Home › Great Places for Diving › Asia › Thailand › Pattaya › Ko Krok
Scuba Diving at Koh Krok in Pattaya
The nearest diving island to Pattaya (approx 6 km) is a finger-shaped island called Koh Khrok. It's better suited for shallow water scuba diving or for freediving and snorkel swimming.
This Koh Krok dive guide contains practical information for beginner scuba divers and snorkelers and details about the marine creatures found in the Northeastern Gulf of Thailand.
Which Months are Best for Diving in Pattaya
Unlike the Andaman Sea coastlines, the eastern shores of Thailand are unique for several reasons:
- The shallowest coral reef dive sites are ideal for divers of all experience levels.
- You can also find challenging dives (including some of the best wreck diving in Thailand).
- The eastern seaboard tends to get shelter from the worst of monsoon rains that sometimes rule out diving in areas like Phuket and Phi Phi.
It's fair to say that most scuba divers want to explore top diving destinations that have calm conditions underwater and lots of dry sunny weather above the waterline.
In fact, Chonburi Province has more than 300 days of year-round sunshine and the water temperature rarely drops below 29° Celsius (84° Fahrenheit).
As a result, the white sand beaches and clear blue water found at the islands around Pattaya have transformed the region into one of the top places for diving holidays in Thailand.
Here's the thing:
As a consequence of that, diving in Pattaya tends to be an annual activity. Even so, divers need to be mindful that the southwest storms usually arrive towards the end of October and can last for several weeks.
At certain times of the year, the north eastern gulf can have twenty (20) metres of underwater visibility. Thus, the best months for scuba diving and Pattaya snorkeling trips are from the beginning of September through to the end of February.
Pro Tip: Check out our sea life section for interesting facts about sharks (e.g. blacktip reef sharks) and rays (e.g. spotted eagle rays) that sometimes put in an appearance at the outer islands.
Tips for Diving at Koh Krok
This tiny islet takes less than an hour to reach by boat from Pattaya Port. It's located near to Koh Larn Coral Island and in the same direction as the popular far island diving spot of Koh Rin.
Shelter from gusts of wind and squally waves are the primary benefits when diving in the large bays on each side of the island.
Moreover, it's also an ideal place for beginner divers to practice buoyancy skills and it's one of the most accessible locations for learning about snorkeling.
Why?
The average depth is around six (6) metres (where the rocks meet the sand) and the maximum is about eighteen metres (60 feet). Divers can expect to get between three (3) and twelve (12) metres of underwater visibility with moderate currents.
As a consequence of that, Koh Krok Island dive site is a popular choice for boat captains on diving days when the local weather is blustery.
Pro Tip: Koh Khrok is an ideal location for dive schools to conduct the Discover Scuba Diving program. The rugged topography also provides a fascinating backdrop for underwater photography and learning how to free dive.
Marine Life at Koh Krok Island
Having the opportunity to experience interesting topography, clearer underwater visibility, and a superabundance of aquatic creatures are the main reasons divers make the trip to the Far Islands.
Nonetheless, most of the Pattaya dive sites are good places to see big fishes (e.g. pelagics). At Koh Khrok, divers should expect to catch sightings of common marine life that are native to the northern Gulf of Thailand, especially during the plankton blooms in March and April.
Typical examples include:
- Angelfishes (e.g. blue ringed angelfish)
Butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae)- Christmas tree worm (Spirobranchus giganteus)
- Damselfishes (e.g. the dusky damselfish)
- Gobies fish
- Lionfish
- Moray eels
- Octopuses
- Scorpionfish
- Sea anemones (including clownfish)
- Sea turtles (e.g. hawksbill sea turtle)
- Stingrays (e.g. bluespotted ribbontail ray)
- Tangs (Acanthuridae)
Pro Tip: Within reach, Koh Hu Chang dive site is a great spot to explore diverse reef life and marine invertebrates that live around hard and soft corals. It also creates a neat way to combine reef diving and shipwreck diving on the same day, such as at the nearby HTMS Khram and HTMS Mataphon wreck.