The BB divers boats usually head out to either local sites around Koh Chang or Koh Rang national park sites. We choose divesites depending on booking, weather, currents and visibility. Some days we make 2 dive spots other days there are 3 dive spots. Divers and snorkelers join on the same boat.
Click here for a map with the dive sites, or have a look on this thai-scuba website with most dive sites in Thailand.
Koh Chang dive sites
HTMS Chang Shipwreck
On the 22nd of November 2012 the HTMS Chang has been sunk. The wreck quickly turned into a great artificial reef thriving with marine life, shells, coral, gorgonians... It is truly a spectacular wreck dive, the bottom is on 30m, the topdeck on 20m, captain's cabin and mast on 12 meter and reaches close to the surface around 5 meters. The ship is 100m long, making it the biggest shipwreck in Thailand.
Many fish have taken refuge at the Chang, batfish, filefish, scorpionfish, barracuda, giant groupers, squid and octopus, shrimpfish,... we get regular visits of whaleshark to spoil our divers and snorkelers, there is a very interesting diversity of marine life. The HTMS Chang is lying close to Koh Chang, about half hour out by wooden boat, so it is perfect to combine with either Hin Luk Bath or Hin Raab.
Hin Luk Bath
- Location: around 3 km southwest of Koh Chang
- Depth: average 12m / max. 25m
- Visibility: varies from 3 to 20m, also very good for snorkeling.
This is one of the prime dive sites around Koh Chang. Hin Luk Bath is a pinnacle that offers refuge to plenty of shoaling fish. There are moray eels, stingrays, parrotfish, snappers, fusiliers, big groupers, butterfly fish, banner fish, barracuda, angelfish, and many more. On the way to the dive site we sometimes see dolphins. The pinnacle is surrounded by huge underwater boulders which offer some great swimthroughs. The deepest point is 25 metres, however, most of the dive we spend from 5 to 16m. This dive site has an abundance of Christmastreeworms, which makes it very colourful. Great for night diving.
Hin Raab South (locals call it Hin Laab)
- Location: 5 km south of Koh Chang
- Depth: average 11 / max. 16
- Visibility: varies from 3 to 20m, often very clear water and great for snorkeling.
This is a rocky site with good variety of coral around it. There are actually 3 dive sites in this area: one is a dive around the rock, a good place to spot turtle, batfish, stonefish, porcupine fish, stingrays, moray eels, often we see big barracuda. We also had quite a few whale shark spottings here. There is an abundance of soft coral. The second one off to the north is a bit deeper and richer in coral and has a lovely small canyon, called secret reef. Here we often see rays, morays, angelfish, groupers, triggerfish, anemone fish, parrotfish. Once in a while we spot a turtle. The third one is the T11 small shipwreck...
T11 Shipwreck
This smaller wreck was sunk for diving in 2013 and is very close to Hin Raab. This gunship is about 30m long, maximum depth at 16 meters. It was sunk in a horizontal position but has been used as target practise by the navy so is now in bits and pieces. We often dive this site in combination with Hin Raab, it is still nice to see the T 11 even if tattered, the dive towards the reef afterwards makes the site quite interesting.
Hin Tai Nam (Blueberry Hill)
- Location: 5 km south of Koh Chang
- Depth: max. 16m
- Visibility: 3 to 20m
This site is located close to Hin Raab, a bare rock full of fish, on the southside there is a nice coral garden. For divers it is a great place for spotting nudibranches, batfish, stingray, eels, groupers... less interesting for snorkelers.
Hin Rua Tek (Banana Rock)
- Location: 3 km south of Koh Chang
- Depth: average 10m, max. 16m
- Visibility: from 2 to 15m, OK for snorkeling
A rocky dive site, with nice crevices to search for shrimp, lobster, nudibranch, et cetera. There are big table corals, gorgonian fans, soft corals, sponges and more. No abundance of coral, but a dive most people love because of the general surroundings. We do not dive this site often since the visibility is less good than other sites around there, but on a clear day it is a brilliant site to explore.
