Dive Phuket

Shark Point

Hin Musang was given official marine sanctuary status in 1992. It's made up of three large rock pinnacles, the largest of which breaks the surface. These rocks abound with life. The sheer density and diversity of coral and fish life makes diving here a wonderful, sensual experience. Phuket Shark Point's most colourful feature is the profusion of the purple and pink soft corals that cling to the rocks, and its huge barrel sponges.

Hin Musang derives its name from the leopard sharks that are resident there, making it one of the more popular spots for in scuba diving in Phuket. These docile creatures grow to approximately two and a half metres, are nocturnal, and sleep on the sandy bottom at the edge of the reef during the day. Shark Point's your best chance to get up close and personal, and maybe take a photo or two of these sharks.

Bamboo sharks can also be found hiding under coral ledges but there's a lot more to see here than just sharks. Lionfish and scorpionfish are all over the reef, the latter being incredibly well camouflaged against the coral. There are many different types of pufferfish including the cute little yellow boxfish. Moorish idols and the very similar looking bannerfish can be seen on every dive. Blue-ringed angelfish and emperor angelfish are also common.

One metre long potato groupers are quite shy, making photographing them a challenge but there are plenty of other, more willing subjects to snap away at whilst you're diving at Phuket Shark Point. Schools of fusiliers are dotted around the reef and in places the reef is completely carpeted by glassfish which are constantly being dispersed by raiding trevallies. Moray eels are in abundance and banded sea snakes are often seen in the shallower areas. A small rock outcrop, just off the south west corner on the main rock at eighteen metres depth is home to a yellow seahorse and while you're hunting for him you'll probably also see free swimming white-eyed morays, banded boxer shrimps and hinge-beak shrimps.

As Shark Point is made up of more than one pinnacle there is always somewhere on the reef to shelter from any currents, so you can dive here any time of the month.

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Shark Point Reef Basics: Pinnacles with soft and hard corals
Depth: 5 - 22m
Visibility: 5 - 20m
Currents: Moderate
Surface Conditions: Can be rough
Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate
Number of dive sites: 3
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: ~25 km east of Phuket (1¾ hours), 20 km west of Phi Phi (2 hours), 40 km southwest of Krabi (3 hours)
Access: Phuket, Phi Phi Island or Krabi day tours

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