SITES
DIVE SITES IN KOH CHANG
Diving in Koh Chang exceeds expectations. The HTMS Chang wreck site is possibly the best wreck dive in SE Asia (some have said it's their best dive ever!). Coral and fish species and populations are healthy and wide-ranging. The dive sites are not crowded, unlike other popular dive locales in Thailand. All together, this ensures an exciting and memorable dive experience for you and your family and friends.
Take a moment to browse through our local dive sites.
WRECK SITES
HTMS Chang is a highlight of Koh Chang waters, one of the best wreck dive sites in SE Asia. The ship is fully intact and the fish life is outstanding. It's not to be missed for any serious diver!
Background
The HTMS Chang was entered service as the USS Lincoln County 898 in 1944. Designed as a tank landing craft, it saw service in the Pacific in WWII and during the Korean War. In 1962 , the ship joined the Royal Thai Navy, renamed HTMS Chang. In 2012 the Chang was intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef. David from Koh Chang Divers participated in the project to sink the ship, and has a high level of expertise about the ship that resonates with our divers today.
The site
The 100m long ship sits facing North at 30m depth. The main deck is at 24 metres and the top of the tower at the stern at 7m. A standard dive involves a route around the entire ship and lasts about 35 minutes.
Requirements
Advanced Open Water (or equivalent) certified divers can dive the HTMS Chang at deck level. We also train AOW students at 30m on the site. Open Water-level divers can dive here, conditions permitting, maintaining shallower depths. The site is a haven for Wreck Speciality divers and Tech Divers. Snorkellers can see the tower and top of the wheelhouse of the ship when visibility is good.
Sealife
There are now very few places in the world where you will see so many fish in the same place, including large schools of Bigeye Trevally, Chevron Barracuda, Fusiliers, Batfish and other species of fish. Large Groupers, Snappers and Giant Barracuda are also regularly present. Occasionally, a Whaleshark joins the proceedings.
Sentiment
No diver comes away from the HTMS Chang without a great sense of wow. Many, including very experienced divers, claim that the HTMS Chang is the best dive they have ever done.
Level
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Advanced/Experienced/Challenging
More about the HTMS Chang
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In 1962 a 30 metre long Motor Patrol Gun Boat PGM - 64 was built in Tacoma WA and went into service in South Vietnam in September 1964. It’s history is then listed as unknown, but the Royal Thai Navy took possession of an identical vessel in the spring of 1965. A common occurrence during the Vietnam conflict.
Used for coastal patrol, it was eventually purposely sunk on 17th December 2013 near Koh Chang and now lies some 160 metres due North of Secret Reef and 200 metres East of Blueberry Hill at a depth of 16 metres.
The condition after sinking was excellent, the boat having ‘cleaned’ to remove any hazardous material and fittings for divers. A perfect site for Wreck Speciality training being able to traverse the whole length of the boat inside with plenty of easy exits on the way.
Sadly it did not remain that way and though there is a suggestion that there was an explosion. That was not the case. Not long after sinking one could see underneath both the stern and bow of the boat. The midship was on a harder bottom suggesting the water movement resulted in the boat breaking it’s ‘back’.
Having broken up it is worth a visit. There is a resident family of Clarkes Anemone fish nearby and there is always a chance of seeing sand rays or even a Jenkins Whipray near it. Sweetlips with the name 'Harry Hotlips' are often there. The dive is commonly used as a starting point for a navigation back to one of the two nearest reefs or a visit to another man made structure of hollow concrete cubes sunk a couple of decades ago to encourage coral growth in the area.
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Level: Moderate
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Snorkeling: Not a good site
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CORAL SITES
Hin Raab South is a highlight location with exceptional coral and fish life. It's a regular locale in our dive itinerary, one you do not want to miss in your Koh Chang dive experience.
The Site:
Hin Raab South is a small rocky island. The underwater topography is a steep wall that slopes gradually to a sandy bottom at around 12m. A typical dive here circles the entire island, maintains shallow depth and can easily last 60 minutes.
