Surin Islands · Thailand · Reef · Wall · Coral garden
Torinla West Reef
A 40 m drop-off on the west side, with 20 to 30 m of visibility
Area photo: The Cosmonaut · CC BY-SA 2.5
The west side of Ko Torinla, south of the main Surin islands, is dived deeper than the rest of the park. Divezone classes it as a wall dive with a normal working depth of 10 to 25 m and a maximum of 40 m, and gives visibility of 20 to 30 m with water movement that is usually gentle. Hard and soft corals cover the face, and the shallow half is macro ground.
Also known as Ko Torinla West.
Where it is and how deep
9.3709° N, 97.8606° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The site covers the west side of Ko Torinla, south of the main Surin islands. Divezone calls it a wall dive with a maximum depth of 40 m and a normal working depth of 10 to 25 m; Scubago describes the same ground as a sloping reef with sandy channels and small bommies, so expect a steep face rather than a sheer drop. The current is usually gentle, so the dive is swum rather than drifted, and visibility of 20 to 30 m makes it worth carrying a wide lens.
Along the face the coral cover is heavy, hard and soft together. Barracuda and giant trevally work the blue edge, and leopard sharks and whitetip sharks are among the species Divezone lists for the site. Turtles are seen on the reef itself. Large pelagics are not the reason to come: Wikipedia notes that manta ray and whale shark sightings anywhere in this park are rare.
Working back shallow, the reef turns into a macro dive: clownfish in their anemones, nudibranchs, shrimps and pipefish on the coral and the rubble. Divezone rates October to November as the best time to dive it, which is the very start of the season here — Mu Ko Surin National Park is open from 15 October to 15 May and shut for the south-west monsoon in between.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
- Sea turtles
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime |
Season follows Surin Islands: The national park closes mid-May to mid-October for the south-west monsoon; Feb–Apr is the peak of the open season.
Know before you go
- The face carries on to 40 m below the normal 10 to 25 m profile, so set a hard depth limit before you drop and watch your gauge on the deep half of the dive.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Torinla West?+
The normal diving depth is 10 to 25 m along the face, with a maximum of 40 m below it. Divezone classes the site as a wall dive for advanced divers; Scubago describes the same ground as a sloping reef suitable for a range of skill levels.
What is the visibility at Torinla West?+
Visibility runs 20 to 30 m, and sometimes better than 30 m. Divezone rates October to November as the best time to dive the site, which is the start of the national park's 15 October to 15 May season.
Sources
- Ko Torinla West — Divezone
- Torinla West Reef — Scubago
- Surin Islands — Wikipedia
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