Anemone Reef

Phuket · Phuket · Thailand

Anemone Reef is one of the most visually spectacular dive sites near Phuket, a fully submerged limestone pinnacle located approximately one nautical mile northwest of Shark Point in the open water between Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands. This is the reef that made history on May 4, 1997, when the passenger ferry King Cruiser struck it and sank, creating the famous wreck dive that now lies on the seabed nearby. Today, Anemone Reef thrives as a protected marine sanctuary and one of the most colorful underwater sites in the Andaman Sea. The pinnacle rises from a sandy bottom at 28 meters to within 4 meters of the surface, its entire structure blanketed in a breathtaking carpet of sea anemones that give the site its name. Thousands of bubble-tip and magnificent anemones cover the reef from top to bottom, each one hosting families of clownfish that create constant movement and color. The density of anemone coverage at this site is among the highest in Thailand, and the resulting spectacle of swaying tentacles and darting clownfish is mesmerizing. Beyond the anemones, the reef supports rich communities of soft corals, sponges, and sea fans that fill every gap between the anemone colonies. The color palette is extraordinary, with purples, oranges, pinks, and yellows competing for the diver's attention at every depth. Overhangs and crevices in the limestone shelter lionfish, scorpionfish, and moray eels, while porcelain crabs and cleaner shrimp can be found hiding within the anemone tentacles themselves. The open water around the pinnacle adds a pelagic element. Schools of barracuda circle the reef in tight formations, trevally hunt along the reef edges, and larger groupers occupy the deeper recesses of the structure. Bamboo sharks are occasionally spotted resting in sandy pockets at the base, and stingrays cruise the surrounding sand flats. Anemone Reef is typically dived as part of a three-site day trip from Phuket that includes Shark Point and the King Cruiser Wreck. Currents can be moderate to strong, and visibility ranges from 8 to 20 meters depending on tidal conditions. The site's protected status and its position in relatively deep water mean that marine life here is abundant and undisturbed, making every dive at Anemone Reef a vivid sensory experience.