Best Fun Diving in Thailand

Best Fun Diving on Koh Tao

Koh Tao is a small tropical island that offers scuba divers many dive sites to explore when fun diving and it is an ideal location to continue with diver training, offering a wide variety of dive experiences.

From luscious coral reef dive sites to deep pinnacle dive sites, underwater rock mazes, swim thru’s, shipwrecks and sculpture gardens – when you go fun diving on Koh Tao, it is a diving experience you do not forget.

Explore – Fun Diving Trips in Thailand

With so many dive sites to choose from, you may be overwhelmed when trying to narrow it down to a few must-see dive sites when diving around Koh Tao. Luckily for you, we have dived these waters for MANY years and we can easily help you narrow down your Koh Tao fun diving trip bucket list.

Top Fun Diving Trips for certified divers on our Fun Divers Boat

We pay attention to our customers and they are not shy about telling us which dive sites they liked and will never forget.

This is why we have invested in a dedicated fun diving boat, our Fun Divers boat, especially for certified divers, so you can visit the most popular dive sites as a certified scuba diver.

Best Dive Sites in Thailand

Our Fun Divers boat only visits the very best dive sites in and around Koh Tao on a daily basis and where possible, at times when the dive sites are less dived.

What are the best dive sites you can dive while visiting Koh Tao?

Best 5 Fun Diving Trips for certified divers on Koh Tao

Koh Tao dive sites are diverse and abundant with marine life and with over 25 to choose from, we thought it best to highlight the most popular dive sites, so that you can plan your upcoming dive trip more efficiently. Let’s take a more in depth look at the local dive sites.

Chumphon Pinnacle – Best Dive Site in Koh Tao

Min depth: 12m/46ft

Max depth: 40m/130ft

Key dive site features: Barracuda Rock

Key marine life: Whale sharks, Great Barracuda, Brown Marbled & Malabar Grouper, Talang Queenfish, Moray eels, Stingrays, Seasnakes and a kaleidoscope of reef grazers, herbivorous fish and invertebrates.

Chumphon Pinnacle is one of the most popular dive sites in Koh Tao, Thailand and is regarded as the BEST dive site in Koh Tao.  It is a large granite rock pinnacle, with some smaller surrounding granite rocks, that rise from the depths of the Gulf of Thailand with a maximum dive depth of approximetly 40 meters.

Chumphon Pinnacle is located around 12 kilometres north west of Koh Tao and takes around 45 mins to reach by dive boat.

The dive site is one large main pinnacle, that starts at around 12/14 metres, which you can follow down to approximately 26 metres where it joins the sand.

Deeper Dive Sites for Certified Divers

As the sand slopes down to 35 meters there is a cluster of smaller Pinnacles, located a short swim away in a south-west direction from the main rock called Barracuda Rock.

Chumphon Pinnacle is home to a wide variety of marine life and is a great place to see pelagic fish, such as great Barracuda, Spanish mackerel, various species of Grouper, and Queenfish, which are often seen swimming in large schools.

You will also see a variety of reef fish, such as butterflyfish, angelfish, and parrotfish, and lots of invertebrates, such as sea anemones which cover the top of the main pinnacle.

You will also discover a variety of crustaceans, such as shrimp and crabs, which can be found in the nooks and crannies and small crevices of the pinnacle, and in the sand and rubble on the seabed.

Chumphon Pinnacle is the most popular location for whale shark sightings around Koh Tao, and whale sharks can visit here all year round.

Whalesharks Sightings in Koh Tao

Whale sharks are the largest fish in existence, and they can be seen feeding on plankton in the water column around the pinnacle. Although March-April and October- November have traditionally been considered as ‘Whaleshark season’ the past decade has seen these beautiful marine creatures visiting Koh Tao much more often.

Chumphon Pinnacle is a great dive site for all levels of divers and although you do not need to be an Advanced Diver to enjoy the dive at Chumphon Pinnacle, becoming an Advanced Open Water diver will mean you can go a little deeper and explore more of this fantastic and memorable dive site.

Chumphon Pinnacle is also an excellent dive site to complete the Advanced Open Water Deep training dive or you can enjoy our Deep dive specialty training course.

