| Hin Muang (purple rock in Thai) together with Hin Daeng (Red Rock in Thai) are regarded by many as Thailand's best dive sites. Arguments rage over whether these two rocky outcrops are superior or not to the Similan islands.
They are a second home for manta rays which are seen on most dives and in recent years more and more whale sharks have been seen here. Divers have, on occasion been given the difficult choice of whether to follow a whale shark or a manta ray when they've both turned up at the same time. The big fish are attracted to the area because these dive sites are isolated in open sea with nothing else around. The rocks act as the primary feeding ground and cleaning station in the area.
Visibility is usually very good here, around 40m. Currents can be strong at times and that can reduce the visibility. These sites can be dived by liveaboard boat from Phuket or by daytrip dive boat from Phi Phi or Koh Lanta.
Due to their isolated location dive trips run from November to April when the seas are calm and stop running in the May to October rainy season. In the peak season there can be several boats diving here at the same time. This area also suffers from illegal fishing when dive boats are not around. Recently national park rangers have been collecting park fees from divers here so the hope is that they will start to protect the area better than they have in the past. Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are part of Mu Koh Lanta National Marine Park.
Hin Muang is about 500m of water away from Hin Daeng and is a series of large pinnacles that start 8m below the surface and drop down to 70m tempting divers to dive deep. The south side is a vertical drop off, the deepest in Thailand, the east side is a more gradual slope. The upper sides of the pinnacles are covered with vibrant purple soft coral. Large gorgonian seafans protrude from the wall. Anemones carpet the top of the rocks and sway in the currents. Shoals of tiny anthias add flashes of colour and movement as the dart in and out of their coral shelters. Jacks made raid after raid on the bait fish.
Reef sharks including grey reef sharks are seen in deeper water. Barracuda, mackeral and tuna are seen in the blue.
Also look for smaller critters in the soft coral and anemones. Many species of nudibranch are present, frogfish and leaf fish have also been seen here.
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