Red Rock

Also known as: Nang Yuan Pinnacle · Red Rock Pinnacle

Red Rock, also called Nang Yuan Pinnacle, is a small granite pinnacle about 50 m off the eastern shore of Koh Nang Yuan that rises from about 20 m to just below the surface. Its specialty is the Nang Yuan Cave: after circling the rock, divers head west to the shoreline and pass through a long, light-filled cavern under fallen boulders at about 12 m, which several centres rank among the finest swim-throughs around Koh Tao, and then follow the coast into Japanese Gardens where the boat waits. A crack around the pinnacle shelters blue-spotted ribbontail rays, Jenkins whiprays, moray eels and sometimes a resting turtle, and the rock carries whip corals, soft corals and table corals. Along the boulder coastline to the north, the rare pinktail triggerfish can be found at about 8 to 10 m, and titan triggerfish are always around. The site is usually calm and suits Open Water divers, although currents can pick up around the full moon and one guide advises cavern training before entering the cave.