Phi
Phi Dive Sites - Dive Sites Bida Nai
Bida Nai
"Inner Father" lies one kilometre south of Phi Phi Leh. Like
its larger neighbour, Bida Nok, Bida Nai is a limestone cliff islet
with similar underwater terrain and, together with Bida No
k,
is regarded as Phi Phi's best diving.
Descent is often down a mooring line to one of two swim-throughs on
the site. Without the help of your guide you would not even know that
there is a gap in the rocks because it is completely filled by glassfish
that make room for you as you fin through. Watch your buoyancy here
as bearded scorpionfish are often seen camouflaged on the bottom. Look
closely at the rock walls on the outer edge of the swim-through for
seahorses and harlequin ghost pipefish, along with boxer shrimps, hinge-beak
shrimps and innumerable nudibranchs.
Divers normally spend most of the dive on a coral outcrop called Fantasy
Reef which is home to dozens of common lionfish that make their homes
around the barrel sponges, sea whips and gorgonian sea fans. Schools
of trevally and five-finger jacks are constantly feeding on the balls
of baitfish above the reef. To get to Fantasy Reef you must cross a
large field of staghorn coral reef where it is normal to see sleeping
leopard sharks. On your way back from look ou
t
for the blacktip reef sharks that patrol the sand at the outer edges
of the reef. The blacktips are quite shy of divers and are most commonly
spotted early in the morning.
As you work your way shallower at the end of the dive, look for sand
holes under small coral heads - a tell tale sign that a bamboo shark
has made a home there. Orange-lined, Indian and titan triggerfish are
all around the shallow areas and it's not unusual to see a pair of cuttlefish
performing one of their colourful dances.
On you safety stop look out for squid and the ever present crocodile
long-toms, swimming just under the surface.
 Bida
Nai Reef Basics: |
Staghorn Reef and wall
diving |
| Depth: |
5 - 30m |
| Visibility: |
10 - 20m |
| Currents: |
Gentle |
| Surface
Conditions: |
Can be choppy |
| Water
Temperature: |
27 - 30°C |
| Experience
Level: |
Beginner - Intermediate |
| Number
of dive sites: |
1 |
| Diving
Season: |
All year round |
| Distance: |
~45 km east of Phuket (3 hours),
30 km southwest of Krabi (2½ hours) |
| Access: |
Scuba diving day tours from Phi
Phi (Pee Pee) and Thailand liveaboard trips |
More detailed information on the Phi
Phi dive sites:
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Provided by DiveTheWorldThailand
Bida Nai
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© 2006