Diving in Thailand - Koh Samui

Koh Samui is Thailand’s third largest island. It is still covered with coconut trees, jungle and rugged rocks of granite sloping into the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Siam. Samui measures 21km in its length and is 25km wide.

Nowadays Koh Samui is a preferred destination for divers who are looking for an up-market western infrastructure in the Gulf of when compared to what is available on Koh Tao the main diving destination in this area.
5 Star resort and luxury villa accommodation is easily found on all parts of the island. Four international hospitals are available as well as a golf course, plenty of Spa treatments from traditional Thai massages to healing fast and hot stone therapies. Many restaurants employ international high class chefs and the variety of international cuisine is enormous with no doubt –delicious. All the major fast food chains will be found as well.

Diving from Samui is varied, mainly boat diving and virtually possible all year round. The journey to the dive sides differs between 45 mins (Speedboat to Sail Rock) and 3.5 hrs (slower displacement boats/tourboat) depending on the destination and boat type, which means Speed- or Tourboat.

Depths range from shallow reefs between 10-18m and deeper Pinnacles down to 40m. However most of the dives are not conducted deeper than 30m and depending on diver’s experience.

The majority of dive trips offer two or three dives which are more or less daytrips due to the destination and travel time.

One of the undoubtedly most famous dive sites in the Koh Samui Archipelago is

SAIL ROCK located 45 km north of Samui midway betwee
Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. This rock pinnacle is, shaped like an ice-berg emerges from 40m to 15 m above the oceans surface. Sail Rock provides large schools of pelagic’s steep walls, rock formation covered with corals and an awesome “chimney”, a swimthrough located on its northwest side. The chimney starts at 18m down and exits at 6m where the natural light penetrating the top makes it fantastically picturesque. At its exit on the top you will find yourself surrounded by magnificent carpets of colourful anemones full of vibrant anemone fish. At 12m you will spot a hole that opens up. -“The window” is another opportunity to exit the chimney into the open water.

Apart from the big schools of fishes you see here all year round you have a good chance to spot whale sharks or manta rays passing by on their feed in season.