Thailand Dive Sites
Chumphon Pinnacle
Thailand Dive Sites:
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Located 10km north west of Koh Tao, Chumphon Pinnacles is the Gulf of Thailand's premier dive site and is a must do dive for anyone in that area. Dive centres on Koh Tao run trips there every day.
Chumphon Pinnacles has the best visibility in the area, sometimes over 30m and it gets regular whale shark visits. On the negative site it can get very busy with dive boats and divers and currents can be strong at times.
The main pinnacle rises up from a depth of 35m to it's shallowest point at 15m below the surface. Other smaller pinnacles surround the main pinnacle. The rocks form various plateaus and ledges covered in hard and soft coral, sea whips, gorgonian sea fans and barrel sponges. There are also large beds of anemones with their resident pink anemone fish on the south east side of the dive site.
Large grouper can be found under ledges. Moray eels like the crevices in the rocks. Titan triggerfish can be very territorial here. Parrotfish, pufferfish, trumpet fish and butterflyfish are numerous. Leopard sharks can occasionally be seen on the sandy bottom. Curious batfish like to watch divers.
Whalesharks are a common visitor here and they arrive with an entourage of hangers on like remoras and other smaller fish. Manta rays also pass by on occasions. Giant trevally hunt bait fish around the pinnacles. Great barracuda, mackeral and tuna are some of the other big visitors.