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Koh Lanta Holidays Thailand

The attraction of the island of Koh Lanta to the diving community is largely due to two amazing pinnacles that lie approximately 25 km southwest of the tiny island of Ko Rok Known as Hin Daeng (red rock) and Hin Muang (purple rock), they offer everything a diver could want, from dramatic walls and big fish action to lush tropical underwater gardens.

Hin Daeng is easily found - it protrudes about 3m above the surface. Although not very impressive topside, underwater the rock is huge. The southern side descends straight down over 60 m, forming the most radical vertical underwater wall off Thailand’s coast. The wall is dotted with light growths of soft coral and a few sea fans, but is otherwise just sheer rock. The cliff is dotted with lighten growths of soft and hard coral and sea fans, all of them with the same red colour, giving the pinnacle its name.On the eastern side where the slope is more gentle, two long ridges descend into the blueness.

If the currents are favourable, it is possible to swim along these ridges down to 40 m or more. Here, the soft coral becomes more lush and tall and huge schools of jacks sweep past the ridge surrounding the diver with a shimmering wall of silver. Ascending to the shallows, needle fish skip along the surface and barracudas stalk through the clear water.

Hin Muang, located just a few hundred metres from Hin Daeng, is completely submerged and is host to an amazing amount of marine life compared to the relatively barren Hin Daeng. The name derives from the ubiquitous thick purple growth of soft corals. The rock itself is some 200m long and less than 20 m wide, shaped like a loaf of bread with steep, vertical sides and a rounded top. The walls are decorated with large sea fans of red, white and orange. Clouds of glass fish school around the fans and rocky outcroppings, while carpets of anemones cover the shallower sections of the pinnacle.

To the west of Koh Lanta lies a group of five small islands known collectively as Koh Ha. The highlight here is cave diving, with a series of underwater caves to explore. The largest cavern is on Koh Ha Yai – it is safe to enter even without a light as the entrance is large and there is only one way in and out . Perhaps the most amazing facet of these caves is that you can ascend to the surface inside heart of island. Stalactites hang from the top of ceiling which soars over 30 m above your head through a filigree of light filtering through the water from the entrance. It is accessible to all levels of qualified diver and offers the chance to view Manta rays, giant turtles and even the occasional Whale Shark.

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• Diving in Koh Lanta