Diving Koh Chang

Koh Chang is well organized to please divers since when has become one of their most favourite destinations in the Golf of Thailand. In the last decade on the island were opened several Scuba Centres and Diving Schools. Most of them are located in Bang Bao, the fishing village on stilts in the southern tip of island. Offices and operational bases of Scuba Centres are along the village's pier, at its end there are the boats adapted for diving. All dives, including dive courses in Koh Chang are done from boats, there aren't dive from shore in Koh Chang. However, some diving schools prefer to start training for beginners in the shallow waters near shore, rather than in a pool. Scuba Centres organize various day trips or half-day tours with large or small dive boats. All tours depart from the pier in Bang Bao. The costs of tours depend on the number of dives planned throughout the day and the distance of selected sites.

Roughly, prices range from 1,500 THB for one dive, 2,500-3,000 THB for two dives and 3,200-3,800 THB for three dives. A night dive costs about 1,700-2,000 THB. The prices include the round trip by dive boats, diving gear, tanks, weights and weight-belts, assistance by assistance by PADI Divemaster guides, fresh fruit, drinks and meal on board in the case of day tour. The scuba centres also offer special package for ten dives, minimum 2 dives a day, at the cost of 10,000 THB, and diving courses of two or three days for beginners or for divers that want to improve their level. Indicatively, a course Scuba Diver costs about 9,000-10,000 THB, the course Open Water Diver about 12,000-14,000 and the course Advanced Open Water Diver about 11,000-12,500 THB. The diving equipment offered by Scuba Centres and Diving Schools is usually new and of good level.

HTMS Chang Wreck

The wreck of HTMS Chang is one of the most popular dive sites around Koh Chang. The warship was sunk by the Royal Thai Navy in November 2012 to use as an artificial reef, and is now the largest wrecks to explore by divers in Thailand. The 712 HTMS Chang was originally a tank landing ship built by Dravo Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 25 November 1944 and named LST-898. The ship was used by United States Navy during World War II and Korean War. On 15 July 1955, LST-898 was renamed USS Lincoln County and was still used for 5 years until 24 March 1961, when it was decommissioned by USA Navy. The warship was sold later, on 31 August 1962, to Thailand. The warship was officially named 712 HTMS CHANG and served in the Royal Thai Navy for almost 50 years, providing transport for troops and vehicles. The 100-metre long wreck, is sitting at 30 metres deep on a sandy bottom about 10 km west of Bang Bao Village. It lies in an upright position sufficiently intact, as if it were still in navigation, with the top deck at 21 metres deep, the captain's cabin at 12 m and the crow’s nest just below the surface. The warship is accessible on all its level, 3 main decks and 7 sub decks, with lots to explore inside like troop cabins, briefing rooms, the captain’s cabin, corridors, the engine room and the main holding area. Since its sinking, the wreck became shelter or home for many fish species, such as Grouper, Barracuda, Batfish, and invertebrates like Shrimp, Squid and Octopus. The exterior of the wreck is suitable to Open Water divers, its inside to Advanced divers. This site is also used for night dives.Read More  

Hin Luk Bat

Hin Luk Bat is a rocky outcrop that just protrudes above the sea surface, in fact Hin in Thai means a lump of stone. It is the dive site more close to Koh Chang, just 3 km west of Bang Bao pier, and due to its nearest location it is also one of the more popular among divers. The dive spot consists of a huge rocky pinnacle that rises from 25 metres deep. The rocky formation is surrounded by large boulders that offer some great swim-throughs. The pinnacle is covered with healthy soft corals and Christmas tree worms, which offer shelter to plenty of fish, invertebrates and crustaceans. Closer to the reef or hidden among crevices and cracks you'll see Thorns Starfish, Moray Eels, Parrotfish, Fusiliers and Banner fish. In deeper waters are resident Stingrays and big Groupers. Snappers, Barracuda, Butterfly and Angel fish swim around the reef. This site is also used for night dives and snorkelling.Read More  

