Southwest Pinnacle

Southwest is a drowned mountain range in miniature, a cluster of granite spires whose main summit reaches to about 6 m, all of it dressed in the same magnificent-anemone carpet that makes Koh Tao's deep pinnacles glow. It fishes like a smaller, calmer Chumphon: grouper of genuinely surprising size holding in the gullies between spires, schools of snapper and fusiliers turning the towers into silhouettes, barracuda strung across the current line. Longfin batfish drift up to inspect masks. On quiet mornings it may be the most relaxing of the island's big three, and whale sharks include it on their rounds.

اللحظة التي جئت من أجلها: Spire-and-gully topography, outsized groupers, anemone glow with fewer boats

التضاريس: Cluster of granite spires rising from about 30 m

المخاطر: Mid-gulf position brings current and chop; watch depth in the gullies.

الحفاظ على البيئة البحرية: Fishing lines snag the deeper spires; crews remove what they can, divers report the rest.

نيتروكس: يستحق الأمر هنا: الملفات الشخصية تقع في النطاق الذي يُمدّد فيه الهواء المدعّم (نيتروكس) وقت الغوص دون توقف تمديدًا ملموسًا، مع التدريب اللازم لاستخدامه.