Home › Dive Sites › Thailand › Krabi › Turtle Rock

Turtle Rock

📍 Krabi, Thailand

Red-tailed Butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare) — recorded at Turtle Rock

Turtle Rock is a dive site in Krabi, Thailand. It lies within the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. The sea floor at the site position lies at about 33 meters. Currents typically run at 0.6 km/h and reach 1.1 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 29°C in January to 31°C in May. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.9 m. Species recorded in the area include Euplexaura erecta, Red-tailed Butterflyfish, Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish, Hawksbill Sea Turtle and Lined Wrasse.

Dive Conditions

⬇️
Seabed Depth
33m
💨
Current
0.6 km/h (1.1)
🌡️
Water Temp
29–31 °C

🤿 Book a Diving Tour in Turtle Rock

Tours powered by GetYourGuide. FindADive may earn a commission on bookings.

Typical Current 0.6 km/h (up to 1.1)
Seabed Depth 33 m
Water Temperature 29–31 °C
Tidal Range 1.9 m (typical daily)
GPS 7.6870°, 98.7618°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024; seabed depth from the GEBCO 2020 Grid, sampled at the site coordinates (grid resolution about 450 m). Tidal range is the median daily range of modelled sea level from Open-Meteo Marine, hourly values 2024. Protected area boundary from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Species observations from iNaturalist, checked against the World Register of Marine Species.

Conditions at Turtle Rock through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in May at about 31 °C and coolest in January at about 29 °C, a spread of 2.7 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Turtle Rock (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
28.7 29.0 29.7 30.9 31.4 30.6 30.2 30.2 29.6 30.0 29.9 29.1

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 0.6 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 1.1 km/h, which is when entries are normally timed to slack water at the turn of the tide.

The tide moves the water level by a median 1.9 m over a day, and by up to 2.6 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

In the open sea off Turtle Rock, the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 0.9 % of days between 2015 and 2024. The roughest month was August (4 % of days), the calmest January (0 %).

Share of days with waves above 1.5 m, open sea near Turtle Rock (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
000000343000

The seabed directly under the site coordinates sits at about 33 m. This is a bathymetry grid value with a cell size of roughly 450 m, so it describes the depth of the area rather than the deepest point a dive can reach.

Turtle Rock lies inside Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. Protected areas can carry their own rules on entry fees, permits, anchoring and fishing; check the current rules with a local operator before you dive.

How Turtle Rock compares

These comparisons use only the measured values above, set against the 376 dive sites published on findadive.com. A percentage shows the share of other sites with a lower (or higher) value, so it reads the same way wherever the site is. Turtle Rock sits with its mean water temperature in the top tenth and its peak current in the bottom tenth of all listed sites.

Turtle Rock compared with all listed sites and with Krabi
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Krabi
Mean water temperature29.9 °Cwarmer than 92 % of the other 375 sites29.9 °C (22 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.7 °Cwarmer than 72 % of the other 375 sites28.7 °C (22 sites)
Typical current0.6 km/hweaker than 88 % of the other 375 sites0.6 km/h (22 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours1.1 km/hweaker than 93 % of the other 375 sites1.1 km/h (22 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.9 mlarger than 86 % of the other 375 sites1.9 m (22 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at 7.6870°, 98.7618°. Seabed depth from the GEBCO 2020 Grid. Protected area boundary from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Wave statistics from ERA5-Ocean via Open-Meteo Marine (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2015–2024), daily maximum wave height on a 0.5° grid; land shelter tested against Natural Earth coastlines.

Marine life recorded at this site

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist within about 12 km of these coordinates.

Euplexaura erecta (Euplexaura erecta)
Euplexaura erecta Euplexaura erecta A colonial soft coral forming erect, bushy colonies with many fine branches. Polyps are small and white, giving the colony a fuzzy appearance.colonies to 50 cm tall · 10-40 m · day and nightreef slopes and walls, often in areas with moderate currentsLook for the fine, feathery branches. At night, the polyps extend more fully to feed. (c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Red-tailed Butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare)
Red-tailed Butterflyfish Chaetodon collare A butterflyfish with a dark brown body, a white collar behind the head, and a distinctive bright red tail.to 18 cm · 3-20 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reefs and lagoonsOften seen in pairs; look for the red tail flashing as it feeds on coral polyps. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish (Chaetodon decussatus)
Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish Chaetodon decussatus A butterflyfish with a silvery-white body crossed by diagonal black lines, forming a chequered pattern. It has a black band through the eye and a yellow-edged tail.to 20 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reefs and lagoonsOften seen in pairs; look for them inspecting coral heads and crevices for food. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata A sea turtle with a distinctive pointed beak and overlapping scutes on its carapace, often seen grazing on sponges.to 1 m · 0-30 m · day and nightcoral reefs and rocky areasObserve from a distance; it may surface to breathe and then return to feed on the reef. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Lined Wrasse (Anampses lineatus)
Lined Wrasse Anampses lineatus A slender wrasse with a distinctive pattern of horizontal blue lines on a pale body, often seen flitting over the reef.to 27 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of outer reefs and lagoonsWatch for its quick, darting movements near coral heads; it often returns to a favourite perch. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Lobophyllia rowleyensis (Lobophyllia rowleyensis)
Lobophyllia rowleyensis Lobophyllia rowleyensis A large-polyp stony coral forming massive, dome-shaped colonies with fleshy polyps that extend during the day.colonies to 2 m · 5-30 m · day and nightlower reef slopes and sandy areasLook for the polyps fully extended in low current; they retract quickly if disturbed. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Bridled Monocle Bream (Scolopsis bilineata)
Bridled Monocle Bream Scolopsis bilineata A slender, silvery fish with two dark horizontal stripes along its body and a distinctive black spot near the tail base.to 23 cm · 1-25 m · by daysandy areas near coral or rubble patchesOften seen in small groups foraging on the bottom; look for them hovering just above the sand. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation