Diving at Koh Sak Island Pattaya
Heading due west approximately 10 kilometers from Pattaya Harbour is the small crescent shaped island of Koh Sak.
It is a popular local diving spot used for beginners and inexperienced divers.
Conducting Scuba Programs
The large shallow sandy bay in the north of the island is where most visiting dive boats anchor up and conduct scuba programs and snorkeling trips.
The bay has two chief dive sites which have distinctly different underwater topography. The east side is extremely shallow and is ideal for first time scuba divers, whereas the west side has less sandy areas and more hard coral and rock formations.
Koh Sak bay is horseshoe shaped offering easy access to the beach. Although the bay is often troubled by speed boats and jet-skis it remains a great place for scuba training.
Koh Sak's Concrete Cubes
A few years ago they scattered some concrete cubes to try and stimulate coral growth. Although it has not been over successful it has encouraged turtles, stingrays, and giant puffers into the area.
Koh Sak's dive sites are also used regularly for night diving because of their shelter from currents and relatively safe environment for nocturnal scuba enthusiasts. Night diving at Koh Sark will be your best chance to see morays and octopus which usually hide in rock crevices during the daylight hours.
It is also appropriate to mention that if you visit Pattaya and decide to try diving at Koh Sak a local law states that scuba divers should use a visible signaling device before surfacing.
Safety Sausage
Commonly known as a 'safety sausage', it is a large bright orange inflatable tube and should be considered a mandatory diving accessory to warn the boat traffic in the area of divers present under water.
Sea Urchins
Another local hazard in Pattaya waters is sea urchins. They do not chase you or try to bite you, but if you accidentally put a hand or foot on a sea urchin they can puncture the skin.
They are not poisonous, in fact the spines are made of calcium, and so the black needle-like spike should simply decompose and disappear after a few days. Nonetheless, they can occasionally become infected and you should seek medical attention if you are in doubt.
It may not be the most exciting dive site in Thailand but when the weather is unsettled or the sea currents are too strong, Koh Sak bay is a welcome haven to get wet and enjoy one of Pattaya's near island dive sites.