Explore Western Gulf Islands

Diving in the Western Gulf Islands of Thailand offers an exceptional experience for enthusiasts eager to explore vibrant marine ecosystems and diverse underwater landscapes. From the bustling reefs of Koh Tao to the sweeping underwater vistas of Koh Phangan, each island presents a unique diving opportunity. Koh Tao, with its dramatic rock pinnacles and colorful reefs, is teeming with marine life, including the occasional visit from whale sharks. These gentle giants often grace divers with their presence, particularly between March and April. The island's reefs are a kaleidoscope of life, ensuring every dive is a feast for the eyes.

Koh Phangan, another gem of the Chumphon Archipelago, is renowned for its stunning dive site, Sail Rock. This submerged pinnacle is a playground for divers, where encounters with batfish, macro critters, and even bull sharks are not uncommon. The clear, warm waters, typically between 28 and 30°C/82-86°F, provide excellent visibility of around 20 meters/65 feet, making it ideal for capturing stunning underwater photography. Whether you choose a shore dive or a boat excursion, the Western Gulf Islands promise an unforgettable diving adventure amidst Thailand’s enchanting seascapes.

Places to explore

Courses and Events

Dive Activity

Diving in Western Gulf Islands

The Western Gulf Islands offer a plethora of enticing dive sites, drawing enthusiasts with their mix of wreck and shore diving opportunities. Popular wreck dives include the HMCS Cape Breton, a former naval vessel now teeming with marine life, providing an immersive experience for divers. This site, along with others like the HMCS Saskatchewan, offers intriguing exploration opportunities beneath the waves. Shore dives in the region are equally captivating, with locations such as Henderson Point providing easy access to vibrant underwater ecosystems. Divers can often witness unique marine life behaviors, particularly during night dives when the underwater world transforms. The area caters to both shore diving and liveaboard options, striking a perfect balance for divers seeking varied experiences. Enthusiasts can enjoy the convenience of shore dives while still having the opportunity to explore more remote sites via liveaboard trips.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Western Gulf Islands

The Western Gulf Islands are a biodiverse hotspot, hosting a variety of marine life that attracts divers year-round. Common reef fish in this area include vibrant parrotfish, damselfish, and butterflyfish, which are frequently seen darting around the colorful coral formations. These species are abundant and can be seen on almost any dive, providing a lively backdrop for underwater exploration.

Seasonal highlights include encounters with larger marine species such as sharks, turtles, and rays. During the warmer months, divers may spot nurse sharks and eagle rays gliding gracefully through the water. Meanwhile, sea turtles, including the endangered green turtle, are more commonly seen during nesting season along the seagrass beds. The likelihood of encountering these majestic creatures increases near protected areas and during specific times of the year when migratory patterns align.

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

26k Sightings
J
2.5k
F
2.1k
M
2.6k
A
2.3k
M
1.7k
J
1.6k
J
2.8k
A
3k
S
2.1k
O
1.9k
N
1.2k
D
1.9k

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

Total number of species: 200

Moray Eel

14k Sightings
J
1.5k
F
1.1k
M
1.3k
A
1.1k
M
868
J
792
J
1.6k
A
1.8k
S
1.1k
O
1.1k
N
699
D
1k

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
902
M
1.2k
A
1k
M
796
J
780
J
1.1k
A
1.2k
S
946
O
882
N
854
D
1.1k

Whale Shark

6.4k Sightings
J
653
F
521
M
471
A
294
M
583
J
230
J
550
A
827
S
1k
O
454
N
249
D
542

Green Turtle

5k Sightings
J
498
F
429
M
411
A
347
M
349
J
338
J
524
A
600
S
434
O
356
N
232
D
452

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

Total number of species: 130

Butterfly Fish

52k Sightings
J
4.9k
F
3.6k
M
4.4k
A
4.5k
M
3.3k
J
3.2k
J
5.9k
A
6.4k
S
4.5k
O
4k
N
3.1k
D
4.3k

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

Total number of species: 90

Angelfish

45k Sightings
J
4.1k
F
2.9k
M
3.8k
A
3.8k
M
3k
J
2.9k
J
5.4k
A
5.9k
S
4.1k
O
3.5k
N
2.5k
D
3.3k

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

Total number of species: 250

Grouper/Basslets

43k Sightings
J
3.8k
F
2.8k
M
3.8k
A
3.5k
M
2.7k
J
2.7k
J
5.3k
A
5.5k
S
4.1k
O
3.5k
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: 100

Parrotfish

41k Sightings
J
4.1k
F
2.9k
M
3.6k
A
3.5k
M
2.6k
J
2.6k
J
4.2k
A
4.7k
S
3.4k
O
3.2k
N
2.6k
D
3.7k

