Explore Koh Tao

Koh Tao, located in the Chumphon Archipelago of Thailand, is a haven for divers seeking vibrant marine life and diverse underwater landscapes. This tropical paradise is renowned for its breathtaking coral gardens, intriguing shipwrecks, and dramatic drop-offs that offer an exciting diving experience for both novices and seasoned divers. The waters around the island teem with colorful tropical fish, elegant eels, and majestic pelagics like reef and leopard sharks, making every dive a unique encounter with the ocean's wonders.

One of the key attractions of Koh Tao is its accessibility and affordability, with numerous dive centers providing courses from beginner levels to advanced certifications. The island's calm, clear waters are ideal for newcomers to earn their open water certifications, while more challenging sites cater to advanced divers. Additionally, the island offers a vibrant community for aspiring dive professionals to begin their careers, with courses available for divemasters and instructors.

Most dive sites on Koh Tao are accessible by boat, with operators typically offering two-tank dive trips, allowing divers to explore the island's natural beauty above and below the surface. Liveaboards frequently include Koh Tao in their itineraries, providing divers the opportunity to explore the rich biodiversity of the Chumphon Archipelago. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced diver, Koh Tao promises an unforgettable underwater adventure with its rich marine ecosystems and stunning landscapes.

Places to explore

Courses and Events

Dive Activity

Diving in Koh Tao

Koh Tao is a renowned diving hotspot, offering a variety of unforgettable underwater experiences. Among the standout features are its spectacular wreck dives, specifically the HTMS Sattakut and MV Trident, which cater to advanced divers. These wrecks provide a thrilling glimpse into history beneath the waves. For those seeking vibrant marine life and topography, dive sites like Japanese Gardens and White Rock promise colorful reef diving, teeming with tropical fish and coral gardens.

Shore dives are less common on Koh Tao, with most sites accessible only by boat. Speedboats and larger diving vessels transport divers to numerous exciting locations around the island. Among these, Green Rock offers a maze of swim-throughs and caves for adventurous explorers. Additionally, Koh Tao is famous for its UV night diving, where the underwater world transforms into a glowing spectacle. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced diver, Koh Tao's diverse sites offer a perfect blend of adventure and natural beauty.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Koh Tao

The island is home to predominantly tropical species, thanks to its perfect geographical location in the Gulf of Thailand. A whole host of life thrives, from macro critters like nudibranch, shrimp and small crabs, to colorful reef fish, schooling fish, turtles and reef sharks. Hard and soft corals are also abundant, including various sponges, staghorn coral, table coral and mosaic and mushroom coral. Large gorgonians and swaying anemones compliment the exceptional flora and fauna that decorate the dive sites that are the epitome of beauty. Furthermore, whale sharks are frequent visitors, especially at Chumphon Pinnacle and Sail Rock. There are so many more creatures to name, like schools of barracuda, snapper, moray eels, scorpionfish, lionfish, anemonefish, damselfish, batfish, butterflyfish, lobster, gobies, wrasse and parrotfish. Everything you could expect from the best of tropical diving plus more can all be found around the diver’s paradise that is Koh Tao.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 27

Barracuda

21k Sightings
J
2.1k
F
1.8k
M
2.2k
A
1.9k
M
1.3k
J
1.2k
J
2.1k
A
2.3k
S
1.6k
O
1.6k
N
1k
D
1.7k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Moray Eel

13k Sightings
J
1.3k
F
1k
M
1.2k
A
974
M
762
J
729
J
1.4k
A
1.6k
S
1k
O
957
N
629
D
962

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 600

Wrasse

12k Sightings
J
1.3k
F
886
M
1.1k
A
960
M
753
J
731
J
1k
A
1.1k
S
901
O
848
N
816
D
1.1k

Whale Shark

5.2k Sightings
J
587
F
471
M
440
A
205
M
480
J
136
J
428
A
557
S
958
O
336
N
208
D
425

Green Turtle

4.8k Sightings
J
496
F
428
M
404
A
328
M
325
J
328
J
514
A
556
S
418
O
353
N
232
D
449

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Butterfly Fish

49k Sightings
J
4.6k
F
3.4k
M
4.1k
A
4k
M
3.1k
J
2.9k
J
5.4k
A
6k
S
4.3k
O
3.8k
N
3k
D
4.1k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Angelfish

42k Sightings
J
3.9k
F
2.8k
M
3.5k
A
3.4k
M
2.7k
J
2.6k
J
4.9k
A
5.4k
S
3.8k
O
3.3k
N
2.4k
D
3.1k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Grouper/Basslets

39k Sightings
J
3.4k
F
2.6k
M
3.4k
A
3.1k
M
2.4k
J
2.4k
J
4.7k
A
4.9k
S
3.7k
O
3.2k
N
2.2k
D
2.8k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

