Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao

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Learn about Japanese Gardens Dive Site on Koh Tao

Japanese Gardens dive site on Koh Tao is located in a sheltered bay at Koh Nang Yuan island and is a perfect site for beginners who want to learn how to dive.

  • Location: East side of Koh Nang Yuan
  • Depth: Max 15m, Min 0m – Average 8m
  • Type of site: Shallow bay with large variety of hard and soft corals
  • Level: Open Water diver
  • Conditions: Very little environmental conditions for most of the year
  • Average Visibility: 2-20 meters (10M average)
Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao in Thailand

Discover Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao

Japanese Gardens Dive Site is located on the east side of Koh Nang Yuan with only a sandbar that joins the two peaks of Koh Nang Yuan that separates it from Twins Pinnacles on the west side.

Japanese Gardens is one of the most popular bays on Koh Tao for snorkeling and scuba diving.

With its relatively shallow depths, little if any current (for most of the year) and easy beach access set against a stunning backdrop of the two peaks, it is an island paradise with excellent diversity underwater.

Abundance of Marine Diversity

Day trippers, dive boats and snorkel tours all make their way to this location almost every day and for good reason.

The Coral reef stretches all the way from the shallow water in a northerly direction to a depth of approximately 15 metres.

Japanese Gardens showcases the widest variety and diversity of corals on Koh Tao and is bursting and teeming with marine life.

Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao - Anemone Fish
Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao – Anemone Fish

Huge Coral Formations

Large Lobe coral with colourful Christmas tree worms living in them stand out, together with Staghorn and lots of Lettuce corals.

You will discover Brain coral, Table coral and giant Barrel Sponges interlaced with Sea Anemones and Giant Clams that all make up this large coral garden.

There is also a large area of the reef that is made up of Funnel and Mushroom corals towards the east side of the bay.

Japanese Gardens dive site boasts an abundance of smaller, common reef fish that we see in the ocean around Koh Tao.

Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao - Giant Clams
Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao – Giant Clams

Lots of Reef Fish at Japanese Gardens Dive Site

You will see scores of Sargeant Majors, Damsel fish, Fusiliers and Rabbit Fish all busily going about their daily business.

Parrotfish swim around munching on the algae and corals with red breasted Wrasse on the hunt for small Crustaceans and Molluscs and Sea Urchins.

There are lots of species of Butterfly and Bannerfish at Japanese Gardens, including pairs of Weibels Butterfly fish and Lined Butterfly fish.

Pink Tailed Triggerfish Koh Tao
Pink Tailed Triggerfish Koh Tao

Pink Tail Triggerfish

You will often see schools of Catfish swimming close to the sandy bottom and a little further out, along the corals that follow the Nang Yuan coastline, you will find the only area on Koh Tao that you can see the Pinktail Triggerfish.

You will also get to see Pufferfish, Harlequin Sweetlips, juvenile Batfish and Banded Sea Snakes at Japanese gardens.

Japanese Gardens is a relatively large dive site and provides divers and snorkelers with lots of interesting marine life that will keep you busy over many dives.

Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao
Japanese Gardens Dive Site Koh Tao