• Dive Level:

  Intermediate

• Best Months:

  January-May

• Accessed By:

  Shore

• Maximum Depth:

  30m

• Water Temperature:

  20°C - 28°C

• Currents:

  None

Description

Inner Father lies 1 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 Nok, is regarded as Phi Phi's best diving.

Divers normally spend most of the dive on a coral outcrop called Fantasy Reef which is home to sea whips, plenty of common lionfish, barrel sponges and gorgonian sea fans. Schools of 5-finger jacks and  trevally 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 out 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.

Descent is normally down a mooring line to 1 of 2 swim-throughs on the site. The gap is difficult to spot due to it being  filled by glassfish that make room for you as you swim through. Bearded scorpionfish are often seen camouflaged on the bottom so be careful. 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.

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.

This is one of Thailanads top five scuba sites and the marine diversity makes it scvuba paradise.