shark island - kong sai daeng

Name divesite: Shark Island
Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 28m (93ft))
Visibility: 10-20m (32-196ft)
Accessibility: Boat, Speedboat
Time to visit: April - September

Possibly Koh Tao's most varied site, Shark Island is a small uninhabited island just to the southeast of Koh Tao.

It consists of two main rocks that are separated by a narrow channel which gives the island the look of a shark swimming on the surface, hence the name.

To the north, the rock walls drop down to 18-20m (60-67ft) and you'll find plenty of snappers, emperors and banner fish swimming around in large numbers.

White-Eyed Moral Eels, Bluespotted Fantail Rays, Porcupine and Pufferfish, and an enormous variety of reef fish is guaranteed in the beautiful shallow coral garden, while the fortunate may also see Whale Sharks, Leopard Sharks, Reef Sharks and other pelagics on the deeper side. Titan Triggerfish add an element of excitement to each dive, and divers often spot Turtles and Sea Snakes.

If the current is right, you'll be carried around to the south where the coral garden starts and you'll find superb purple soft corals that look like cauliflower heads covering huge exposed areas of the rocks. If you continue down deeper the site leads you down over several smaller pinnacles where you may be lucky to see whale sharks during the season.

On the west side of the island the depth is a pretty constant 5-7m (15-23ft) and is the best area for snorkelling and doing your safety stop after circumnavigating the island. Look out for pipefish and nudibranchs that graze on algae in the shallow depths. It is known for having the greatest diversity of marine life on Koh Tao.