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Scuba Diving in Koh Lanta | Technical & Cave Diving Center
HIN MUANG & HIN DAENG DIVING FROM KOH LANTA
Known among divers around the world for their dramatic underwater scenery, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang offer canyons, walls and steep drop-offs covered in colourful soft corals and a surprising variety of macro life.
The two sites are located about 100 metres apart in the middle of the Andaman Sea. The underwater scenery quickly reaches deeper sections, with 20–30 metres easily accessible during dives. Because of their exposed location, strong currents often occur, so an advanced certification, good buoyancy control and appropriate diving experience are important when visiting these sites.
Journey time: 1 hour 10 minutes, distance 70km (speed boat)
Suitable: Advanced level or higher
Maximum depth: up to 30 m recreational diving
The Two Sites - Purple Rock & Red Rock
Hin Muang - Purple Rock
Hin Muang is a completely submerged pinnacle, with its shallowest point around 10 metres below the surface and its walls descending much deeper.
The site gets its name from the purple soft corals covering the reef. Sea fans, anemones and smaller marine life can be found around the shallower sections, while the deeper walls create dramatic underwater drops for experienced divers to explore.
Suitable for: Advanced level or higher, no snorkelling
Hin Daeng - Red Rock
Hin Daeng is the larger of the two pinnacles and is visible from the surface. Its name means "Red Rock", referring to the red soft corals that cover parts of its walls and slopes.
The site combines steep walls, canyons, rocky formations and areas rich in smaller marine life. Look into the blue for schools of barracuda and trevally, while nudibranchs, ghost pipefish and other small creatures can be found around the reef.
Suitable for: Advanced level or higher, no snorkelling
The Difference Between Hin Muang & Hin Daeng
Although Hin Muang and Hin Daeng are located close together and are visited on the same dive trip, the two sites have their own character.
Hin Daeng
Hin Daeng is the larger, surface-breaking pinnacle and is known for its red soft corals. The site offers a mixture of dramatic walls, canyons, rocky formations and shallower areas of reef to explore around the pinnacle.
Hin Muang
Hin Muang is completely submerged and forms a long, steep-sided underwater ridge covered in purple soft corals. Although smaller in size, it is the deeper of the two sites, with dramatic walls extending well beyond recreational diving depths.
Marine Life at Hin Muang and Hin Daeng
Hin Muang and Hin Daeng are home to a wide variety of marine life, with colourful soft corals, sea fans and reef fish covering the pinnacles, slopes and walls. From small reef creatures and macro life to large schools of fish and pelagic species, there is plenty to look for throughout the dive.
The sites are perhaps the most known for Manta rays and whale sharks, although sightings of both are never guaranteed. Mantas may be seen around the pinnacles, using the sites as cleaning stations, while whale sharks might be spotted in the blue.
Look into the blue for large schools of barracuda and trevally moving around the pinnacles or look closely among the corals and rocks for nudibranchs, ghost pipefish and other smaller marine life.
Diving Conditions and Experience
Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are advanced dive sites. Currents can be strong and conditions can change, so divers should be comfortable managing their buoyancy, position and equipment in open water.
We recommend these sites for divers with Advanced Open Water certification or higher and appropriate recent experience. The maximum recreational diving depth is 30 metres.
For safety reasons, divers who have had a longer break of 6 months or more from diving, may need to complete a dive at one of our local sites before joining a Hin Daeng & Hin Muang trip. This allows the divers to refresh their skills and gives our team an opportunity to make sure they are comfortable and prepared for the deeper water and stronger currents at these sites.
Hin Muang and Hin Daeng Dive Trip
Join us for a day of diving at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. Our day trip includes two dives, with equipment, hotel transfers (between Saladan and Klong Nin Sri Lanta resort being the last stop), breakfast, drinks, fruit and lunch provided. After the dives, we return to Koh Lanta around midday.
2 dives — 4,800 THB
National Park fee not included.
Training at Hin Muang & Hin Daeng
The deeper sites, open-water conditions and changing currents around Hin Daeng and Hin Muang make these sites excellent locations for developing your diving skills beyond the basics. Depending on your experience and training goals, the dive sites can be great environments for example Advanced Open Water, Deep Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox and technical diving.
Advanced Open Water Diver
Build your experience and diving skills beyond the basics with deeper diving, navigation and managing different conditions, including currents.
Deep Diver Specialty
Develop your skills and confidence for deeper recreational diving up to 40m, including dive planning, depth management and adapting to the conditions at depth.
Enriched Air Nitrox
Learn how to safely plan and dive with enriched air, including analysing your breathing gas and managing oxygen exposure. Nitrox can provide longer no-decompression times and shorter surface intervals, making it particularly useful when planning multiple dives on trips such as Hin Daeng and Hin Muang.
Technical Diving
Take your diving to the next level with IANTD technical programmes, including Technical Diver and Technical Sidemount Diver. Training focuses on deeper diving, gas management, decompression procedures and technical equipment configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What certification do I need to dive Hin Daeng and Hin Muang?
An Advanced Open Water Diver certification or equivalent is required, together with appropriate recent diving experience. The sites are deeper and can have strong currents, so good buoyancy control and confidence in open-water conditions are important.
How deep are Hin Daeng and Hin Muang?
Both sites offer deeper diving, with 20–30 metres easily reached during dives. The underwater formations continue beyond recreational diving limits, but recreational divers must stay within the maximum depth allowed by their certification.
Are Hin Daeng and Hin Muang suitable for beginner divers?
No, The depth, open-water location and potential for strong currents make them suitable for advanced and experienced divers.
Do I need recent diving experience?
Yes. For your safety, if you have had a longer break from diving, we recommend or may require a dive at one of our local sites first. This gives you an opportunity to refresh your skills and allows our team to make sure you are comfortable and prepared before heading to deeper sites with stronger currents.
Can I see manta rays or whale sharks?
Both manta rays and whale sharks can be encountered around Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, but the sightings are never guaranteed.
Can I dive Hin Daeng and Hin Muang with Nitrox?
Yes. Enriched Air Nitrox can be used by divers who are appropriately certified and qualified to use it.
How long does it take to get to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang from Koh Lanta?
The sites are approximately 70 km from Koh Lanta, and the journey by speedboat takes around 1 hour and 10 minutes.
How many dives are included in the Hin Daeng & Hin Muang trip?
Our Hin Daeng & Hin Muang day trip includes two dives.
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