Krabi Aonang scuba diving : Local dive site
Tuesday, 29 September 2009 15:55
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| Directly off Ao Nang are two islands, Koh Podah Nai and Nok, and a handful of limestone outcrops. Diving, is concentrated around these islands, as well as the sites at Koh Phi Phi and Shark Point Marine Sanctuary. Divers can enjoy an abundance of radiant soft coral and a tremendous diversity of marine life. There are gentle sloping reefs, caves and exciting swim-throughs. The shallow reefs offer opportunities for some tremendous snorkelling. The local sites can be accessed within twenty minutes whilst those further a field take just over an hour. |
| 1. | Koh Ma Tang Ming | ||
| Location: Immediately north of Koh Podah Nai Depth: Average 6m / Maximum 14m Although this is not one of the area's better sites, it has reasonable diversities of both marine life and hard coral making it a rewarding introductory dive to the area. Small yellow boxfish, rock basslets, Moorish idols and banner fish add colour, as do trees of soft coral. The hard coral is represented by stag horn, brain coral and some small boulders. The best area for snorkelling is around the eastern side where, close to the rock, are many sea whips, large plate coral and associated reef inhabitants. |
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| 2. | Koh Podah Nai | ||
| Location: The largest of the offshore islands and islets, just over 6km south of Ao Nang Beach Depth: Average 5m / Maximum 12m The northern beach of Koh Podah Nai slopes gently slopes down to an extensive reef-flat, which continues outward for a further 50m before it reaches an almost sheer slope, dropping to 12m. At high tide the coral is covered with maximum 2m of water, and at low tide many coral heads actually break the surface. |
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| 3. | Koh Podah Nok (Chicken Island) | ||
| Location: 500m due south of Koh Podah Nai Depth: Average 1m / Maximum 4m This site is immensely popular for snorkelling, but as the maximum depth dictates, not really suitable for diving. The marine life around this picturesque islet is more prolific round the eastern shore, particularly off the northern end of the beach. The seascape is liberally punctuated with rocky boulder and coral laminates, plenty of small colourful reef-fish, reasonably sized giant clams and a wealth of small invertebrates. |
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| 4. | Koh Mae Urai | ||
| Location: 1km northwest of Koh Podah Nai Depth: Average 9m / Maximum 16m This rocky outcrop features two underwater tunnels. As you pass through the easternmost tunnel, it's exit acts as a natural frame of glorious soft coral in white, pink, blue, orange and yellow. Beyond this coral garden, the seabed gradually tapers down past shelves of rock crowned with colourful feather stars and orange encrusted sponges. Magnificent sea anemones host a variety of anemone fish. |
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| 5. | Hin Bia Rhlua | ||
| Location: 500m southeast of Koh Mae Urai Depth: Average 9m / Maximum 16m One of the local favourites on the southern side of the main outcrop is the deepest section of the dive. This gradually becomes shallower as it heads north and is mainly dominated by terraces of foliaceous coral. Below this coral, are many small boulders of lesser and greater star coral with the familiar punctuation of plume worms and sea whips. There is a narrow gorge in the northern apex of this site. Along its floor parrotfish peck away at hard corals and black-banded sea kraits weave in and out of nooks and crannies along its walls. |
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| 6. | Koh Ya Wa Sam | ||
| Location: About 2km west of Podah Nok Depth: Average 9m / Maximum 17m The reef slope off the southern outcrop, climbs over many rocks, providing the main structure of the site. Juvenile black-tip reef and grey nurse sharks often rest among the rocks, with leopard sharks on the sand. |
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| 7. | Koh Kom | ||
| Location: Outcrop to the southeast of Podah Nok Depth: Average 12m / Maximum 20m The seascape around the western side of the outcrop features numerous terraced shelves, which drop down to an area of large rocks. The gaps between the rocks act as shelters for a selection of medium-sized vertebrates including large dog-faced puffer fish and groupers. Moorish idols and schooling banner fish patrol among many sea whips and bushy black coral. |
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| 8. | Koh Ya Wa Bon | ||
| Locations: To the west of Koh Podah Nok Depth: Average 12m / Maximum 20m In the north of this site an impressive archway cuts through the face of the rock for about 10m; there are two entrances at 6m and 12m. Although the entrance is only wide enough for one diver at a time, the swim is good. The site’s northern area gradually slopes down over coral laminates interspersed with sea anemones (with a variety of tenants) and rocks. This is also a good location for spotting juvenile snowflake morays and black-banded sea kraits as they meander in and out of the rocks. |
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| 9. | Koh See | ||
| Location: Three outcrops south of Koh Ya Wa Sam Depth: Average 6m / Maximum 16m There is a tremendous diversity of corals and marine life. Off the eastern face you find a wall. To the west this gradually declines into a close formation of large rocks. Back along the reef-slope itself, at a steady depth of 11m, a ribbon like effect is created by a series of brain coral, which is anchored in the limestone. There is a fair representation of reef fish around Koh See, including titan and yellow margined triggerfish, Moorish idols, dog faced puffer fish, lunar wrasse and harlequin sweet lips. |
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| 10. | Koh Haa | ||
| Location: Outcrop to the southeast of Koh See Depth: Average 12m / Maximum 20m Two large rocks in a depth of 9m are covered in soft coral, with oysters clinging to the rocky surface and also to sea whip coral. There are many moray eels, sea anemones, most being magnificent and gigantic. There is an equally impressive number of tenant anemone fish. If you look closely at the anemones you usually find other, smaller hosts such as anemone crabs and translucent shrimps. This is also a good site for spotting colourful mantis shrimps in burrows in the coral substrate. |
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