8 Mile Rock · Koh Lipe
Two dives. Open ocean. Marine life that stops you mid-descent. This is 8 Mile Rock — Koh Lipe's most thrilling site.
13 km offshore. No crowds. No shortcuts. Just some of the finest diving in Southeast Asia. Most Koh Lipe dive sites are shallow and calm, perfect for beginners — 8 Mile Rock is different. Located in the open water of Tarutao National Marine Park, it offers deeper water, stronger currents, and thrilling marine life.
Expect schools of giant trevally, massive groupers, reef sharks, and even whale sharks in season. With two guided dives in small groups, you'll explore safely and fully. Open to all certified divers, though Advanced certification is recommended.
Not included — mandatory dive insurance (70 THB).
Book your spotYour Journey
Meet the La Bombona team at the boat, gear up, and head offshore before the wind picks up. Breakfast is served on the way out — a good time to go over the dive briefing with your guide. The crossing takes around 45–60 minutes depending on sea conditions.
Descend onto the reef structure with your guide, to a typical depth of 18–30 metres depending on your experience level. Expect trevally schools, groupers, moray eels, reef sharks and more, with around 45–55 minutes underwater.
Rest, rehydrate, and swap stories on the deck while snacks circulate. Your guide will share observations from the first dive and brief you on the second — often the better dive of the two, once you know what to look for.
Explore a different section of the site, or return to the first with fresh eyes and more time at depth. Keep your eyes open — whale shark encounters, when they happen, often come on the second dive.
Lunch is served on the boat heading back — time to reflect, rest, and plan your next underwater adventure. We arrive back in Koh Lipe at around 1:00 pm.
No crowded day-trip boats. The trip to 8 Mile Rock runs on our private fast boat, built for small groups — space to gear up with ease, breakfast on the way out, lunch on the way home, and a deck to relax on during the surface interval.
Insights from our divers
Had 2 fundives with Armand. The dive sights were really nice, aswell as Armand and the other staff. Would definitely recommend this Dive School!
Non a caso sono tornato da loro! Dopo koh tao è stata la volta di koh lipe. Stessa scuola,stesse vibes! I ragazzi simpatici,professionali e affidabili mi hanno aiutato in tutto ciò di cui ho avuto bisogno. In particolar modo ringrazio il mio istruttore Kile, che è stato molto gentile e mi ha aiutato a mettermi a mio agio, sia dentro che fuori dal mare! Non posso che ringraziarvi e consigliare La Bombona diving!
I did the try dive and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience! The team makes everything to make it smooth and safe for the first-timers. I appreciated the time they took to explain every detail and ensure everyone is at ease. While the first dive is a little technical as you need to get used to the gear and technics, the second one is incredible! The reef so rich and beautiful. And I recommend take the photos too. Beautiful souvenir.
Gente súper bien preparada a nivel material, profesional y muy cercanos. El sitio de buceo esta brutal y el barco desde se hacen las inmersiones una gozada. Por otro lado creo q no hay muchos sitios donde te hablen español aparte del inglés y se agradece. Totalmente recomendable 👌
Wir haben mit La Bombona Diving unseren Explorer 30 (äquivalent zu Advanced Open Water) absolviert und sind überglücklich mit der Wahl der Tauchschule! Das ganze Team ist großartig und herzlich. Unser Tauchlehrer Armand hat alles bestens erklärt, gutes Feedback gegeben und dabei immer auf uns geachtet. Die Zertifizierung von RAID (Explorer 30) fanden wir persönlich qualitativ und technisch besser als die von PADI (Advanced Open Water). La Bombona Diving hat zudem ein eigenes kleines Schiff, damit waren wir flexibler mit den Tauchorten und es gab eine schöne familiäre Atmosphäre.
Ich hatte 10 Mega tolle Tauchgänge Sie planen die Abfahrzeiten und Tauchseiten nach den Gezeiten und starte früh am Morgen So hatten wir die Divesites fast immer für uns alleine und mit meist geringer Strömung. Da es nur ein kleines süßes Boot ist sind es nicht so viele Personen. Danke für die tolle Zeit
I can highly recommend it, nice riffs, nice people and you’ll definitely have a great time with bombona diving :)
I booked a try dive with this operator and it was such a great time! We were a small group of three girls (for try dives they take max 4 people per trip) which was very comfortable. As we additionally booked their photographer we had two professionals with us. Both taught us a lot about diving and the marine life. Even thought we were beginners we could enjoy a real diving experience in the sea around lipe with two stops. I loved everything! Thank you for the amazing day.
«Try dive» var virkelig en av de beste dagene meg og venninnen min har hatt på turen vår! Så utrolig gøy og instruktørene gjorde opplevelsen veldig trygg! Hadde vi hatt flere dager på koh lipe hadde vi 100% tatt dykker sertifikatet her!
Loved diving with La Bombona <3 I did two fun dives, my instructor Sergio and the whole staff were so sweet, helpful and professional. Boat was comfy, lunch was a great bonus, and the dive sites were innncredible – my best dive so far! Would’ve loved to dive more with them if I had more time, highly recommend
Yes. 8 Mile Rock is a certified-diver-only site. Open Water certification (or equivalent) is the minimum. An Advanced certification is recommended, as conditions at this offshore site can differ from sheltered reef dives closer to shore. If you're unsure whether your current level is suitable, just ask us before booking.
Certified divers of most experience levels can make the trip, but comfort in open water and with some current is helpful. If you've completed your Open Water course and want to level up before visiting, our Advanced Explorer 30 course is a natural next step — and it certifies you to 30 metres, which opens up the full depth range at 8 Mile Rock.
Departure is typically around 05:45 from Koh Lipe. The day wraps up with a return to the island around 13:00. Times may vary slightly depending on sea conditions and group size — your guide will confirm exact timings when you book.
Nothing diving-related — all equipment is included in the package price. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a light layer for the boat, a towel, and any personal items you need for a morning out on the water. We take care of the rest.
If it has been more than 12 months since your last dive, we recommend completing our Refresh Course first. It takes one day, gets you comfortable back in the water, and means you can actually enjoy 8 Mile Rock rather than spending the dive getting reacquainted with your gear.
Whale shark sightings are possible at 8 Mile Rock, particularly between November and April. They are not guaranteed — these are wild animals in open water — but this is one of the few sites in the Koh Lipe area where encounters do happen with regularity. Your guide will brief you on behaviour protocols if a sighting occurs.
We understand that travel plans change. Get in touch via WhatsApp to discuss your booking and any changes you need to make. We'll work with you wherever possible.
Prefer to check availability first? Send us a message on WhatsApp and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Spots fill up fast during peak season (November–April).
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