Western Rocky

Western Rocky sits at the southern end of the Similan Islands chain off the Phang Nga coast in the Andaman Sea. It is a granite rock formation known for boulder-strewn topography that drops into a series of swim-throughs and crevices, with a maximum depth of around 30 metres and a bottom made up of rock rather than sand or reef. It's generally rated an intermediate dive, with currents around the rock formations picking up depending on conditions. Divers have reported barracuda, snapper, and tuna moving through the area, along with bull sharks, nurse sharks, and even whale sharks passing by on occasion. Frogfish, seahorses, and harlequin shrimp have also been spotted tucked among the boulders and crevices for those who look closely. It is typically reached by liveaboard or day boat from Khao Lak or Phuket as part of a Similan Islands itinerary.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Nurse sharkNurse sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• BarracudaBarracudaReported here · unconfirmed
• TunaTunaReported here · unconfirmed
• Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed
• Bull SharkCarcharhinus leucasReported here · unconfirmed
• SeahorseSeahorseReported here · unconfirmed
• FrogfishFrogfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Harlequin ShrimpHymenocera pictaReported here · unconfirmed
• SnapperSnapperReported here · unconfirmed
• Tawny Hermit CrabCoenobita rugosusObserved near here · iNaturalist
• Purple Hermit CrabCoenobita brevimanusObserved near here · iNaturalist
• Ocellaris AnemonefishAmphiprion ocellarisObserved near here · iNaturalist
• Viola Land Hermit CrabCoenobita violascensObserved near here · iNaturalist