Lanta Island – A Diver’s Paradise
Krabi, Southern Thailand

Lanta Island – A Diver’s Paradise

Talk about diving in Thailand and chances are the first place that comes to mind is Koh Tao. It seems that even the un-initiated have heard of this island and its diving reputation. But how many have heard of Koh Lanta? A dive destination with the same crystal clear waters and warm temperature, but healthier coral gardens, a multitude of fish to see, and fewer crowds? If this sounds good to you, give some thought to Koh Lanta.

Koh Lanta is situated approximately 70 kilometers south of Krabi province, on the eastern side of Southern Thailand's Phang Nga Bay. It stretches for 27 kilometers in the north-south direction and is traversed by a mountain range that is still covered by virgin rain forest. Portions of the range reach heights of 500 meters. Crystal clear water & powdery white beaches dominate the west coast. Best of all, some of the most incredible diving to be found in the Andaman Sea is just a short boat ride away.

Diving around Koh Lanta is one of the nicest surprises in the south of Thailand. Year-round water temperatures of 28-30 degrees, visibility ranging from 15 – 40m, and incredible marine life combine to create a divers paradise. There is literally something for everyone – steep drop-offs, fascinating cave systems and swim-throughs to explore, colourful and vibrant coral gardens, exotic reef fish, a plethora of macro life to discover, and the exciting chance of a dive with a whale shark or a fleet of manta rays. What’s not to love?? Even snorkelers will find their heaven here; the clear waters and abundance of marine life at shallow depths makes it possible to lose yourself in a birds-eye view of swirling fish!

Dive trips from Koh Lanta take the form of a day trip – sort of a mini-cruise! Departures around 8am (7am for Hin Daeng/Muang or King Cruiser) from private piers in Saladan precede the serving of sumptuous breakfast spreads on board – think chocolate croissants, exotic fruit, fresh tea and coffee, along with other delights. The large comfortable dive boats leave you so many options on the trip out – sunbathing, napping – or simply chilling out to the relaxing music on board. Lunch is served during your one and a half hour surface interval - nothing like a good curry (not too spicy!) to get your energy levels back up for the afternoon dive! Virtually everything is taken care of for you – equipment setup, meals, insurance…the only thing you have to decide on is your destination. And you certainly have choices.

Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are considered among the worlds top 10 dive destinations, and they do warrant a visit – but don’t neglect Koh Lantas other wonderful sites! The Bida islands, Koh Haa, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, and the King Cruiser Wreck are all incredible experiences, each offering its own specific attractions.

Located about 50km south of Koh Lanta, Hin Daeng is the furthest away of the sites accessible from Lanta, but is arguably the most rewarding. It takes about 3 hours to reach the site, but once you do, you are rarely disappointed. The pinnacle of Hin Daeng breaks the surface of the water by a couple of metres, then gently slopes down to bottom out at depths greater than 60m. With steep walls and interconnecting rock shelves covered in gorgeous red and purple soft corals (hence the Thai name meaning ‘red rock’), you will be amazed by the sheer size of the site and the varying degrees of marine life. Giant moray eels poke their heads out of coral crevices, schools of huge tuna and barracuda circle the site, and batfish and trevally abound. Banded sea snakes glide gracefully through the water right alongside undulating octopi. Divers who look close are rewarded with rare nudibranches, boxer shrimp, pipe fish, and camouflaged scorpion fish. Hin Daeng also boasts one of the highest incidences of whale shark sightings worldwide.

Due to the fact that Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are lone coral outcrops in open water, more than 15km from the nearest island, they are a virtual haven for smaller reef fish as well as an incredible array of large and small forms of marine life seeking protection. This relative isolation, paradoxically, also renders these sites susceptible to weather conditions such as currents and waves….conditions which make Hin Daeng ideal feeding stations for larger creatures, yet less ideal for novice divers and snorkelers. While certainly rewarding, it is a site best reserved for divers who have accumulated some experience, and therefore have a higher level of comfort with stronger currents and greater depths.

A little closer to Lanta, about one and a half hours south of the boat piers in Saladan, lies the uninhabited island cluster known as Koh Haa, or Five Islands (though there are actually six islands). The clear waters and sheltered lagoon at Koh Haa make this dive site an unforgettable destination – a perfect day trip for mixed groups of divers and snorkelers! The five beautiful limestone islands are separated by deep water channels, known for their visibility and harbouring a vast array of healthy soft coral gardens, multicoloured reef fish, and bubble coral – aka lunch for the resident sea turtles!

The intricate system of swim-throughs and caverns is considered a highlight of diving at Koh Haa, in particular a cavern named ‘the Cathedral’. The best part of entering these caves is that you can surface inside the island to view stalactites hanging down from the ceiling, over 30 metres overhead. The quality of light filtering through the water from the entrance is gorgeous, particularly as it reflects off the sides of huge schools of tiny, silvery glassfish – magical.

The lagoon at Koh Haa, with its calm waters and sandy bottom, offers an ideal location for training dives and discovery dives. The gorgeous secluded crescent beach within this same lagoon acts as a sunbathing stop for snorkelers, and other divers can choose between six other dive sites within the island cluster - making Koh Haa a perfect day trip for mixed groups of experienced divers, beginners, students, and snorkelers! Depths range from 6m in the lagoon to 35m elsewhere, with an average diving depth of 20m. Visibility at these islands is consistently within the 20-25m range, allowing for some fantastic underwater vistas and great conditions for underwater photography enthusiasts!

