Leisure Diving
The divesites are located between fifteen minutes to just over one hour from Koh Lipe. During that time you can study on the boat if you’re doing a course or you can just relax and enjoy the scenery. Before the dive, you will receive a dive briefing with information about safety procedures, the dive site and what you might expect to see during the dive. We dive in small groups with a maximum of 4 divers per Divemaster or Instructor. Lunch and water are provided on the boat. Let us know if you’re a vegetarian so we can prepare a special meal for you. Don’t forget to bring some sunscreen with you for the trip; the sun can get very hot on the boat. You will have fun!
8 Mile Rock
An underwater pinnacle over 8 nautical miles south from Koh Lipe.
Maximum depth 45m – Minimum depth 16m
Certification requirements: Advanced Open Water Diver.
This is one of Koh Lipe’s most famous dive sites due to frequent whaleshark sightings. Even without whalesharks it's a great dive site. Since it is out at sea there are a lot of pelagic fish such as trevallies, mackerel, tuna and barracuda. Reef fish such as snappers, fusiliers, lion fish and scorpion fish are present and a closer inspection will reveal shrimps in the rock crevices and maybe some nudibranchs amongst the beautiful yellow daisy corals, which cover the rocks. Leopard sharks are frequently around and somehwere from the deep an enormous giant groupers might surprise you. Huge schools of Batfish sometimes appear and if you’re lucky a spectacular devil or manta ray.
As this excellent site is far from the marine park, we always plan for 2 dives, to increase the chance of seeing something special. The top of the pinnacle starts at 16m; it’s a deep dive and can pass quickly, but even in a short time there’s a lot to see. Strong currents (more fish!) are frequent and conditions can be choppy on the surface; if you are a nervous swimmer this site may not be for you.
We often complete the PADI "Deep Diver" speciality course here as well as the "Multi Level Diver" speciality course and the Advanced course.
5 Mile Rock
A pinnacle in the middle of the sea.
Maximum depth 45m – Minimum depth 30m
Certification requirements: Advanced Open Water Diver.
This is the deepest dive around Lipe, famous for its stunning huge granite boulders covered with soft corals and giant gorgonian fan corals. This site also has numerous beautiful zebra anemonees. The fish here are bigger than anywhere else, with huge trevallies, great barracudas, big snappers, giant groupers, angelfishes and fat lionfishes and many many more.
Adang Express Way
Drift dive
Maximum depth 42m
Certification requirements: Advanced Open Water Diver.
This is the perfect site to dive around full moon and black moon when the currents get really strong around Koh Lipe. It’s a beautiful drift dive, starting around 10m depth and working down a sandy slope full of little soft corals and anemones, down to a depth of 42m. Along the way there are a few beautiful boulders overgrown with colourful soft corals and some Gorgonians around which we find triggerfish, angelfish, groupers and a lot of other marine life. As you drift along, don’t forget to look up now and then; sometimes a school of eaglerays or devilrays may be flying right over your head.
Adang N/W Corner
Coral reef following the island’s coast.
Maximum depth 25m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is another dive that can be done with strong currents. Very similar to Adang West Rocks with huge boulders covered in amazing purple, pink and red soft corals and a beautiful hard coral reef in the shallows.
Coral reef following the island’s coast
Maximum depth 25m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is another dive that can be done with strong currents. Just drifting along the bottom, following the edge of the coral reef you will find plenty of marine life. There are some triggerfish here, lots of Moorish idols, wrasses, parrotfish and schools of snappers and fusiliers. We often see Lionfish here too. Most of the rocks have beautiful hard and soft coral growth and if you have a closer look you may find some pipefish and nudibranches. On this site there’s a big cave where we often find a huge nurse shark having a snooze.
Coral reef following the island’s coast.
Maximum depth 28m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is the perfect site for beginners and we often start our Open Water diver courses here. There is a nice sandy beach to start learning the skills in shallow water and then there’s a beautiful hard coral reef full of colourful christmas trees and giant clams. There are lots of clownfish here as well as parrotfish, wrasses, blennies, gobies, moorish idols and lionfish.
We often see snake eels and pipefish in the sand as well as blue spotted maskrays, flounders and scorpionfish. Occasionally we even find the beautiful honeycomb moray eel here. For the more experienced divers it is possible to follow the reef all the way down to 28m.
