...Highlights: whale sharks, turtles, schooling fish/big pelagics, non diving activities...
...Diving environment: beginner divers, very popular...
One of Thailand's best loved islands, Samui's charms are evident as soon as you arrive at its award-winning thatch-roofed airport. When you stay on the island you will not only enjoy the excellent beaches and wonderful nightlife, but you will also have access to the best scuba diving in this part of Thailand. Koh Samui diving offers a convenient base for exploring the Gulf of Thailand's top sites by day trip boat, including the famous Sail Rock and sites around Koh Tao.
The dive sites accessed from Samui Island include Sail Rock and are characterised by submerged pinnacles, large rocky seamounts, colourful corals and reefs with plenty of marine life. Diving in Koh Samui also offers good chances to see whale sharks. Because the Gulf of Thailand is a large sheltered bay, the seas tend to be calm and provide excellent conditions for diving throughout the year. A Koh Samui dive trip can be as relaxed or as adventurous as you want it to be.
With some excellent hotels and resorts, great beaches, the spectacular Ang Thong National Marine Park, and a mix of nightlife and quiet retreats, Koh Samui scuba diving caters to all sorts of tourists including young independent travellers, families and couples seeking a romantic beach break. When Phuket and the Andaman Sea west coast are in low season, many consider diving at Koh Samui the perfect destination for sun, sand, sea and scuba.
Dive Site Descriptions
Ang Thong Pinnacle
Located within the Ang Thong National Marine Park, this submerged pinnacle rises from 30 metres to within 8 metres of the surface. The pinnacle is covered in colourful soft corals, sea fans, and barrel sponges. Schools of snapper and fusilier circle the rock. Barracuda and trevally patrol the deeper sections. Reef sharks occasionally pass through. The site is exposed to current, making it a drift dive. Suitable for intermediate to advanced divers.
Sail Rock
This is a 30m tall granite pinnacle half way between Koh Phangan and Koh Samui and is thought of as the best dive site in the Gulf of Thailand. There are no other rocks nearby so it acts as a congregation point for all fish in the surrounding area. A Samui dive here is a real highlight because whale sharks are commonly sighted. Whether you are on the surface or below, you will be amazed at how long these sharks stay around seemingly enjoying the presence of divers.
On a sunny day when the light filters down into the aquamarine waters, the granite boulder looks spectacular. Schools of trevallies roam all over Sail Rock and energetically hunt the smaller fish that bunch together for protection from these darting raids. There are several more rocks a little deeper that can be seen from the main pinnacle and these are home to reef sharks.
In terms of topography, 'The Chimney' will probably stay long in your memory. You can enter the rock through a hole at around 20 metres and exit either at 15 metres or 10 metres having checked out the masses of glassfish, boxer shrimps, moray eels and other inhabitants of the chimney which makes a lovely swim-through. Current can be moderate to strong so Sail Rock is mostly suitable for intermediate divers.
Koh Tae Nai
A small island off the southwest coast of Koh Samui. The surrounding reef slopes gently from 5 metres to 18 metres. Hard corals dominate, with some soft coral patches. This is a reliable Samui dive site for turtles, blue-spotted stingrays, and moray eels. Schools of snapper and fusilier are common. The site is sheltered and suitable for beginners. A good option for a third dive or for refresher dives.
Koh Tae Nok
Located next to Koh Tae Nai, this site features a similar sloping reef profile with scattered boulders. The boulder formations create small swim-throughs and overhangs. Look for octopus, cuttlefish, and juvenile reef fish hiding among the coral branches. This is a good site for macro photography. Nudibranchs, shrimp, and small crabs are common. Suitable for beginners and intermediate divers.
Koh Wao
(a.k.a Dragon Island) - Resembling a sleeping dragon, this island features a shallow bay full of submerged boulders and teems with marine life. The water here is usually calm, with currents absent or mild, so it is a dive in Koh Samui suitable for all levels. There is a healthy number of hard coral species and anemones. Check in and around the sandy floor at the base of the boulders at a maximum of around 20m for sting rays. Schools of fish commonly sighted include snappers and fusiliers, as well as barracuda and trevallies.
The boulder formations create small swim-throughs and overhangs. Moray eels peer from crevices. Octopus and cuttlefish are common. The site works well as a night dive. Suitable for beginners and intermediate divers.
Koh Yippon
This is one of Koh Samui's most popular dive sites and found in a sheltered location in the north of the Angthong Marine Park. With a maximum depth of 18m, this mostly shallow site is great for both scuba divers and snorkelers with plenty of soft corals, barrel sponges and anemones easily visible from the surface. In deeper sections you can spot large snappers, blue-spotted sting rays, schools of fusiliers, and yellow-tailed barracuda.
The site is sheltered from prevailing winds, making it a reliable option when other sites are choppy. Hard coral cover is healthy, with table corals, staghorn thickets, and porites heads. This is a good site for beginners or for a relaxed second dive of the day.
How to Dive Samui
These dive sites can be visited by high speed daytrip boats from Koh Samui Island. The catamaran departs every morning, normally in small groups. You will normally return in time to return to your resort and relax for the late afternoon. For more information on these great options, and all the other travel information you might need to visit Samui and the Gulf of Thailand, read our Koh Samui day trips section. You can book these dive daytrips separately, or combine them with an accommodation package in one of our recommended Koh Samui resorts.
FIND YOUR DAY TRIP
Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow
The dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand can be enjoyed throughout the year. However the peak season, which sees the optimum conditions, runs from March to September, with underwater visibility reaching up to 30-35m at its best. There may be a reduction in visibility during the October to November period when monsoon winds and swells can be present. However these are rarely sufficient to interfere with diving trips, except for maybe making boat journeys a little bumpier.
If you are planning a dive trip between November and February, Koh Samui is not the best bet since rain and wind, brought by the northeast monsoon, can visit the Gulf, causing waves and a drop in visibility to 10m. Visit the Weather and Climate website for more details on the climate of Samui.
Water temperature ranges between 27°C and 30°C, with the coolest water in the months of October and December. The coolest time of the year however, is also the best chance to see sharks in the area as they prefer colder waters.
Whale sharks mainly visit the area in March and April, and again in September and October.
Where is Samui Island and How Do I Get There?
Review our maps below of Koh Samui and its host country Thailand. Here, you will find information on how to get to there.
Reef Summary
Depth
5 - 40m
Visibility
5 - 25m
Currents
Can be strong
Surface conditions
Calm to choppy
Water temperature
27 - 30°C
Experience level
Beginner - advanced
Number of dive sites
~6, but >20 including Koh Tao
Recommended length of stay
5 days
DIVE THE WORLD
TESTIMONIAL
Rachael Haywood
UK
I was travelling when I booked this holiday so my email was sporadic. Thanks to Dive The World that I managed to book it!
