The "Far" or "Outer" islands off Pattaya require about 75 to 90 minutes to reach by dive boat from Pattaya. The islands form a chain running from north to south. The consensus seems to be that the diving is better around the outer islands than around the inner islands. However, the outer islands, being more exposed, are very weather dependent and may not be accessible during the rainy season, from May to October.
Koh Hu Chang at a Glance
| Depth: | 5 - 12 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | All Year |
Koh Hu Chang
"Hu Chang" is Thai for "Elephant Ears", and that aptly describes the two rocky outcrops that form the island, which barely rise out of the water. The site is very exposed, so access to it always depends on the state of the weather. The rocks are covered with hard corals, and a few barrel sponges here and there.
Koh Klung Badan at a Glance
| Depth: | 5 - 15 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | All Year |
Koh Klung Badan
Koh Klung Badan lies just south of Koh Hu Chang. The favored dive site is a small sheltered bay near the southern tip of the island. The site can be dived all year, weather permitting. There are several coral heads scattered around the bay, which is what makes this a good snorkeling site.
Khram Wreck at a Glance
| Depth: | 15 - 30 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | All Year |
Kram Wreck
The "wreck" of the HTMS Khram is currently the most-visited of the many wrecks off Pattaya. I put wreck in quotes because the ship was sunk on purpose in 2003 by the Royal Thai Navy to create a new reef and dive site. The Khram started out as the LSM-469 during WWII and was transferred to the Thai Navy in 1962.
The Khram sits upright about 300 meters off the southeastern tip of Koh Phai. The bottom is at 30 meters, but the top of the wreck is about 15 meters down. There are several large holes for easy penetration. All ammunition, engines and other heavy equipment has been removed.
Koh Man Wichai at a Glance
| Depth: | 5 - 18 m |
| Currents: | Mild - Strong |
| Season: | Nov. - May |
Koh Man Wichai
The most typical dive site around Koh Man Wichai is a small (tiny, actually) bay at the southern tip of the island. The west side of the bay is a wall of coral, while on the east side, several coral "fingers" run out from the coast down to about 15 meters.
Like most of the dive sites around Pattaya, visibility can be highly variable - good one day and very poor the next. Currents also vary according to tides and seasons.