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Hideaway Bay

📍 Thailand

Black-finned Triggerfish (Melichthys indicus) — recorded at Hideaway Bay

Hideaway Bay is a dive site in Thailand. It lies within the Mu Ko Similan National Park. The sea floor at the site position lies at about 50 meters. Currents typically run at 0.9 km/h and reach 1.5 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 1.6 m. Species recorded in the area include Black-finned Triggerfish, Bicolor Blenny, Lunar Fusilier, Redlip Parrotfish and Lattice Butterflyfish.

Dive Conditions

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Seabed Depth
50m
💨
Current
0.9 km/h (1.5)
🌡️
Water Temp
29–31 °C

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Typical Current 0.9 km/h (up to 1.5)
Seabed Depth 50 m
Water Temperature 29–31 °C
Tidal Range 1.6 m (typical daily)
GPS 8.5668°, 97.6459°

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 Hideaway Bay 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 2.2 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Hideaway Bay (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
28.9 29.1 29.8 30.7 31.1 29.9 29.4 29.4 28.9 29.4 29.6 29.0

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 0.9 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 1.5 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 1.6 m over a day, and by up to 2.2 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 Hideaway Bay, the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 15.0 % of days between 2015 and 2024. The roughest month was August (46 % of days), the calmest March (0 %).

Share of days with waves above 1.5 m, open sea near Hideaway Bay (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
110116294346291201

The seabed directly under the site coordinates sits at about 50 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.

Hideaway Bay lies inside Mu Ko Similan 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.

Satellite habitat mapping places Hideaway Bay on a back reef slope, over a seabed mapped as coral and algae. The classification comes from the nearest mapped reef polygon, about 78 m from the listed coordinates, so it describes the reef the site sits on rather than a single point on it.

How Hideaway Bay 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.

Hideaway Bay compared with all listed sites and with Thailand
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Thailand
Mean water temperature29.6 °Cwarmer than 64 % of the other 375 sites29.7 °C (126 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.9 °Cwarmer than 87 % of the other 375 sites28.7 °C (126 sites)
Typical current0.9 km/hweaker than 62 % of the other 375 sites0.7 km/h (126 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours1.5 km/hweaker than 71 % of the other 375 sites1.3 km/h (126 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.6 mlarger than 65 % of the other 375 sites1.6 m (126 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at 8.5668°, 97.6459°. 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. Reef structure and seabed cover from the Allen Coral Atlas © 2018–2023 Allen Coral Atlas Partnership and Arizona State University (CC BY 4.0).

Marine life recorded at this site

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

Black-finned Triggerfish (Melichthys indicus)
Black-finned Triggerfish Melichthys indicus A dark triggerfish with a pale blue line along the dorsal fin base and a black tail fin. It often swims high above the reef.to 30 cm · 5-40 m · by dayouter reef slopes and channelsLook for it hovering alone or in small groups above the reef crest, often facing into the current. (c) Carlos Otávio Gussoni, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor)
Bicolor Blenny Ecsenius bicolor A small blenny with a distinct two-tone colour pattern, often seen perched on coral or rock with its head poking from a hole.to 11 cm · 0-25 m · by daycoral and rocky reef facesLook for its head watching from small holes or crevices; it retreats quickly if approached directly. (c) luluchouette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Lunar Fusilier (Caesio lunaris)
Lunar Fusilier Caesio lunaris A schooling fusilier with a silvery-blue body and a distinct yellow patch on the upper tail base, often seen in large, fast-moving groups.to 40 cm · 5-40 m · by dayouter reef slopes and drop-offsLook for shimmering schools in blue water above the reef; they often feed on plankton carried by currents. (c) luluchouette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Redlip Parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus)
Redlip Parrotfish Scarus rubroviolaceus A large, robust parrotfish with a reddish upper lip and a body that changes colour from greenish to bluish-grey as it matures.to 70 cm · 3-30 m · by dayouter reef slopes and surge channelsListen for the crunching sound of its beak scraping algae from coral; it often leaves a cloud of white sand behind. (c) CaracalShan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Lattice Butterflyfish (Chaetodon rafflesii)
Lattice Butterflyfish Chaetodon rafflesii A small butterflyfish with a yellow body crossed by a lattice of dark lines, a black bar through the eye, and a black spot on the dorsal fin.to 15 cm · 1-15 m · by daycoral-rich areas of lagoons and reefsOften seen in pairs, picking at coral polyps. Look for them near branching corals like Acropora. (c) CaracalShan, 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) luluchouette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Black-and-white Snapper (Macolor niger)
Black-and-white Snapper Macolor niger A large snapper with a striking black and white colour pattern, often seen in large aggregations during the day.to 75 cm · 5-30 m · day and nightsteep outer reef slopes and drop-offsLook for them hovering in mid-water above the reef; they are less shy than other snappers and allow a closer approach. (c) luluchouette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Longbarbel Goatfish (Parupeneus macronemus)
Longbarbel Goatfish Parupeneus macronemus A slender goatfish with a pale body, a dark stripe along the side, and notably long white barbels under its chin used to probe the sand.to 30 cm · 2-40 m · by daysandy areas near coral or rubble patchesWatch for puffs of sand as it uses its barbels to search for prey; it often forages in small groups. (c) luluchouette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation