Chumphon Pinnacle: Dive Site, Koh Tao's Most Famous Dive

Chumphon Pinnacle is the dive Koh Tao is best known for. It is a granite mountain that never breaks the surface, sitting in open water about 10 to 12 km north-west of the island, facing the Chumphon coast on the mainland. The top is at around 14 m, and the sand around the base is 30 m or more below.

If you are researching Chumphon Pinnacle Koh Tao dive trips, expect a proper outing. It is a 40 to 45 minute boat ride from Sairee or Mae Haad, a deeper dive than most, and it depends on the weather. In return you get big schools, giant groupers and the island's best chance of a whale shark.

Chumphon Pinnacle dive site map

1. 1Main pinnacle, top 14 m
2. 2Anemone beds, 14 to 20 m
3. 3Barracuda Rock
4. 4North cluster of rocks
5. 5West swim-through ~25 m

Diving Chumphon Pinnacle: the route

Boats tie up or drop you at the summit area, and most dives start by going down to around 14 to 18 m. From there you circle the main pinnacle, usually keeping the rock on one side and letting the current help. Drop to 25 to 30 m to look for groupers and the big schools, then come back up to the shallower tops for your safety stop.

It is easy to drift deeper than planned while watching the fish, so keep an eye on your computer.

If you can, plan for a second dive on the same trip. Many centres run Chumphon as a two-dive outing, and the light, the schools and the current can feel quite different the second time around. Open Water divers on board can usually enjoy the summit area, while Advanced divers get the full multi-level profile from 14 m down to 30 m and beyond.

Underwater layout

The site is one large main pinnacle, elongated roughly north to south, rising from sand at about 30 to 36 m to a summit near 14 m. There are shelves at around 18 m, and ledges and plateaus covered in hard and soft corals, sea whips, gorgonian fans and barrel sponges.

Smaller rocks stand around the main pinnacle. A cluster off the south-west side is known as Barracuda Rock, and there are further groups off the north side. The gaps between the rocks are where chevron barracuda and other schooling fish tend to gather. A swim-through has been reported on the west side at about 25 m. Away from the rock, the seabed is sand.

Marine life at Chumphon Pinnacle

The summit is the first thing you see: dense anemone beds, with pink anemonefish in every one. They are thickest on top and on the south-eastern side, and they sway in the slight current.

The real draw is the fish traffic:

• Schools: chevron barracuda, big-eye trevally, snapper, batfish and fusiliers.
• Residents: giant groupers and marbled groupers in the shadows, white-eyed morays in the crevices, and titan triggerfish.
• Visitors: giant barracuda, king mackerel, giant trevally, and occasionally sailfish and grey reef sharks.
• Macro: banded boxer shrimp, banded pipefish, Jan's pipefish, scorpionfish and crabs.

Whale sharks at Chumphon Pinnacle

Chumphon is generally considered the best place on Koh Tao to see a whale shark, and now and then divers see more than one on the same dive. Sightings are talked about most in March to May and again in September and October, but nobody can promise one. Go for the whole site, and treat a whale shark as a bonus.

Conditions and best time to dive

Visibility is usually 10 to 30 m, often 20 m or better, helped by the distance from the mainland. A thermocline around 18 to 20 m can make the water cloudier below it. Current is often slight, but wind and waves can bring surface chop and stronger flow, since the site is fully exposed.

Good visibility is reported for most of the year. Windy, choppy spells can cancel trips, so build a spare day into your plans if the dive matters to you.

Tips from local divers

• Add nitrox to stretch your bottom time at 20 to 30 m.
• Book an early departure to dive before the crowds.
• Bring a torch for the crevices and for finding macro.
• If you are offered a second dive here, take it. The light and fish activity differ between dives.
• Watch your depth. It is easy to drift past 30 m.

Safety notes

Depths of 30 to 36 m (some operators quote up to 40 m if you leave the rock) mean narcosis and short no-stop times. Advanced certification or the Deep Diver specialty is recommended, and Open Water divers can usually only enjoy the summit area. Expect a long boat ride, other boats in high season, and the occasional cancellation for weather.

Why dive Chumphon Pinnacle

• Summit blanketed in pink anemones
• Koh Tao's best whale shark odds (never guaranteed)
• Schools of chevron barracuda, trevally and snapper
• Giant groupers and white-eyed morays
• Barracuda Rock satellite pinnacle
• Multi-level profile from 14 m to 30 m+

Chumphon Pinnacle: frequently asked questions

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