South point - Koh Larn

South Point at Koh Larn is an advanced dive site on the southern tip of this popular island in the Gulf of Thailand, located just off the coast from Pattaya. While Koh Larn is best known as a day-trip beach destination for Pattaya's tourists, its southern point offers surprisingly serious diving that tests experienced divers with strong currents and rewards them with marine life that benefits from the nutrient-rich flow through this exposed headland. The southern tip of Koh Larn faces the open Gulf, and the currents that sweep around the headland can be substantial. These strong flows are what make the site advanced-rated and what drive the rich marine activity. The current brings plankton and nutrients that fuel the food chain, and the rocky substrate of the headland provides hard surfaces for coral attachment in an area where much of the surrounding seabed is sandy and relatively barren. The underwater terrain features a rocky reef extending from the island's base, with boulders, ledges, and overhangs creating structural complexity. Coral growth on the exposed rock includes both hard and soft species, with the soft corals and sea fans particularly thriving in the current-swept conditions. The reef provides hard substrate that creates an oasis effect, concentrating marine life in an area of otherwise limited habitat. Fish life at South Point reflects the current exposure. Barracuda school in the flow, their silver bodies aligned with the current direction. Trevally hunt the reef edges, while schools of snapper and fusilier hover in the sheltered areas behind rock formations. The current brings occasional visitors from the open Gulf, and encounters with larger pelagic species are more likely here than at the calmer, more sheltered dive sites around the island's northern shores. The invertebrate community is established across the rocky surfaces. Anemones with their clownfish residents are found in the more sheltered spots, while the current-exposed faces support filter-feeding organisms that take advantage of the constant food supply. Nudibranchs, crabs, and shrimp populate the reef crevices, and octopus navigate the rocky terrain. Diving South Point requires timing around the current cycles and a level of experience that allows confident operation in moving water. Surface marker buoys are essential, and boat support must be prepared for drift scenarios. The site is typically dived when conditions allow, with calmer periods providing the most comfortable experiences while stronger current days offer the most dynamic marine encounters. South Point at Koh Larn surprises divers who assume the Pattaya area has nothing serious to offer underwater. This advanced site demonstrates that challenging, rewarding diving can exist within easy reach of one of Thailand's most developed tourist zones, delivering genuine excitement for experienced divers looking beyond the beginner-oriented sites that dominate the local dive scene.