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Three Trees

📍 Thailand

Lined Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus striatus) — recorded at Three Trees

Three Trees 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 15 meters. Currents typically run at 0.8 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 Lined Bristletooth, Indian Dascyllus, Green Sea Turtle, Black-finned Triggerfish and Beautiful Feather Star.

Dive Conditions

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Seabed Depth
15m
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Current
0.8 km/h (1.5)
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Water Temp
29–31 °C

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Typical Current 0.8 km/h (up to 1.5)
Seabed Depth 15 m
Water Temperature 29–31 °C
Tidal Range 1.6 m (typical daily)
GPS 8.6806°, 97.6534°

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 Three Trees 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 2.3 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Three Trees (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
28.8 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 0.8 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 Three Trees, 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 Three Trees (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
110116294346291201

The seabed directly under the site coordinates sits at about 15 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.

Three Trees 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 Three Trees on a back reef slope, over a seabed mapped as rock. The classification comes from the nearest mapped reef polygon, about 55 m from the listed coordinates, so it describes the reef the site sits on rather than a single point on it.

How Three Trees 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.

Three Trees compared with all listed sites and with Thailand
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Thailand
Mean water temperature29.6 °Cwarmer than 60 % of the other 375 sites29.7 °C (126 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.8 °Cwarmer than 80 % of the other 375 sites28.7 °C (126 sites)
Typical current0.8 km/hweaker than 73 % 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 70 % 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 8.6806°, 97.6534°. 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.

Lined Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus striatus)
Lined Bristletooth Ctenochaetus striatus A brown surgeonfish with numerous fine blue lines along its body and a yellow tail, grazing algae with comb-like teeth.to 26 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reef flats, lagoons and seaward reefsLook for it singly or in small groups, often moving slowly over coral or rubble while picking at the surface. (c) Zac Peterson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Indian Dascyllus (Dascyllus carneus)
Indian Dascyllus Dascyllus carneus A small damselfish with a pale body, a black spot on the upper side, and a black band on the tail base.to 7 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of lagoons and outer reefsOften hovers in small groups above branching corals, darting into the branches for cover when approached. (c) Zac Peterson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas A large sea turtle with a smooth, heart-shaped carapace, often seen swimming or resting on the seabed.to 1.5 m · surface to 40 m · day and nightseagrass beds, coral reefs, and sandy areasRemain still and avoid sudden movements; the turtle may approach if it feels unthreatened. (c) CaracalShan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
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
Beautiful Feather Star (Himerometra robustipinna)
Beautiful Feather Star Himerometra robustipinna A feather star with many long, feathery arms, often seen perched on coral or rock, waving its arms to filter plankton from the water.armspan to 30 cm · 5-40 m · day and nightcoral bommies and rocky outcropsLook for them on elevated structures; they may detach and swim away if disturbed, so approach cautiously. (c) ig: underwater.logs, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Coral Grouper (Cephalopholis miniata)
Coral Grouper Cephalopholis miniata A bright orange-red grouper with numerous small blue spots covering its body and fins, often seen hovering near coral.to 50 cm · 2-150 m · by daycoral-rich areas of outer reef slopes and wallsLook for its distinctive colour and spots in crevices or under ledges; it is often solitary and relatively approachable. (c) luluchouette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)
Banded Coral Shrimp Stenopus hispidus A bright red and white banded shrimp with long white antennae and large claws, often seen cleaning fish at cleaning stations.to 6 cm · 1-210 m · day and nightcaves, crevices and under ledges on reefsLook for its waving white antennae protruding from a small hole or crevice, often in pairs. (c) luluchouette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Java Rabbitfish (Siganus javus)
Java Rabbitfish Siganus javus A pale rabbitfish with numerous small brown spots on its body and a dark saddle on the tail base. It often swims in small groups.to 40 cm · 2-25 m · by daycoral and rocky reefs, often near seagrass bedsLook for it grazing on algae in small schools, often near the reef edge. (c) luluchouette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation