Hin Daeng/Hin Muang

These two sites are located very close to each other, however one is covered in red soft corals (Daeng means red), and the other is covered in purple soft corals (Muang means purple).  This is the areas big draw – all the guidebooks rate it as one of the best in Thailand.

It takes between an hour and an hour and a half to get there by speedboat and between 3 and 4 hours on a big boat.

Hin Muang is shaped like a blade, and rises steeply from the seabed at 60 metres to 8 metres at its shallowest point.  There can be a very strong current flowing over it at a 90 degree angle.

Hin Daeng is shaped like a pyramid and just about breaks the surface, making it easier to hide from the currents.

At both sites the fish are not only found in larger numbers, but the fish themselves are significantly larger, than at sites closer to Lanta.  Large manta rays (up to 4 metres wide) are regularly found here in December and January – last season, at least 15 were seen here daily for about 10 weeks.  Whalesharks are also spotted here, although not as frequently as the mantas.

We would usually recommend divers have some experience in drift or deep diving here, especially if diving at Hin Muang.