Hin Daeng – Dive Site Info
Rating by MV Giamani: ★★★★★
Location: Hin Daeng & Hin Muang
Type: semi-submerged pinnacle, slopy reef
Depth: 0-50 m
Visibility: 15-30 m
Difficulty: intermediate / advanced
Current: moderate / strong
Cruises: 2D/2N – 6D/6N
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Hin Daeng – Description
Hin Daeng and its neighbor dive site Hin Muang are some of the best places to dive with Manta Rays in Thailand, especially during the period from November to late January. Hin Deang, which literally means “red rock” in Thai, is called this way because of the abundance of red soft coral. It is a pretty large and diverse dive site, allowing the possibility to do two different dives without seeing the same things twice. The pinnacle is mostly submerged, with only three rocks that break the surface by just a couple of meters. On the southern and western side, the rock is basically a sheer wall that goes over 40 meters of depth. On the eastern side instead the pinnacle is characterized by a sloping reef that also reaches depths beyond 30 meters. On the northern side is a large coral outcrop that is separated from the main reef by a sand channel, this outcrop is actually an important cleaning station and usually the spot where the mantas tend to gather when they are around. The marine life is thriving all over Hin Daeng pinnacle, with pristine soft and hard corals covering most of the rocks and an incredible amount of both reef fish and pelagic fish including barracudas, tunas trevallies and much more. The amount of resident marble groupers is also impressive. Being situated in the open ocean, Hin Daeng is often subject to fairly strong currents that at times can make it a fairly challenging dive site.