The visibility is typically excellent, and the marine life is abundant and if you are looking for a challenging and rewarding dive, Chumphon Pinnacle is a great option.

Tips for Fun Diving at Chumphon Pinnacle

Diving deeper dive sites such as Chumphon Pinnacle require extra dive planning and extra diving equipment such as a dive computer, which is mandatory. Do not dive Chumphon Pinnacle without a dive computer.

There can sometimes be a mild to moderate current at Chumphon Pinnacle, so it is important to be aware of your surroundings, assess the environmental conditions and stay within your limits.

Marine life at Chumphon Pinnacle is stunning, so be sure to bring a camera to capture your memories.

South West Pinnacles Dive Site

Min depth: 7m/46ft

Max depth: 30m/100ft

Key dive site features: Secret Pinnacle

Key marine life: Whale sharks, Chevron & Yellowtail Barracuda, One-spot and Yellow lined Snapper, Brown Marbled & Malabar Grouper

South west Pinnacles is made up of seven (7) granite rock pinnacles that rise up like Pyramids from around 20 metres from the seabed.

There is also a secret pinnacle, a 5-minute swim south east off the south east side of the dive site. This should only be attempted in good conditions, by experienced divers using Nitrox and the maximum depth of this dive site is 30 metres.

South West Pinnacles boast a colorful array of reef fish including parrotfish, several species of butterfly fish and angelfish that hang around the main pinnacle.

Fun Diving at South West Pinnacles Dive Site

If you look closer at the small cracks and holes you will see Durban Dancing and Banded Coral Shrimps, lots of crustaceans such as crabs and other small critters, and if you are lucky, you may see a Bearded Scorpionfish camouflaged against a rocky background.

Hiding among the rocks and Gorgonian Sea Fans and Seas Whips at the bottom are large Malabar and Brown Marbled Grouper moving in and out of the shadows whilst the faster paced Triggerfish go about their daily feeding routine.

Like the other outlying dive sites around Koh Tao, South West Pinnacle also boasts large schools of One spot and Yellow lined Snapper, and schools of Yellowtail Barracuda and Trevally that light up the dive site when their bodies catch the sun and glimmer silver in the water column.

We often see Whalesharks at South West Pinnacles and Brydes Whales and Dolphins can often be seen on the fun dive boat trip to and from the dive site.

Tips for Fun Diving at South West Pinnacles

There can sometimes be a mild to moderate current at South West Pinnacles, and the visibility is not always consistent, so it is important to be aware of your environmental surroundings, stay within your limits, and use a dive computer to plan your dive.

Shark Island Dive Site

Dive Type: Boat dive

Min depth: 1m/16.5ft

Max depth: 28m/130ft

Key dive site features: Purple soft corals on south side

Key marine life: Orange-Spined Unicornfish, Sea Turtles, Triggerfish, Whalesharks

Located 300 metres off the south-east coast of Koh Tao, Shark Island is a small rocky uninhabited island that resembles a shark dorsal fin when viewed from the side.

Shark Island boasts superb marine diversity with an abundance of soft and hard corals.

You can expect to see soft purple tree coral, whip corals and Gorgonian fan corals interspersed between the rocks and boulders that make up the seabed composition down to around 18 metres where you reach sand, which is littered with more rocks.

Fun Diving Trips at Shark Island Dive Site

Head south and you will reach 25 metres+ but beware of strong currents in that area. The MV Trident, a steel hulled ex coastguard vessel sunk in 2010 was sunk in this area but is a destination for more experienced divers due to its depth and location.

When diving Shark Island expect to see schools of yellow tail barracuda, weibels butterfly fish and Tailfin batfish on the east side of the rock, in addition to a wide variety of reef grazing herbivores and invertebrates.

Shark Island is also one of the few dive sites on Koh Tao to see the Orange-Spined Unicornfish, Green and Hawksbill Sea Turtles and Whalesharks when they are in the Koh Tao area.

Tips for Fun Diving at Shark Island

There can often be a moderate, sometimes strong current at Shark Island, so it is important to plan your dive accordingly and monitor your air more regularly.

If you do become over exerted there are lots of rocks to hang onto and hide behind whilst you compose yourself, relax and regain your breath.

