Aow Mao
Aow Mao (Ao Mao)
Aow Mao, also known as Ao Mao, is a quiet and rarely crowded dive site located on the rugged eastern coastline of Koh Tao. Away from the island’s busier western dive sites, it offers a relaxed underwater experience with healthy natural reefs, granite boulders, and an increasingly popular artificial reef. The site’s biggest attraction is the HTMS Hanhak Sattru, a former Royal Thai Navy vessel intentionally sunk in 2022 to create a new artificial reef. Today, divers can enjoy two completely different environments during a single dive: a thriving coral reef and a fascinating naval wreck.
Its sheltered location makes Aow Mao particularly enjoyable during the southwest monsoon season when many west coast dive sites experience rougher conditions. The calm conditions, diverse marine life, and combination of shallow and deeper areas make it suitable for both training dives and recreational exploration.
Key Details
- Depth: 5–24 meters. The natural reef begins in shallow water and gradually slopes to around 18 meters, while the HTMS Hanhak Sattru rests upright on a sandy bottom between 20 and 24 meters.
- Skill Level: Open Water to Advanced Open Water. The reef is ideal for certified beginners, while the wreck is best enjoyed by divers comfortable at greater depths.
- Visibility: Usually between 10 and 20 meters, with the clearest conditions often occurring during the southwest monsoon (June to September).
- Currents: Generally light, creating comfortable diving conditions throughout most of the year.
- Topography: A gently sloping sandy seabed dotted with granite boulders, coral outcrops, and small reef structures that eventually lead to the impressive silhouette of the 36-meter naval wreck.
Marine Life
The combination of artificial and natural reef habitats supports a remarkable variety of marine life, with new species continuing to colonize the wreck every year.
- HTMS Hanhak Sattru Wreck: The wreck has rapidly transformed into an artificial reef covered with marine growth. Large schools of yellowtail barracuda, fusiliers, and trevally frequently circle the bridge and upper deck. Lionfish, honeycomb groupers, and large pharaoh cuttlefish are often found beneath the hull and within sheltered sections of the wreck.
- Natural Reef: Around the granite boulders and coral patches, divers commonly encounter blue-spotted ribbontail stingrays resting on the sand, moray eels hiding between rocks, scribbled filefish, butterflyfish, angelfish, and schools of snapper.
- Macro Life: The quieter nature of Aow Mao makes it an excellent destination for underwater photographers. Nudibranchs, whip coral gobies, pipefish, cleaner shrimp, and tiny crabs can often be found among the coral and rocky ledges.
- Seasonal Visitors: While sightings are never guaranteed, hawksbill turtles occasionally cruise along the reef, and whale sharks have been known to pass through the bay during the right season, providing unforgettable encounters.
Diving Experience
Aow Mao offers a varied dive suitable for a wide range of interests. Beginners can enjoy the shallow reef while experienced divers extend their dive to explore the HTMS Hanhak Sattru. The gradual slope allows for an easy descent, and the transition from colorful coral reef to naval wreck creates an exciting change of scenery during a single dive.
Because the site receives fewer dive boats than Koh Tao’s more famous locations, marine life is often relaxed, and divers can explore at a leisurely pace with plenty of opportunities for photography.
Location
Aow Mao is situated on Koh Tao’s eastern coastline and is accessible by dive boat. The bay’s sheltered position and combination of natural and artificial reefs make it one of the island’s most rewarding yet underrated dive sites.
Coordinates: 10.0931404, 99.853089 Plus Code: 3VV3+9HV Get directions
