These
sites are South of Phuket and Koh Phi Phi - so are quite popular. As
there are few other deeper sites in the neighborhood these sites can be
crowded - especially when the day boats from Phi Phi show up. But these
are good options If you can not reach the Similan Islands.
Hin Daeng
Some
40 nautical miles South of the Phi Phi Islands lies one of the
better dive sites in Thailand. Just breaking the surface, Hin Daeng is
a large dive site with depths down to well below normal recreational
limits. The Southwest side drops to over 60m, creating a steep wall of
soft corals - leopard sharks can be seen in this area, and keep an
eye out for that rare Manta. The East side has soft
coral growth and two ridges that slope gently into deeper water.
Pelagic fish such as jacks hang out close to the rock. In shallower
areas moray eels are commonly found hiding in cracks in the rock face.
Hin Daeng is also good for critters such as nudibranchs, cowrie shells
and various species of shrimps.
Hin Muang
Hin
Muang - a long rocky ridge just a few hundred meters from Hin
Daeng with it's top at a depth of 8-9m and it's bottom at 60-70m. It is
actually connected to Hin Daeng, but the depth prohibits a dive between
the two. Currents can sweep quite strongly over the ridge, but you can
stay on the sheltered side. Some of the surface of Hin Muang is covered
in purple soft corals and anemones and swarms of tiny silversides are
prey for predators such as jacks and trevallies.
Leopard sharks are occasionally seen here. Hin Muang is a nice sight with it's colorful corals and steep walls.
Note:
In early 2007, Hin Muang was affected by a plankton bloom which killed large areas of soft corals.
Koh Ha
Koh Ha lies between Phi Phi and Hin Daeng, close to Koh Lanta. There
are 5 small islands (Ha is Thai for five) with several dive
possibilities. The best is on Koh Ha Yai where you find two large
caverns with their entrance at 10-14m depth. A dive is best started on
the reef to the West of the caverns, where there are some nice coral
heads and fields of sea whips down to a depth of 20-25m. The caverns,
though are the highlight. You can surface inside and see large
stalactites hanging over your head. The light coming into the caverns
makes for some beautiful photographs. At
the back of the East cavern is a small hole leading to a tunnel some
25m long, ending in a chamber. This should only be attempted by divers
with appropriate training and equipment.
Of course this is all just our opinion!