The pink and purple soft corals on the south side of the dive site are stunning and should be added to your dive plan, if the conditions allow it.

MV trident is deep, often with a current and you should only venture there if you have sufficient diving experience, proper deep diving equipment and have planned the dive accordingly.

Hin Wong Pinnacles – Abundance of Hard & Soft Corals

Dive Type: Boat dive

Min depth: 10m/30ft

Max depth: 30m/130ft

Key dive site features: Soft coral, Sea fans & Curly Wire corals

Key marine life: Sea Turtles, Stingrays, Groupers

Located on the north-east coast of Koh Tao, Hin Wong Pinnacles starts at 10 metres and drops down to a maximum depth of 30 metres on the east-side of the dive site.

Although visibility and currents can be a little unpredictable at this location, this dive can be absolutely stunning on a nice day. The dive site is covered in lacy sea fans, curly wire corals, brain and table corals, sponges, tube corals and beautiful soft purple tree corals.

Fun Diving Trips at Hin Wong Pinnacles Dive Site

Hin Wong Pinnacles is home to Scribbled Filefish, Harlequin Sweetlips, Titan and Yellow Margin Triggerfish and a resident Hawksbill Turtle.

Look closely and you will see beautiful nudibranch, small razorfish, tiny pipefish and various species of Stingrays hiding out on the seabed. It is quite common for Hin Wong to have a thermocline even in good conditions, which adds to the eerie feel this dive site often has.

Schools of one spot Snapper swirl around the dive site, and if you are lucky, you may see a black banded sea snake hunting for some lunch.

Tips for Fun Diving at Hin Wong Pinnacles

There can often be unpredictable visibility and currents at Hin Wong Pinnacles, so it is important to plan your dive accordingly and monitor your air regularly. If you do become over exerted there are lots of rocks to hang onto, hide behind, whilst you relax, regain your composure and breath.

The pink soft corals on the east side of the dive site, are very cool and should be included in your dive plan, if the conditions allow it.

Take a dive torch as the dive site is often covered in shadows.

Green Rock Dive Site – Caves and Swim throughs

Dive Type: Boat dive

Min depth: 2m/7ft

Max depth: 30m/130ft

Key dive site features: Caves and swim throughs

Key marine life: Titan Triggerfish, Yellow Margin Triggerfish, Jenkins Whiprays, Blue Spotted Stingrays, Groupers, Yellow Boxfish.

Located on the north west side of Koh Nang Yuan island, Green Rock is a series of huge boulders on top of each other that have formed some really exciting swim thru’s and small caves.

These are excellent for divers with good buoyancy skills and the granite rock layout offers lots of small cracks and crevices that provide shelter for a variety of macro life.

Good Buoyancy Skills

Due to its position, the dive site is exposed to the open ocean and sometimes has a strong current, along with limited visibility, especially so around Full Moon time each month.

The dive site stretches out, in a north westerly direction where you will find a small pinnacle called Blue Rock, where you can find Jenkins Whiprays hiding in the sand.

Expect to see a variety of Nudibranch, Pipefish, Shrimps, various crustaceans and invertebrates at this dive site and the usual colourful reef fish you see on all of the dive sites around Koh Tao.

Fun Diving Trips at Green Rock Dive Site

Both the Titan and Yellow Margin Triggerfish species are resident at Green Rock dive site, an area where they breed. You can see this to the north and south of the dive site, where you will find the ‘Trigger Pit’, a breeding area that looks like the lunar craters found on the moon.

During March – May time, Triggerfish are mating so be aware, as they can be very territorial during this time and the trigger pit itself should be respected and avoided by divers

The shallower north eastern coastline of Koh Nang Yuan offers a more leisurely experience, with lots to see including Pink Tailed Trigger fish, Angelfish, and a variety of Butterfly fish, reef grazers, invertebrates and the occasional sea turtle.

Whalesharks are often seen at Green Rock passing through or filtering out food in the water table around the granite rocks.

Tips for Fun Diving at Green Rock Dive Site

There can be a strong current at Green Rock, so it is important to plan your dive accordingly and monitor your air regularly. If you do become over exerted there are lots of places to rest, relax, regain your composure and your breath before continuing with your dive.

