuna
- Barracuda
- Reef sharks
- Hammerheads
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Layang-Layang: The single resort opens roughly March to August and the atoll is unreachable otherwise; hammerhead schooling peaks Mar–May.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Dogtooth Lair?+
It is dived as a deep site, with a typical working range of 25 to 40 m. The wall below the sandy slope keeps going, dropping to around 2,000 m, so there is no bottom to level off on.
Can you see hammerheads at Dogtooth Lair?+
Schooling hammerheads do turn up here, but it is not the atoll's best site for them. Dogtooth tuna, barracuda and sleeping whitetip reef sharks are the dependable part of the dive.
Sources
- Dogtooth Lair Dive Site - Map & Review — Divezone
- Best Diving sites in Layang Layang — Divezone
In The Logbook
- Where to dive, month by monthTrip planning · 13 min read
More dive sites in Layang-Layang
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A vertical face into 2,000 m, with pygmy seahorses in the fans
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A northern wall from 15 to 40 m where current draws the big fish
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A long northern wall with hammerheads in the current below
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An undercut at 25 m where reef sharks rest through the day
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Drift the ledge in around 50 m of visibility
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Leave the reef at 30-35 m and watch open water for hammerheads
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Hundreds of hammerheads in the blue in April and May
Similar dives elsewhere
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