The Diving
From the tranquil splendor of shallow-water coral gardens to a close encounter with a Whale Shark, Koh Tao provides diving adventure for divers of all experience-levels.
As one of the top diving destinations in Thailand, the underwater marine park of Koh Tao has many things to offer to please both beginners and more experienced divers ( Learn More about the local dive sites ).
Koh Tao burst into fame as a haven for divers and as a major training center about 12 years ago.Some of the international diving agencies that are represented on the island include PADI, SSI, IANTD, BSAC and NAUI.
The island offers more than 20 dive sites, most of them close-by (less than 20 minutes). Visitors can enjoy crystal clear water almost all-year-round, with visibility often exceeding 30 meters. The weather is sunny most of the time except during the Monsoon month in November.
Because of its amount of different dive sites, Koh Tao is one of the only places in Thailand where you can go scuba diving whole year around even during monsoon season and have good diving conditions ( Learn More about local diving conditions ).
Tropical reefs are an oasis of life and colour. Scuba Diving is your entrance to this fascinating ecosystem.
The reefs around the island slope from about 2 to 20 meters while offshore-pinnacles can drop to a depth of more than 30 meters. Some of the highlights you can expect underwater are sea anemones, schools of batfish, barracudas, trevallies & giant groupers, whale and reef sharks and much more.
By far the most spectacular encounter are the whale sharks. These huge but friendly animals of the sea inspire awe, wonder and a huge smile on your face once you surface! An unforgettable experience!
Some of the marine life you may experience on your visit to Koh Tao:
Grey Reef sharks- like all sharks are amazing hunters. Sharks have ‘accepted’ divers are part of their environment and close encounters are very possible ! Sharks are usually very shy so seeing one up close and personal is an experience to remember a life time…
Whale Sharks- the biggest fish in the ocean is spotted numerous times around Koh Tao. These gentle giants have no natural enemies and tend to get up close and personal with divers.
Sea snakes- hunted down in many parts of the world for there beautiful skin, these beautiful creatures are protected around Koh Tao so encounters are frequent. The banded sea snake is the most poisonous snake on the planet but completely harmless for divers !
Barracudas- Another large predator of the ocean, docile during the day, but at night you can see them hunting in the light of your torch ! An experience you will never forget….
Turtles- Also turtles can be found around Koh Tao's reefs, gently cruising over the coral looking for food or rising up to the surface to catch a breath.
Visit our gallery to view more of the exciting marine life found here!