Take a dive torch for finding and identifying the marine life that use the caves as their habitat.

Be aware of the Trigger pits, to the north and south of the dive site, especially during the breeding season which is Mar-April.

Sail Rock – Best Dive Site in the Gulf of Thailand

Dive Type: Boat dive

Min depth: 5m/16.5ft

Max depth: 40m/130ft

Minimum certification: PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

Key dive site features: The ‘chimney’

Key marine life: Giant Barracuda, Batfish, Whale sharks, Yellow tail & Chevron Barracuda.

Our top fun diving trip recommendation for scuba divers is Sail Rock dive site, well-known as the best dive site in the Gulf of Thailand.

Day fun diving trips to Sail Rock are extremely popular with certified divers because of the abundance of marine life that the dive site supports, the chance of seeing larger pelagic creatures like whale sharks, and the strange ‘chimney’ feature – a vertical swim-through that takes divers from about 5metres and exits them out at around 18metres.

Sail Rock is a granite rock pinnacle that rises from the sandy bottom of the Gulf of Thailand at about 40m up to about 8m above the surface of the water.

This imposing ice-age granite rock can be seen from quite a distance as you approach the dive site from Koh Tao and the top is usually quite busy with sea birds using the rocky outpost as a resting place.

Fun Diving at Sail Rock – The Chimney

Under the surface of the water, the rock pinnacle plunges to 20m and then slowly drops off to 40m from there. Large schools of barracuda are often seen churning in the blue between 15m and 20m and if you watch carefully, you will see Great Barracuda using the schools of smaller barracuda as cover.

Sail Rock is also a favorite dive site for the silvery, spade-shaped batfish and they can congregate here in large numbers. At the right time of year, the schools can be huge, and the way the fish move and glimmer in the sunlight will have you mesmerized for your entire dive.

The most popular feature for scuba divers that visit Sail Rock is a vertical swim-through affectionately known as ‘the chimney’.

It is a great buoyancy challenge for advanced divers since usually you go in head-first and control your descent using your breathing.

Planning a Fun Diving Trip to Sail Rock Dive Site

On the way down, carefully observe the rock walls for all types of tiny nudibranchs, crustaceans, invertebrates and even the occasional scorpion fish. Take your time on the way down so that you can maintain control over your descent and not accidentally go crashing into the walls.

Fun diving day trips to Sail Rock usually take up an entire day and contain at least two dives with a hot lunch and snacks, drinks served on the dive boat.

While you do not have to be an Advanced SCUBA diver to enjoy this dive site, you can explore more areas if you have the certification to get you a little bit deeper on the dive site.

If you are already a PADI Advanced SCUBA Diver then why not extended your bottom time by becoming an Enriched Air Nitrox Diver? By increasing the percentage of oxygen in our breathing gas we can extend our no-decompression time and shorten our surface intervals – both great extras when you plan on completing repetitive deep dives.

Tips for Fun Diving at Sail Rock Dive Site

If you are a confident and competent scuba diver with your buoyancy, it is highly recommended to visit the Chimney, which is a great way to start your dive.  

Dive with a dive operator that dives Sail Rock early or later in the day when the dive site is less crowded. You will be happy to know Black Turtle Dive can facilitate this request.

Laem Thian ‘Caves’ – Underwater Rock Maze

Dive Type: Boat dive, overhead environment dive

Min depth: 3m/10ft

Max depth: 24m/79ft

Key dive site features: The ‘boom-boom’ room

Key marine life: Nudibranchs, Humphead Parrotfish, Orange-Spined Unicornfish, Groupers, Banded Sea Snakes and Sea Turtles

Laem Thian ‘Caves’ are on the northern side of Laem Thian Bay and it is a paradise for competent divers that love the challenge of swim-throughs.

The coastline of Koh Tao is littered with large Granite Rock boulders, and they have formed the perfect boulder pile at Laem Thian ‘Caves’.

You can easily spend most of your dive on this dive site surrounded by rocks on all sides and the sunlight often shines through the spaces between the boulders giving divers the impression of being inside an underwater church or temple.

