The tiny island of Koh Tao ("Turtle Island"), 45 km north of Koh Phangan, is one of the top scuba diving destinations in Thailand. The shallow, crystal clear waters of Koh Tao feature abundant marine life and considerable coral that are certain to please both beginners and experienced divers, particularly as the island itself is so spectacular and the atmosphere on Koh Tao is relaxing.

Koh Tao has more than 20 dive sites. The best dive sites are Sail Rock, Chumphon pinnacle, Southwest pinnacles and Shark Island. You have a big change to see Hawksbill- and Green sea turtles, Titan- and Yellowmargin triggerfishes, Blue spotted stingrays, baraccudas, massive groupers and loads of jacks, snappers and fusiliers. When you visit Koh Tao in the months April and May you have a chance to see Whale Sharks.

1. 
   

   Coral hind

   Cephalopholis miniata

   Derek Keats (CC: BY)

2. 
   

   Brown-marbled grouper

   Epinephelus fuscoguttatus

   stephan kerkhofs (C) All rights reserved

3. 
   

   Malabar grouper

   Epinephelus malabaricus

   stephan kerkhofs (C) All rights reserved

4. 
   

   Harlequin sweetlips (adult)

   Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides

   think4photop (C) All rights reserved

5. 
   

   Harlequin sweetlips (juvenile)

   Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides

   orlandin (C) All rights reserved

6. 
   

   Herring scad

   Alepes vari

   Derek Keats (CC: BY)

7. 
   

   Orangespotted trevally (yellowish)

   Carangoides bajad

   stephan kerkhofs (C) All rights reserved

8. 
   

   Bluefin trevally

   Caranx melampygus

   Paul and Jill (CC: BY)

Sunshine Divers

An award winning 5-Star PADI IDC Resort. Maximum four students to an instructor and personalized attention.

Save Koh Tao

Help us to preserve our island's reefs

1. 
   

   Golden medusa

   Phyllorhiza punctata

   Roberto Caucino (C) All rights reserved

2. 
   

   Peacock mantis shrimp

   Odontodactylus scyllarus

   Teguh Tirtaputra (C) All rights reserved

3. 
   

   Christmas tree worm

   Spirobranchus giganteus

   John A. Anderson (C) All rights reserved

4. 
   

   Moorish idol

   Zanclus cornutus

   Ian Scott (C) All rights reserved

5. 
   

   Giant moray

   Gymnothorax javanicus

   Kristina Vackova (C) All rights reserved

6. 
   

   Greyface moray

   Gymnothorax thyrsoideus

   Elias Levy (CC: BY)

7. 
   

   Dotted nudibranch

   Jorunna funebris

   Jette Vis (C) All rights reserved

8. 
   

   Varicose wart slug

   Phyllidia varicosa

   marianneb (C) All rights reserved

1. 
   

   Green humphead parrotfish

   Bolbometopon muricatum

   DrTH80 (CC: BY)

2. 
   

   Blue-barred parrotfish (adult)

   Scarus ghobban

   Levent Konuk (C) All rights reserved

3. 
   

   Ember parrotfish (male)

   Scarus rubroviolaceus

   Derek Keats (CC: BY)

4. 
   

   Spot-fin porcupinefish

   Diodon hystrix

   Peter Leahy (C) All rights reserved

5. 
   

   Black-blotched porcupinefish

   Diodon liturosus

   asands (CC: BY SA)

6. 
   

   Stellate puffer (adult)

   Arothron stellatus

   Stubblefield Photography (C) All rights reserved

7. 
   

   Bearded scorpionfish

   Scorpaenopsis barbata

   prilfish (CC: BY)

8. 
   

   Thorny seahorse

   Hippocampus histrix

   Ye Choh Wah (C) All rights reserved

1. 
   

   Columbrine sea krait

   Laticauda colubrina

   Elias Levy (CC: BY)

2. 
   

   Crown-of-thorns starfish (appearance 1)

   Acanthaster planci

   Kim Briers (C) All rights reserved

3. 
   

   Long-spine sea urchin

   Diadema setosum

   Jung Hsuan (C) All rights reserved

4. 
   

   Bull shark

   Carcharhinus leucas

   FAUP (C) All rights reserved

5. 
   

   Blacktip reef shark

   Carcharhinus melanopterus

   Ruth Black (C) All rights reserved

6. 
   

   Whale shark

   Rhincodon typus

   kaschibo (C) All rights reserved

7. 
   

   Hingebeak shrimp

   Rhynchocinetes durbanensis

   Whatafoto (C) All rights reserved

8. 
   

   Banded coral shrimp

   Stenopus hispidus

   serg_dibrova (C) All rights reserved

Tags: Marine life, Fish, Coral, Fishcard, Fishslate, Scuba diving, Snorkeling, Underwaterphotography, Uwphotography, Reeflife, MyFishGallery.

Marine life tags: Whale shark, Green Turtle, Hawksbill sea turtle, Titan triggerfish, Clown anemonefish (a.k.a. Clownfish, Nemo), Great barracuda, Yellow boxfish, Bull shark, Ribbontail stingray (a.k.a. Blue spotted stingray), Yellowmargin triggerfish, Orbicular batfish, Malabar grouper, Harlequin sweetlips, Christmas tree worm, Greyface moray, Bearded scorpionfish, Black-blotched porcupinefish (a.k.a. Pufferfish), Nudibranchs.

Locationtags: Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand, Thailand, Diving Koh Tao, Diving Gulf of Thailand, Diving Thailand, Marine life Koh Tao, Marine life Gulf of Thailand, Snorkeling Koh Tao, Snorkeling Gulf of Thailand, Holiday Koh Tao.