Laid-back Ko Lanta is perfectly located to reach some of the best dive sites that Thailand has to offer.
Explore spectacular Hin Daeng and Hin Muang with its exposed position; beautiful Ko Rok and amazing Ko Haa with its crystal clear Lagoon and Cathedral just a short boat ride away; stunning Ko Phi Phi (Ko Bida), Anemone Reef, Shark Point and the breathtaking King Cruiser Wreck.

Diving in this area of the Andaman Sea means to encounter a huge variety of marine habitats. You can find protected bays, current exposed slopes, pinnacles, walls, caverns, and, last but not least, an artificial reef. Ko Lanta is the ideal place for underwater photographers, recreational divers and the perfect place to conduct Marine Biology Courses, Coral Reef Research and Reef Monitoring Projects.

The best time to dive Ko Lanta’s dive sites is during the hot/dry season, which runs from mid-October to end-April. During this time, the water temperature in the Andaman Sea ranges between 28-32 degrees C, making diving conditions extremely pleasurable and great place for beginners and experienced divers alike.

October/November is a great time to visit Ko Lanta. This is the change from the Monsoon Season to the Dry Season and this is when the marine activity seems to peak. Many juvenile fish are born during this time, which attract huge numbers of fish towards the reefs. There are many tiny glassfish, which swarm, in close balls with medium-size fish coming in to snack! This in turn attracts larger fish in. There are often large schools of Barracuda near the reef and plenty action to watch in the blue. On the plus side, there are fewer divers in at the dive sites at the beginning of the season. In Dec/Jan/Feb we receive more visitors to Ko Lanta. Visibility tends to be a little better mid-late season, but Ko Haa offers consistently good visibility throughout the season.

Aqualogy, Lanta’s Marine Education Centre offers courses in Oceanography, Zoology, Fish Biology, Marine Habitats, Sharks and Rays, Corals, Venomous Marine Species and Bony Fish as well as conducting scientific research projects, using methods such as ReefCheck and ReefWatch.

Ko Haa

We visit Ko Haa everyday by our luxury Dive Cruiser ‘MV Moskito’ (2 dives). Ko Haa offers stunning visibility (20-30m), pristine corals and is great for underwater photography. The marine-life is plentiful and varied there are also great caverns and chimney systems to explore (2-3 days diving to see all the best parts).

Ko Haa offers beautiful diving with spectacular visibility and is suitable for divers of all levels. Ko Haa’s highlights include a series of caverns, inter-connected chambers and swim-throughs.

Ko Haa, meaning ‘Five Islands’ has a central lagoon area that is ideal for beginners. It offers a safe and relaxed starting point for you to take your first underwater breaths and there are some extremely friendly little Porcupine Puffer Fish, ready to make your acquaintance in the large, sandy bay area. The bay slopes gently onto the reef allowing you to progress into your first dive effortlessly.

Ko Haa offers a great range of habitats, which are home to many different marine species. The marine life that can be found at Ko Haa varies from rare Ghost Pipefish measuring only a few centimetres, to an abundance of Octopus hiding amongst the rocks and crevices. A Hawksbill Turtle is often seen swimming amongst the pristine coral. Manta Rays, Eagle Rays and even Whale Sharks are spotted here occasionally. The shallow and sandy bays of Ko Haa, not only offer protection for new divers, but also to juvenile organisms, many of which will migrate to other places as they grow into adults.
Gentle slopes are home to hundreds of bottom dwelling individuals that you can easily observe whilst scuba diving. Predators like sea snakes, lionfish and mackerel can be observed along the stunning walls, hoping for a quick snack and can found on each one of the “Five Islands”. Hawksbill Turtles, Leopard Sharks, Octopus and Barracuda can be seen if you look out into the blue. Finally you can enter the “Cathedral” and surface to spot some dark seeking marine species. This place has something to offer for everyone from snorkellers to experienced divers.

One of Ko Haa’s highlights is the series of caverns and swim-throughs. The largest cavern has three chambers. The first two chambers are connected by a shallow swim through at about 9 metres. There are also various chimneys and other systems to explore. You can find banded sea snakes, lionfish, crustaceans and beautiful cowries. Huge schools of silverside fish, glassfish, barracudas abound. The clear waters and consistent visibility of 25m+ make Ko Haa an un-forgettable diving destination.

Hin Daeng and Hin Muang

These famous dive sites represent the deepest drop off in Thailand. They are world-class dive sites and provide some of the most stunning diving in the area, with a high chance of seeing Manta Rays and even Whale Sharks. Currents can be quite strong and bring a lot of nutrients from the seafloor to the shallower water where they can be integrated into the food chain. Conditions are usually good for plankton growth that feeds invertebrates and small fish. Finally big fish feed on invertebrates and small fish. The greater depths and currents make these sites suitable for Advanced divers or Open Water divers with 20+ dives.

Hin Daeng, ‘Red Rock’, and Hin Muang, ‘Purple Rock’, are named after the beautiful red and purple corals that cover the pinnacles. Located 70km south of Ko Lanta, they boast good visibility, unless the waters become extremely plankton-rich. It is this plankton that attracts the larger marine-life and there is a high chance of seeing Manta Rays and passing Whale Sharks throughout the season. Hin Daeng protrudes about 3 meters above the water, but below, it drops straight down to 70+ meters on the southern side. It gets its name from the beautiful red corals that populate most of the dive site. Don’t forget to look out into the blue, away from the reef, as this is where much of the action can be witnessed. There is a huge school of large Round Batfish that congregate around the buoy line, and there are often large schools of barracuda patrolling the outer reef. In cracks and holes, there are numerous species of shrimps and invertebrates to be found.

