After years of sailing the waters of the Gulf of Thailand aboard our two boats, our team knows Koh Tao’s seabed inside and out. Whether you are a beginner fresh from your first try dive or an experienced diver in search of thrills, Koh Tao has something extraordinary to offer. Here is our selection of the 7 best dive sites around the island — the ones we bring our divers to with pride every week.
## 1 Sail Rock (Hin Bai)
The best dive site in the Gulf of Thailand – All levels 5–40 m ~2h from Koh Tao
Sail Rock is a legend. This granite pinnacle rises above the surface like an iceberg, visible from afar. Underwater, it is another world: the famous vertical chimney — a natural tunnel through the rock with three entrances between 5 and 19 metres — is a one-of-a-kind experience that divers never forget.
Barracudas, wahoos, giant moray eels, stingrays… and if you are lucky, a whale shark. The best time to see them is between January and May.
💡 Sail Rock is accessible from our two daily departures:
— From Koh Phangan,
— From Koh Tao,
## 2 Samran Pinnacle
Our best-kept secret – Open Water + 9–28 m ~1h
Located between Sail Rock and Koh Tao, Samran Pinnacle is one of the least visited sites in the region — and that is precisely what makes it so special. We are one of the very few centres to visit it regularly, particularly on our Ultimate 3S excursion (Southwest / Samran / Sail Rock).
A large rock starting at 9 metres depth, surrounded by schools of barracudas, fusiliers, and trevallies. A wilder, more intimate dive, far from the crowds.
## 3 Chumphon Pinnacle
The jewel of Koh TaoOpen Water + 14–36 m ~40 min
If you can only do one dive in Koh Tao, do it here. Chumphon Pinnacle is, by most accounts, the best site on the island. A massive granite pinnacle whose summits are entirely covered in colourful anemones, alive with pink anemonefish playing hide and seek. As you descend, swirling schools of barracudas, trevallies, and fusiliers surround you from every direction.
This is also the number one site for whale shark sightings — our personal record: two whale sharks on the same dive. Visibility can exceed 20 metres on a good day.
## 4 Southwest Pinnacle
Diversity in its purest form – Open Water + 6–30 m ~25 min
Southwest Pinnacle is a series of rocky peaks rising from the sand, covered in sea fans, gorgonians, and magnificent anemone gardens in the shallower sections. Further down, barrel sponges and black corals dominate the scenery.
This is one of our favourite sites for spotting giant groupers, barracudas, and — on rare occasions — leopard sharks resting on the sandy bottom. A night dive at Southwest is also a truly magical experience.
## 5 White Rock
The all-occasions dive site – All levels 5–28 m ~15 min
White Rock is one of the most versatile sites around Koh Tao. By day, you encounter stingrays, octopuses, clownfish, and an incredible variety of macro life. However, it is at night that White Rock truly reveals its character: bioluminescent squid, hunting octopuses, red-eyed shrimp… A spectacle we love sharing on our night dives.
## 6 HTMS Sattakut
The historic wreck – Open Water + 18–30 m ~20 min
Into wreck diving? The HTMS Sattakut is made for you. This 48-metre American landing craft from World War II was deliberately sunk in 2011 to create an artificial reef. Today, it is covered in corals and inhabited by abundant marine life: lionfish, moray eels, barracudas, schools of fusiliers…
In addition, the HTMS Suphairin and HTMS Hanhaksattru — two Thai military vessels sunk in September 2023 — are now accessible and offer fascinating dives for wreck enthusiasts.
## 7 Japanese Garden
A paradise for beginners – Beginners 2–14 m ~10 min
Japanese Garden is the ideal site for first dives and try dives. The water is calm and shallow, yet marine life is surprisingly rich: sea turtles, boxfish, pufferfish, parrotfish… The coral garden is a spectacular display of colours that never fails to impress beginners.
When is the best time to dive in Koh Tao?
The good news: you can dive in Koh Tao all year round. Water temperature stays around 29°C and can reach 32°C in May. Here is a quick seasonal guide:
January – August
September – October
November – December
Dive with The Divers Boat
At The Divers Boat, we operate two fully renovated traditional Thai fishing boats, dedicated to giving you the best possible diving experience in Koh Tao. Our English, French, and Spanish-speaking team accompanies you across all these sites with a human-scale approach: small groups, SSI-certified supervision, and a genuinely good atmosphere on board.