Eight Mile Rock
Koh Lipe · Thailand
A solitary seamount eight nautical miles southwest of Lipe, rising from 40 m to within 12 m of the surface. This is Lipe's premier big-animal site: manta rays are sighted here reliably from December to March, whale sharks pass through January to April, and schools of hammerhead sharks have been recorded on the deeper flanks. Strong and unpredictable currents make this an advanced dive; the reward is blue water pelagic action above a hard coral cap in outstanding health.
Conditions
Depth
12 to 40 m
Advanced depths
Current
Often strong
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
5 to 10 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
26 to 30°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| Vis (m) | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
| Current | Strong | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Strong |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Giant Trevally
Last confirmed Dec 25, 2025 · 2 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Bluefin Trevally
Last confirmed Dec 12, 2025 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
Last confirmed Dec 25, 2025 · 2 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Humphead Parrotfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Longface Emperor
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Hard Coral (mixed species)
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Yellowtail Barracuda
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Manta Ray
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear