Koh Doc Mai is a steep limestone rock rising out of the sea east of Phuket, around 1 hour 15 minutes from Chalong Pier. Covered in lush vegetation above water, its two sides are very different below: a near-vertical wall on the east and a sloping coral garden on the west. Koh Doc Mai is particularly good for macro photography, with small marine life hiding all along the reef.
Depths range from around 5 to 38 metres. Visibility can be unpredictable and is often lower than at other local sites. Nutrient-rich water arrives with the current, sometimes changing visibility dramatically during a single dive. But those nutrients bring life with them.
Its shape means there is almost always a sheltered side, making Koh Doc Mai a year-round dive site even when conditions elsewhere are less comfortable. Which side we dive depends on wind, current and diver experience.
Currents can be strong, turning parts of the dive into a drift. Staying close to the reef usually saves your air, and good buoyancy control is important. But Koh Doc Mai rewards going slowly—the smaller you look, the more you find.
Check the large yellow fan corals for seahorses. They are known to live here, although they have the annoying habit of changing address.
Table corals create plenty of hiding places for bamboo sharks sleeping during the day. Sometimes we find three or four youngsters sharing the same den.
In about 7–8 m small table corals cover part of the wall. Look carefully between them—we’ve found ornate ghost pipefish and tiger-tale seahorses hiding here.
Tell us your dates and we’ll take it from there.
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