From Surin to Koh Lipe: A Full Andaman Sea Liveaboard Adventure

We had the pleasure of welcoming this group all the way from the United States to dive with us in the beautiful Andaman Sea of Thailand. After checking in aboard the MV The Smiling Seahorse and starting the trip in Ranong, we cruised south through the Andaman Sea, diving some of Thailand’s most famous dive sites from the Myanmar border all the way to the Malaysian border.

Richelieu Rock: Glassfish, Trevallies and Harlequin Shrimp

After our check dive in the north of the Surin Islands, we headed to the famous and beautiful Richelieu Rock for the rest of the day.

Loads of glassfish, trevallies, barracudas, and batfish were swimming around us and the purple rock. When we looked closer at the reef, we found a seahorse, two baby ornate ghost pipefish and the first pair of harlequin shrimp of the season!

Exploring the Similan Islands

It was then time to head for Similan National Park and spend a couple of days exploring its spectacular underwater landscapes. Colourful nudibranchs and their eggs were found among the huge granite boulders.

A huge and old green turtle even came to visit us during one of our surface intervals, and some of the guests were delighted to swim alongside it for a while.

South to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang

After two great days of diving, it was time to navigate south overnight to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, two famous dive sites in Mu Koh Lanta National Park.

It was time to change the type of rocks we were diving on and explore pinnacles made of limestone and basalt, covered with a full mix of soft and hard corals. These southern Andaman Sea dive sites offer a very different underwater landscape from the granite boulders of the Similans.

Celebrating the Full Moon with a Blackwater Dive

We celebrated the full moon and witnessed the lunar eclipse from the boat, while some of our guests were trying Blackwater Diving for the first time — and loved it!

Blackwater diving gives us the chance to see a completely different side of the ocean. Away from the reef and beneath the boat after dark, tiny pelagic animals and larvae can appear in the beam of our lights. Every dive is different, and you never quite know what will drift past next.

8 Mile Rock and Koh Lipe

The next day we went close to the Malaysian border to dive the underwater pinnacle of 8 Mile Rock and then explored the famous soft coral garden of Stonehenge around Koh Lipe.

We found a frogfish, an Indian Walkman and some cute cuttlefish along the way. The southern Andaman Sea was certainly delivering plenty of variety, from wide-angle reef scenes to fascinating macro encounters.

Koh Haa and Phi Phi

After this great day of diving, we headed back towards Mu Koh Lanta National Park to dive around Koh Haa, before ending the trip with Phi Phi for our final day.

From the northern reefs around Surin and Richelieu Rock all the way down to Koh Lipe near the Malaysian border, this was a fantastic journey through the diversity of Thailand’s Andaman Sea.

Thanks again to 72 Aquatics Tucson for joining us on this amazing trip. We are looking forward to diving with you again very soon!

Discover More

• Explore diving in Thailand and discover the incredible variety of the Andaman Sea.
• Discover the Similan Islands and their spectacular granite boulder dive sites.
• Dive Richelieu Rock, famous for its soft corals, schooling fish and macro marine life.
• Experience Blackwater Diving and encounter the mysterious pelagic life of the open ocean at night.
• Explore Koh Lanta, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang in the southern Andaman Sea.
• Discover Koh Lipe and Stonehenge near the Malaysian border.