Klun Badan is one of the least dived far islands.
This is mainly due to the dive site being preferred for its shelter from currents and waves.
So it is a popular choice on windy days for the benefit of novice divers and snorkelers as the large bay on the backside of the south offers optimum conditions for inexperienced divers.
Best Dive Months: Year round
Average Depth: 6m
Maximum Depth: 12m
Underwater Visibility: 3 - 10m
General Currents: Weak to Moderate
Unusual Hazards: Sea Urchins, Fish Cages
Marine Life: Sea Turtles, Seahorses, Morays, Snappers, Lionfish, Stingrays, Squirrel Fish, Rabbit Fish, Butterfly Fish, Octopus, Wrasse, Angelfish, Damsel Fish, Puffer Fish, Hermit Crab.
The word 'Koh' means island in Thai language and the island of Klun Badan takes a little over an hour to reach from Pattaya Marina.
There are two main dive sites that we use and they can both be used on the same dive.
Divers with more experience may choose to make a drift dive when the tide is out-going from north to a south direction.
This allows divers to drift around the south of the island and finish the dive on the backside of the south headland where the other dive site is located.
As you're drifting around the south point, the first half of the dive site not generally the most exciting but as you head inside the large bay of Koh Klung Badan.
The corals are more abundant and form tiers gently sloping from 10 meters up to the rocky cliffs above the dive site. The second half of this drift dive is usually the best and most likely where you'll see octopus and bluespotted stingrays (T. lymma).
Inside the sheltered bay is a large shallow dive site that offers calm and predictable conditions. There are many sandy patches that helps when doing the scuba skills from the Open Water Diver Course and the PADI Discover Scuba Diving Program.
The hard corals tend to be small outcrops of table coral and stag horn Coral dotted around in an average depth of five meters.
Squirrel-fish hide in the crevices and shoals of damsel fish and sargent major fish cloud the dive site especially near to where the boat anchors.
They impatiently wait for scraps of food that might be thrown overboard by those that don't realize that it may not be ok for scuba divers to feed fish.
Koh Klung Badan may not be the best dive site in Pattaya, but it is often used as a rescue site to complete dive courses and training for beginners because of its shelter from prevailing winds and currents.
However, if you swim close to southern most point you will almost see small octopuses burying themselves in the sand.
Octopus seem to thrive in this area though they still appear to be timid when divers are nearby. You would be very unlucky not to see the small bluespotted stingrays under the rocky corals and you may also see bamboo sharks sleeping during the daytime.
Bamboo Sharks are not dangerous and many were re-introduced back into Pattaya waters recently to try and stimulate the shark population.
Pattaya Coral Islands |> Koh Larn |> Ko Sak |> Koh Krok |> Koh Phai |> Koh Rin |> Koh Hu Chang |> Koh Manwichai |
A final comment about Klung Badan is that it's often popular for snorkelers who appreciate the calm surface conditions and distinct lack of speed boats and jet-skis.
This island is uninhabited and provides a peaceful backdrop to enjoy a relaxing day snorkeling and diving around the Pattaya Far Islands.