Hin Muang is completely submerged and derives its name from the vast number of purple corals covering the pinnacle. The reef is 200 meters long and less than 20 meters wide, there are three main points and several smaller ones. It’s fascinating to watch the huge schools of Snappers and Fusiliers swim around the pinnacles while Rainbow Runners, Jacks and Travellies dart in, hoping for a quick snack. Red-Tooth Triggerfish flutter prettily amongst the colourful soft corals, and many types of Anemonefish dance over the top of the highest pinnacles. It is here that the Manta Ray’s come to be cleaned in the currents that sweep over the tops of the pinnacles

The exposed position of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang attracts incredible numbers of fish and on a lucky day even the “Big Ones” pass by. An encounter with a Manta Ray or Whale Shark is an unforgettable experience. Manta Rays measuring several meters in width just fly gracefully over your head and enjoy a treatment at a cleaning station. A meeting with a fascinating whale shark, the biggest known fish species, is absolutely breathtaking and addictive. This is the place to be for experienced divers that are seeking adventure! At these sites, the marine-life seems to be on a larger scale than elsewhere in the Andaman Sea. Many Giant Morays can be seen amongst the cracks and crevices and large Leopard Sharks are often found in the 40-meter ridges.

Ko Rok

The two sister-islands of Ko Rok offer beautiful diving with fabulous beaches and are suitable for divers and snorkellers of all levels. Located approximately 25km south of Ko Haa and visible on the horizon from Kantiang Bay, Ko Rok offers relatively shallow diving with abundant marine life and thriving corals in the shallower areas.

The uninhabited islands of Ko Rok are part of Ko Lanta’s National Marine Park and are named after a small furry animal (called ‘Rok’ in Thai), which can occasionally be spotted on the islands. Giant Monitor Lizards (often over a metre in length!) are regularly seen on the beautiful, powder-white sandy beaches, which are among the prettiest in Thailand.

Ko Rok Nok and Ko Rok Nai are typical tropical islands. They offer healthy green rainforest, rocky bays and are surrounded by coral reefs that slope down to roughly 20 meters. Anemones, sea fans and hard corals cover the substrate and are home to all kinds of invertebrates and fish. Numerous and huge barrel sponges feed colourful and flamboyant nudibranches and flatworms and therefore they appear here in great numbers. Hard corals, interspersed with a few, more colourful, soft corals, dominate the deeper areas on the east side of Ko Rok Nok. The marine life that can be found at Ko Rok varies from abundant and colourful reef fish to Black-Tip Reef Sharks, which can be spotted, cruising past the reef and if you’re lucky you can find a Hawksbill Turtle near the beach.

The shallow channel between the islands reaches a maximum depth of 15 m, which makes Ko Rok a great destination for students, beginner divers and snorkellers.

Ko Bida (Ko Phi Phi)

With year round diving to rival the Similans, Phi Phi’s 30+ dive sites are great for beginners and experienced divers alike. Located about 22 km west of Ko Lanta, the Phi Phi Islands comprise Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Ley, Ko Yung (Mosquito Island) and Ko Mai Pai (Bamboo Island) and offer consistently good diving. Phi Phi’s diving highlights are the two rocky limestone islands – Bida Nok and Bida Nai – which lie just a few kilometres south of Phi Phi Ley. The rugged limestone cliffs plunging into aquamarine waters make Phi Phi an unforgettable destination for holidaymakers and divers alike.

Underwater, the scenery only becomes more breathtaking. With long caves, dramatic overhangs, walls that go down to 30 m and a fabulous display of hard and soft coral, the diving around Phi Phi is varied and spectacular. Walls dropping down to 20-30 meters are covered with colourful sea fans in very good condition in this nutrient-rich area. Have a close look and you might spot a well-camouflaged seahorse or a delicate ornate ghost pipefish. In some places you can find the biggest and most beautiful table and staghorn corals in the area. This is also a place where encounters with sharks are very likely. Phi Phi is best known as home of the Leopard Shark. These docile, nocturnal creatures are normally found resting during the day, lying on the sand facing into the current. They feed on crustaceans, small fish and sea snakes. If you are lucky you can even meet some of the fast-swimming black tip reef sharks. Even the elusive Whale Shark is spotted several times a year - most often at Bidah Nok.

All in all, Ko Phi Phi offers a lot of everything, spectacular underwater scenery, a huge variety of invertebrates and great numbers of fish. Other marine life is plentiful and varied.

King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point and Anemone Reef

The King Cruiser was once a passenger ferry operating between Phuket and Phi Phi. In 1997 it hit Anemone Reef and sunk. The 85 metre passenger catamaran ferry now lies upright in 32 meters of water and has evolved into a fantastic artificial reef, home to all kinds of organisms. Big open passageways, car deck and bridge area make for easy exploration, take care though as surfaces have become encrusted with coral and barnacles and are extremely sharp. On the upper levels you’ll spot lionfish and big schools of fusiliers and around the hull you may see barracuda and jacks patrolling. Great numbers of sea urchins as well as lion- and Scorpionfish cover the surface of the wreck and the first examples of soft and hard corals have settled on it already.

The sheer number of fish that have come to inhabit this wreck is a truly amazing sight to behold and is unique in this area. Endless schools of snappers and mackerels are to be found here as well. Nearby Shark Point has some of the most colourful and spectacular soft corals in the area. Anemone Reef lies just few hundred meters away. Both reefs are covered with beautiful soft corals and huge carpets of anemones. Millions of glassfish and invertebrates inhabit these pinnacle dive sites. Sleeping leopard sharks and feeding turtles are found on nearly every dive. If you are looking for small stuff this is probably your favourite dive site because ghost pipefish, seahorses and shrimps are quite abundant here.

This is the perfect place to observe amazing natural coral habitats close to an artificial reef that is growing and improving day by day.