Shark Island – Top dive site in Koh Tao and a Hidden gem next door
Shark Island is one of the best dive sites and a must-visit for anyone exploring the underwater world of Koh Tao. Its name came from its rock formation, that given the shape of a shark’s fin. Shark Island also has a Thai name known as ‘Gong Sai Deang’
Shark Island sits just off the southeast coast of Koh Tao Island. This dive site is teeming with marine biodiversity, making it a popular spot for scuba diving, freediving, and even snorkeling on calmer days. Because it’s a little further out from the bay, which sometimes makes the currents stronger. By all means, more currents, more nutrients, and more life. From colorful coral reefs to schools of tropical fish, there’s something for everyone beneath the surface.
What matters most is that Shark Island is our neighbour dive site, just around the corner from where we are – Chalok Bay. It only takes around 10 minutes to arrive at Shark Island from New Heaven Dive School, making it one of the most convenient and rewarding dive trips on Koh Tao. That’s happy daze!
Shark Island is best suitable for experienced divers, with an average depth ranging from 5-20 meters. For those who have deep dive or shipwreck training, you can even venture deeper down to around 28-35 meters where the MV Trident sunken ship is sitting off the south of Shark Island. You can explore the entire shape of this dive site, though conditions such as weather and currents can vary, so it’s always good to check before diving.
Diving level for Shark Island: Experienced scuba divers are highly recommended and must be at least Open water certified divers or Standard Level 1 certified Freedivers.
What can you spot while diving at Shark Island?
Thanks to the often strong currents, Shark Island is full of marine life beneath the surface! From tiny treasures like nudibranchs to the incredible whale shark, there’s always something exciting to see. Divers and snorkelers may also encounter sea snakes, stingrays, octopus, sea turtles, great barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, and even large schools of barracuda and batfish. The colorful soft corals covering the site make it even more colorful and alive. It’s one of the highlights of both scuba diving and freediving around Koh Tao.
Shark Island isn’t just a beautiful spot for underwater exploration; it’s also an ideal location for Advanced scuba diving courses, for example, underwater navigation, night dive, or fish identification training. Shark Island is a fantastic site to sharpen your skills.
At New Heaven Dive School, we keep things laid-back and personal. Our dive trips are relaxed and unhurried, with only 2 dives per day, and we leave later in the morning, so you can avoid the early rush and enjoy a slower start. No crowds, no stress.
Best of all, Shark Island, one of the top scuba diving and freediving sites on Koh Tao, is right around the corner from our school in Chalok Bay. Whether you’re joining a fun dive or signing up for a diving course, this vibrant site is the perfect place to grow your underwater skills while enjoying the magic of Koh Tao.
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