Situated roughly halfway between the Similan and Surin Islands lies the small uninhabited island of Koh Tachai. The island has become home to one of Thailand’s best dive sites, and is usually visited by liveaboard’s on the way to or from Richelieu Rock.

Although there are several diving locations dotted around the island, by for the most famous and best is the plateau, which is an exposed site, situated roughly 1 kilometer off southern tip of the island. The reef is made up of hard corals on the top, with boulders scattered around the base of the plateau. Divers often use these boulders to shelter from the currents, which can become particularly strong here. The strong currents and deep waters do offer some advantages though, large Manta Rays are a frequent visitor to the area, and divers can watch them swim, almost effortlessly, against a ripping current.

Around the deeper boulders, large stingrays, leopard sharks and nurse sharks can also be found resting during the daylight hours. Several hawksbill turtles also found on the corals around the top of the reef.

Another sight that can greet the lucky divers is the world’s largest fish, the Whale Shark , which can be seen cruising around the shallow part of the reef. Apart from the big stuff, Koh Tachai Plateau is also a great place for seeing batfish, angelfish, schooling barracudas, trigger fish and unicorn fish. This is an exhilarating dive, and is often the highlight of every divers Similan trip.

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