Hin Raab

Hin Raab is a submerged rock pinnacle, which almost reaches the surface, just off Koh Klum, a small island 5 km south of Bang Bao. The dive site can be divided into two different dives. A dive can be made on the pinnacle, which is mostly covered with soft corals and patches of gorgonians, staghorn corals and barrel sponges. This is a good dive spot to see Turtle, Stingrays, Moray Eels, Batfish, Porcupine fish, and big Barracuda. In the surrounding waters are also reported rare sightings of harmless Whale Shark. The second dive is just north of rocky pinnacle. This dive is a bit deeper, 20 metres, richer of hard corals and has a small canyon perfect for a nice swim-through. Here divers can spot Anemone fish, Morays Eels, Angelfish, Parrotfish as well as big Groupers, Stingrays and Triggerfish. The site is suitable to divers of all experience levels and it is also used for snorkelling day-trip.Read More  

T11 Wreck

The HTMS Chang wreck brought a lot of publicity to Koh Chang and so the Thai Navy in 2013 decided to sink a second warship very close to Hin Raab, the submerged rock pinnacle 5 km south of Bang Bao. The T11, formerly USS PGM-7, was a gunboat about 30 metres long that served first the United States Navy and then Royal Thai Navy for almost 70 years. The wreck lies on a sandy bottom at 16 meters deep and now provides shelter and home to a wide variety of fish and invertebrates. The gunboat was sunk in an upright position but later has been turned on its side by a fishing boat that has inadvertently dragged it. The small size of the gunboat and the shallow depth make it a perfect spot for the first dive on a wreck.Read More  

Koh Wai

Koh Wai is a small pristine island located just off the south cost of Koh Chang, 6 km from southern tip of island and 10 km from Bang Bao pier. The tiny island is a favourite destination for day trips from the main island due its white sand beaches and beautiful shallow coral reef, ideal for lovers of snorkelling. Koh Wai is also a good spot for trainings dives or protected diving when the weather turns bad and others sites are inaccessible. The most interesting point to dive is the southern rocky side of the island, where there is a shallow coral reef that gently dropping down to 20 metres depth. The fringing reef is mostly covered with hard, brain and plate corals, the soft corals proliferate more in depth near the sandy bottom. All along the reef the marine life is prolific. Besides the usual reef fish, on the sandy bottom are reported sightings of Ray, Leopard and Reef Sharks.Read More  

Koh Rang

Koh Rang is one of the most popular destinations for diving around Koh Chang. This area is also the most visited by snorkelling day-trips and consequently often crowded. The small islets and rock pinnacles surrounding Koh Rang offer several dive spots, all characterized by high visibility and a great variety of marine life. Hin Ga Daeng is a spectacular pinnacle located 1 km northwest of Koh Rang. This is the deepest dive spot in the area, 30 metres at its point of maximum depth, a multi level site with the rock formation that resembles an underwater cathedral. Here you will spot big Barracudas and Groupers, shoals of Batfish, Porcupine fish, Triggerfish, Sweetlips fish, and even Turtles. Hin Kuak Ma is a rocky outcrop located about 1 km northeast of Koh Rang. This is one of the best dive spots around the island. The south side of outcrop is a steep rock wall, where can spot Moray Eels, Stonefish, Porcupine fish and Triggerfish. The backside is a gentler slope, covered with corals and abundant marine life, such as Angelfish, Parrotfish, Blue-spotted Stingrays, Moray Eels and occasionally Bamboo Sharks or Turtles. Koh Thian is a small island just off the north east coast of Koh Rang. The coral reef isn’t as good as it once was, due it is largely destroyed by anchoring fishing boats and dynamite fishing, nevertheless the dive site is a good spot to see how the reef is recovering. On the south side of Koh Thian there is a stunning biggest formation of staghorn coral, which offer shelter to many fish species.Read More  

Koh Kra

Koh Kra is a small rocky islet between Koh Mak and Koh Rang, 17 km south of Bang Bao pier. The rocky outcrop is an ideal site for snorkellers and diving courses inasmuch the depths here don’t exceed 12 metres and current is weak. The shallow fringing reef gently slopes down to a sandy bottom and don't presents any difficulty for beginners. The reef is covered with gardens of hard and staghorn coral and is teeming with marine life. Beside the usual wide variety of reef fish on the sandy bottom are often spotted Rays.