Scuba diving in Koh Lanta, Thailand, turned out to be a dream I never knew I had. The jade waters, teeming with marine life, paired with the warm hospitality of the dive centre, made it an unforgettable experience.
The waters of Koh Lanta
In the warm tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, I held onto hope that two dive sites in particular would reveal some larger marine life. Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are renowned for their whale shark and manta ray sightings, especially in February. So, when my trip to Thailand for Coldplay’s concert was in motion, I couldn’t resist visiting Koh Lanta and the two iconic sites, crossing my fingers and toes for a glimpse of these majestic creatures!
However, the effects of climate change have significantly reduced the chances of spotting whale sharks and mantas in Hin Daeng and Hin Muang for over a year. Surprisingly, bull sharks have been making more appearances in the area, a tidbit I learned only during the dive briefing – yay me.
The other two dive sites were Koh Haa and Koh Haa Yai. Both sites offered warm, clear, emerald waters, with interesting caves, swim throughs and vibrant marine life. I, of course, made friends with a curious Batfish and spotted a Banded Sea Krait – amongst a sea full of other marine life!
When to dive in Koh Lanta?
I dived Koh Lanta in early February. As PADI and other blogs state, the best time for diving in Koh Lanta is between November to April. During this period, water temperatures hover around 29°C, and visibility can reach up to 30 meters.
How to get to Koh Lanta?
Hop on an hour-long domestic flight to Krabi with Bangkok Air. From Krabi airport, our hotel arranged a private transfer – an hour long – to reach the jetty. From the jetty, it was a 15-minute ferry ride, and another 20-minute drive to the resort. Fairly easy. The dive centre also organised a free transfer to and from the hotel.
The Dive Centre
Hidden Depths Diving stood out for its professionalism and friendliness right from the get-go during my research for a dive centre in Koh Lanta. What pleasantly surprised me was the number of female instructors, which is a rarity in South Asia where male instructors dominate. Diving with these incredible female instructors was a total win and added to the uniqueness of choosing this dive centre!
The other special thing about Hidden Depths Diving was the post-dive briefing, along with a very welcome cold towel and a hot Thai lunch after the dive (green curry and red curry YUM).
Overall, Scuba diving in Koh Lanta was definitely one for the books and Hidden Depths Diving provided just the best experience, so I’ll definitely be returning!
Yours truly,
Imperfect Traveller