Fun Diving at Laem Thian Dive Site – Koh Tao

On a sunny day with good water visibility, Laem Thian ‘Caves’ can be one of the most visually stunning and memorable dive sites around Koh Tao.

Most of the swim-throughs are located shallower than 20m but all will require a diver to have good control over their buoyancy.

The swim-throughs are dictated by the granite rock layout themselves, sometimes you are forced to ascend or descend even if your ears do not agree. So this dive site is not the best for divers with ear and equalization problems.

The southern end of the dive site has a space that you can swim into that is a favorite feature for local SCUBA diving professionals.

Unique Features of Laem Thian Dive Site

Affectionately called ‘the Boom Boom Room’, this opening in the rock pile is open to the surface which allows incoming waves to crash into the space.

The rhythmic hammering of waves can sound like an underwater drum and on particularly wavy days you can even feel the booming in your chest.

Laem Thian does have a reputation of sightings of some very unusual species over the past few years.

Discover Unusual Species of Marine Life

There are two resident Giant Humphead Parrotfish that live around (Bolbometopon muricatum) in Laem Thian Bay and we see Orange-Spined Unicornfish here too. Both of these species are rarely seen at dive sites other than those located south – east of Koh Tao.

Other cool and rarely seen marine life that can be seen at Laem Thian include Sicklefin Devil Ray’s (Mobula Tarapacana), Racoon Butterfly fish (Chaetodon wiebelii) and False Killer Whales (pseudo orca crassidens).

Tips for Fun Diving at Laem Thian Dive Site

Only sign up for this dive if you are confident with your buoyancy as there are lots of overhead environments. If you feel you need to improve your buoyancy ask about our ‘buoyancy workshops’ that can be competed over 2 afternoon dives prior to diving Laem Thian.

If you have problems equalizing then Laem Thian may not be the best dive for you and we may advise preliminary dives before visiting Laem Thian Caves.

Bring a camera to take photos of some of the rare marine life, so your dive buddies will believe you.

White Rock – Largest Dive Site on Koh Tao

Dive Type: Boat dive

Min depth: 4m/13ft

Max depth: 22m/72ft

Key dive site features: White Rock

Key marine life: Barracuda, Batfish, Whale sharks, Sea turtles, Blue spotted Stingrays, Moray Eels, Banded Sea Snakes, Harlequin Sweetlips and large Malabar Groupers.

White Rock is the largest dive site by area around Koh Tao. The northern section of White Rock is quite shallow and has a collection of smaller boulders that surround one large, monolithic rock that rises out of the sand and almost reaches the surface of the water.

This large granite rock is White Rock itself and it is where the dive site gets its name from and the top of the rock can often be seen from the dive boat, 1-2metres under the surface.

Diverse Marine Life

The southern section of the dive site is the deeper area and is where you’ll find the White Rock swim-through. Sitting at roughly 18m/60ft, the White Rock swim-through is a short passage under one of the enormous rocks that make up the structure of the dive site itself. Divers commonly enter from the east side of the dive site and exit heading south.

In between the northern and the southern sections of the dive site, there is a large sandy patch where you can often find new scuba divers practicing basic underwater SCUBA skills.

Fun Diving at White Rock Dive Site on Koh Tao

The sandy patch is also home to a large number of goatfish who use their chin barbels to probe the sand for the small invertebrates that they like to eat.

White Rock is the most popular dive site on Koh Tao for night diving. Even though this dive site is within sight of Sairee Beach, there are large barracuda and groupers that hunt at this location at night.

Night Diving at White Rock Dive Site

These canny predators have adapted to the presence of scuba divers and are very familiar with SCUBA divers in the water and they often follow you along to your side, hunting using the torchlight to identify prey.

If you are night diving at White Rock and notice a Great barracuda following closely behind you, stay still and turn your torchlight onto the closest reef fish you can find. If hungry enough, the barracuda with a swish of its tail, and a fast sprint, will consume the small fish in front of you.

Fun Diving Tips for Certified Scuba Divers

Dive with a reputable dive operator. There are many dive operators in Koh Tao that offer fun diving trips for certified divers and it is important to choose a reputable operator that has experienced guides with small groups.

