Best of North and South Andaman Sea, Thailand: March 14 – March 21, 2025

Our latest adventure took us across the best dive sites of the North and South Andaman Sea, Thailand. This week, we welcomed guests from the USA, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Israel aboard the Smiling Seahorse in Ranong, eager to explore the wonders of the Surin, Similan, Lanta, Tarutao and Koh Phiphi National Parks. Each of these parks offers unique marine landscapes, from vibrant coral gardens to dramatic underwater pinnacles, promising an unforgettable journey beneath the waves.

​Our first dive at Koh Chi was a gentle check dive, allowing everyone to get comfortable while enjoying the sights of a friendly hawksbill turtle gliding through the reef. Schools of blue-tailed snappers created a mesmerizing display, while a tiny yellow boxfish peeked out from the coral, amusing us with its clumsy movements. Among the vibrant reef, we spotted angelfish, fusiliers, and parrotfish darting between the coral formations.

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The second and third dives brought us to the legendary Richelieu Rock, where life teemed in every direction. Enormous schools of rainbow runners and jacks swirled together, accompanied by long-face emperor fish patrolling the depths. A delicate tiger tail seahorse swayed with the current, while ghost pipefish skillfully camouflaged themselves among soft corals. Peering into crevices, we discovered peacock mantis shrimp and flabellina nudibranchs adding bursts of color to the scene. Surgeonfish, fairy basslets, and Moorish idols flitted through the coral gardens, making for a lively spectacle.
For our night dive at Richelieu Rock, the mysterious “green monster”—a dense thermocline—rolled in, adding a touch of adventure to the dive. Despite the water movement, we enjoyed the eerie sight of moray eels hunting under the cover of darkness, while countless crabs and shrimps scuttled across the reef. A porcupinefish hovered nearby, watching the activity unfold.

​At Koh Tachai, our first dive began with a fascinating scene: a pair of white-banded cleaner shrimp diligently grooming a large moray eel. Nearby, two painted spiny lobsters peeked out from their rocky hiding spots. Jackfish patrolled the blue, moving in pairs as they hunted in synchrony. Amid the bustling reef, we found butterflyfish, wrasses, and gobies going about their daily routines.
On our second dive at Koh Tachai, we drifted along with a large school of batfish, their graceful movements mesmerizing against the backdrop of the deep blue. The reef revealed hidden gems like a Maldives sponge sea snail and a pustulose wart slug, while angelfish and bannerfish weaved between the corals.
Koh Bon was our next destination, where fantastic visibility allowed us to fully appreciate the marine spectacle. A big family of batfish greeted us in the bay, their silver bodies flashing in the sunlight. As we ventured further, a massive school of yellow snappers engulfed us, moving as one. Mantis shrimp darted between the rocks, while ghost pipefish hovered delicately among the soft corals. The presence of giant groupers and the occasional passing fusilier added to the excitement.

​Our morning dive at Three Trees introduced us to a resting hawksbill turtle, peacefully nestled among the corals. Pipefish drifted along the sandy bottom, while rays and lobsters lurked under overhangs. The reef was alive with fairy basslets, fusiliers, and wrasses, their colors creating a dazzling underwater display.

At Elephant Head Rock, we navigated through the boulder formations, where porcelain crabs clung to their anemone homes. A small family of tunas cruised by, accompanied by schools of fusiliers and snappers. West of Eden offered a spectacular sighting of a Sagaminopteron psychedelicum nudibranch, alongside an octopus skillfully changing colors to blend with its surroundings. A sea snake made a brief appearance, weaving gracefully through the reef.

​As the sun began to set, we returned to Koh Bon, where a large school of milkfish swam past, shimmering in the golden light.

​Our first dive at Hin Nam was filled with delicate discoveries, including ghost pipefish blending seamlessly with the reef and a juvenile clown triggerfish darting between the corals. Later, at Hin Daeng, we encountered tiny juvenile sweetlips moving in their signature wavy dance, while juvenile angelfish added a splash of color to the rocky crevices.
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Hin Muang provided thrilling action as tunas and rainbow runners hunted in the open water. Schools of batfish hovered effortlessly, while hundreds of red-tooth triggerfish filled the blue and a magical encounter with a clown frogfish. Our night dive at Hin Daeng revealed an entirely different world, where helmet crabs and decorator crabs scuttled across the seabed, and moray eels—both the common and zebra varieties—prowled for prey

At 8 Mile, the dive site was alive with schools of large jacks and pairs of smaller hunters weaving through the reef. Among the coral, a beautiful tiger tail seahorse clung to its perch. Snappers and damselfish formed a colorful backdrop as we drifted through the site.
Stonehenge provided an awe-inspiring moment as we encountered a massive lion’s mane jellyfish, its trailing tentacles sheltering tiny fish. Blue dragons and an eagle ray gliding by added to the magic.
At Koh Taru, porcupinefish gathered in abundance, while southern stingrays rested on the sandy bottom. Koh Sawang brought sightings of comet fish and a well-camouflaged devil scorpionfish lurking among the coral.
We also had great encounters on blackwater dives with Indian Halibut and cusk eel!!!

​Returning to Hin Daeng, we found zebra and honeycomb moray eels slithering through the reef, while a school of batfish hovered gracefully nearby. Hin Muang offered another chance to observe ghost pipefish and playful juvenile clownfish, along with a tiny yellow boxfish hiding in a coral crevice.
Our final dives at Koh Haa brought us face-to-face with a hawksbill turtle cruising through the Cathedral, while thousands of glassfish filled the Chimney, creating a mesmerizing, swirling effect.

On our last day, Koh Bida Nok did not disappoint, with blacktip reef sharks and a majestic leopard shark making an appearance. At Shark Point, the grand finale included hundreds of yellowtail barracudas weaving through the water, while devil scorpionfish lay in wait among the coral.
With unforgettable dives behind us, we made our way back to Phuket, bidding farewell to our wonderful guests after an incredible week exploring Thailand’s best dive sites. Until next time, the Andaman Sea will be waiting!