Parrotfish

38k Sightings
J
3.9k
F
2.8k
M
3.4k
A
3.2k
M
2.4k
J
2.3k
J
3.8k
A
4.2k
S
3.2k
O
3k
N
2.5k
D
3.5k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 8

Bannerfish

37k Sightings
J
3.8k
F
2.8k
M
3.4k
A
3.1k
M
2.5k
J
2.3k
J
3.6k
A
4.1k
S
3k
O
3k
N
2.4k
D
3.4k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Triggerfish

32k Sightings
J
2.9k
F
2.5k
M
3.3k
A
3.1k
M
2.2k
J
2k
J
3.3k
A
3.6k
S
2.6k
O
2.4k
N
1.8k
D
2.4k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

Stingrays

27k Sightings
J
2.4k
F
2.1k
M
2.3k
A
2.3k
M
1.8k
J
1.7k
J
3.1k
A
3.2k
S
2.1k
O
2.1k
N
1.5k
D
2k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 28

Clownfish

27k Sightings
J
2.5k
F
1.8k
M
2.3k
A
2k
M
1.7k
J
1.5k
J
2.9k
A
3.3k
S
2.4k
O
2.3k
N
1.7k
D
2.1k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Damselfish

16k Sightings
J
1.5k
F
1.1k
M
1.3k
A
1.2k
M
940
J
1k
J
1.7k
A
1.9k
S
1.5k
O
1.6k
N
1.1k
D
1.3k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Pufferfish

15k Sightings
J
1.5k
F
1.3k
M
1.6k
A
1.4k
M
960
J
824
J
1.5k
A
1.4k
S
1.1k
O
1.2k
N
873
D
1.2k

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Soldierfish

12k Sightings
J
967
F
721
M
1k
A
880
M
768
J
695
J
1.3k
A
1.4k
S
1.1k
O
1.2k
N
701
D
885

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

11k Sightings
J
1.1k
F
687
M
989
A
968
M
774
J
655
J
1.3k
A
1.4k
S
1.1k
O
945
N
662
D
935

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 110

Snapper

9.8k Sightings
J
898
F
671
M
940
A
976
M
643
J
605
J
1.1k
A
1.1k
S
773
O
822
N
505
D
768

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Squirrelfish

9.3k Sightings
J
713
F
592
M
810
A
728
M
594
J
489
J
1.1k
A
1.1k
S
856
O
994
N
600
D
683

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Goatfish

9k Sightings
J
729
F
517
M
820
A
912
M
532
J
513
J
1.1k
A
1.2k
S
813
O
873
N
455
D
615

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3000

Nudibranch

8.6k Sightings
J
814
F
549
M
745
A
723
M
553
J
594
J
996
A
1k
S
859
O
712
N
377
D
667

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

Emperor

8.5k Sightings
J
829
F
508
M
789
A
618
M
461
J
351
J
861
A
1.1k
S
692
O
851
N
634
D
841

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

Surgeonfish

5.9k Sightings
J
614
F
410
M
576
A
530
M
364
J
215
J
583
A
775
S
522
O
517
N
265
D
480

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Jackfish

5.7k Sightings
J
699
F
405
M
436
A
477
M
355
J
297
J
549
A
705
S
477
O
483
N
265
D
544

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

Boxfish

4.2k Sightings
J
272
F
144
M
170
A
139
M
158
J
304
J
640
A
902
S
633
O
462
N
150
D
208

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3400

Shrimp

4k Sightings
J
295
F
176
M
283
A
328
M
272
J
315
J
533
A
607
S
423
O
361
N
196
D
221

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 15

Tuna

3.9k Sightings
J
207
F
143
M
369
A
296
M
261
J
241
J
476
A
538
S
343
O
543
N
297
D
183

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 20

Porcupinefish

3.9k Sightings
J
381
F
294
M
535
A
441
M
222
J
176
J
362
A
323
S
258
O
340
N
234
D
323

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 15

Garfish

2.6k Sightings
J
239
F
137
M
279
A
157
M
127
J
123
J
306
A
426
S
264
O
274
N
141
D
102

The best Months to dive in Koh Tao

Koh Tao offers excellent diving conditions year-round due to its tropical climate. The island experiences three main seasons, each providing unique diving experiences. From February to May, during the hot and dry season, divers enjoy warm waters around 30°C/86°F and calm seas with good visibility. This period is ideal for spotting whale sharks. The hot and windy season, from May to October, brings slightly cooler waters at 29°C/84°F. Though some dive sites may become inaccessible due to big waves, visibility often reaches 30 meters, making it a favorable time for those seeking a cooling breeze. The wet season from October to February, despite occasional rain, still offers diving opportunities. Water temperatures can dip to 26°C/79°F, and visibility may vary, but marine life remains vibrant, with whale sharks still visible.

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