Chumpon Pinnacle - Koh Tao

Chumpon Pinnacle, for us, is Koh Tao’s undisputed star. It’s not about intricate coral gardens here, though you’ll spot some sturdy staghorn if you look. This site is about the big stuff, and the feeling of being truly out in the blue. We love dropping down onto the main pinnacle, feeling the current gently pull you, and immediately being enveloped by schools of fusiliers. They often swirl so thick they block the sun. Keep an eye out from the deeper sections around 20 metres. That’s where we’ve had our best luck spotting larger pelagics like barracuda or even a whale shark cruising by. It’s never a guarantee, but the potential always buzzes in the air. Look closer too, because even amongst the drama of the open water, there’s plenty of smaller life like the iridescent blue-scaled wrasse zipping between rocks. It’s a site that can have a decent current, so it suits divers comfortable managing that, but the rewards are well worth it. Our favourite time to dive Chumpon is early morning, before the dive boats from Samui arrive. You often get the place to yourselves, and the light is just beautiful as it penetrates the schools of fish.

Location
Koh Tao, Thailand, Southeast Asia
Coordinates
10.171926, 99.778305
Type
pinnacle
Maximum Depth
20

Marine Protected Area: Suratthani Environmental Protected Area

Best Time to Dive in Koh Tao

The warmest water temperatures in Koh Tao occur in May, averaging 30.6°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 28.3°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 28.3°C
  • February: 28.6°C
  • March: 29.3°C
  • April: 30.2°C
  • May: 30.6°C
  • June: 30.2°C
  • July: 30.0°C
  • August: 29.7°C
  • September: 29.4°C
  • October: 29.2°C
  • November: 29.3°C
  • December: 28.6°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Koh Tao

Nearest Dive Centres to Chumpon Pinnacle

Marine Life in Koh Tao

Home to 56 recorded species including 35 reef fish, 11 sharks & rays, 4 other, 2 hard corals, 1 clams & mussels, 1 sea urchins.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Chumpon Pinnacle

Based on average water temperature of 29.5°C, currents 14 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories