Phuket Dive Guide : Koh Doc Mai
About the location and site
This small, jungle topped island is located on the way to Shark Point from Phuket and is considered one of the best wall dives in the area. Doc Mai is a huge limestone rock that. Koh Doc Mai literally means, "Flower Island". There are different stories of how the place got its name - some say it is because the island was once full of blossoming flowers, and others claim its name comes from the underwater beauty around its shores.
This little limestone island rises steeply out of the sea and stretches vertically down to 30 meters creating beneath the surface a wall all around. The west side is a gently sloping hard coral reef from 12 to 20 metres with an abundance of colorful sea life decorating its underwater cliffs. The east wall is more popular with scuba divers and goes as deep as 25 metres. This site is a virtual garden of yellow tube corals, harps, sea fans, anemones, and sponges. You can explore a few caves along the base of the wall here. With a torch, you would be able to see the spectacular limestone architecture. Most visited is the big cave at the southeast. The small cave however is narrow and long, so less experienced divers are not encouraged to penetrate the cave. Another small cavern has a ‘fresh air’ spot at the top of it, which is not recommended to breathe the air.
This small, jungle topped island is located on the way to Shark Point from Phuket and is considered one of the best wall dives in the area. Doc Mai is a huge limestone rock that. Koh Doc Mai literally means, "Flower Island". There are different stories of how the place got its name - some say it is because the island was once full of blossoming flowers, and others claim its name comes from the underwater beauty around its shores.
This little limestone island rises steeply out of the sea and stretches vertically down to 30 meters creating beneath the surface a wall all around. The west side is a gently sloping hard coral reef from 12 to 20 metres with an abundance of colorful sea life decorating its underwater cliffs. The east wall is more popular with scuba divers and goes as deep as 25 metres. This site is a virtual garden of yellow tube corals, harps, sea fans, anemones, and sponges. You can explore a few caves along the base of the wall here. With a torch, you would be able to see the spectacular limestone architecture. Most visited is the big cave at the southeast. The small cave however is narrow and long, so less experienced divers are not encouraged to penetrate the cave. Another small cavern has a ‘fresh air’ spot at the top of it, which is not recommended to breathe the air.
You dive will usually begin on the far left or right of the southern face, depending on the direction of the tide. Descending immediately to around 25 meters the divers will usually start a very slow descent. While checking crevices and cracks in the wall or the sea fans, you may spot many small creatures when they move. The walls are home to colourful nudibranchs, flatworms, tiny white eyes morays, and group of 10 or more dancing shrimp are guaranteed to make an appearance. Soft and hard corals can also be found clinging onto the wall, the yellow tube corals making the best of bunch. The bright yellow tiger-tale seahorse seems to flourish here as well as the ornate ghost pipefish. In addition, anglerfish are among the species frequently found. No wonder this dive site is famous by macro photographers. Along the walls, usually schools of yellow line snapper, trevallies and fusilier hunt around. Hidden amidst the corals are the white-eye moray, giant moray and Honeycomb moray eels, very used to divers floating by and they are not shy at all. For those interested in bigger fish, look at the blue for great barracuda and if you are lucky leopard shark may catch a few winks at the bottom of the wall.
The seafloor has a sand and limestone gravel composition, look out for rays and flatfish here.
Into the blue, there has been some occasional spotting of mantas, black tip sharks, and even whale sharks. It is also known for turtles to accompany divers on their journey.
It should be possible to get halfway around the island in an hour. It is usually a one-way dive along the wall side of Koh Dok Mai and if the tide is right, it is a great place to just sit back and drift along. Stronger currents can reduce the normal visibility of 20 meters to a lesser distance.
The seafloor has a sand and limestone gravel composition, look out for rays and flatfish here.
Into the blue, there has been some occasional spotting of mantas, black tip sharks, and even whale sharks. It is also known for turtles to accompany divers on their journey.
It should be possible to get halfway around the island in an hour. It is usually a one-way dive along the wall side of Koh Dok Mai and if the tide is right, it is a great place to just sit back and drift along. Stronger currents can reduce the normal visibility of 20 meters to a lesser distance.
Phuket Dive Guide dive maps : Koh Doc Mai