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

Total number of species: 8

Bannerfish

40k Sightings
J
4k
F
2.9k
M
3.5k
A
3.4k
M
2.7k
J
2.5k
J
4k
A
4.5k
S
3.2k
O
3.1k
N
2.5k
D
3.6k

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

Total number of species: 40

Triggerfish

34k Sightings
J
3.1k
F
2.5k
M
3.5k
A
3.4k
M
2.3k
J
2.2k
J
3.6k
A
3.8k
S
2.7k
O
2.5k
N
1.9k
D
2.5k

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

Total number of species: 28

Clownfish

29k Sightings
J
2.7k
F
1.9k
M
2.6k
A
2.3k
M
1.9k
J
1.7k
J
3.3k
A
3.6k
S
2.6k
O
2.5k
N
1.8k
D
2.3k

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
1.9k
J
1.8k
J
3.2k
A
3.3k
S
2.2k
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: 350

Damselfish

17k Sightings
J
1.5k
F
1.2k
M
1.4k
A
1.3k
M
994
J
1.1k
J
1.8k
A
2k
S
1.5k
O
1.7k
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
1.6k
F
1.3k
M
1.6k
A
1.4k
M
997
J
879
J
1.6k
A
1.5k
S
1.1k
O
1.2k
N
896
D
1.2k

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

13k Sightings
J
1.2k
F
751
M
1.1k
A
1.1k
M
877
J
760
J
1.5k
A
1.6k
S
1.2k
O
1k
N
740
D
1k

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
1k
F
737
M
1.1k
A
941
M
828
J
761
J
1.4k
A
1.5k
S
1.2k
O
1.3k
N
732
D
917

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

Total number of species: 110

Snapper

11k Sightings
J
979
F
714
M
1.1k
A
1.1k
M
748
J
711
J
1.2k
A
1.3k
S
872
O
895
N
553
D
836

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

Total number of species: 60

Squirrelfish

9.8k Sightings
J
770
F
615
M
871
A
794
M
632
J
525
J
1.1k
A
1.2k
S
900
O
1k
N
613
D
713

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

Total number of species: 90

Goatfish

9.6k Sightings
J
764
F
528
M
884
A
989
M
580
J
575
J
1.2k
A
1.3k
S
861
O
900
N
478
D
648

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

Total number of species: 3000

Nudibranch

9.1k Sightings
J
834
F
557
M
779
A
772
M
598
J
626
J
1.1k
A
1.1k
S
921
O
750
N
404
D
684

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

Total number of species: 80

Emperor

8.8k Sightings
J
847
F
521
M
824
A
660
M
488
J
385
J
902
A
1.1k
S
724
O
882
N
637
D
854

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

Total number of species: 40

Jackfish

7.8k Sightings
J
886
F
489
M
594
A
652
M
503
J
484
J
873
A
1k
S
665
O
618
N
331
D
694

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

Total number of species: 85

Surgeonfish

6.7k Sightings
J
660
F
442
M
626
A
628
M
453
J
290
J
711
A
860
S
603
O
584
N
326
D
522

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

Total number of species: 25

Boxfish

4.8k Sightings
J
297
F
142
M
177
A
151
M
206
J
361
J
790
A
1k
S
703
O
531
N
185
D
242

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

Total number of species: 3400

Shrimp

4.5k Sightings
J
329
F
196
M
317
A
365
M
296
J
337
J
595
A
675
S
488
O
396
N
238
D
222

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

Total number of species: 15

Tuna

4.3k Sightings
J
249
F
185
M
401
A
343
M
284
J
264
J
531
A
570
S
382
O
592
N
310
D
203

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
382
F
281
M
547
A
462
M
226
J
177
J
362
A
335
S
258
O
353
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: 7000

Crab

2.8k Sightings
J
193
F
204
M
183
A
240
M
205
J
209
J
364
A
370
S
260
O
193
N
191
D
167

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

Total number of species: 15

Garfish

2.7k Sightings
J
260
F
125
M
282
A
174
M
146
J
137
J
346
A
448
S
277
O
287
N
145
D
114

The best Months to dive in Western Gulf Islands

The Western Gulf Islands offer diverse diving conditions throughout the year, making them a popular destination for divers. Seasonal water temperatures vary from 8°C–15°C/46°F–59°F, with summer months generally providing warmer conditions. Visibility is typically moderate, ranging from 10 to 20 meters/33 to 66 feet, though it can be affected by plankton blooms in spring, reducing clarity temporarily.

Weather conditions, including wind and ocean currents, play a significant role in diving conditions. The period from late autumn to early spring can bring stronger winds and currents, making some dive sites less accessible. However, diving is possible year-round, with late summer and early autumn being the most favorable periods due to calmer seas and clearer waters. Divers should plan accordingly and be prepared for variable conditions.

Dive Centers

Dive Sites