Diving Koh Maa shipwreck park
We have a new dive site close to Koh Lanta! Diving Koh Maa shipwreck park.
On December 15, 2021, EnLive Foundation, the Thai Royal Navy, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, sank three ships just outside Koh Maa.
This ‘Shipwreck park’ is designed to promote conservation, environmental awareness and encourage existing ecosystems. Upcycling at its best! Explore these mysterious vessels and observe how nature begins to engulf everything in its path. See baby corals and schools of fish establish themselves where there once was nothing.
Started with 3 wrecks and is now up to 11 wrecks
While the first 3 wrecks were sunk on December 15, 2021, it has slowly increased the number of wrecks. Right now there are 11 wrecks and it is planned to increase to 15 wrecks in total.
Lanta Diver is monitoring the Diving Koh Maa shipwreck park development. We would expect the establishment of marine life to be really interesting soon.
There is also a reef close to the sunken ships
There is not only diving Koh Maa shipwreck park, nearby there is an existing reef that in time will spawn and grow over these sunken treasures. Already there are some smaller schools of snapper, glassfish and butterfly fishes that have established themselves. And some small nudie branches have already found their new home here.
Koh Maa shipwreck park is ideal for divers of all levels as these Ships sit at 12m, 18m and 24m depth. This site is also good for AOW adventure dives. Dives here are recommended for anyone interested in marine conservation, with repeated visits reflecting nature’s time lapse. Each time we visit we observe a little more marine life growing and additional species establishing there!
Diving Koh Maa shipwreck park in Summary
Environmental issues:
To protect the environment, the ships are purged of all oils, hydraulic fluids, and dangerous
chemicals such as PCBs. Much of the superstructure may be removed to prevent the hazard of
it eventually caving in from corrosion. Similarly, the interior of the ship is gutted of components
that corrode quickly, and would be dangerous to divers if they came loose.