Shark Island

Shark Island is a small granite islet less than a kilometre off the southeast tip of Koh Tao; the name refers to its shape, which looks like a shark's dorsal fin from certain angles, not to sharks. Its specialty is soft coral: one dive centre calls it the most diverse soft coral site around the island, with purple soft tree corals, large gorgonian fans, barrel sponges and whip corals spread over big boulders. The boulders meet sand at about 15 to 18 m and outlying rocks continue to about 28 m off the southeast end, while gullies and swim-throughs run between the rocks, and the shape of the islet invites a dive around it. Schools of yellowtail barracuda and fusiliers, titan triggerfish, groupers, batfish, moray eels and turtles are common, and whale sharks are seen occasionally in season. Currents can be strong enough to change the dive plan, which also makes it a good place for drift and current practice, and it is best enjoyed by Advanced Open Water divers.