What does Hin Rua Tek mean?

Hin Rua Tek translates to 'Stone Boat Wreck' in Thai, though it's actually a natural coral wall formation, not an actual shipwreck site.

Is Hin Rua Tek good for coral enthusiasts?

Yes! Hin Rua Tek features stunning coral walls with vibrant soft corals, sea fans, and healthy hard coral formations. It's one of the most colorful sites near Koh Chang.

What marine life can I see at Hin Rua Tek?

Expect to see blacktip reef sharks, leopard sharks, stingrays, moray eels, lionfish, scorpionfish, and abundant schooling fish along the coral wall.

Is Hin Rua Tek suitable for Open Water divers?

Yes! With a maximum depth of 15 meters and usually mild currents, Hin Rua Tek is perfect for Open Water certified divers looking to build experience.

What's the visibility like at Hin Rua Tek?

Hin Rua Tek enjoys excellent visibility during the dry season (November-May), typically ranging from 20-30 meters, making it ideal for wide-angle photography.

Hin Rua Tek – Coral Wall Diving at Koh Chang

Discover Hin Rua Tek – Koh Chang's Stunning Coral Wall Dive

Imagine descending along a buoy line into crystal water, then swimming out to a colorful coral wall where blacktip reef sharks cruise past, stingrays rest on the sand, and barracudas patrol the blue. Welcome to Hin Rua Tek – one of Koh Chang's most beautiful dive sites, located just south of Bang Bao, about 20 minutes by boat. The main feature is the large, flat Banana Rock that rises above the water. One buoy line at 12 meters leads to a sandy bottom – from there, divers swim out to a stunning coral reef wall with a maximum depth of 14–15 meters.

What makes Hin Rua Tek special is its versatility. With 15 meters maximum depth and shallow coral gardens at 5–6 meters, it's perfect for Open Water divers, macro lovers, and snorkelers. The site offers vibrant hard and soft corals, sea fans, and healthy coral formations along the wall. The shallow gardens at the end of the dive are ideal for extended bottom time, colorful nudibranchs, and sea cucumbers. Hin Rua Tek enjoys excellent visibility (often 20–30 meters in dry season) and is one of the most colorful sites near Koh Chang.

As you explore the coral wall, keep your eyes open for blacktip reef sharks and occasional leopard sharks, stingrays on the sand, barracudas and fusiliers in schools, and nudibranchs hiding in cracks. The combination of structure, depth variation, and abundant marine life makes Hin Rua Tek perfect for photographers and divers of all experience levels. Whether you're on your first dive or your hundredth, this coral wall delivers a memorable underwater adventure.

Why Dive at Hin Rua Tek?

Iconic Coral Wall: Dive along the breathtaking coral wall filled with vibrant hard and soft corals.
Hidden Marine Life: Spot reef sharks, stingrays, barracudas, fusiliers, and nudibranchs hiding in cracks and crevices.
Shallow Coral Gardens: End your dive at 5-6 meters and enjoy colorful corals, nudibranchs, and sea cucumbers.

Dive Site Overview

Max Depth	15 meters
Shallow Depth	5–6 meters
Marine Life	Blacktip reef sharks, stingrays, barracudas, fusiliers, nudibranchs, sea cucumbers, moray eels, lionfish, scorpionfish

Don't miss your chance to dive at Hin Rua Tek! Book a fun dive or scuba diving course with Chang Diving Center today!

Scuba diver exploring Hin Rua Tek coral wall – Koh Chang, Thailand

Soft corals and reef life at Hin Rua Tek – Koh Chang dive site, Thailand

Barracudas and schooling fish at Hin Rua Tek – Koh Chang, Thailand

Sea fan corals at Hin Rua Tek coral wall – Koh Chang, Thailand

Diver Level for this dive site.

Min. certification level: Junior, Open Water Diver (or equalled) Try Diving possibility: restricted to the shallow part Snorkelling possibility: Yes

Dive Briefing Example for Dive Professionals – Hin Rua Tek

This is a comprehensive dive briefing template/example for dive professionals. Use this as a reference guide to structure your own briefings. Customize the placeholders (marked with square brackets) with your specific information, guide names, and current conditions. This ensures a safe, organized, and professional dive briefing experience.