Marine life at Koh Haa ranges from the tiny and intricate to vast schools of barracuda and Moorish idols. There have even been whale shark sightings within the deep passageway between the lagoon and Koh Haa 1 (islands are numbered). In every coral head lurks another surprise - butterfly fish, juvenile angelfish and damselfish, tiny porcelain crabs, fragile pipefish—don’t’ forget to look close! Yellow boxfish, porcupine puffer fish, and camouflaged scorpion fish can also be seen here, alongside beautifully striped lionfish with multitudes of long, feathery fins hovering close to the reef. Even the sandy bottom of the lagoon, dotted with sea stars, holds its secrets and treasures – snapping shrimp and goby partnerships flourish, intriguing goatfish hover motionless at the bottom, and strange little garden eels sway in the water. Fringing reefs, thriving coral gardens, and bizarre pinnacle formations provide a vibrant living mural against which all this fishy action is showcased!

Heading an hour and a half north from Koh Lanta, you arrive at the Bida islands - yet another underwater world to explore. Koh Bida Nok and Koh Bida Nai offer sheer wall dives, swim-throughs, and depths ranging from 3m to 25m. Visibility at the Bida islands generally stays within the range of 18-25m. Sightings of manta rays and whale sharks are not unheard of around these two islands. Between the two islands and close to several large underwater pinnacles, there is a sandy bottom where you can often find a leopard shark or two taking a nap. The leopard shark is perhaps the most docile of all sharks and can come within extremely close distances of divers - an unforgettable experience. These pinnacles are covered with anemones, and create a breathtaking playground for trigger fish, trumpet fish, turtles and of course the colourful little clownfish. Looking up through the clear waters, you will often see needlefish skipping along the surface. You can certainly expect beautiful diving here, with large gorgonian sea fans, lush soft corals in a wide array of colours, and possibly schools of baby black tip reef sharks at shallow depths. There is even a resident yellow seahorse who, conveniently and predictably, tends to hover in the same area…..any local Divemaster should be able to help you find him!

Finally, divers basing themselves in Lanta also have access to the King Cruiser Wreck, which sank on May 4 1997 after hitting Anemone Reef on a routine trip between Koh Phi Phi and Phuket. All 561 passengers on board at the time were safely and speedily rescued, and the catamaran-style ferry was completely submerged within the hour. The proximity of Anemone Reef, the King Cruiser Wreck, and another site named Shark Point allows for these three dives to be combined in one day trip from Koh Lanta.

A large variety of marine life has been quickly attracted to the wreck, and coral growth is slow but steady. Large schools of emperors, reef sharks, barracuda, and snappers are often seen circling the site, as it provides prime hunting grounds as well as protection for smaller fish! Within the wreck you can find lionfish and cleaner shrimp hiding out, though neither doing as good a job as the supremely camouflaged scorpion fish. Sitting upright on the seabed at 30m, the ferry remains in one piece, although some areas have suffered some damage. At 16m, the upper deck is split from front to back and this has obviously caused it to collapse; two funnels act as boundaries for parrotfish and wrasse as they go about their daily business on this artificial reef. You will also find some plastic tables and chairs being used as shelter from ensuing currents by a vertical cloud of snappers.

Anemone Reef, the unfortunate point of impact for the equally unfortunate King Cruiser, has recovered magnificently from the collision. Clusters of radiant soft corals and large gorgonian sea fans join the multitudes of pink, brown, and green sea anemones, which give the site its name, to create a vibrant and colourful home for an abundance of fish. The anemones also provide shelter for tiny anemone crabs, anemone shrimp, and certainly a variety of anemone fish, including the popular orange and white clownfish. Devil scorpion fish, banded sea snakes, and even the odd-looking Indian walker can often be spotted by those with a keen eye. Great numbers of lionfish are often sighted at Anemone Reef, as well. Depths range from 7 – 25m and average visibility is 20m.

At Shark Point, a kaleidoscope of corals and hordes of reef fish mingle with the practically inevitable leopard sharks on the sandy bottom – the namesakes of the site! The three underwater pinnacles complement the varied topography of reef plateaus, sand bars, and small passages which are a pleasure to explore. Rocks are carpeted in brightly coloured soft corals and anemones, providing food and shelter for smaller reef fish such as emperor angelfish as well as psychedelic nudibranches. Clouds of snapper and fusilier can be seen hunting around Shark Point and the occasional sighting of stingrays and seahorses deserve mention as well.

Diving in Koh Lanta is a definite treat and worthy of serious consideration when planning your next dive vacation! Getting to Lanta is easy…the nearest airports are Krabi and Phuket, and the island is served by direct road and boat connections from either. The car and passenger ferries to Lanta both run regularly during the high season (October to April). There are plenty of car and minivan taxi services to Lanta from Krabi town and Krabi airport alike, costing about 250 baht/person/seat.

Text by Laura Sanin
Photography by Blue Planet Divers
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