Diving with Turtles & Snakes

Lanta Marine Life | Reptilia

Reptiles, including turtles and snakes, are cold-blooded, air-breathing vertebrates (have lungs) with a bony skeleton and a body usually covered with scales or horny plates. We are lucky enough to be able to spot several types of reptile when diving Koh Lanta.

Reptiles typically have 4 legs, except snakes, which are descended from four-limbed ancestors. In the case of turtles, of course the legs have evolved to become flippers.

Reptile reproduction lacks a larval stage, which means that are usually egg-laying animals.

Aquatic reptiles found in the southern Andaman include sea turtles and coral reef snakes (venomous snakes) of which only a few distinct members are normally encountered at the dive sites around Koh Lanta.

Sea Turtles

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

There are 5 sea turtle species found in Thai waters: Leatherback, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, Green and Hawksbill. All species of sea turtles are protected under the Thai Wildlife Protection Act of 1992, and some, such as the Hawksbill Turtle are a critically endangered species.

Colubrine (Banded) Sea Krait (Laticauda colubrina)

Sea snakes are a family of 69 venomous snakes which are found in warm coastal waters from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and are closely related to venomous Australian land snakes.

Scuba Diving & Snorkel Trips

If you'd love a chance to spot Turtles & Snakes on one of our daily high season diving trips from Koh Lanta then send us an email to info@diveandrelax.com.

Join our high season speedboat dive trips to some of Thailand's best dive sites and enjoy small groups, short journey times, with a focus on great personal service, safety and fun.

Not yet a certified diver? Learn to Scuba Dive on Koh Lanta with the 3 day SSI Open Water Diver course.

Book online to save 10% on dive trips and scuba courses on Koh Lanta.

Find Out More

Indo-Pacific Marine Life Guides

Allen, G., Steene, R., Humann, P., DeLoach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification, Tropical Pacific. Jacksonville, FL., USA: New World Publications, Inc., ISBN 1-878348-36-1.
Humann, P., DeLoach, N., (2010) Reef Creature Identification, Tropical Pacific. Jacksonville, FL., USA: New World Publications Inc., ISBN 978-1-878348-44-9
Debelius, H. (2013) Indian Ocean Reef Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 978-3-939767-52-7.
Debelius, H. (2004) Nudibranchs and Sea Snails, Indo-Pacific Field Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 3-925919-51-1
Erhardt, H., Knop, D. (2015) Corals Indo-Pacific Field Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 3-925919-69-4.
Veron J.E.N., Stafford-Smith M.G., Turak E. and DeVantier L.M. (2016). Corals of the World

More Marine Life References and Further Information

Diving with Turtles & Snakes

Lanta Marine Life | Reptilia

Sea Turtles

Sea Snakes