Diving Phi Phi Islands

Bida Nai

"Inner Father", as the Thai name means, lies 1 kilometre south of Phi Phi Leh. Like its larger neighbour, Bida Nok, Bida Nai is a limestone cliff islet with similar underwater terrain and, together with Bida Nok, is regarded as Phi Phi's best diving site.

Descent is often down a mooring line to 1 of 2 swim-throughs on the site. Without the help of your guide you would not even know that there is a gap in the rocks because it is completely filled by glassfish that make room for you as you fin through. Watch your buoyancy here as bearded scorpionfish are often seen camouflaged on the bottom. Look closely at the rock walls on the outer edge of the swim-through for seahorses and harlequin ghost pipefish, along with boxer shrimps, hinge-beak shrimps and innumerable nudibranchs.

Divers normally spend most of the dive on a coral outcrop called Fantasy Reef which is home to dozens of common lionfish that make their homes around the barrel sponges, sea whips and gorgonian sea fans. Schools of trevally and 5-finger jacks are constantly feeding on the balls of baitfish above the reef. To get to Fantasy Reef you must cross a large field of staghorn coral reef where it is normal to see sleeping leopard sharks. On your way back from look out for the blacktip reef sharks that patrol the sand at the outer edges of the reef. The blacktips are quite shy of divers and are most commonly spotted early in the morning.

As you work your way shallower at the end of the dive, look for sand holes under small coral heads - a tell tale sign that a bamboo shark has made a home there. Orange-lined, Indian and titan triggerfish are all around the shallow areas and it's not unusual to see a pair of cuttlefish performing one of their colourful dances.

On you safety stop look out for squid and the ever present crocodile long-toms, swimming just under the surface.

Bida Nai Reef Basics: Staghorn reef and wall diving
Depth: 5 - 30m
Visibility: 10 - 20m
Currents: Gentle
Surface conditions: Can be choppy
Water temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience level: Beginner - intermediate
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving season: All year round
Distance: ~45 km east of Phuket (3 hours), 30 km southwest of Krabi (2½ hours)
Access: Scuba day trips and liveaboards

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