Hin Lak Bat

Hin Lak Bat is one of the Gulf of Thailand's best-kept secrets, a remote granite pinnacle rising from the depths off the Chumphon coast that sees perhaps a dozen divers in a good week. While the nearby Chumphon Pinnacle off Koh Tao draws hundreds of divers daily, this mainland offshore site offers an equally spectacular experience in near-solitude. The pinnacle rises from a sandy bottom at 32 meters to within about 6 meters of the surface, its granite walls festooned with some of the most impressive gorgonian sea fans and barrel sponges I have encountered anywhere in the Gulf. Descending onto the pinnacle in moderate current, the first thing that catches your eye is the density of fish life. Giant trevally cruise in packs around the deeper sections, their silver flanks flashing as they wheel in formation. Schools of barracuda hold station in the blue water off the pinnacle edge, and yellowfin tuna occasionally blast through at speed, scattering everything in their path. But the real draw during peak season is whale sharks. Like Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacle, Hin Lak Bat lies on the whale shark migration route through the Gulf, and sightings between March and June are not uncommon. The difference is that you might be the only dive group present when a whale shark appears, an experience that is becoming increasingly rare at more popular sites. The hard coral coverage on the upper portions of the pinnacle is remarkably healthy, with massive Porites boulder corals and branching Acropora formations providing habitat for clouds of anthias and damsels. The deeper walls are decorated with purple and yellow gorgonians that sway in the current, hosting tiny pygmy seahorses for those with sharp eyes. Night dives on the pinnacle reveal a completely different ecosystem, with Spanish dancer nudibranchs and hunting cuttlefish replacing the daytime residents.

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