Sail Rock Dive Tour
Koh Tao, Thailand
- 2,500 THB
- 1 day
- Dive the best site in the Gulf of Thailand
- 2 Dives
- Chance of Whale Sharks
- Includes Lunch
Intro
Ranked amongst the best dive sites in South-East Asia, Sail Rock – Hin Bae หินใบ in Thai – is an isolated islet situated midway between Koh Tao & Koh Phangan.
Simple Life Divers runs regular dive trips to Sail Rock.
Join us to explore the premier dive site in the Gulf of Thailand.
Dive Site Topography
Above water, Sail Rock emerges as a tiny uninhabitable rock in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand.
However, the topside vista of Sail Rock belies secrets awaiting discovery beneath the waves.
Sheer walls of Sail Rock plunge vertically from the surface to a depth of around 30 meters, meeting a silty seabed that slopes away to greater fathoms.
The granite monolith is encrusted with kaleidoscopic hard and soft coral – a consequence of the remote location and timeless exposure to tropical currents.
Marine Life
In shallow water, stony porites, gorgonian fans, table corals & anemones harbor tropical aquatic species such as butterfly & blue-ringed angelfish, triggers, yellow boxfish, wrasses, porcupine fish, moray eels & more.
A unique appeal of this dive site derives from its remote location. Bluewater surrounding Sail Rock draws vast pelagic schools; Chevron & yellow-tail barracuda swarm the monolith, forming schools dense enough to obscure vision. Giant Trevally dart amongst the clouds of fish, plus we often observe predatory Great Barracuda patrolling the reef.
Sail Rock’s ‘Chimney’ Swimthrough
Sail Rock has an unusual geological feature.
Colloquially known as The Chimney, on the eastern face of Sail Rock, an underwater tunnel passes vertically through the pinnacle.
Entering the chasm at a depth of around 16 meters, divers can ascend upwards through the rock and exit to daylight at 6 meters.
Whale Sharks
The largest fish in the ocean – Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus) – live in tropical waters and can grow up to 10 meters long. Scientific tracking has shown that whale sharks dynamically change habitat, moving between oceanic and coastal regions (depending on the availability of food – usually plankton).
Whale sharks migrate through the Gulf of Thailand; As part of their epic voyages, we observe Whale Sharks filter-feeding around deep pinnacle dive sites.
We often see whale sharks close to Koh Tao. However, the highest probability of diving with a whale shark is at Sail Rock.
You do need to be lucky – but it can happen.
Secret Pinnacle @ Sail Rock
Suitable for divers with deep certification only. (Training is available).
Sail Rock is visible above water.
A submerged secret pinnacle hides just a short swim from the primary monolith.
Transitioning from Sail Rock to the Secret Pinnacle along the seabed is deep and sometimes challenging. The prerequisite certification is PADI Deep Specialty or equivalent. EANX is an advantage to enjoy more bottom time at depth.
The value of traversing across to the Secret Pinnacle is to explore part of the dive site which few divers will ever see.
The Secret Pinnacle is smaller than Sail Rock, but coral species and marine life are dense.
Making the swim across the seabed at depth adds an additional element of excitement.
Dive Tour Itinerary
- 07:30: Meet at Simple Life Divers
- 08:00: Board the dive boat and head to Sail Rock
- 09:30: Dive 1
- 11:00: Surface Interval & Lunch
- 12:30: Dive 2
- Mid-afternoon: Return to Koh Tao
*Itinerary maybe adjusted subject to weather and sea conditions.
Individual dive profiles, training activities and air consumption rates will influence bottom times.
Sail Rock Dive Trips – Schedule
- Thursday August 10th, 2023
- Thursday August 24th, 2023
- Friday September 8th, 2023
- Friday September 22nd, 2023
- Sunday October 8th, 2023
- Friday October 20th, 2023
- Wednesday December 20th, 2023
- Friday, January 5th 2024
- Friday, January 19th 2024
- Sunday, February 4th 2024
- Sunday, February 18th 2024
- Friday, March 1st 2024
- Sunday, March 17th 2024
- Tuesday, April 2nd 2024
- Thursday, May 16th 2024
- Thursday, May 30th 2024
- Sunday, June 16th 2024
- Friday, June 28th 2024
- Sunday, July 14th 2024
- Sunday, July 28th 2024
- Tuesday, August 13th 2024
- Tuesday, August 27th 2024
Dive Group Size
Sail Rock trips typically run with 10-20 divers aboard the Simple Life dive boat.
In the water we divide into small groups of 3-4 divers.
Simple Life’s dive crew prioritizes giving everyone a fantastic diving experience.
Tailoring dive profiles to your experience level helps ensure everyone will enjoy long dives and see lots of aquatic life.
We can also provide private dive guides on request.
Sail Rock: FAQs & More Info
What prerequisites are required to dive Sail Rock?
To dive Sail Rock, you must be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.
PADI Advanced or above is better; The capability to dive to 30 meters allows you to explore more of the dive site.
Weather Disclaimer: What Happens When Weather/Sea/Diving Conditions are Poor?
Our priority is safety, and to give everyone who dives with Simple Life Divers a fantastic experience.
Sail Rock dive trips run subject to weather and sea conditions.
Please understand – Sail Rock a distant dive site; If the ocean is rough, or we receive reports of bad visibility, it makes no sense to undertake such a long journey.
In such circumstances we will recommend a better local alterative (or refund your booking).
Can PADI Dive Training be combined with the Sail Rock trip?
We can combine PADI courses with Sail Rock dive trips.
If certified as a PADI Open Water or Advanced Diver, Sail Rock is the ideal dive site to further your dive training, skills, and experience.
To gain the best experience of deep sites, such as Sail Rock, the PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox), and Deep Diver Specialties allow you to explore for longer at depth.
Contact us to let us know your requirements, and we can put a plan together.
What Meals are included as part of the Sail Rock Dive Trip?
Meeting at Simple Life Divers at 07:30 am and returning to Koh Tao by mid-afternoon, Sail Rock dive trips occupy most of the day. So we need to keep you well-fed and hydrated!
Aboard the Simple Life Divers’ boat, drinking water, tea, coffee, and cookies are available throughout the day.
Lunch is also included; Authentic Thai cuisine, typically Khao Pad (fried rice) or a tasty stir-fry on rice (nothing crazy spicy).
(You’re welcome to bring along your own drinks and snacks too if you want).
If you have any special dietary requirements, please inform us in advance.