Coral reef following the island’s coast
Maximum depth 24m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
Beautiful hard coral reef in the shallows and big boulders overgrown with fantastic soft corals at depth. This site is full of marine life and excellent for the Fish Identification specialty course.
You can find moray eels, lionfish, parrotfish, angelfish, wrasses, scorpionfish, moorish idols, butterflyfish, groupers, lizardfish and many many more.
Coral reef following the island’s coast
Maximum depth 24m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
Another great divesite, similar to Koh Yang East with beautiful multicolour soft corals and an excellent variety of marine life.
Koh Bulat
Coral reef following the island’s coast
Maximum depth 24m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
There is often a strong current on this divesite. We usually start the dive as a drift dive, just flying along with the current. Once we drift around the island the current diminishes and we can slow down and have a look at the great barrelsponges that abound on this site. The hard coral reef is in excellent shape and it is a pleasure to watch all the different types of fish on this reef.
Hard Coral reef following the island’s coast
Maximum depth 25m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is a very healthy hard coral reef with many giant clams, christmas trees and colourful anemones inhabited by clownfish. There are many porcelain crabs in the anemonees, some shrimps in the featherstars and many reef fish swimming around. Occasionally we see a leopard shark here. It is always possible to hide from the current somewhere so this is an ideal site for under-water photography.
Coral reef following the island’s coast
Maximum depth 28m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
Excellent coral reef with all types of reef fish such as moorish idols, trumpetfish, flutemouth fish, triggerfish, groupers and butterflyfish.
Coral reef following the island’s coast
Maximum depth 30m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is another very well known dive site in Lipe and I personally feel it is the best site we have. The hard coral reef in the shallows is in pristine condition and at depth there are many huge gorgonians as well as lots of hard and soft corals. Very famous for its pinnacles covered in beautiful purple, orange, white and pink soft corals. The most famous of them being called christmas tree pinnacle for its shape. You can often see big schools of trevallies, snappers, fusiliers and damsels. There are lionfish, scorpionfish, clownfish, triggerfish, flutemouthfish, trumpetfish and many other reef fish. There are nudibranches and shrimps for those who prefer the small stuff. This is a perfect site for under-water photographers as well as the fish identification specialty course, deep diver course and Advanced course.
A pinnacle in the middle of the sea.
Maximum depth 30m - Minimum depth 9m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This another one of our favourites and excellent for under-water photographers. There’s often a strong surface current on this site so we use a rope to go down. At the bottom of the rope the current diminishes and it is possible to swim all around this fantastic dive site. These big boulders are fully covered in purple, pink, white and orange soft corals. There are bluespotted maskrays in the sand, we often see cuttlefish here as well as some ornate ghost pipefish. There are many porcelain crabs in the anemonees, lionfish hovering above the soft corals and scorpionfish hiding among the coral. This is also a perfect site for the fish identification specialty course.
A pinnacle in the middle of the sea.
Maximum depth 20m - Minimum depth 3m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
The top of this reef is around 3m. It is possible to swim all around the pinnacle and although there may be some surface current, under water the current is usually not as strong. There are often bluespotted maskrays in the sand, lionfish hovering over the reef, and moray eels hiding among the corals. There are many gobies with their partner shrimps in the sand and schools of fusiliers swimming over the reef. This is definitely one of the most beautiful shallow pinnacles, covered in amazing pink, purple and red soft corals between 5 and 12m depth.
Koh Lokoi
A hard coral reef following the coast line also known as stingray city.
Maximum depth 14m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is one of the most beautiful hard coral reefs in Lipe. All types of hard corals grow abundantly here and the formations are stunning. Since there's never much current on this site it also makes it a very relaxing dive with plenty of time to look for small animals such as shrimps and nudibranches. On the sand bottom there are plenty of bluespotted maskrays, cuttlefish, pipefish and gobies. On the reef christmas tree worms, giant clams, anemonees and clownfish abound. Because of the lack of current on this site, it is perfect for beginner divers and open water course students and anyone who wants a relaxing dive.
Koh Phung
Coral reef following the island’s coast all around the island also known as honey island.
Maximum depth 35m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
Famous for its strong currents especially with full moon and black moon. It is a great drift dive. Flying over the rocky boulders which are fully covered in purple, pink, white and orange soft corals is an exhilirating experience. Once you get behind the island the current slows down and you can take time to look around a bit. There are moray eels, scopionfish and lionfish among the corals as well as big schools of fish swimming above the coral reef. At this site we see cleaner shrimps, nudibranches and all sorts of coral fish.
