Phuket · Thailand · Reef
Karon Rock
Boulders and coral off Karon Beach, dived from the shore in mild current
Area photo: Jeanvenotella · CC BY-SA 4.0
Karon Rock is a shore dive just off Karon Beach on Phuket's west coast: a boulder formation with coral between the rocks, dived between 6 m and 19 m in mild current. It is used for Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses, and the regular sightings are groupers, batfish and snappers with turtles, stingrays and nudibranchs.
Where it is and how deep
7.8305° N, 98.2850° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Karon Rock is entered from Karon Beach, so the dive begins from the sand rather than from a boat. The site is a formation of boulders with coral growing on and between them, and the depth runs from 6 m down to 19 m, with the current described as mild. Descend at the edge of the boulders and work down to the depth your plan allows; the Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses that use the site do exactly this.
The boulders hold the fish: groupers in the shade of the rocks, batfish and snappers over them, with turtles, stingrays and nudibranchs counted as common sightings, so check the sand at the base of the boulders for the rays and the rock surfaces for the nudibranchs. Turn the dive at the deep edge of the formation and come back up over the boulders to the shallows, finishing the safety stop over the rock before the swim back to the beach.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Sea turtles
- Stingrays
- Nudibranchs
| 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 Phuket: Calm, dry conditions mid-Oct to May; the May–Oct monsoon cuts clarity but Phuket's sites stay open, unlike the Similans (closed 16 May–15 Oct).
Questions divers ask
How deep is Karon Rock?+
The dive runs from 6 m to 19 m over a boulder formation; one listing gives the range as 8 m to 18 m.
Is Karon Rock a shore dive?+
Yes. It sits just off Karon Beach and is entered from the shore, which is why it is used for Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses.
Sources
- Karon Rock — Scubago
- Karon Rock dive site — PADI
More dive sites in Phuket
Pinnacle
Large schools of barracuda on an exposed pinnacle in strong current
A wreck at 8 m and a drift south down a slope that reaches 40 m
A 34 m barge lying open at 30 to 34 m off Racha Yai's east coast
Reef
A 3 to 12 m house reef off the beach for training, macro and night dives
Wreck
Small wrecks and concrete cubes in one calm bay, with batfish in the hulls
Similar dives elsewhere
Stingrays in numbers at Sting Ray Alley, the deepest site here
Easy 3-15 m reef with hawksbill turtles seen year-round
Whale sharks reported in December and again in May
Two-metre cobia that come over to inspect divers