Phuket liveaboard - Dive Hin Daeng - Diving Hin Muang

Ponder a chart of the Andaman Sea in search of promising dive sites for a while and the eyes will settle on the tiny island of Hin Daeng.

Isolated some 40 kilometres off the coast, only the summit of Hin Daeng breaks the surface. But beneath the surface Hin Daeng ("red rock") is a huge site whose walls plummet to depths well beyond the reach of recreational divers.

This dramatic uprising attracts impressive pelagic species. In 2005 whale sharks stayed in the area of Hin Daeng for several weeks, providing visiting divers aboard MV Discovery's Phuket liveaboard with a rare treat. Mantas can also often be seen cruising past "in the blue" of the dive Hin Daneg site, occasionally soaring upwards around the rock while feeding.

The diversity of smaller life at Hin Daeng is incredible, and several species not seen elsewhere in Thailand can be observed at the first class dive Hin Daeng site.

Hin Muang, or "purple rock" is a completely submerged ridge lying just a few hundred metres from the dive Hin Daeng site. In fact Hin Muang is joined at depth to Hin Daeng itself, but the two dive sites are invariably tackled as separate dives.

Scuba diving Hin Muang often offers an equally strong chance of whale shark sightings as the dive Hin Daeng site, and again feeding manta rays are a common spectacle.

Leopard sharks can be found resting on the sandy flats amongst the spectacular fields of hard and soft corals which adorn the scuba diving Hin Muang's site slopes and valleys.

Dense schools of rainbow runners and barracuda hang just off the scuba diving Hin Muang reef, while smaller gems such as ghost pipefish can be found amongst the rocks and corals.

Literally translated as "five islands", Koh Ha normally provides our safe anchorage for the night aboard your scuba diving Thailand Phuket liveaboard and a chance to discover yet a different type of scuba diving in Thailand.

If you wish, our guides will take you through one of the fascinating underwater caves that millions of years of decay have cut into Koh Ha's limestone walls.

Koh Ha provides plenty for the macro diver. Harlequin shrimps are amongst the myriad of tiny wonders living here. And by night you'll be able to find all sorts of species such as splendid crabs that spend the day under cover.