Diving Koh Lanta: Thailand’s Gateway to Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Koh Haa

Diving Koh Lanta is not only the beach dives. Lanta is the closest jump-off point for some of the best dive sites in Thailand’s southern Andaman Sea, the best known of which are Hin Mueng, Hin Daeng and the islets of Koh Haa

The region can be dived by liveaboard on the Southern Thailand itineraries, and if you prefer to be based at a resort, there are also several dive centres on Koh Lanta.

Hin Daeng and Hin Muang: Deep Pinnacle Diving

These twin pinnacles are among the most famous dive sites in Thailand and are known for their deep drop-offs and spectacular marine life. Hin Daeng (Red Rock) is covered in red soft corals, while Hin Muang (Purple Rock) features stunning purple-hued soft corals. These giant pinnacles offer dramatic underwater scenery, with steep walls dropping right down to 60m and more.

Both sites are known for their strong currents and nutrient-rich waters, attracting large pelagic species, including leopard sharks, manta rays and the occasional whale shark, gliding through the blue. The steep walls, which plunge to depths of over 50m, are surrounded by schooling fish – snapper, jackfish, barracudas, rainbow runners, fusiliers, longfin batfish and trevally. Colourful reef fish dart among the vibrant soft corals, including unicornfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish, anemones and moray eels.

Koh Haa: Caverns, Caves and Coral Gardens

Koh Haa (meaning ‘Five Islands’) is a fantastic dive site for both beginners and experienced divers. Stunning above and below water, this group of tall, jagged limestone karst islands boasts a variety of dive environments, including caves, caverns, and coral gardens.

One of the highlights is the Cathedral, a breathtaking site featuring two large underwater caverns illuminated by beams of sunlight filtering through the water, creating a mesmerising light show. The sandy bottom of the caverns provides a home for blue-spotted stingrays, while the soft coral gardens and forests of whip corals outside are teeming with clownfish, moray eels, lionfish, and nudibranchs. Schools of barracuda and trevally often pass by, making for an exciting dive.

Smaller caverns and swim-throughs are covered in bright orange, yellow and pink soft corals, populated by colourful damsels, anemone fish, anthias and chromis. Look out for ornate ghost pipefish, frogfish, nudibranchs and various shrimps, including harlequin and peacock mantis.

Bida Nai and Bida Nok Marine Life

Located near Koh Phi Phi, these limestone islets offer some of the best marine biodiversity in the region. Bida Nok is famous for its vertical walls that drop to 30m, covered in colourful soft corals and gorgonian sea fans.

Beneath the surface, the islands form steep coral walls, rocky outcrops and swim-throughs. There are also a lot of colourful soft corals and giant Gorgonian fans. Look for octopuses and cuttlefish swim-throughs and crevices, and you’re likely to also see moray eels, sea snakes, ribbon eels, ornate ghost pipefish, seahorses and nudibranchs in the coral rubble and sandy areas.

Bida Nai, slightly smaller, offers a mix of coral slopes and sandy patches, where leopard sharks and blacktip reef sharks are frequently seen resting. Schools of fusiliers, snappers, and batfish swirl around the coral formations, making every dive a vibrant experience.

Shark Point and Leopard Sharks

Shark Point, a protected marine sanctuary, is named after the frequent sightings of leopard sharks resting on the sandy bottom. The site consists of three pinnacles covered in pink and purple soft corals, attracting an array of marine life. Schools of yellowtail barracuda and trevally circle the pinnacles, and turtles are often seen. This site is particularly popular with macro photographers, as seahorses, nudibranchs, pipefish, and frogfish hide among the coral formations. The gentle currents make for a relaxed yet visually stunning dive.

Wreck Diving Near Koh Lanta

This sunken passenger ferry provides an eerie yet exciting wreck dive. The King Cruiser sank in 1997 after hitting Anemone Reef and has since become an artificial reef teeming with marine life. The wreck is now encrusted with colourful corals and sea anemones, attracting large schools of trevally, barracuda, and snapper.

Explore the outer decks and peer into the remnants of the cabins and corridors, where lionfish, scorpionfish and the odd pufferfish shelter. The wreck sits at a depth of around 30m, and there can sometimes be strong currents, so this dive is better for advanced divers. The wreck’s structural integrity has deteriorated over time, making penetration dives unsafe, but the external exploration still provides an unforgettable experience.

Kled Keaw Wreck

The Kled Keaw Wreck sits between Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi Leh. Originally built for the Norwegian Royal Navy in 1948, it was later acquired by the Royal Thai Navy and the Coastal & Marine Resource department to create an artificial reef. The wreck is 47 metres long and eight metres wide and sits at a maximum depth of 26m. The top of the wheelhouse is around 14m and below the wheelhouse, there are two further decks to explore.

Sunk in 2014, Kled Keaw is an oasis in the middle of the ocean, teeming with marine life both big and small. Schools of pelagic fish gravitate towards the wreck in search of an easy meal, while smaller tropical fish find refuge in its many nooks and crannies and macro species cover the structure. Expect to see lionfish, porcupinefish, grouper, rabbitfish, snapper, damselfish, trevally, squid, and barracuda, schools of bright yellow snapper, glassfish everywhere, and colourful rabbitfish, damsels and fusiliers.

Diving Koh Lanta

Contact the team of experts at Diveplanit Travel for recommendations on dive resorts on Koh Lanta, and liveaboards that visit the region’s dive sites. diveplanit.com/thailand

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