Choose a dive centre with a spacious and comfortable dive boat that operates dedicated dive trips, only for certified divers. Koh Tao trains lots of beginner divers and many dive operators either share a boat or only operate one.

Be careful not to end up on a boat full of student divers that are learning to dive.

Dedicated Fun Diving Dive Boat

Ask to see the dive centre rental scuba diving equipment before committing to a decision. It is important to choose a dive centre that uses quality, well maintained and in date scuba equipment.

Look for a dive centre that offers premium rental equipment such as balanced regulators that afford much easier breathing than the shop sets many Koh Tao dive centres use. A balanced regulator is especially useful and a safety feature when making Deep dives.

Ask the dive centre to provide you with a modern dive computer, which is absolutely essential when scuba diving in the modern age.

Fun Diving with a Dive Computer

Never share a dive computer with a buddy or rely on a dive leaders dive computer to manage your dive plan. It is an essential piece of diving equipment for your safety, make sure you wear one when diving anywhere in the world, not just on Koh Tao.

Choose a dive operator that takes their commitment to the marine environment seriously. This includes asking their divers to agree to follow established marine environmental guidelines, and following these same guidelines themselves.

Look for a dive centre that is recognized for their commitment to the environment such as a PADI Eco Centre, 100% AWARE, Green Fins Eco Centre or Green Star awarded Dive Centre or choose a dive operator with all of these awards.

Choose a Reputable Dive Shop on Koh Tao

These awards are granted for a reason, demonstrating a commitment to the preservation, protection and conservation of the marine environment and dive operators displaying these awards, have been independently assessed for suitability.

Choose a dive operator with experienced dive leaders who are familiar with the local environment and who can demonstrate this through responsible behaviour underwater.

Black Turtle Dive offer a wide choice of fun diving trips to suit all levels of diver experience. Our dive leaders have extensive training, are experienced, knowledgeable and they want to help you make the most of your diving experience.

How to sign up for fun diving in Koh Tao

Choose a responsible and marine conservation oriented dive operator, who can demonstrate through their actions, a commitment to the preservation and protection of the marine environment. Do not accept anything less.

There are many dive centres in Koh Tao and you also need to consider factors such as safety protocols, boat roll calls, diver ratio’s, location, price, equipment quality and the types of fun diving trips they offer.

Best Fun Diving Trips in Thailand

Check the availability. Once you have chosen a dive shop, check the availability of their fun diving itinerary and dive boats schedule. Most dive operators offer fun dives in the mornings and afternoons, so ask the right questions before signing up.

Book your dive. Once you have found a fun dive that you want to do, book your dives with the dive shop. You will need to complete the necessary liability and medical paperwork and provide your personal information, and your scuba diving certification.

Best Dive Boats on Koh Tao

Arrive at the dive shop on the day of your dive. Be sure to arrive at the dive shop at least 30 minutes before the dive boat departure time. This will give you time to check in and time for the staff to assemble a dive kit bag with your diving equipment.

Dive briefings and environmental assessments will be conducted on the dive boat by your dive leaders prior to any diving activities.

Have fun! Once you are on the boat, relax and enjoy your dives. Our PADI divemasters will take care of everything else, so you can focus on exploring the underwater world.

Fun Diving Tips for Sign up on Koh Tao

Bring your certification card and proof of identity. You will need to show these when you book your dives.

Dress in loose, comfortable clothing. You will be wearing a wet suit, so you do not need to wear anything special. However, you should avoid wearing anything that is too tight or restrictive.

Bring reef safe sunscreen. Even though you will be underwater, the sun can still be strong. Be sure to apply sunscreen to all exposed skin. Black Turtle Dive retail offer our own brand of reef safe sunscreen for sale.

Best Fun Diving Tips for Scuba Divers on Koh Tao

Bring a hat and sunglasses. If you are prone to sunburn, you may want to bring a hat and sunglasses.

Be prepared to get wet. This is obvious, but it is worth mentioning as you will get wet on your dive, so be prepared.

When looking for a reputable dive operator, please consider all of our tips on safety protocols, diving equipment, training standards and professionalism, so that you can enjoy your fun diving trips and have lots of ‘fun’ in the safest way possible.