Sealife:
Hin Raab South features a multitude of outstanding hard and soft coral types, including staghorn coral, leather coral, whip coral, table coral, as well as vibrant barrel sponges, anemones, and other species. The fish population is abundant and diverse, including gropers, snapper, barracuda, and the odd Titan Triggerfish. Hawksbill turtles and various types of Nudibranche are common.
Requirements:
Open Water Diver or equivalent. Hin Raab South is also a regular location for training dives with our Discover Scuba Diver students. Snorkellers can enjoy one of the best locations in the Koh Chang area.
Level:
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Level: Easy/Moderate
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A highlight coral site of any dive experience in Koh Chang.
The Site:
When conditions are great and visibility high, Hin Luk Bat is perhaps Koh Chang's most spectacular dive. site. The island is a small rock pinnacle that is easily circled on a typical dive. It features walls that slope to 15 metres depth where they meet a flat sandy bottom. The site features a jumble of huge boulders that offer excellent canyons and swim throughs suitable for advanced divers. The site offers unique conditions at different levels, with a leveling up to the shallow top of the island. A typical dive here can easily last 60 minutes.
Sealife:
Surrounding the reef you will see some big schools of small Yellowtail Barracuda, Fusiliers, Snappers, Trevally, as well as smaller groups or solitary Chevron and Great Barracuda, Porcupinefish, Filefish, Emperor Angel Fish and numerous others. Those with the patience to look carefully will find Nudibranc, inlcuding the amazing White-spotted species. There is a substantial garden of soft anemones on one side of the reef.
Requirements:
Open Water Diver or equivalent. Secret Reef is also a regular location for training dives with our Discover Scuba Diver students. Snorkellers can enjoy great viewing from the surface.
Level:
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Level: Easy/Moderate
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Blueberry Hill is a marquee coral reef site with mesmerizing fish life. We are not sure where the name Blueberry Hill came from, but you are certain to find your thrill diving here
The Site:
Blueberry is located in close proximity to Hin Raab and Blubbery Hill dive sites, a short 30-minute boat trip from our start point at the pier. The topography is large reef surrounded by a sandy bottom at 12 meters. Dives here can easily last 60 minutes. a number of canyons make for excellent swim throughts, teeming with coral and fish.
Accessability:
The is an easy dive for any Open Water certified diver, and is also a regular location for training dives with our Discover Scuba Diver students. The location offers excellent snorkeling at shallow depths on top of the reef.
Sealife:
Like Hin Raab and Secret Reef, Blueberry features exceptional healthy hard and soft coral of many types. A highlight of Koh Chang area diving is the experience of diving with Blueberry's resident massive school of Fusiliers, numbering in the thousands. Many other fish can be viewed, raning from Blue Spotted Rays, Trevally, Grouper, Bass, Snapper, Barracuda and numerous others. It is common to sight a resident turtle relaxing amongst the coral.
Level:
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Level: Easy/Moderate
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Secret Reef is located another of Koh Chang's renowned coral sites, a relaxing shallow site with exceptional sealife.
The Site:
Secret Reef is a coral garden located in close proximity to Hin Raab and Blubbery Hill dive sites. The underwater topography is large reef system that slopes gradually to a sandy bottom at around 12m. A typical dive here explores the reef at shallowe depth and can last 60 minutes.
Requirements:
Open Water Diver or equivalent. Secret Reef is also a regular location for training dives with our Discover Scuba Diver students. Snorkellers can enjoy great viewing from the surface.
Sealife:
Secret Reef features impressive coral, with an excellent range of possibly every species of coral found in the Koh Chang region. In terms of fish, you find Blue Spotted Rays, Puffers, Box Fish, in addition to Trevally, Fusilier, Batfish, Barracuda and many more. Turtles and Nudibrancs are common.
Level:
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Level: Easy/Moderate
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Less visited than nearby sites, Banana Rock exceeds expectations when conditions are favorable.
