SCUBA DIVING WITH WHALE SHARKS IN THAILAND: SAIL ROCK
Introduction to whale sharks
It is a life time dream for many divers to dive close to the largest living nonmammalian vertebrate, the whale sharks. These adorable gentle giants are not only difficult to spot but are on the endangered species lists, what it makes an encounter a life time quest for many people.
They can reach sizes up to more 18 meters long but despite its huge sizes they are harmless to humans. Their favorite meal is plankton and they can feed also on small fish and shrimps. They are filter feeders, which means they cannot bite or chew, so they use suction as a procedure for eating.
They can live up to 150 years when they are able to reach adulthood. Unfortunately these majestic creatures are endangered and only 10% reach adult life. Some of them get caught on fishing nets or they are affected by the hazards of climate change, plastic pollution. Their fins are also a delicacy in Asia what makes them prey from greedy fisherman.
We can still enjoy a whale shark encounter in an ethical way that will not damage the animals. And there is a place in Thailand where the chance of having a whale shark encounter is really high four months every year, and this place is a big pinnacle between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, Sail Rock.
“If we see a whale shark, we will stop everything and go spotting the shark”, my lovely scuba diving instructor told me and my dive buddy during my advance open water course. I still did not know a lot about diving or whale sharks as this was only my 6th dive so I was still a bit scared when I would hear the word shark. And it happened, we spotted the whale shark and dove after it for a while, of course respecting the distance and being careful to approach the shark in an ethical way.
“I have almost 6000 dives and I have not yet seen a whale shark”, someone told me later in Bangkok on my trip back to Europe. “Well, you should go and dive in Sail Rock”, I told him and I think it was a good advice, as I have returned to Koh Phagan and dove Sail Rock several times after this first encounter, and still was lucky to meet my friends the sharks again.
There are some other dives sites in Thailand where you can see whale sharks but Sail Rock’s is the best place in the Gulf of Thailand for a whale shark encounter.
Sail Rock: The dive site
Sail Rock is not only a great place for having a whale shark encounter but one of the best dive sites in Thailand, in my opinion. The site is a big pinnacle which tip protrudes above the water and it is located half way between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.
The currents swirl around the pinnacle and sometimes you can have a strong current on one site while the opposite side can remain pretty calm. I have been lucky enough to dive in Sail Rock several time and each time it presents a different scene.
The dive site brims with life and as you descend you will be greeted by schools or barracuda and bat fish which are pretty common on the dive site while spotting some purple soft coral that seems to haven been brought from another dimension.
Some of my friends could not believe the colors were real when I show them some of the underwater picture I took on Sail Rock.
There is an easy and lovely swim -though that starts at 18 meters and ends at 6 meters and some other smaller pinnacles in the area where you could encounter some big groupers and where there whale sharks can usually be found.
Sail Rock is not only the best place in the Gulf of Thailand to scuba dive with whale sharks but also one of the best dive sites in Thailand.
How to get to Sail Rock
The only way to get to Sail Rock is obviously by boat as it is just a pinnacle in the middle of the sea.
Sail Rock is located 1 hour from Koh Phangan, 90 minutes from Koh Samui and 2 hours from Koh Tao and you can organize a trip from all these locations to the dive site.
Koh Phangan is the closest island to Sail Rock and thus the best place to stay when planning to visit this dive spot. It will not only save you time but also money as the boats will use less petrol to get to the dive site.
I have been returning to Koh Phagan several times along the years and have always kept on diving with Haad Yao divers, the dive school where I took my advanced open water course.
Their boat and staff have always been perfect for a relaxes and chill out dive day to this stunning place.
They also organize snorkeling tours to the site, so it is an ideal way to visit the site if you are a mixed groups of divers and snorkelers.
But there are several other dive schools in the island where you can ask for a trip.
Best time of the year to see whale sharks in Sail Rock
The best time of the year to see whale sharks in Sail Rock it is usually March, April and September, October.
My last whale shark encounters in Sail Rock was in April 2018.
Tips for ethical whale shark encounters.
Whale sharks usually ignore scuba divers of snorkelers around them but it is important to keep some ethical conduct when approaching this gentle giants.
- Look but do not touch – This is a general rule for all marine life that also specially applies to whale sharks. If you touch the whale shark they ill swim away scared and will cause them stress.
- Do not make too much noise – Be gentle when entering the water and snorkeling close to the whale shark to not disturb them
- Keep a safe distance – Stay at least 4 meters away from the shark. Stay calm if whale shark is swimming towards you. They are harmless. Just move to one of the sides to let him pass.
- Do not block they path – Approach the whale sharks from the side so you can enjoy a nice view. Let them move their own way and respect their habitat. You are the tourist there, not them.
- Avoid flash: Do not use flash when making photos of the shark. You can always set your camera to manual underwater white balance to get optimal colors.
MORE BANGKOK AND THAILAND GUIDES
I have been several in Bangkok and have spent in total months there during several stays in the city arriving from Europe or just on the way to other several destination in Thailand. Check here some more Bangkok guides;
- Bangkok temple, the complete guide
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- Wat Arun temple Bangkok: The complete 2024 guide
- Bangkok Canal Tour: All you need to know 2024
- The best Bangkok one day itinerary
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And it is not only about Bangkok but Thailand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world that I have travel extensively and I know quiet well. Check here some of the guides:
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- Koh Phayam, one of Thailand’s hidden gems
- Koh Kood: An idyllic pirates island in Thailand
- A guide to Koh Phi Phi diving
- Koh Lanta diving guide 2024
- Yoga in Koh Phangan
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- IRENTE VIEWPOINT LUSHOTO, USAMBARA MOUNTAINS - April 3, 2024
- 16 FACTS ABOUT BANGKOK - March 31, 2024
