HIN YAI PATTAYA DIVE SITE

Hin Yai and Hin Chalam

Hin Yai

Hin Yai is an underwater Pinnacle that we located using local fishing knowledge, naval charts and GPS. No-one dive here. From time to time when the tides and weather and right we head out to explore this forgotten gem of a dive site. Hin Yai Pinnacle is 14m below the surface and slopes off down to about 25-30m at the sandy edge. Rocks and boulders construct its south side with overhanging ledges and crevasses providing many nooks and crannies to explore with your flashlights! Coral overhangs and small caves grace the northern side of this dive site and have nudibranch and other macro critters in abundance! Moray eels, schooling batfish, great barracuda and eagle rays are another chance sighting at this dive spot.

Hin Chalam

Although rarely dived Hin Chalam (Hin Meaning Rock, Chalam meaning Shark) is probably one of Pattaya and Samae sans best diving spots and aways wins credit for being so from divers.

“The Rock” is a narrow outcrop about 30min further south of Koh Chuang in Same san island cluster. Diving here has many features and opportunities. It is possible (if you are good on your gas consumption) to circumnavigate the whole island on a single dive starting down deeper at about 20m and working your way slowly up to the shallower reefs outcrops towards the end. The southern and northern ends have some of the most spectacular features of the site including “The Cave” not a penetration dive by any means but a pretty sweet photo opportunity chance for a more experienced diver to go inside the overhang and shoot the divers swimming by outside and on the other side there is “The Wall” which starts at 4m and drops down to approx 14m, you always get great macro life on this dive site with plenty of Nudi branch and dresser crabs, fringing coral slopes with Anenome gardens and rocky reef formations full of moray eels and barracudas. Depths diving this dive sight range from 5-25 meters and visibility running 8m-20 m.

Unfortunately, its remote location has also made it a favorite of the Royal Thai Navy and Air Force, which use it for bombing practice from time to time. There are large amounts of unexploded ordnance all around the site, including large artillery shells and rockets. The Royal Thai navy state is it safe to dive here since the shells and rockets are Training grade, however just because they don’t have explosives inside doesn’t mean they don’t have detonators. Look and most certainly don’t touch and you’ll find these interesting unique features of this dive site.

Hin Chalam truly is a terrific dive site and, if done right you can find many pelagic species, anemones, whip coral, leather coral, barrel sponges, and gorgonians sea fans plus a good amount of hard corals.
From time to time Whale sharks are seen here as well and larger eagle rays so always keep an eye on the deep blue as you go along the walls and outcrops.