Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Ko Ha, Ko Rok
Located just south of Krabi Province, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang offer some of the only (and best) wall diving in the Andaman Sea. Although not as commercially
developed as some of the other sites around the country-which
makes it more difficult to get to-some of Trang and Krabi's diving spots
are decidedly world-class. Certainly, when conditions are right,
the pinnacles of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang triumph over anything
in the Similan Islands.
There are four principle places for diving in this area south
of Phi Phi Island. These are Ko Ha Yai, Ko Rok, Hin Daeng, and several
islands inshore from Ko Rok and just South of Ko Lanta. Ko (or sometimes spelled "koh") means island in the Thai language. "Hin" means rock or pinnacle. Fortunately, none of these dive sites were damaged in the tsunami which hit Thailand and the rest of the Andaman Sea in late 2004.
Ko Ha
Ko Ha is a small group of islands almost directly west of Ko
Lanta. These tiny islands, separated by channels over 50 meters
deep, jut straight out of the Andaman Sea. However, unlike at
Phi Phi, the water here is ordinarily quite clear and visibility
frequently exceeds 25 meters. The highlight of diving here is
a series of caves, or caverns on the largest of the islands, Ko
Ha Yai. The caves are safe to enter, even without a light, as
the entrances are large and there is only one way in and one way
out. The best part of entering these caves is that you can surface
inside the island to view stalactites hanging down from the ceiling
over 30 meters above the surface. The quality of light filtering
through the water from the entrance is magical.
Ko Lanta
Moving inshore to the South of Ko Lanta, the water clarity deteriorates,
and the diving is quite shallow. There is one interesting place
to explore called the Emerald Cave in the Bay of Trang, where at high tide the diver
can swim through a large cave underwater to surface in a perfect
little lagoon complete with its own white sand beach and splendid
tropical jungle. Once inside, you are surrounded by tall cliffs,
and the only way out is through the cave. Therefore, an experienced
guide who knows the area is essential for safe exploration. There are bungalows and resorts in this area including at Koh Muk and Koh Hai (Ngai).
Ko Rok
Ko Rok, about 25 kilometers south of Ko Ha, are two sister-islands
separated by a narrow channel about 15 meters deep. These islands,
nok and nai (outside and inside) have some of the prettiest beaches
in Thailand and are completely devoid of inhabitants. The islands
are named for a small, furry mammal called a Rok in Thai,
and this animal, along with monitor lizards, can be observed on-shore-with
a little patience and a bit of luck.
The diving here is relatively shallow, with the best corals and
fish life living above 18 meters. The bottom is composed of mostly
hard corals, with small areas of soft corals at deeper depths.
Black tip sharks patrol the reef shallows and Hawksbill turtles
are sighted regularly. But the main reason for stopping in Ko
Rok is that it is the perfect jumping off point for trips out
to Hin Daeng and the islands have ideal anchorage in all weather.
Hin Daeng and Hin Muang
The sole reason that diving has become world class in Koh Lanta and Krabi are two
pinnacles that lie approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Ko
Rok. Hin Daeng (red rock) and Hin Muang (purple rock) offers everything
a diver could want, from dramatic walls and big fish action, to
lush tropical underwater gardens.
Hin Daeng is easily found since it protrudes about three meters
above the surface. Although not very impressive topside, underwater
the rock is huge. The southern side descends-straight down-to
over 60 meters forming the most radical vertical drop in Thailand's
seas. The wall is dotted with light growths of soft corals and
a few sea fans, but is otherwise devoid of life. On the eastern
side where the slope is more gentle, two long ridges descend into
the blueness and if the currents are favorable it is possible
to swim along these ridges down to 40 meters or more. Here the
soft coral becomes more lush and tall, and huge schools of jacks
sweep past the ridge, surrounding the diver with a shimmering
wall of silver. Ascending to the shallows we see needle fish
(long toms) skip along the surface. Barracudas stalk their prey
through the clear water. Swimming between the three large rocks
that form the surface view of Hin Daeng, large schools of fusiliers
dart to and fro as if they are afraid of the water surging through
the channels.
Hin Muang, located just a few hundred meters from Hin Daeng,
lies completely submerged. What surprised us the first time we
explored the rock was the incredible amount of marine life that
clung to the rock. It is as if the rock were located in another
ocean and not just a short distance away from the relatively barren
Hin Daeng. The name derives itself from the thick purple growth
of soft corals that are everywhere. The rock itself is approximately
200 meters long and less than 20 meters wide, and is shaped like
a loaf of bread with steep, vertical sides and a rounded
top. The walls are decorated with large sea fans of red, white
and orange. Clouds of glass fish, or silver sides, school around
the fans and rocky outcroppings. Carpets of anemones cover the
shallower sections of the pinnacle.
One July, the water was so transparent and the sea so smooth
that I could see clearly the splash of someone throwing the dregs
of their coffee overboard with puffy white tropical clouds as a back-drop-from
a depth of over 45 meters!
Whalesharks are one animal that we see repeatedly around these
pinnacles and many years we see them on almost 70% of our trips
there. Though we see whale sharks less now than we did in the 1990s, they are still around on a regular basis, more commonly in February, March, and April (although there is no predicting it, this is just when the weather is ideal--I've seen them every month of the year). Manta rays are rapidly becoming more of a common reason for diving in Hin Daeng as the tops of the pinnacles act as cleaning stations for these giants.
On many occasions we swim with gray reef sharks in the deep blue
water off Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. This is the only place in Thailand
where I have seen more than 10 gray reef sharks together at one
time. In fact, even in the Mergui Archipelago this type of shark is rarely seen.
Gray reef sharks are full-bodied sharks, powerful and sleek, and
are often confused with blacktip sharks because of their similar markings.
However, unlike their cousins, these sharks are true pelagic animals,
and swimming with them is a stirring, emotional experience. On
one occasion, I managed to hover within two meters of a group
of these sharks who ignored me in favor of a large school of
jacks-apparently they were more mouth-watering than I was.
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