Koh Doc Mai means “flower island." Nobody is quite sure how the island got this name
since it doesn’t seem flower-shaped, and the are no visible flowers growing on it. So we have invented our
own interpretation and like to think the name refers to the masses of yellow cup-coral colonies
that live on the rock.
Characteristics:
Koh Doc Mai is a limestone pinnacle of sheer cliffs dropping straight from
the top of the island to the sand some 25 meters below the surface. The western side of the island features
a rockfall that has created a sloping reef while a large cavern is located on the eastern side.
Highlights:
The long wall of the divesite contains countless vertical cracks in which small
creatures like shrimp, pipefish, and glassfish find homes. There are also many varieties of nudibranch to be
spotted. Of special note are hard-to-spot seahorses, frogfish, and ornate ghost pipefish. Look closely for
small things and you won’t mind the often disappointing visibility at this site.
Marcia's notes:
This dive site is often “bundled” with three-tank trips to other sites further east as
it’s somewhat closer to Phuket and surface interval time can be used in travel to the next site. If you like
small stuff, you will love this site (it's one of our favorites); otherwise you may find it forgettable.
Eastern map
Sites
© 2009 Gekko Scuba Divers Co Ltd
