gato island

Gato Island    24m / 80ft

After Monad Shoal, Gato Island is our most famous dive site. Gato is a marine reserve and sea snake sanctuary and has at least five dive sites with a huge diversity of marine life. We are constantly seeing new creatures. At all Gato sites you can see such things as banded sea snakes, cuttlefish (often while mating), seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfish, moray eels, scorpion fish, squid and big-mouthed mackerel. There are many whitetip sharks in residence at Gato, as well as bamboo and cat sharks. The coral is in good condition and the rocky island has many interesting underwater rock formations and overhangs.

Gato: Whitetip Alley   20m / 70ft

You are 95% guaranteed to find whitetip sharks sleeping under rocks, and if you are lucky you will see them circling. Other life here includes banded boxer shrimp, crinoid cuttlefish, and scorpionfish.

Gato: The Guardhouse   24m / 80ft

Drop down to 24m to find the extremely rare pygmy seahorse. Then work your way back along a wall where you can find lionfish and many nudibranchs, including the beautiful spanish dancers, up to 30cm long.

Gato: Nudibranch City   22m / 75ft

As the name implies, we find nudibranchs galore at this site. Also around are lots of hermit crabs and scorpion fish.

Gato: The Tunnel   10m / 35ft

Journey underneath Gato Island and come out the other side! This large cave houses all the usual cave dwellers like crabs and lobsters. You should also encounter some large puffer fish. Most of exciting of all, the cave is home to whitetip sharks. You may see them hiding in a corner as you pass by inches from their face, or see their silhouette as they circle near the exit. The sight is simply breathtaking. For experienced divers only.

Gato: Cathedral    22m / 75ft

Explore some of the more amazing rock formations around Gato, including the stunning Cathedral rock. This is a great place to see sharks - we have seen as many as 15 whitetips circling. It is also possible to see blue-spotted rays. A juvenile eagle ray is currently in residence.