1. Dive Site Name & Introduction

Hello everyone and welcome to Hin Rua Tek! Hin Rua Tek is one of Koh Chang's most beautiful dive sites – a colorful coral wall at 15 meters maximum depth, located south of Bang Bao, about 20 minutes by boat. The main feature is the large, flat Banana Rock that rises above the water. One buoy line at 12 meters leads to a sandy bottom – from there we swim out to the coral wall. Perfect for Open Water divers, macro lovers, and snorkelers. The site offers vibrant hard and soft corals, sea fans, and shallow gardens at 5–6 meters. It's one of the most colorful sites near Koh Chang with excellent visibility.

My name is [Your Name] and I will be your dive guide today. Hin Rua Tek is ideal for fun dives and building experience – the shallow gardens at the end make it perfect for extended bottom time.

2. Site Description & Dive Route

We have good conditions today at Hin Rua Tek. The site has one buoy line at 12 meters depth leading to a sandy bottom area.

Maximum Depth: 15 meters (coral wall)
Shallow Depth: 5–6 meters (coral gardens)
Dive Route: We'll descend along the buoy line to the sandy bottom. From there, we'll swim out to the coral wall, exploring the hard and soft corals, sea fans, and crevices. The wall has gentle slopes. End the dive in the shallow coral gardens at 5–6 meters. Return to the buoy line for our safety stop.
Site Features: Banana Rock (above water), one buoy line at 12m, sandy bottom, coral wall with hard/soft corals, sea fans, shallow gardens.
Weather Conditions: [Current conditions - e.g. "Clear water, good visibility, minimal current"]

What You Can See at Hin Rua Tek

Hin Rua Tek is known for excellent marine life. During your dive, look for:

Blacktip reef sharks – often cruising along the wall
Leopard sharks – occasionally resting on the sand
Stingrays – on the sandy bottom
Barracudas, fusiliers – schooling along the wall
Nudibranchs, moray eels, lionfish, scorpionfish – in cracks and crevices

For a complete guide to marine life in Koh Chang, check our Marine Life Guide.

3. Your Guide's Role & Positioning

I will be leading this dive and wearing [Color] and [Color] fins with a [Description of equipment/identifying feature]. You can easily identify me by [specific visual identifier - e.g. "my bright yellow BCD with the Chang Diving logo"].

[If applicable] Our Divemaster [Name] will be positioned at the back of the group, keeping an eye on everyone. [Name] will be wearing [Color] fins and will use [signal device - e.g. "this tank banger"] to get your attention if needed.

Important: Stay close to the group and maintain visual contact with your buddy and guide at all times. If you need to communicate, use standard hand signals or get my attention by tapping on your tank.

4. Entry & Exit Techniques

Boat Entry (Giant Stride)

We'll enter the water from the side of the dive boat with a Giant Stride. Here's what you should remember:

Pre-Dive Safety Check: Complete your BIG WHALES REALLY ARE FUN check before entering the water
BCD Inflation: Fully inflate your BCD before entry
Regulator: Keep your regulator in your mouth
Mask: Make sure your mask is properly fitted
Entry: Step forward with one leg, then the other, keeping legs together
After Entry: Clear the area immediately, signal OK, and swim to the buoy line

Boat Exit (Ladder)

After completing your safety stop and surfacing:

Swim back to the ladder on the side of the boat
Stand on the ladder and remove your fins (hand them to the crew)
Climb up the ladder with your regulator still in your mouth
CRITICAL: Never position yourself directly under another diver climbing the ladder
Once on deck, move away from the entry/exit area

Dinghy Entry (Backroll)

If we're using a dinghy, we'll enter with a backroll entry:

Sit on the edge of the dinghy with your back to the water
Complete your pre-dive safety check
Hold your mask and regulator in place
On three, lean back and roll into the water
Clear the area and signal OK

5. Dive Procedures & Turn-Around Points

To ensure we have enough air for a safe return and safety stop:

Turn-Around Point: We'll turn the dive around when you reach 130 bar (or 1900 PSI). This gives us more than enough air reserve to safely return to the buoy line and complete our safety stop.
Air Monitoring: Check your air gauge frequently throughout the dive. Don't wait until you're low on air to signal – communicate early!
Safety Stop: At 5 meters depth, we'll conduct a 3-minute safety stop at the buoy line before surfacing.
No-Decompression Limits: At 15 meters depth, we'll keep the dive well within safe limits.

Remember: The most important rule in diving is to never hold your breath. Breathe normally and continuously throughout the entire dive.

