All diving on Koh Chang is done off boats. There’s no beach diving off Koh
Chang. (However, some dive schools prefer to complete any confined water training required on a dive course in shallow seas near the beach, rather than in a pool.
The map on the right pinpoints some of the main dive sites around Koh Chang. The rocky pinnacles and small islands around Koh Rang offer what most consider to be the best diving in the area.
Different dive schools prefer different dive sites, therefore prior to signing up for a dive make sure you check where you’ll be going, your dive school will be able to give you details of the types of fish & marine life that have been recently seen at various dive sites.
Non-divers should note that the the snorkelling around Koh Rang is also particularly good with an abundance of fish
to be seen. If your budget doesn’t stretch to a dive course or diving just isn’t your thing then sign up for a snorkelling trip to Koh Rang for a glimpse of the underwater world.
Dive Sites
1. Wreck of the ‘Thonburi’.
The Thonburi was sunk by the French in 1941 in shallow waters close to the southeastern tip of Koh Chang. The wreck now serves as an artificial reef. A memorial at Hat Yuthanavy remembers those who died during the battle which was eventually won by the French navy.
2. Hin Luk Bat.
‘Hin’ is the thai word for stone – Hin Luk Bat is a very large rock pinnacle located 30 minutes boat journey south of Bangbao pier on Koh Chang. Due to it’s convenient location it is also one of the more popular dive sites. The pinnacle drops down to over 20 metres and an hour can easily be spent underwater circumnavigating the pinnacle at differing depths. You are almost certain to encounter large schools of fish, these range from barracuda and grouper to butterfly and angel fish.
3. Hin Rap
This site is a couple of kilometres further south of Hin Luk Bat. Another rock pinnacle where staghorn corals and an abundance of smaller reef fish are the main attractions. This isn’t an area for deep water diving as the southern side drops to a maximum of 16 metres.
4. Koh Wai
The main reason Koh Wai is included as a dive site is that this area offers the best chance of seeing reef sharks basking on the seabed. Leopard sharks have also been sighted here as have rays.
5. Koh Kra
This island of the north coast of Koh Rang provides a gently sloping reef upon which gardens of staghorn coral and the usual wide variety of lively reef fish are seen. The coral lies less than five metres form the surface making this a fun, shallow dive for anyone beginning their life as a scuba diver. Rays are also often seen on the seafloor.
6. Koh Rang
The small islands and rock pinnacles surrounding Koh Rang offer the best diving in the area. The depth of most dives in the Koh Rang area is between 10 and 15 meters. Well known dive sites in the Koh Rang area include:-
Koh Thian
A small island off the north east coast of Koh Rang. Although the coral reef isn’t as good as it once was – due to this locations popularity with snorkellers as well as divers – you can still enjoy some great underwater scenery and are guaranteed plenty of opportunities for underwater photography in the shallow waters surrounding the island.
Koh Yak
‘Yak’ means ‘giant’ in Thai, but giant is the one word that doesn’t come to mind when you first see this small rocky outcrop of an island. However, size isn’t everything and this is a great shallow dive – the sea floor lies under less than 10 metres of water around the island. A great variety of corals are found here as are many colourful anemones, and the clownfish that lurk within them. stingrays and moray eels can be found hiding under rocks and in cavities.
Hin Kaduang
These two rock pinnacles drop down to almost 30 metres making this one of the deepest dives in the area. Turtles are relatively common here and even reef sharks are occasionally seen. However, rather than keeping an eye out for rare creatures, divers should simply enjoy the wide variety of both hard and soft corals and profusion of marine life.