Hin Muang/Hin Daeng Experience

[Christian]

Current can be very strong. How strong depends on the tidal changes, stronger during full moon. But normally you can find protection and with a good briefing most divers will be able to safely enjoy these sites.

I've stayed on Lanta Sea House on Klong Dao Beach. It's a good priced resort with tiled, concrete AC bungalows, sweet water pool and a descent restaurant. It is also fairly close to Saladan (port of arrival from Phuket etc.).

I have dived with Lanta Divers - they will come and pick you up in the morning from your hotel and drive you back in the evening if you're staying on Klong Dao Beach.

Good luck

/christian

 

[Christian]

They become triggerfish?

Personally, I don't know how much the currents at these sites are infulenced by the moon cycles. I've experienced the strong changes due to the lunar cycle at places like A. Reef, King Cruiser, which are in open ocean.

Anemone Reef, King Cruiser and Shark Point are lagoon dives compared to Hin Daeng and Hin Mouang. They're a 3-4 hour boat trip - one way - from Kho Lanta straight out to the Andaman Sea. You can cut time with a speed boat, but then you need absolute flat conditions as there are little or no protection from the sea at the dive sites. Hin Mouang is fully submerged and Hin Daeng is just a rock breaking the surface.

cheers

/christian

 

[pakman]

I just got back from a liveaboard that did hin muang/hin daeng, similians, and richileu. Hin Muang and Hin Daeng are nice sites and we were fortunate to have an amazing manta sighting. I'll have to dig thru my log book on which site it was, I think it was Hin Muang (submerged rock) but we had front row seats for a beautiful manta that kept coming back around the pinnacle and literally hovering arm's distance from us. Had the manta glide over me less than a meter away and my strobe misfired (got lots of manta silhouette photos dooh!)! I'll post some of the non flash photos and other photos from the entire trip shortly. We also did shark pt and king cruiser on a separate day trip. Other than 1 leopard shark on the deck of King Cruiser, visibility was poor and shark point was a disappointment.

oh, the current was manageable as long as you stayed within the rocks. Some of our group were using reef hooks but it really wasn't neccesary. We did do our safety stop on the mooring line, but i remember I didn't have to cling onto it.

 

[Batfish]

Some of our group were using reef hooks

WHAT? I would be grateful if you can PM me with the name of the boat, so they can be advised to ask their customers not to use reef hooks. You are right, it is not needed. I have never seen anyone using reef hooks there.

 

[Kim]

I think it was Hin Muang (submerged rock)

Interesting. I was given the translations of Red rock and Purple rock.

 

[Batfish]

Hin Daeng - Red Rock
Hin Muang - Purple Rock

Hin Muang is completely submerged, but this is not the meaning of the name

Hin Daeng is just above the surface, just a patch of bare rock that tells you nothing about the beauty below!

 

[pakman]

sorry I didn't mean to imply hin muang means "submerged rock", I meant to say it was the one that was submerged...

As for the reef hook... it was not provided by the tour operator. The tour operator did emphasize the no touch policy at the start of the trip... I'm not a fan of reef hooks as well and FYI the culprit was careful to hook in on a barren section.

edit: to be honest I'd rather have them chill on the end of properly placed reef hook than chasing after the manta like one of our divers did!!! fortunately she didn't scare it off or try to touch it...

 

[Kim]

sorry I didn't mean to imply hin muang means "submerged rock", I meant to say it was the one that was submerged...

No biggie - I was just curious.

 

[Batfish]

the culprit was careful to hook in on a barren section

Their brain?

 

[Kim]

Their brain?

:rofl: