Mimic octopus

Resident on the open sand flats. Less reliable than the frogfish but still a realistic target on a week's diving.

Open year-round. The strait is narrow and sheltered on both sides, so weather rarely stops diving. Jul-Aug brings cooler nutrient-rich water which lowers visibility but is reported to increase critter activity, making the 'worst' visibility months arguably the best diving months.

Season runs roughly October to May, with November and May singled out as the best months by both sources. Jun-Sep is the southwest monsoon and typhoon window: resorts stay open and diving continues on calm days, but sea state and rain cancel dives and photography groups avoid it. Encoded 'limited' rather than 'closed' because access never actually stops.