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Information about Aow Leuk Dive Spot

Koh Tao has no shortage of shallow picturesque bays with crystal clear water for the enjoyment of scuba beginners and snorkel swimmers.

This guide contains useful tips and information about the Aow Leuk dive site on the south east coast of the island, with extra details about the local marine life.

What Months are Best for Diving in Koh Tao

In fact, the Chumphon Archipelago contains dozens of sun-kissed bays on the islands. But, the premier spots for divers and snorkelers are:

Koh Tao is a compact kidney-shaped island that has about twenty one (21) square kilometres of total land mass.

Nevertheless, the pristine white sand beaches and azure blue water have transformed Koh Tao Island into one of the top places for diving holidays in Thailand.

Here's the thing:

Most scuba divers want to explore destinations that are sunny and have calm conditions underwater. Well, Koh Tao has over three hundred days of year-round sunshine and the temperature of the water is a constant 29° Celsius (84° Fahrenheit).

As a consequence of that, it's fair to say diving in Koh Tao is an annual activity. But, divers need to be mindful that the southwest monsoons usually arrive towards the end of October and may continue until the end of January.

At certain times of the year, the south western gulf can have thirty (30) metres of underwater visibility. Hence, the best months for divers to enjoy clear water dives are July, August, and September.

Pro Tip: Check out our sea life section for interesting facts about whale sharks that tend to make an appearance around the islands near Koh Tao during the months of April and May.

Tips for Diving at Aow Leuk

The dive site at Aow Leuk bay is wide and shallow, with plenty of golden sand and open spaces on the seabed. In fact, this is also the location for several artificial reef projects that aim to stimulate the growth of colourful corals and sea fans.

In a similar manner to the Underwater Museum dive site in Khao Lak, the calm bay at Aow Leuk contains several giant concrete sculptures, boulders, and bommies that create chillout zones for sea turtles and sheltered habitats for juvenile reef fishes.

A profusion of compact coral heads combines well with the giant clam nursery close by. Divers can expect to see a colourful mass of giant clams, crown of thorns starfish, and the spiny cushion starfish (Culcita schmideliana).

But wait - there's more:

The north side of the bay stretches out from the beach to Aow Leuk point. However, Hin Ngam dive site is another favoured diving location close by in the south of the bay.

Beginners can use a large clearing of sand separating the two neighbouring sites to practice buoyancy skills. Most of the area bottoms out at eight (8) metres. But, you can actually reach fifteen (15) metres in the deepest part of the reef (e.g. ideal for Open Water Diver courses).

Pro Tip: Sheltered bays with areas of open sand and little water movement are ideal locations for local dive shops to conduct the Discover Scuba Diving program, and its related training dives. This kind of underwater topography also provides a superb backdrop for underwater photography, freediving, and learning how to snorkel.

Marine Life at Aow Leuk and Hin Ngam

Koh Tao dive sites are good places to see big fishes (e.g. pelagics). Plus, divers should expect to catch sightings of common marine life native to the lower Gulf of Thailand, especially during the plankton blooms in March and April, such as:

Pro Tip: Both sites offer good opportunities to explore sea life that lives around hard and soft corals. For example, the hard varieties include brain, table, and staghorn corals. The soft coral species at Aow Leuk include mushroom coral and toadstool leather corals (Genus Sarcophyton).

Olan's Garden at Aow Leuk

You'll find dozens of man made coral reefs in many of the Koh Tao dive sites. The artificial structures at Aow Leuk dive site have been established since 2010.

If you swim in a south-easterly direction from the coastline, you should find the Suan Olan dive site (also known as Olan's Garden). Navigate eastward across the sand at fourteen (14) metres and you should reach the artificial structures.

As a direct response to the common causes of coral bleaching, the configuration includes a Mini Cooper car, a reef house, an assortment of concrete blocks, and a Reef Pyramid.

Related Information and Help Guides

Pro Tip: This short video [57 seconds] presented by "Black Turtle Dive" contains footage of the amazing marine life found at the Aow Leuk Koh Tao diving site.

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