Mae Haad

Mae Haad is a sandy bay on Koh Phangan's north-west coast whose fringing reef is among the most developed around the island, with large staghorn and brain coral formations between big rocks and patches of sand. Schools of parrotfish and fusiliers cruise over the corals, stingrays including blue-spotted ones are a common sight, and groupers, cuttlefish, seahorses and unusual nudibranchs are among the finds. Rarer sightings reported here include banded sea kraits, turtles and great barracuda. The reef is shallow, with dives going no deeper than about 14 m, and conditions are easy, so it works well for beginners, night dives and snorkellers, and a short swim connects it with the reef around Koh Ma.