Koh Phi Phi

Located about a two hour boat ride from Ao Nang Krabi, Koh Phi Phi is made up of two islands – the bigger Koh Phi Phi Don and smaller Koh Phi Phi Ley. They are both world-renowned for their beauty. Stunning cliffs rising out of the seas create scenery not easily matched anywhere in the world. Fortunately for us divers, the same can be said for the beauty underneath the waters. For this reason, the Phi Phi Islands are our main dive destination.

Here we can find around 20 different dive sites. You can see sea turtles and blacktip reef sharks at various spots. Leopard sharks, though becoming more rare, are a special sight and still possible to see in some spots. The macro life is decent as well, boasting a variety of nudibranchs, shrimps, and an occasional seahorse. Colorful soft corals blanket many of the sites we visit here.

For the more experienced divers, there is the possibility to explore two wrecks located close by, the King Cruiser and Kred Gaeow. The Bida Islands are also not far. The Bida Islands are two world-class dive sites boasting sharks, turtles, abundant macro, colorful corals, and huge schools of fish. Most of the remaining sites are located right off the coast of either Koh Phi Phi Don or Koh Phi Phi Ley. The big islands offer protection, reducing the likelihood of much current and making the area perfect for beginner divers.

Dive trips to the Phi Phi Islands leave early morning and return late afternoon, and depart daily (weather permitting).

Shark Point (ASK Cluster)

In the open ocean, west of Koh Phi Phi Don and on the way to Phuket, are three excellent dive sites in a small cluster known as the ASK sites. Anemone Reef, Shark Point, and King Cruiser Wreck are each top-notch sites offering superb diving. Located roughly two hours from Ao Nang, the sheer quantity of sea life on display makes these sites one of the top highlights of scuba diving in Krabi.

Conditions can be challenging at times. As these sites are in the open ocean, lacking any protection from land, currents can be strong. Each of the sites runs as deep as 25-30 meters, but at Shark Point and Anemone Reef there are plenty of shallower areas to explore. King Cruiser Wreck, however, is a deep site that should only be reserved for Advanced Divers or divers with prior deep diving experience. If you are not yet qualified for deep diving, King Cruiser is a prime opportunity to complete your Advanced training. There are so many fish that it is truly like swimming in an aquarium. Shark Point, named for the possibility to see leopard sharks resting in the sand, has tons of life and perhaps the best, most colorful soft coral displays in the area. Anemone Reef, which as the name suggests is covered in anemones, is home to various unique kinds of moray eels, such as white-eyed and fimbriated morays.

On our trips to the ASK cluster, we always plan for three dives and try to go when the current is not strong. If you have the opportunity to dive these sites, you should absolutely take advantage. If you want to read more, check out this blog post for a detailed profile of each site.

Koh Haa

Koh Haa in Thai means five islands, and – you guessed it – there are a cluster of five islands with many excellent dive sites in this marine park. The Koh Haa sites are famous for great visibility. You can often get visibility of 25 meters or more in this area. These are the furthest sites we will travel to from Ao Nang. The trip by big dive boat is over three hours long each way.

Koh Haa Yai, or the Big Island, features a brilliant cavern/cathedral. There is also a chimney swim through at Koh Haa Nung (Island One). There is a shallow lagoon in front of Koh Haa Sam (Island 3) which is perfect for snorkelers and beginner divers.

There is a wide variety of life on display at each of the Koh Haa dive sites. Barracudas, giant moray eels, scorpionfish, and even stonefish, and the elusive ghost pipefish all reside here. You can sometimes see a hawksbill sea turtle munching on some soft corals. Take an occasional glance out into the blue for a chance to see a big pelagic species passing by. Lucky divers at Koh Haa have seen whale sharks, eagle rays, and even manta rays. Don’t forget about the macro life, either. Underwater photographers can have a field day with the variety of small creatures you can see here.

Because Koh Haa is such a long trip, we generally go only once every two weeks during the right time of year.