There is a choice of four different local day dive trips from Khao Lak: Bangsak Wreck, Thai Muang Wreck, Sea Chart Wreck and the Khao Nayak House Reef.
For our house reef and wreck dive day trips we use our two local Thai-style boats, typical of this area - the longtail boat - which we have specially adapted for diving, with a roof to protect you from the midday sun and a ladder to assist you on entering the boat from the water.
REEF DIVING IN KHAO LAK
We have two local reefs close to Khao Lak which are perfect for divers who want shorter day trips.
Khao Na Yak, our house reef, is a small reef with a maximum depth of 9m which we use frequently for refreshers and training. It is also home to some unusual marine life which keeps experienced divers and photographers interested.
Our second local reef dive site is the Artificial Reef (also known as the Underwater Museum) with a maximum depth of 15m. This dive site has a collection of army trucks, a Navy patrol boat, a motorbike, and open concrete blocks and cones.
KHAO NAYAK REEF
Khao Na Yak is a shallow reef located close to Khao Lak which we call our house reef.
Just a short 35-minute boat journey from the harbour, with 9m maximum depth and generally no current. In other words, this is a relaxing dive trip and an excellent site for a wide range of divers. Inexperienced divers can enjoy the simplicity of a quiet, easy dive site close to town.
This Khao Lak reef is also a great spot for doing some of the skill focused dives from PADI courses. For example, the PADI Open Water course, the PADI Advanced Open Water course or some of the PADI Speciality courses. In addition, Khao Nayak Reef appeals to experienced divers who like to focus closely on the unusual, especially small stuff. An extra bonus for photographers is the shallow depth, which means good light and a longer dive.
Many beautiful nudibranchs can be found here, as well as a few special creatures. It is also home to lionfish, cuttlefish, octopus, morays and a colourful selection of tropical fish. Overall, this Khao Lak reef is the perfect place to relax and focus.
ARTIFICIAL REEF (UNDERWATER MUSEUM)
The Artificial Reef is a collection of sunken army trucks and other structures, not far from Khao Lak.
The Artificial Reef project was launched in 2014 in honour of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Sirikit. The aim of this Khao Lak reef is to attract marine life to the area. With a maximum depth of 15m this is an interesting dive site for both new and experienced divers.
You have the chance to dive amongst a number of deliberately sunken structures and see the marine life up close. There are about twenty army trucks, a navy patrol boat, a motorbike, a turtle statue and a group of open concrete blocks. Many more statues are planned for the coming years that will tell the story of the culture of Phang Nga.
Already home to a good variety of tropical fish and nudibranchs, we look forward to continuing development over the coming years.
WRECK DIVING IN KHAO LAK
Our three wrecks can each be dived on a half-day trip from Khao Lak. Each wreck has its own character according to its depth, age, and size. Most importantly, all act as artificial reefs, naturally attracting all sea life from the surrounding flat and sandy seabed. We do not penetrate any of these wrecks, so consequently, no special diving skills are needed. Come and enjoy the huge variety and abundance of fish life that now call these wrecks “home”.
The Bangsak Wreck is Khao Lak’s oldest and most established wreck and has a lot of marine life. The Thai Muang wreck is slightly deeper and is still fully intact. The Sea Chart Wreck is our largest wreck and lies much deeper and therefore is a fantastic wreck for advanced divers to explore!
BANGSAK WRECK
The oldest and most popular wreck dive in Khao Lak, with an outstanding collection of marine life
The Bangsak Wreck is an old tin mining dredger that sank in 1984 at a depth of 19m just off Bangsak beach. Due to its large size, the top of the wreck was close to the surface, creating a safety hazard for local fishing vessels. Therefore the Thai Navy had been called in to bomb the dredger creating Khao Lak’s first wreck dive!
In 2004 the tsunami passed over this site and as a result splitting the wreck into four main sections. Spreading it over a far greater area and making it a far more interesting dive site. Have a look at the “before and after” maps in our dive center to see how great the changes were.
There is an incredible richness of marine life here so don’t forget your camera. Truly, it’s just full of fish!
THAI MUANG WRECK
this wreck is still almost in one piece and rarely dived, so you can enjoy having this beautiful dive site all to yourself!
The Thai Muang Wreck was built in 1976 in Sliedrecht in the Netherlands. She ended her days working in the thriving tin mining industry off the coast of Phang Nga. In September 2000, sinking a few hundred meters off Thai Muang beach.
She now rests on her side at a depth of 23 meters. As a result, this is a great opportunity to dive on a complete tin dredger and with remnants of dredging equipment still visible.
There are plenty of lionfish and scorpionfish hidden around her decks. In addition, you might find resident honeycomb moray eels, boxfish, cuttlefish, pipefish, and an assortment of colorful nudibranchs.
SEA CHART 1 WRECK
The ultimate wreck dive in Khao Lak, at 40m depth, is for experienced divers only !
This 1970 German cargo ship sank in August 2009, just off Thai Muang beach. She was transporting her cargo of 1,200 tonnes of teak wood from Myanmar to Vietnam. Her load started to shift and as a result, she began taking on water. Being pushed closer and closer towards the shore, she consequently capsized just outside Thap Lamu harbor.
Lying at a depth of 40m on her starboard side, this 85m long, 12m wide intact wreck still has much of her original cargo on board and is in excellent condition. The shallowest point of the wreck is at 22 meters.
On a day trip, we do the first dive at the Sea Chart Wreck and the second dive at the Thai Muang wreck.