Hin Saam Sao
- Depth: average 11m / max 16m
- Visibility: from 2 to 10m.
Towards the northwest of Koh Chang, this dive site has some nice corals, rich fish life, but sometimes has poor visibility because of its closeness to land. One side of the reef was destroyed by dynamite, it is recovering though. Max. depth 16m.
Hin Raab North
- Location: 5 km south of Koh Chang
- Depth: max. 18m
- Visibility: from 2 to 10m
This site is very close to Hin Saam Sao, similar dive site. Max. depth 18m.
Koh Khlum
- Location: 5 km south of Koh Chang
- Depth: 5 - 10m
This Island has a few dive sites around, they vary from 5 to 10 m and are suitable for beginner divers and courses. We like to dive this site with returning divers, the marine life is quite different from other places around here, more and bigger starfish, sea urchin, clownfish,...
Koh Rang National Park sites
Hin Ga Daeng (Koh Rang pinnacle)
- Location: 1 km northwest of Koh Rang
- Depth: average 15m / max. 30m
- Visibility: 5 to 30m
This spectacular pinnacle is the deepest dive around Koh Rang, a great multilevel site. The rock itself has a very special structure, looks like an underwater cathedral. There are plenty of fish around it, not so much coral though. Things to see are big barracuda, porcupine, groupers, triggerfish, turtle, nudibranches, sweet lips, and schools of batfish. The currents here can be quite strong and unpredictable, but it is certainly worth the effort! Great site for photography.
Koh Tien West
- Location: just northwest of Koh Rang
- Depth: average 10m, max. 16
Sadly enough on one side of the island the coral is mostly destroyed by anchoring fishing boats and dynamite fishing, but it is a good spot to see how the reef is recovering. On the southside of the island there is the biggest formation of stag horn coral you re likely to see, forming a stunning view and protection to an abundance of fish. Also great snorkeling site.
Hin Kuak Ma (or three finger reef)
- Location: about 1 km northeast of Koh Rang
- Depth: average 10m, max. 16m
This is one of the greatest dives here. The south side is a rock wall, good to spot eels, nudibranches, stone fish etc. The backside of the rock is a slope, covered in coral, and with an abundance of fish. Sometimes we spot a bamboo shark or turtle, every dive we see blue spotted stingrays, moray eels, blue ringed angelfish, parrotfish. Good snorkeling if there is no current.
Koh Yak and Koh Laun
- Location: about 1 km northeast of Koh Rang, in the south
- Depth: average 8 m, max. 12m
- Visibility: 5 to 20m
These small islands are ringed with a very beautiful coral reef with a rich abundance of different coral fishes. Both islands are small enough to dive around; because of the shallow depths we have plenty of dive time. Many divers' favourite…
Koh Tong Lang and Koh Kra
- Location: about 1.5 km northeast of Koh Rang, north
- Depth: average 7m, max. 12
- Visibility: 5 to 30m
Although snorkeling is the major appeal here, these islands offer some beautiful diving. The special coloured rocks offer nice crevices rich in fish life; the coral is very healthy and varied, big table corals, stag horn, anemones of al sizes and colours.
Others
Koh Wai
This lovely paradise island south of Koh Chang is great for a day trip or overnight stay, beautiful snorkelling, although for diving the reef is quite shallow. Some diving is done on the pinnacles close to Koh Wai, and also on the rocky side of the island. It is a good spot for trainings dives or protected diving when the weather turns bad.
Thonburi wreck
This is also called the Koh Chang wreck and was sunk in a fight over Koh Chang between the Thai and the French navy. It is mentioned in many dive guides, but it is in silt water, creating zero visibility most of the time.
Diving at Koh Kood & Koh Mak
For more specific information about dive sites at Koh Kood and Koh Mak, please click on the links below:
