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Koh Tao Dive Sites: Chumphon Pinnacle

The best dive site in the Gulf of Thailand, Chumphon Pinnacle offers spectacular encounters with sharks and deep dive thrills

For already qualified divers, Koh Tao offers a variety of interesting sites that repay repeated visits. The best dive site in all of the Gulf Of Thailand is undoubtedly Chumphon Pinnacle, a lozenge shaped rock that begins at about 16 metres and goes down to 30metres, with a flat bottom sloping away from its base. Visibility out here can be spectacular thanks to its ocean location rather than being close to the shore – it’s not uncommon to be able to see 20 metres and beyond. And it’s just as well, because the star attraction at Chumphon Pinnacle are the grey reef sharks that patrol its edges.

There’s a big outcrop called Barracuda Rock where sharks are often to be found. cruising by at 25 metres and below. They are big, fearsome looking sharks, some of them a couple of metres long, bigger than a man – but they are harmless to divers, although of course have to be treated with utmost respect. I used to teach Nitrox courses here where we would drop in at sit at 25 metres – sometimes we would be at eye level with them, hanging by the rock, keeping very still as they moved amongst us, mesmerised by how gracefully – and swiftly – they moved. There’s few more memorable experiences than making eye contact with a shark and it was the sort of dive where everyone would get back on the boat raving about how good it had been.

People obviously get disappointed when they don’t see the sharks, but there’s plenty of other fish life to be found at Chumphon if the sharks are proving elusive. Big ugly grouper fish hover at either end of the pinnacle, big shoals of barracuda hang motionless just off in the blue, stingrays and moray eels hide in the crannies of the wall, while batfish keep an inquisitive eye on divers making their ascent at the mooring rope. There was a tiny little bright yellow boxfish at one point, speeding around the carpet of anemones that span across the flat top of the pinnacle. On one dive, I saw an absolutely enormous grey grouper or potato cod – at least a metre and a half in length – break for cover from Barracuda Rock, appearing and disappearing within a few seconds.

The other famous visitor to Chumphon Pinnacle is one I’ve never seen, despite doing over a 100 dives at this site alone. A few times a year, whale sharks turn up at Chumphon, causing a ripple of excitement to pass through the entire island and prompting Koh Tao’s entire population to jump in the water. Or so it seems. Before I got to Koh Tao I was getting text messages from friends saying “the whale sharks are here”. When I left Koh Tao I got text messages saying, “The whale sharks have just turned up”. One supposed friend maintained that they were, in fact, at the pinnacle the entire time but just hiding from me. “Has he gone? Good.” You just can’t win. [See my previous post for more info about where to find whale sharks in Thailand]. Maybe you’ll get lucky and see a whale shark at Chumphon Pinnacle – but if not, there will be plenty of other underwater critturs to keep you occupied.

[Koh Tao article list]



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Start Planning Your Thailand Dive Trip Now!

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:: Need inspiration? See our Best Places To Dive In Thailand for ideas of where to go and what to do.


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My Recent Dive Trips

  • February 2020: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • December 2019: Raja Ampat liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2019: Malapascua, Philippines
  • June 2019: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • April 2019: Tulamben, Bali
  • December 2018: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • December 2018: Anilao, Philippines
  • October 2018: Moalboal, Philippines
  • October 2018: Malapascua, Philippines
  • July 2018: Tulamben, Bali
  • May 2018: Raja Ampat, Indonesia
  • April 2018: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • May 2017: Apo Island and Dumaguete, Philippines
  • April 2017: Tubbataha Reef, Philippines
  • April 2017: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • March 2017: Triton Bay, Indonesia
  • March 2017: Raja Ampat, Indonesia
  • September 2016: Tulamben, Bali at Alba Dive Resort
  • August 2016: Cenderawasih Bay on Damai 1
  • April 2016: Sogod Bay at Sogod Bay Scuba Resort
  • February 2016: Raja Ampat and Banda Islands on Damai 1
  • April 2015: Anilao at Crystal Dive Resort
  • March 2015: Myanmar and Similan Islands on Thailand Aggressor
  • May 2013: Similan Islands on Thailand Aggressor
  • April 2013: Tubbataha Reef on Discovery Palawan
  • January 2013: Komodo, Indonesia on MSY Damai

My Less Recent Dive Trips

  • August 2012: Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia
  • April 2012: Similan Islands and Southern Thailand liveaboard
  • January 2012: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • August 2011: Hanifaru, Maldives
  • June 2011: Tubbataha Liveaboard Hans Christian Andersen
  • April 2011: Similan Islands and Southern Thailand liveaboard
  • April 2011: Carpe Vita Liveaboard, Maldives
  • March 2011: Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
  • December 2010: Menjangan, Bali
  • July 2010: Tofo, Mozambique
  • July 2010: Sardine Run, South Africa
  • May 2010: Sangalaki / Derawan, Tambora
  • March 2010: MV Flying Seahorse, Similan Islands
  • March 2010: MV Orion, Southern Maldives
  • January 2010: Big Blue Explorer, Palau
  • November 2009: MSY Damai, Banda Sea Liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2009: MSY Damai, Komodo Liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2009: MV Orion, Maldives Liveaboard
  • September 2009: MV Scubanet, Koh Losin, Thailand
  • May 2009: MSY Seahorse, Banda Sea liveaboard, Indonesia
  • March 2009: Sachika Liveaboard, Maldives
  • February 2009: Daytrips, Koh Lanta, Thailand
  • January 2009: MV Jazz, Burma (Myanmar) Liveaboard

Back In The Day Bragging Rights Dive Trips

  • November 2008: Borneo Explorer, Visayas Liveaboard
  • September 2008: S/Y Siren, Komodo Liveaboard
  • August 2008: Ocean Rover, Sulawesi Liveaboard
  • August 2008: NAD Lembeh Resort, Indonesia
  • June 2008: Koh Tao
  • March 2008: Maldives, Bandos Island
  • February 2008: MSY Seahorse, Raja Ampat Liveaboard
  • January 2008: MV Jazz, Burma Liveaboard
  • October 2007: Bali Dive Safari
  • September 2007: Davao, Philippines
  • July 2007: Great White Sharks, Rodney Fox Liveaboard
  • June 2007: Big Blue, Palau Liveaboard
  • May 2007: Whale Sharks at Exmouth, Australia
  • April 2007: Borneo Explorer, Tubbataha Reef Liveaboard
  • December 2006: Komodo Dancer, Komodo Liveaboard

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