The Site:
Banana Rock is a small rocky outcrop, in the channel between Bang Bao and nearby Koh Klum, a quick 20 minute boat ride from our start point. As with nearby dive sites Hin Raap South and Hin Luk Bat, Banana Rock features a steep sloping wall onto a flat sandy bottom. Banana Rock has depths to 18 meters. A dive here may involve a swim around the entire island, or more time spent on one side based on current and visibility. There are some decent canyons and large formations to swim through or around.
Sealife:
As with all of Koh Chang, Banana Rock feature a broad range of coral types, all in good health, including increasingly longer Spiral Coral. The site abounds with fish of many types, including stingrays, lionfish and pufferfish.
Requirements:
Open Water Diver or equivalent. Banana Rock is also a regular location for training dives with our Discover Scuba Diver students. Snorkellers can enjoy great viewing from the surface when conditions are good and visibility is high.
Level:
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Level: Easy/Moderate
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MARINE PARK SITES
The Site:
Koh Tien is a regular first stop on our trips to the National Park. The 90-minute boat ride to the site provides excellent views of Koh Chang and nearby islands in the park, ending at a picture-perfect locale beside Koh Rak. The dive site offers stunning vistas of the sloping island wall running to the sandy bottom. On most trips to Koh Tien we are the only boat at the site, providing unique private access to a world-class site.
Sealife:
Koh Tien is an outstanding coral garden with myriad different species, including unusual yellow-ringed Bamboo Coral. In addition to many of the similar fish life found around Koh Chang, it is renowned as a place to see less Jenkins Whip Ray, Titan Triggerfish, Boxfish, and other exotic fish types.
Accessability:
Koh Tien is an easy dive for any Open Water certified diver, and is also a regular location for training dives with our Discover Scuba Diver students. The location offers good snorkeling
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Koh Yak Lek is a shallow dive site with excellent coral and abundant marine life. Aside from being a great dive site, it is renowned as a snorkeling site. The setting is beautiful above and below the water. Like all the locations we visit in the National marine Park, it is about 90 minutes boat ride away from our start/end point at Bang Bao Pier.
The Site:
Koh Yak Lek is a small rocky island situated next to Koh Rang. Underwater the topography slopes from the edge of the island to a white sandy bottom that sits from 5 to 15 meters around the island. A standard dive here circles the island and can easily last 60 minutes.
Sealife:
The island features abundant coral and fish life. Large schools of Fusiliers and Yellow Tail Barracuda are often present, creating a mesmerizing scene for divers to follow. You will see numerous other types of exotic fish here, protected in the National Park.
Requirements:
Open Water Diver or equivalent for fun divers, and thesite is also a regular location for training dives with our Discover Scuba Diver students. Snorkellers here can enjoy one of the best locations in the Koh Chang area.
Level:
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Level: Easy/Moderate
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Three Finger Reef is one of our regular stops on our trips to the National Marine Park, located 90 minutes away from our start/end point at Bang Bao Pier.
The Site:
The site a large shallow coral reef around 150 metres long. It is named Three Finger Reef due to the three narrow coral formations that extend from its southern side. Due to its location in open water, currents can often be stronger here than on other nearby locations shneltered by islands. Maximum depth is 18 metres at this site, but it is mostly 12 -15 metres around the edge of the reef with a sandy bottom.
Sealife:
The site offers excellent coral and fish viewing. Schools of One Spot Snapper are resident, along with many familiar types of fish species found around Koh Chang. If you are lucky you may see a Bamboo Shark under coral, or Indian Walkman in the sand away from the reef. Blue Staghorn Coral was planted on top of the reef and has created a large expanse of it.
Requirements:
Open Water Diver or equivalent. Secret Reef is also a regular location for training dives with our Discover Scuba Diver students. Snorkellers can enjoy good viewing.
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Level: Moderate/Hard (when currents)
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Snorkeling: Good, sea conditions permitting
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