Diving in Trat Province
Located along Thailand’s southeastern corner, Trat Province borders Cambodia with the Cardamom Mountains to the east and the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand to the south. This area is famous for its numerous islands boasting white sand beaches and colorful coral reefs, the Mu Ko Chang National Park, many spectacular waterfalls, and Bang Boa village’s picturesque houses on stilts. The most popular area to scuba dive in Trat Province is around the large island of Koh Chang. Koh Chang offers the perfect laid back, relaxing dive vacation with something for everyone. The warm, calm, shallow waters surrounding the island are perfect for families diving with children and for beginning divers. The waters abound with active reef life amongst the awesome boulder formations this area is known for. If you are a more advanced diver looking for some adventure, head north to Mu Ko Chang National Park to dive amongst wrecks, caverns, and beautiful pinnacles. Even though it is considered the hot season, it is advisable to plan your visit to this region of Thailand between March and June so as to miss the rainy season of June to October. You will be plenty warm diving in the waters of Trat as temperatures rarely drop below 28 degrees C.
Aquatic Life in Trat Province
The waters in the Gulf of Thailand are home to a diverse array of marine life. Scuba divers in Trat can encounter whale sharks in the months of March and April, and other shark species such as leopard, bamboo, blacktip, whitetip, and gray reef sharks year-round. Other common large marine life sightings include barracuda, grouper, hawksbill sea turtles, stingrays, eagle rays, and the occasional manta ray. The reefs are healthy and thriving, particularly in the protected waters of Mu Ko Chang National Park, a great area so see all of the typical Gulf of Thailand fish species such as moray eels, ribbon eels, parrotfish, boxfish, butterfly fish, porcupinefish, pufferfish, and beautifully colored triggerfish. Also look closely at the reef for macro species like shrimp, pipefish, nudibranchs, and seahorses.