Diving Around Koh Tao

[Richb2004v2]

We went to Koh Toa and Samui last week. It was our first visit and we drove there from Rayong.

It rained just about the whole drive and a lot of the time we were on the islands. I’d say that it was the most consistently poor weather I have experienced in Thailand.

This may partly explain our disappointing dive at Koh Toa. We are quite inexperienced divers and have little to compare but we were both very surprised with what we saw. The visibility was poor and the diversity of fish was not anything like that we saw at Koh Chang. However the worse thing was the seemingly terrible condition of the coral and plant life. So much of it seemed to be dead. When I mentioned our disappointment to the dive organizers I had little response. I thought that they may have defended the dive, but they seemed resigned to what I said being correct. If they had told me the visibility was poor due to the weather I would have accepted it, but they never. They never even suggested trying another dive location; they just more or less shrugged their shoulders.

We could be completely wrong in our judgment. Could any more experienced divers tell me what they think? Was the weather likely to be responsible and are there some truly good dives to be had around Koh Toa?

On a positive note we really enjoyed both islands and had a great time.

[jetjock]

I have not been diving in Koh Tao yet so am also interested in the responses to your post. Do You remember the names of the dive spots where you dived ? Here is a link that gives you reviews on some of the dive spots in Koh Tao http://www.divesitedirectory.co.uk/dive_si..._sail_rock.html

[Richb2004v2]

I have not been diving in Koh Tao yet so am also interested in the responses to your post. Do You remember the names of the dive spots where you dived ? Here is a link that gives you reviews on some of the dive spots in Koh Tao http://www.divesitedirectory.co.uk/dive_si..._sail_rock.html

Thats a good site. Thanks for the link.

We only did one dive at 'The Japanese Garden'. Had the organizers tried to sell another dive location with some enthusiasm we might have tried another, but they made no effort to describe a better spot. This was apparently the best location on that particular day. Actually the day after our dive had atrocious weather, so we would not have dived anyway.

Maybe I will go back some time. The pictures and descriptions on your link are very impressive.

[kiakaha]

I've dived Mango bay, White Rock, Twins, Chumpon Pinnacle and Sail Rock.

Funnily enough the reasonably shallow beach dive from Mango Bay was the best of the lot in terms of viz and sea life !

Try the Maldives or Similans in season.

[tijnebijn]

I've dived Mango bay, White Rock, Twins, Chumpon Pinnacle and Sail Rock.

Funnily enough the reasonably shallow beach dive from Mango Bay was the best of the lot in terms of viz and sea life !

Try the Maldives or Similans in season.

Bali has some very nice , one of the best diving sites . Love the place . More difficult to reach , but if you could try Sulawesi .

This is all in Indonesia , I have traveled there around for a year and diving is the best in Asia .

[davidjtayler]

Don't judge all the diving around Koh Tao on just one dive site particularly when the conditions were not so good on the dive in question.

Koh Tao has much nicer dive sites to offer than Japanese gardens such as Sailrock, Chumpon pinnacles, South west pinnacles, Shark island, Green rock, Twins and White rock just to name a few.

I would suggest a return visit when the conditions are better and try to see a few more dive sites and then you will hopefully get a better picture.

As for the best diving in Thailand then as has already been mentioned the Similan and Surin islands off the west coast of Thailand offers the cream of the crop and best to get yourself on a liveaboard trip anytime between November and May (March and April the premier months) to experience some fantastic Thai diving.

[H2oDunc]

Funny how nobody ever mentions the excellent diving in Chumphon?????? Having spent 2 years dragging people round twins,japenese and mango when the weather is bad I can honestly say Chumphon beats Tao any day. Yes Chumphon pinnacle, south west are good when the viz is good but when it is good then you mostly see other divers. Here in Chumphon you get good coral, big fish, the last time we had 4 turtles and thats average. and the best thing is no other diviers. Also diving here is a lot more laid back. You dont tend to have to be back on the boat after 35-40 minutes either. No its not the similans but for this side one of the best places to dive. It doesn't have the nightlife like Tao so maybe thats it. Even so if your on route to Tao its worth a look. Enjoy

[H2oDunc]

Andy yes there are a couple of places offering padi open water course. PM me and Ill give you the details. Enjoy

[stevenl]

Koh Tao is known for cheap open water courses, not for the quality of the diving.

There are some nice divesites though, but IMO the only sites that are more or less comparable to the diving in the Andaman Sea (not even to mention sites like Similans, Hin Daeng. Hin Muang etc.) are Chumpon Pinnacle and Sail Rock, the rest is at best mediocre. Still you can have some very enjoyable diving there, just remember that the people that rave about Koh Tao are fresh open water students, that have no experience elsewhere.

I like the island, but that is again a different discussion.

[britmaveric]

Koh Chang far superior to Koh Tao. Only dived Koh Tao a few times over the years, but was rather unimpressed.

[khun_j]

think you just had bad luck - i had one of my best dives at sail rock in aug a couple of years ago.

mango bay was average (at most)...but it really depends on the weather. i had a really good dive on koh mak over new year - friends of mine did the same dive three days after me and it was everything else than good (no sight, windy...)

best regs

j.

[Asawin]

As a permanaent resident of Koh Tao for the last few years, I can honestly say that the reason Koh Tao is so popular is not only the very convenient and reasonably good diving, but the whole island holiday feel as well. There are definately better places to dive, but there are for sure worse as well. I suggest to any person that going to one place only once will not give you most informed impression of it. Doing 1 dive on KT is not nearly enough to make a generalisation about diving here.

I have done thousands of dives around Thailand and the world, and some of the best have been on KT.

Try coming to KT when the weather is good and visibility is great, it is whole different place then. I am sure that this can be said for anyplace in the world.

[Etrigan]

Koh Tao has some great dive sites and specific attractions. Chumporn Pinnacles and South West Pinnacles are fantastic, with regular sitings of grey reef sharks and large rock groupers. Sail Rock, away from the chimney heading west has some interesting formations. Green Rock is home to the aggressive Titan Triggerfish and it's worth diving there just to test your mettle - though Trevor died years ago. Granted, low viz in the Gulf really sucks, but generally speaking, Tao offers some memorable diving.

I'd also add after 10 years of diving around Tao island, you really ought to dive from a liveaboard to beat the crowds or even just to get away from them. I agree with Asawin, it deserves more than just one shot.

[ashacat]

Koh Chang far superior to Koh Tao.

Really?! I have lived on both Tao and Chang (teaching diving) and I'm not sure if I would agree with this. Why do you reckon Chang is "far superior"?

I'm not having a dig I am just curious. I enjoy diving both places.

[Berty]

I remember Trevor the trigger fish, nipped my fins a few times.

I used to Dive off Koh Tao around 1993, was nice then, guess it's changed a lot now though.

Got to see a Whale Shark of Chumporn Pinacle once, that was my high light and got bored of seeing little fishes after that.

Always enjoyed the swin throughs off Nany Yuan or whatever it's called, and the are some cool shallow caves on Mango bay.

[britmaveric]

Koh Chang far superior to Koh Tao.

Really?! I have lived on both Tao and Chang (teaching diving) and I'm not sure if I would agree with this. Why do you reckon Chang is "far superior"?

I'm not having a dig I am just curious. I enjoy diving both places.

Course this could be pure luck, but every time I've dived Koh Chang - great visibility and heaps of fish around. Never been that lucky at Tao.