Leam Thian
Laem Thian is a rugged, adventurous dive site on the remote east coast of Koh Tao. It is essentially two dive sites in one: Laem Thian Bay, a shallow coral garden perfect for beginners, and Laem Thian Caves, a series of dramatic swim-throughs and caverns for more experienced divers.
Key Details
- Depth: 5 to 25 meters (The bay stays shallow at 5–15m, while the cave section averages 18–20m).
- Skill Level: Open Water to Advanced. The “Caves” section requires good buoyancy and spatial awareness.
- Visibility: Generally excellent, often ranging from 15 to 30 meters.
- Topography: A stunning collection of giant granite boulders that have tumbled into the sea, creating a vertical playground of tunnels, archways, and canyons.
Marine Life
- Unique Residents: This is one of the only sites on Koh Tao where you have a high chance of spotting Bumphead Parrotfish. You will also frequently see the Orange-spine Unicornfish.
- Cave Dwellers: Large Giant Groupers often lurk inside the darker swim-throughs, while Harlequin Sweetlips and Yellow Boxfish hide under rock ledges.
- Reef Life: Look for Green Sea Turtles, schools of Yellowtail Barracuda, and pairs of Blue-ringed Angelfish.
- Macro: The rocky walls are a hotspot for nudibranchs, sea slugs, and banded pipefish.
- Alert: The site has a few resident Titan Triggerfish that are famously large and territorial—keep a watchful eye when crossing the sandy patches!
The Swim-Through Map
Divers typically start in the deeper cave section to the north, navigating through the boulder maze, and then “turn the corner” into the shallower bay to finish the dive among the hard coral gardens and butterflyfish.
Location
10.08785, 99.85628 Get Directions
Are you looking for another east coast site to pair this with, like Shark Island or Aow Leuk?
