Dive sites12
Marine life profile
Brain coral
Recorded at 12 dive sitesWhere divers encounter it
Explore Brain coral around the world
Brain coral is a common name given to various corals in the families Mussidae and Merulinidae, so called due to their generally spheroid shape and grooved surface which resembles a brain. The living polyps extend feeding tentacles, often after dark, while the colony slowly builds its shared skeleton.
Countries7
Animal groupInvertebrates
Safety profileGenerally Harmless
Meet the species
What to look for
How to Recognize It
Rounded colonies covered in winding ridges and valleys that resemble the folds of a brain.
How It Behaves
The living polyps extend feeding tentacles, often after dark, while the colony slowly builds its shared skeleton.
Special Ability
Many tiny animals cooperate as one long-lived structure, adding limestone beneath themselves layer by layer.
Dive responsibly
Share the water well
How to Approach
Perfect your buoyancy and observe from above without touching the animal or the surface supporting it.
Safety
Many invertebrates are fragile, venomous or irritating to skin. Keep hands, fins and equipment clear.
Worth knowing
The detail you remember
Interesting Facts
A large colony may preserve years of environmental history inside its growth bands.
Where to Find
Look closely on reef walls, coral heads, sand, seagrass, jetties and shaded overhangs.
Known countries
Sint MaartenThailandDominican RepublicBrazilMalaysiaGrenada
Sightings map
Brain coral locations
Plan a dive
Dive sites with reported encounters
Mike's Maze
Sint Maarten
Part of the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area. It starts at approximately 40 feet (12 m) and boasts healthy coral formations and numerous maze-like swim throughs, passageways wind around coral heads, through arches and over bridges. This location is where the Nature Foundation conducted one of its coral reef restoration projects. Common critters: Many of the 60 TWA fish species! French Angelfish, schooling Chubs, Spiny Lobster, & Foureye Butterflyfish, Elkhorn Coral formations, Special guests: Spotted Eagle Rays, Squid, Caribbean Reef Sharks, Nurse Sharks, Sexy Shrimp in anemones, staghorn coral formations
White Rock
Thailand
The range of life found here is huge and there is something to please every diver. Turtles come here to munch away on soft corals, casting a lazy, half-interested eye at divers. Koh Tao's infamous Titan Triggerfish prowl this dive site too, and some of the largest specimens hang out here. White Rock attracts many hunters: Great Barracuda and Trevally excite the fish making them dart for cover in the plentiful hard corals; Banded Sea Snakes wind their way through the corals searching for their prey. Blue-Ringed and Six-Banded Angelfish swim around in their buddy teams passing Beaked Coralfish, Bannerfish and Pig-Faced Butterflyfish. Look under ledges and outcroppings and you are bound to find a White-Eyed Moray Eel or a Blue-Spotted Ray awaiting nightfall. Under the South buoyline, a large shoal of Yellowtail Barracuda spend their days following divers. Even though White Rock is close to Koh Tao, in season Whalesharks are regularly seen here.
Cuevitas - Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
Located off Playa Las Ballenas, Cuevitas is a succession of small tunnels that are very easy to navigate, where you can see the way out as soon as you enter. You can visit both sides if you have good air consumption.
Ao Kruad
Thailand
A favorite dive site on the northeast of Koh Talu. Suitable for snorkeler, free diver and scuba diver. Depth is 2-7 meter. Diver can take 30-60 mins bottom time. Since it is very shallow site.
Ao Mook
Thailand
An abundant reef in small cove. This dive site is for snorkeler, free diver, and scuba diver. Since the reef is located in shallow water, start at 2 meter depth to 7 meter. This dive site can be manage both shore dive and boat dive.
Ao Tien
Thailand
With depth 3-10 meter, this dive site is very easy to dive. And suitable for training dive, since it is a sand bar at 3-5 meter next to the reef.
Chapeirão Jean Pierre
Brazil
Formation of endemic coral structures of southern Bahia with an average annual growth of 1 mm, with several passages and tunnels that connect other coral structures in the surroundings.
Chong Talu
Thailand
A dive site for an experience diver. The depth is 7-15 meters. Its location is the north tip of island , sometime can be strong current. Diver must be careful.
Cinco Metros, Las Ballenas
Dominican Republic
Close from the Ballenas Islands, “Cinco Metro“ is a dive site beginning at 2m deep and slowly going down until 6m. Perfect place for snorkeling and first-time dives!
Eve's Garden
Malaysia
The journey from Miri to the dive site takes around 30 minutes from shore. It is the nearest reef accessible from Miri. It’s a submerged and shallow reef ranging from 5m to 9 m.
Kissing Rock
Malaysia
At the centre of Juara Beach, easy to reach and full of coral. Suitable for beginner and easy entry from shore. Mix with sandy bottom and coral base.
Kahonee
Grenada
Dive Profile: 30-50ft. (10-15m) This delightful dive reveals one of the most beautiful underwater gardens in the Caribbean. Its undulating patch reef alternates glades of alabaster sand with brilliantly coloured thickets of hard and soft coral, including lacy purple fans, a rainbow of sponges, impressive domes of brain coral and orange sea whips up to 8′ long. Lobsters, spotted morays and sleeping nurse sharks populate this submarine Garden of Eden.