6. Emergency Procedures

While we don't expect any problems, it's important that everyone knows what to do in an emergency:

Buddy Separation

If you become separated from your buddy, search for 1 minute while staying at the same depth
If you can't find your buddy, make a controlled safety ascent to the surface
Wait at the surface – we'll reunite there
DO NOT continue diving alone

Out of Air / Low on Air

Low on Air: Signal immediately – we'll end the dive and ascend together
Out of Air: Signal "out of air" and use your buddy's alternate air source or make a controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA)
Always signal problems early – don't wait until it's an emergency!

Emergency Contacts & Equipment

Police: 191
Tourist Police: 1155
Emergency Medical Service: 1669
DAN International: +1-919-684-9111 (24/7 emergency hotline for dive emergencies)
Recompression Chamber: Koh Chang Hospital, Phone: 039 521-657 or 039 586-131
Suspected DCS: See our DCS Field Evaluation Slate (PDF) for assessment procedures
Emergency Oxygen: Located in the transport box on the right of the captain's seat in the captain's cabin
First Aid Kit: Located in the transport box on the right of the captain's seat in the captain's cabin
Emergency Action Plan: For detailed emergency procedures, see our Emergency Plan Guide

7. Hand Signal Review

Hand signals can vary between countries and certification agencies, so let's make sure we're all on the same page. Here are the essential signals we'll be using today:

OK: [Description/visual] - Used to ask "Are you OK?" and respond "I'm OK"
Problem: [Description/visual] - Hand waved side to side to indicate a problem
Up: [Description/visual] - Thumbs up means "I want to go up"
Down: [Description/visual] - Thumbs down means "I want to go down"
Air Pressure: [Description/visual] - Show numbers with fingers (e.g. "I have 120 bar")
Low on Air: [Description/visual] - Hand across throat
Out of Air: [Description/visual] - Hand across throat, then point to regulator
Safety Stop: [Description/visual] - Hand horizontal, palm down, at 5 meters
Stop/Hold: [Description/visual] - Hand up, palm forward
Look/Point: [Description/visual] - Point at something interesting

Practice Question: Can you show me how you would communicate that you still have 120 bar of air pressure?

📋 Download Complete Hand Signal Guide (PDF)

8. Roster & Buddy Check (Pairing)

Let's make sure everyone is here and properly paired:

Roster Check: [Go through names] - Is everyone here?
Buddy Pairs:
- [Name] and [Name] - you'll be buddies
- [Name] and [Name] - you'll be buddies
- [Name] - you'll be my buddy today (for less experienced divers)
Buddy Check: Before entering the water, do a final check with your buddy – make sure all equipment is secure and functioning

Note: Buddy pairs are typically matched by experience level and certification. If you'd like to dive with a specific person, let me know now.

9. Environmental Awareness & Marine Hazards

Hin Rua Tek is a protected dive site, and we must respect the marine environment:

No Touching: Don't touch corals, animals, or the reef. One fingerprint can damage coral.
Lionfish & Scorpionfish: Venomous spines – never touch. Observe from a distance.
Reef Sharks: Generally shy – keep a respectful distance and avoid sudden movements.
Silt Avoidance: Avoid fin kicks against the bottom – protects visibility and the reef.

10. Pre-Dive Safety Check (BWRAF)

Before we enter the water, we'll all do a Pre-Dive Safety Check. Use the BWRAF method (or BIG WHALES REALLY ARE FUN):

BCD – check it fits and works
Weights – weight belt properly positioned
Releases – quick releases accessible
Air – air on, regulator works
Final Check – mask, fins, final look

📋 Quick Briefing Checklist

✅ Site name and conditions understood
✅ Dive route and depths clear
✅ Guide identification confirmed
✅ Entry/exit procedures reviewed
✅ Turn-around points and air reserves understood
✅ Emergency procedures clear
✅ Hand signals reviewed
✅ Buddy paired and checked
✅ Environmental awareness discussed
✅ Pre-dive safety check completed

Questions? If you have any questions or concerns, please ask now - I'm here to help! Remember, there are no stupid questions when it comes to dive safety. Let's have a safe and amazing dive! 🌊🤿

📝 After Your Dive: Log Your Experience

Don't forget to log your dive! Your dive logbook is an important record of your diving experience and is required for many advanced courses. Whether you use a digital app or a traditional logbook, make sure to record:

Date and location
Dive site name (Hin Rua Tek)
Maximum depth and dive duration
Air consumption (start and end pressure)
Your buddy and guide
Highlights (reef sharks, stingrays, barracudas, nudibranchs, coral wall, etc.)

For more information on why dive logbooks are important and what to include, check out our Dive Logbook Guide. You can find the dive site stamp and get your logbook signed by your guide at the coffee station on the boat.