Khao Sok Diving

Best diving in Thailand? Lake diving? Huh?

Yes - this massive lake is a reservoir that was only completed in the 1980's. The scenery above the water is some of the most stunning and serene in all of Asia. Below the water the trees are still standing, the fish are just stating to populate and and the adventure is unbelievable.

Khao Sok National park is a massive reserve dominated by a 165 square KM lake surrounded by ancient rainforest. Incredible limestone towers stick out of the water with small tufts of jungle on their tops. These monstrous pillars dwarf your longtail boat as you cruise by.

Most people Come to the lake for trekking, wildlife spotting and staying in the famous floating rafthouses. However, it is under the lake that makes for some of the best diving in Thailand.

This remote jungle region of Thailand was undeveloped and in nearly pristine state when it was dammed over 25 years ago, creating the lake. the massive limestone towers and cliffs, the grottos and meandering jungle creeks are below the water line and it was these grottos that really make this tour.

After seeing the other highlights of Thailand - the Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, Koh Lipe....lake diving is a wonderful adventure. Freshwater, and a bit green too - but warm like you would expect. Diving from longtails rather than speedboats and only in small groups.

In fact you may be the only divers you will see in a week of diving! The area is gaining popularity and there is such a vast area to explore that you may be the first to have ever dived the site!

Often the green is limited to the first few meters of the dive - and then visibility increases. The diving is like floating in a fairy tale world - rock formations hanging down, vast limestone cliffs dropping away in to the depths, the tops of the jungle trees floating just below your finger tips.

Truly exciting is the opportunity to meet the local residents. Over the past 30 years, the catfish have grown and grown. Now some of them weigh hundreds of pounds and lurk in the tops of the trees. there is nothing quite like meeting these underwater!

The best Khao Sok diving tours spend 2 or 3 day on the lake (yes you sleep in rafthouses right above the dive sites) and depart from Khao Lak.