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Buoyancy World Artificial Dive Sites
The local community created an artificial dive site off the west coast of Koh Nang Yuan, close to the northern tip of Koh Tao island in Thailand.
It is a superb example of how building artificial reefs can help improve and conserve the underwater environment and provide safe habitats for local marine life and corals.
A Dedicated Training Site for Novice Divers
Local government and local businesses joined forces with key members of the local community to fund the Buoyancy World project.
Some of the reasons why this particular concept has become a specific training site for learners (e.g. PADI Open Water Divers), include:
- Average depths of ten (10) metres (maximum fifteen metres).
- Calm conditions and minimal current throughout most of the year.
- Underwater visibility between five (5) and twenty (20) metres.
- Helps to reduce the burden on natural coral reefs in the area.
Pro Tip: It's fair to say the Twins dive site is one of the busiest for dive schools operating from Koh Tao. This was the main criteria when they chose the location for the man made coral reefs and concrete statues.
Coral Nurseries at Buoyancy World
Some of the artificial concrete structures that divers can swim around, and through, include replica sharks, turtles, large fishes, and a giant octopus.
You can swim through tunnels, hoops, and around a sunken obstacle course. Placing these sculptures on the sandy bottom in shallow water means first time scuba divers and free divers (apnea) can practice their buoyancy skills in a safe area.
Here's the thing:
Building coral nurseries from concrete has been a monumental success. In fact, many have overgrown the original structures and produced new growths of healthy staghorn corals and an abundance of vibrant marine life, especially:
- Angelfish (e.g. Blue ring angelfish)
Blue spotted stingray- Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus)
- Juvenile harlequin sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides)
- Lyretail wrasse (Thalassoma lunare)
- Marine crustaceans (e.g. shrimps)
- Orbicular batfish (Platax orbicularis)
- Parrot fish (Scaridae)
- Red-breasted wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus)
- Weibel's butterflyfish (Chaetodon wiebeli)
- Yellow-spot goatfish (Parupeneus indicus)
Note: The Buoyancy World dive site near Twins Pinnacles in Koh Tao provides the ideal location for local scuba instructors to conduct Open Water Diver courses, the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty (PPB), and the Fish Identification Specialty.
Related Information and Help Guides
- Best Place for Scuba diving in Pattaya Coral Islands
- Koh Samui Diving and Snorkeling Sites for Beginners
- Pattaya Wreck Dives around Sunken Shipwrecks
- Where are the Best Shipwreck Dives in Thailand?
- Wreck Diving Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Pro Tip: This short video [59 seconds] presented by "Black Turtle Dive" contains footage of scuba divers navigating the artificial coral reefs at Koh Nang Yuan.