Phi Phi & the King Cruiser · Thailand · Pinnacle · Reef
Hin Klai
A coral-covered pinnacle east of the Bidas, rarely on the schedule
Area photo: Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0
A submerged pinnacle in open water a couple of kilometres east of the Bida islands, dived far less often than the walls and rocks nearer Phi Phi. The rock tops out at around 6 m and slopes away to roughly 13 m on its east side and 17 m on the west, coral over most of it. Operators keep beginners and students off it, so it is usually a quiet dive.
Also known as Garang Heng, Gareng Heng, Garang Heang.
Where it is and how deep
7.6561° N, 98.7858° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The pinnacle is submerged, so there is nothing to line up on from the surface and the dive starts with a descent onto the top of the rock at around 6 m. From there the shape does the navigation for you: circle the pinnacle and let the gentle slope fall away beneath you, to about 13 m down the east side and 17 m on the west, the deeper of the two.
Coral covers the rock, and the site is dived less often than others in the region, so it is worth asking for by name rather than waiting for it to come up on a schedule. That is also the reason it is not for everyone: operators class it as unsuitable for beginners and students, so expect to be asked about your experience. The shallow top makes the ascent and stop straightforward once you have worked your way back around.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Phi Phi & the King Cruiser: Nov–Apr is the dry season with the calmest, clearest water; the south-west monsoon from May to October brings swell and rain.
Questions divers ask
Where is Hin Klai and how do you get there?+
It is a mid-ocean pinnacle a couple of kilometres east of the Bida islands, roughly 30 minutes by boat from Phi Phi Don, and it is reached by day boat only. Nothing breaks the surface, so the position on the map is approximate.
Sources
- Hin Klai — Scubago / SSI MyDiveGuide
- Garang Heang/Hin Klai — Scubago / SSI MyDiveGuide
- Phi Phi Dive Sites — Blue View Divers
More dive sites in Phi Phi & the King Cruiser
Pinnacle
The pinnacle the King Cruiser struck, carpeted in anemones
Reef
An easy reef slope and mini wall, also dived from Krabi
An 85 m ferry upright on the sand, captain's cabin at 12 m
Swim-throughs behind walls of glassfish, and no current
A wall to 30 m and the soft-coral spur called Finger Reef
Wall
A limestone wall running from the surface to 33 m
Pinnacle
A multi-headed pinnacle off an uninhabited islet, around 15 m
Wall
Underwater cliffs to 21 m, cut by small caverns and swim-throughs
Similar dives elsewhere
Mild-current ridge at 5 to 18 m with feeding hawksbills
Offshore pinnacle with barracuda, napoleon wrasse and blacktips
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A current-swept pinnacle from 30 m to within 5 m of the surface
Untouched hard and soft coral on a rock topping out at 8 m