Japanese Gardens

Japanese Gardens lies on the east side of Koh Nang Yuan, in the sheltered water facing Koh Tao. It's exactly what the name promises: a garden of coral bommies spread across the sand, starting barely below the surface and sloping gently to around 12 metres.

Where Koh Tao learns to dive

Calm, shallow and protected, this is the island's beginner paradise. Try dives, Open Water training and refreshers happen here daily, and photographers love the light on the brain and table corals. Between the bommies you'll find clownfish in their anemones, parrotfish, butterflyfish, blue-spotted stingrays, giant clams and clouds of sergeant majors, with harlequin sweetlips and batfish drifting past. Turtles cruise through from time to time if you're lucky.

You don't even need a tank. Japanese Gardens is one of Koh Tao's best snorkel spots, and a fixture on every round-island snorkel trip, usually paired with the climb to the famous Koh Nang Yuan viewpoint.

Why dive Japanese Gardens

• Shallow, calm and sheltered, from 2 to about 12 m
• The island's classic first-dive site
• Great snorkelling straight off Koh Nang Yuan
• Dense hard-coral garden full of small life
• Pairs with the Koh Nang Yuan viewpoint for a perfect half day

Where is Japanese Gardens?

On the east side of Koh Nang Yuan, facing Koh Tao, a few minutes by boat from the island. Read our Koh Nang Yuan guide for the full day-trip picture.

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