Koh Phi Phi
Koh Phi Phi is one of the most famous and visited destinations in Thailand. Many of the beaches of Phi Phi represents perfectly the iconic image of a paradise. Especially its mythical Maya Bay, popularized by the movie “La Paya”, starring Leonardo Di Caprio in 2000, and which almost “died of success”, in 2018 the Thai government decided to close this bay to tourism permanently to its recovery, because of intensive tourism, we almost ended up destroying it.
Diving Koh Phi Phi is spectacular, and the landscape is so beautiful outside, as in the water. The dives are all within the Ko Phi Phi National Marine Park, characterized by being in crystal clear turquoise waters, which are home to a large number of corals of all kinds that extend along the sandy bottom of the shallow bays.
Regarding fauna, it is common to find large blacktip sharks patrolling the bays in small groups. Cuttlefish, reef squid, snappers, groupers, yellow and blue fusiliers, parrotfish, pufferfish, and plenty of small reef fish are also abundant.
Koh Phi Phi scuba diving is highly appreciated by macro lovers, as there are a lot of invertebrates of all kinds living among its corals. Especially nudibranchs; We have counted 15 different species in a single dive, crazy! It´s also possible to find several species of seahorses.
Koh Phi Phi is also a nice place for freediving, especially Palong wall and Viking Bay spots for beginners, and the famous Kled Kaeo wreck for experienced freedivers.
Koh Phi Phi snorkeling areas are of high quality too, its shallow reefs in bays sheltered from the currents are perfect to enjoy this activity. You will be surrounded by schools of multicolored fish, be able to closely observe the life of the reef, and you may see a shark or two.
Koh Phi Phi Dive Sites
- Suitable for all diving levels.
- Yes.
Palong Wall
Palong Wall is a very famous dive site among shark lovers, given its high concentration of blacktip sharks in the area. Palong wall is located in the northwest of the island Koh Phi Phi Leh and has a bottom that descends in a staggered way from 2 to 20 meters deep.
Its stone terraces are mostly colonized by hard corals. Standing out above all the immense brain corals (Platygyra daedalea), the fans of Gorgonians, and the peculiar shape of the harp corals, which serve as a refuge for thousands of reef animals, especially invertebrates.
As we have already mentioned, there is a large population of blacktip reef sharks, which roam majestically through the different terraces of the reef. It is also possible to find a leopard or zebra shark resting on the sandy ground, large cuttlefish, snappers, and the rest of the “usual suspects” of the reefs in the area.
Palong Wall is a great place to take a diving course. Its waters are relatively calm, with a very good visibility, stepped terraces at different depths, and the possibility of seeing a lot of stunning life. It’s definitely a great place to start with a PADI Open Water course.
The snorkeling in the area is very good, due to the high concentration of sharks and the shallow depth of much of the reef.
- Not suitable for Open Water Divers.
- Suitable for Open Water Divers + Deep.
- Suitable for Advanced Open Water Divers.
- Not possible here.
Kled Kaeo Wreck
The Kled Kaeo is a former Thai navy gunship that was sunk in March 2014. The wreck is 47 meters long, with the main deck at around 20 meters, and a maximum depth of 26 meters.
Kled Kaeo is an oasis of life in the middle of a sandy bottom. Its surface is fully colonized by corals, algae, mollusks, and other reef creatures. As we descend to the wreck, the first thing that strikes us is the large concentration of fish that swirl around the boat, sometimes that impedes us from seeing the ship even being a few meters away. The schools of fish are usually made of yellow snapper and black point snapper. It is also common to see small groups of large trevallies hunting around the ship.
Here you will find the largest urchin fish on Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta. They are truly large, and what is more unusual; They swim in groups of more than 20 individuals, something that is not seen very often. Kled Kaeo is also the refuge of the frogfish, which on this boat takes on orange and green colors, and which makes it very difficult to spot since it looks like a piece of rusty metal. You will also see quite large lionfish and scorpionfish, and some very interesting nudibranchs, such as the colorful flavellinas.
Due to its deep conditions, and to the moderate or strong currents that tend to exist in the area, this dive is only accessible for advanced divers, or divers who have Open Water certification and are studying the Advanced Open Water Diver course, or the deep diving adventure dive.
Its depth is perfect for freediving lovers. Since its chimney is 13m deep, it´s a freediving dive surrounded by a cloud of fish and a rusty beast on the bottom that you will never forget.
- Suitable for all diving levels.
- Yes, very easy and beautiful.
Maya Corner
On the southwest coast of Koh Phi Phi Leh (aka Phi Phi lee, or Phi Phi Lei), you will find one of the most world-famous beaches; Maya Bay. Although entry to the Maya Bay is prohibited for conservation reasons, diving in the vicinity is allowed, as long as you do not enter the bay. Today, after years of prohibition, we are happy to tell you that Maya Bay is making a surprising recovery. Corals are re-colonizing the bay, plants around the beach have taken their natural place again, and reef sharks have returned to the bay, which serves as a nursery for the younger specimens.
Diving in Maya Corner consists of going through a stone wall that descends in a staggered way from 5 to 24m. One of the most spectacular parts is to diving statically near the entrance to Maya Bay and watch how blacktip sharks regularly enter and leave the bay. As we continue descending, hard corals colonize the area, and it is a great place to see schools of batfish, feeding turtles, or large groups of Moorish idol fish.
This is a very easy dive site for snorkeling, and offers the opportunity to see blacktip sharks, large groups of sergeant damselfish, and anemone gardens populated by clownfish, popularly known as “Nemos.”
- Suitable for all diving levels.
- Yes.
Loh Samah Bay
In the southeastern part of the island Koh Phi Phi Leh, is located Loh Samah Bay, a spectacular bay with turquoise waters with a small island in the center. Its crystal clear and shallow waters and the stunning stone walls that shape the bay make it one of the most photographed places in Thailand.
Loh Samah Bay is an especially suitable place for snorkeling, its shallow waters are full of colorful fish, especially the iconic sergeant damsel. Corals dot the sandy area of the bay, where you can find a lot of fun.
Diving in this part of Phi Phi Leh is done in the bay´s area that faces the open sea. It is dived taking as a reference the vertical rock wall, and its bottom descends to approximately 20m. The strong point of this dive is a crack that splits the reef in two, which we will find at a depth of 10m.
Diving in Loh Sama Bay is highly appreciated by lovers of macro photography, as the area is full of invertebrates that are spread throughout the area, especially, several types of shrimp abound in the area, and it´s common to come across several types of nudibranchs.
Other Dive Sites
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In Hidden Depths Diving we firmly believe that an eco-responsible diving model is possible. We strive every day to offer you a different, familiar, environmentally friendly, safe, and fun diving experience. Where you will feel part of a great family of divers who, in addition to enjoying diving, we fight so that future generations can enjoy the same wonders that we dive today.