Koh Larn is the largest of the offshore islands around Pattaya. The island is very popular with day-trippers from Pattaya, and the reefs around most of the island have suffered as a result. Evenat those sites that remain fairly good, you have to be on the lookout for jet skis and boats that stray into the exclusion areas, which means you need to be very careful when surfacing.
Haad Nuan at a Glance
| Depth: | 4 - 30 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | Any |
Haad Nuan
Haad Nuan is a small beach near the southern tip of Koh Larn. The bay off the beach has several ridges, or fingers, of coral extending out from either side. The hard corals start at a rather shallow level, which makes this a good site for snorkeling as well as diving.
Currents are generally rather mild, but you do have to watch out for boats and jet skis from the neighboring beach, who often ignore the buoys marking the area they're supposed to stay out of.
Koh Krok at a Glance
| Depth: | 2 - 14 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | Dec. - March |
Koh Krok
Koh Krok is the closest to Pattaya of the near islands. It is located a little over one kilometer east of Koh Larn (see Koh Larn map). Tidal currents can be at their strongest here, so a drift dive is often the most appropriate. There are large clumps of soft corals and anemones here, at relatively shallow depths.
Koh Larn Drop-off
Koh Larn Drop Off at a Glance
| Depth: | 6 - 25 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | Nov. - Feb. |
Also called: Golden Point, Laem Thong
The drop-off is around the eastern-most point of Koh Larn, a jutting headland called Laem Thong in Thai, which means "Golden Point". Depending on the strength of the currents, and the direction, you can do this site as a drift dive. The best part of the reef is a flat part directly off the tip of the point about six meters down.
From the point, the reef steps down in a series of flat ledges to about 15 meters. There is little to see beyond 22 meters.
Kut Wreck
Kut Wreck at a Glance
| Depth: | 10 - 30 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | March - Nov. |
The HTMS Kut is yet another old Royal Thai Navy ship that, like the HTMS Khram, was sunk on purpose to form a new reef and dive site. The Kut began life in 1944 as the USS LSM-333. It was transferred to the Thai Navy in 1946, officially retired in 1990, and sunk in September 2006.
The ship lies in about 30 meters of water about 300 meters off the northeast coast of Koh Sak, a small island just north of Koh Larn The top of the wreck is about 10 to 14 meters down. All the armaments, engines and other equipment has been removed.
Shark Point
Shark Point at a Glance
| Depth: | 6 - 25 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | March - Nov. |
Also called: Laem Hat Sangwan
Shark Point is a broad promontory on the northwestern coast of Koh Larn (see Koh Larn map). Conditions are generally best from March to November, but it can be dived at other times of year when the weather permits.
The site gets its name from baby nurse sharks, which can be found hiding in holes and crevices on the reef. Moray eels can also be found here. There's not much to see beyond 18 meters.