Sail Rock
Coral reef following the island’s coast.
Maximum depth 18m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
There are some very big rocks and boulders along with lots of smaller rocks fully covered in hard and soft corals and many beautiful gorgonians. Because of the lack of current this is a great spot for a leisurely dive. Divers are usually followed by one or two curious batfish on this site. There are scorpionfish and lionfish, schools of snappers and damselfish, we often find nudibranches here and sometimes see a bluespotted maskray in the sand.
Sail Rock: Coral reef following the island’s coast.
Maximum depth 24m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
The deeper end of this dive is very beautiful with rocky boulders fully covered in colourful soft corals and green tree corals. There are some great scorpionfish here as well as lionfish, groupers, trumpetfish, flutemouthfish, moray eels, schools of damsels, fusiliers and snappers.
Coral reef following the island’s coast.
Maximum depth 22m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is another stunning reef of beautiful hard and soft coral formations inhabited by big schools of fusiliers and snappers. The whole site is full of different types of coralfish, which makes this a very enjoyable dive.
Coral reef following the island’s coast.
Maximum depth 14m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is a fantastic hard coral reef with some magnificent Gorgonians and barrel sponges. It’s an easy shallow and very relaxing dive with plenty to see. Beautiful grapecorals, huge gorgonians, coral fish all around and lionfish hiding among the corals. Just take your time to look around and enjoy the dive.
A pinnacle in the middle of the sea.
Maximum depth 27m – Minimum depth 5m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is another one of my favourites and perfect for under-water photography despite the strong currents often encountered here. There’s always a place to hide from the current and take time to look for small things such as the little crabs and gobies on the whip corals and the ornate ghost pipefish. It is good fun to drift along with the current looking at the magnificent gorgonians here and enjoying the colourful scenery. Much of the reef consists of purple, white and pink soft corals and there are many bright blue tunicates. The boulders at the top of the reef which gave this site its name are a very impressive sight and often a leopard shark can be seen circling around them.
A big cargo ship which sank around the end of the 1990s.
Maximum depth 42m – Minimum depth 28m
Certification requirements: Advanced Open Water Diver.
The wreck lies on a flat sandy bottom and usually gets strong currents, which you hardly notice once you reach the bottom and find yourself protected by the wreck. Because the sand is blown around by the current the visibility is sometimes no more than a few meters.
So why would people still want to dive here? The challenge of diving deep in different conditions as well as the great atmosphere of this divesite makes it well worthwhile! There’s a good chance to see giant barracudas as well as big schools of fusiliers and snappers. There are always lionfish suspended over the wreck and you may find some scorpionfish.
The top of the wreck is overgrown with soft corals, black corals and gorgonians. There is a huge giant grouper who lives here and you might be lucky enough to see this monster. This divesite is perfect for the PADI "Wreck Diver" specialty course as well as the “Deep Diver“ course and the Advanced course.
Coral reef following the island’s coast.
Maximum depth 20m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This is a beautiful hard coral reef with many fantastic gorgonians. Many different types of fish hide along the coral reef. Angle fish, butterfly fish, groupers, trumpetfish, flutemouthfish, puffer and porcupine fish and big schools of snappers and fusiliers can be seen here. There are lots of colourful christmas trees, giant clams and featherstars on the hard coral reef.
Coral reef following the island’s coast all around the island.
Maximum depth 20m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
This island lies right in front of Forra Divecentre. There’s a beautiful hard coral reef, with bluespotted maskrays and gobies in the sand and all types of coralfish swimming over the reef. Often black-tip reef sharks can be seen cruising along the corals.
A pinnacle in the middle of the sea.
Maximum depth 16m – Minimum depth 2m
Certification requirements: Open Water Diver.
Unfortunately, at the moment, it is not permitted to dive this magnificent reef. This is a nice reef all around with big moray eels, lionfish, scorpionfish, porcupinefish, schools of snappers and damsels, porcelain crabs and nudibranches. Some gorgeous green tree corals grow on this site and the shallows are covered in psychodelic coloured softcorals. These pink, purple, orange and white colours look especially vibrant in the shallow water at the top of the reef.
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