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Tong Cave

📍 Krabi, Thailand

Houndfish (Tylosurus crocodilus) — recorded at Tong Cave

Tong Cave is a dive site in Krabi, Thailand. The site has a cave. It lies within the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. The sea floor at the site position lies at about 10 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 32°C in May. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.9 m. Species recorded in the area include Houndfish, Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Painted Spiny Lobster and Blacktip Reef Shark.

Dive Conditions

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Seabed Depth
10m
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Current
0.6 km/h (1.1)
🌡️
Water Temp
29–32 °C

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Typical Current 0.6 km/h (up to 1.1)
Seabed Depth 10 m
Water Temperature 29–32 °C
Tidal Range 1.9 m (typical daily)
GPS 7.7894°, 98.7551°

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 Tong Cave 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 32 °C and coolest in January at about 29 °C, a spread of 2.7 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Tong Cave (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
28.8 29.1 29.7 30.9 31.5 30.6 30.2 30.2 29.7 30.1 29.9 29.2

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 2.7 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 Tong Cave, the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 0.0 % of days between 2015 and 2024. In no month did this happen on more than 1 % of days.

The seabed directly under the site coordinates sits at about 10 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.

Tong Cave 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 Tong Cave 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. Tong Cave sits with its mean water temperature in the top tenth and its peak current in the bottom tenth of all listed sites.

Tong Cave compared with all listed sites and with Krabi
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Krabi
Mean water temperature30.0 °Cwarmer than 95 % of the other 375 sites29.9 °C (22 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.8 °Cwarmer than 80 % 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 89 % 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 7.7894°, 98.7551°. 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.

Houndfish (Tylosurus crocodilus)
Houndfish Tylosurus crocodilus A long, slender needlefish with a pointed beak and a dark lateral stripe, often seen cruising near the surface.to 1.5 m · surface to 5 m · day and nightopen water near reefs, lagoons, and harboursLook for its silhouette just under the surface; it often swims in small groups and may leap out of the water when startled. (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
Painted Spiny Lobster (Panulirus versicolor)
Painted Spiny Lobster Panulirus versicolor A brightly coloured spiny lobster with a blue-green carapace striped in white and black, and long, banded antennae.to 40 cm · 1-50 m · at nightreef crevices and under ledgesLook for the long, banded antennae protruding from a crevice during the day; it is most active after dark. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)
Blacktip Reef Shark Carcharhinus melanopterus A slender shark with a distinctive black tip on its dorsal fin and often on the pectoral fins, seen patrolling reef edges.to 1.6 m · 0-75 m · day and nightreef flats, lagoons, and drop-offsLook for its black-tipped dorsal fin breaking the surface in shallow water, especially on incoming tides. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Skunk Anemonefish (Amphiprion akallopisos)
Skunk Anemonefish Amphiprion akallopisos A pale orange anemonefish with a single white stripe running along its back from the snout to the tail, living within host anemones.to 11 cm · 3-25 m · by dayhost anemones on sheltered reef slopesLook for the distinctive white dorsal stripe; the fish is rarely far from its anemone and will retreat into the tentacles if approached. (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Checkerboard Wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus)
Checkerboard Wrasse Halichoeres hortulanus A colourful wrasse with a complex pattern of green and yellow scales forming a checkerboard, and a distinctive yellow head with green bands.to 27 cm · 1-30 m · by daysandy areas adjacent to coral reefs and rubble patchesWatch for it turning over small rocks and pieces of rubble with its snout while foraging on the sand. (c) Иван Ковтун Ivan Kovtun, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation