It is said that Mae Haad was home to pirates
In the middle part on the west coast of Koh Phangan is this little bay. It was used long ago as a hideout for Malay pirates. Today pirates are gone and the bay is accessible for diving on the coral reef in the front. By boat or from the beach this site is easy to get to and good for beginners.
The hard coral formations attracts the regular reef dwellers, butterflyfish, small groupers, coralfish but also Cuttlefish or Common Lionfish.
Name
Haad Salad
Depth Range
0 to 14 meters
Bottom Composition
Big rocks, big rock formations, sandy bottom
Currents
None to little
Common Marine Life
Coral Grouper (Plectropomus leopardus), Yellowtail Barracuda (Sphyraena flavicauda), Bluebarred Parrotfish (Scarus ghobban), Pink Anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion), Long-spined Sea Urchin (Diadema setosum), Moon Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare), Longfin Bannerfish (Heniochus acuminatus), Blackfin or Chevron Barracuda (Sphyraena qenie), Bigeye Trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus), Dash-and-dot Goatfish (Parupeneus barberinus), Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus), Scissor-tailed Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea), Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus), Sandfish Sea Cucumber (Holothuria scabra), Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas), Starry Puffer (Arothron stellatus), Yellowfin Surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus), Three-spot Damselfish (Dascyllus trimaculatus), Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), Orange-spotted Grouper (Epinephelus coioides)
Uncommon Marine Life
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Harlequin Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides), Yellow Boxfish (Ostracion cubicus), Honeycomb Moray (Gymnothorax favagineus), Banded Sea Krait (Laticauda colubrina), Blue-spotted Ribbontail Ray (Taeniura lymma), Common Seahorse (Hippocampus kuda), Pharaoh Cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis)
Coral, Anemonnes and Sponges
Staghorn Coral (Acropora cervicornis), Brain Coral (Platygyra lamellina), Giant Barrel Sponge (Xestospongia muta), Whip Coral (Leptogorgia virgulata), Magnificent Sea Anemone (Heteractis magnifica), Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
Special features
Many huge coral formations, some interesting creatures on the sandy bottom out.
Good for beginners but interested for experienced divers with macro life.
