Open Water+
10+ Logged dives
Blackwater dive
Nitrox available
Our final dive will finish no later than 12:00 pm (midday). Don't forget to allow at least 24 hours between your last dive and your flight!
The Surin Islands are not visited by as many dive boats as some of Thailand’s other destinations, making them a fantastic place to enjoy a more peaceful diving experience.
The area is particularly rewarding for macro lovers, with excellent chances of finding ghost pipefish, frogfish, and nudibranchs among the reefs and soft corals.
The Surin Islands are also one of the first places on our itinerary where we may encounter whale sharks and manta rays.
We will start our day at Koh Chi, in the northern part of the Surin Islands, and gradually make our way towards the southern part of the archipelago.
There are plenty of opportunities to encounter Jenkins’ stingrays, Napoleon wrasse, sweetlips, barracudas, humphead parrotfish, manta rays, eagle rays, and zebra sharks, along with a huge variety of colourful tropical fish.
Richelieu Rock is regularly ranked among the top 10 dive sites in the world—and once you dive here, you will quickly understand why!
This spectacular pinnacle can be described as a giant underwater aquarium, with an incredible variety of marine life packed into a relatively small area.
From seahorses to schools of jacks and barracudas, there is always something happening around the rock. And if you are lucky, you may even encounter the star of the show: the whale shark!
Richelieu Rock is also a true paradise for underwater photographers, particularly those who love macro life.
Look carefully among the soft corals and sea fans for a spectacular variety of small creatures, including seahorses, pipefish, ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp, frogfish, and nudibranchs in all shapes and colours.
At Koh Tachai Pinnacle, we usually enjoy a very fishy dive, with large schools of barracuda, trevallies, sweetlips, and batfish filling the blue.
The pinnacle is also a great place to keep an eye out for larger marine life, including whale sharks, turtles, manta rays, reef sharks, and Napoleon wrasse.
At Koh Bon, we will usually make 2 dives – one along the famous ridge and another around Koh Bon Pinnacle.
Koh Bon is one of Thailand’s best-known cleaning stations for manta rays, and it is one of the places where we have some of the best chances of encountering these magnificent animals.
There is also a good chance of spotting a zebra shark resting on the sandy areas around the pinnacle.
From the boat, you will also enjoy beautiful views of idyllic islands covered in lush green forests and surrounded by white sandy beaches.
Underwater, visibility is often excellent. Keep your eyes open for leopard sharks, blue-spotted stingrays, schools of snappers and fusiliers, emperor fish, clown triggerfish, and colourful tropical fish.
The rocky areas are also home to moray eels, turtles, and mantis shrimps.
And, of course, whale sharks can also be encountered in the area—so remember to look behind you from time to time for a gentle giant passing overhead!
We will continue heading south through the Similan Islands, exploring some of the area’s most famous dive sites, including Three Trees for 1 dive, Elephant Head Rock for 1 dive, and West of Eden for 2 dives.
We will also stop at Donald Duck Beach after the first dive at Elephant Head Rock.
These sites offer excellent opportunities to encounter whale sharks, turtles, manta rays, reef sharks, and Napoleon wrasse, along with a huge variety of colourful reef life.
After our night dive, it’s time for our infamous BBQ night—a favourite onboard tradition!
True to the reputation of the Similan Islands, this dive site offers pristine blue water visibility, a large area made of dispersed granite boulders covered with mostly hard coral formation and few soft corals and seafans. It’s the place for macro enthusiasts; tiny nudibranchs, pipehorse, and hairy shrimps are on the list of critters to look for, as well as spearing mantis shrimp, frogfish, and dragonnets…
One of the most iconic dive sites of the Similan, with its massive granite boulder sticking out of the water that looks like an elephant skull. It’s a formation of several huge boulders stacked up on top of each other, offering several swim-throughs, making it unique. It’s a place for schooling fish and sharks in the blue but also home to a harem of McCosker flashing wrasse as well as ribbon eels. Moreover, the formation offers many small sheltered areas for cleaning stations.
With its white sand and blue water, it’s very graphic and easy to spot a guitar shark sleeping on the bottom. In the blue, a huge school of barracuda is a regular, but the true highlight here is a magnificent coral reef with its humongous barrel sponge and seafan surrounded by soft purple coral.
Racha Noi is a must-visit destination for divers looking for a unique and exhilarating experience. The dive sites offer a variety of underwater landscapes, including rock formations, coral gardens, and deep drop-offs. With its pristine waters and rich marine life, Racha Noi is the perfect location for all levels of divers.
For those seeking a thrilling adventure, the southern tip of Racha Noi is a great spot to encounter giant manta rays. However, due to the depth and strong currents, this area is only recommended for experienced divers.
One of the most exciting aspects of Racha Noi is the outstanding visibility, which can reach up to 30 meters. This makes it a perfect destination for underwater photography and videography enthusiasts.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced diver, Racha Noi offers a range of dive sites to suit all levels.
Koh Racha Yai, or “the chief”, is a beautiful island close to Phuket that offers good value for money to lovers of small fish to admire in snorkelling.
It is easily and quickly accessible from Chalong or Rawai, south of Phuket (as is Coral Island). It is located 30 minutes from Phuket, Chalong Bay, by boat. Racha Island also has five beaches.
Racha Yai is surrounded by a reef colonized by hard corals. The fishes are numerous: sergeant majors, rabbit fishes, fusiliers, lutjans, trumpet fishes, barracudas, box fishes, balloon fishes, and many others. There are also some more unusual species, such as syngnathus and mantis shrimps. The visibility is generally very good all year round with little current.
Koh Racha Yai has crystal-clear waters and small white sand beaches. The island is very popular with divers, with some sites for experienced divers and many others for beginners.
The east coast of Koh Racha Yai offers shallow bays that are well protected during the rainy season. Visibility sometimes reaches 25–30 meters and regularly averages 15–20 meters throughout the year.
Composed mainly of white sandy bottom and dotted with coral reefs, it slopes slightly, and the bays often protect divers from strong currents. This combination makes Racha Yai Island ideal for beginners and occasional divers. There are also deeper reefs and some wrecks that are suitable for more experienced divers
All cruises aboard the MV Smiling Seahorse, weather permitting, offer the opportunity to experience the incredible Blackwater Diving in the Andaman Sea.
If you’ve never experienced this unique style of offshore night diving, don’t worry! Before your first Blackwater dive, our team will give you a full presentation and safety briefing to explain what to expect and how to enjoy this unforgettable experience safely.
Surin Islands · Similan Islands · Richelieu Rock · Koh Racha Yai
7 Days / 6 Nights · 22 Dives
Departure
Ranong at 4:00 PM
Return
Phuket at approximately 4:00 PM
Prices valid from January 2026
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Standard Cabin
Air-conditioned | Shared bathroom | Twin or double bed
Deluxe Cabin
Air-conditioned | Ensuite bathroom | Twin or double bed
Master Cabin
Air-conditioned | Ensuite bathroom | Double bed
If you do not have your own:
Personal Insurance
General travel insurance is highly recommended.
Dive computer rental: 300 THB/day
Equipment rental: 600 THB/day
Extra Blackwater dive: 1,000 THB/person
Nitrox: 250 THB/tank or 4,500 THB for the whole cruise
15L tank: 300 THB/day or 1,800 THB for the whole cruise
Private guide: 4,000 THB/day
Transfers: Transfers to and from the boat are available on demand.
Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes
Gratuities / tips: A tip of 1,000 THB/day/person is common practice.
✈️ 24-hour no-fly period
Please remember that you must allow at least 24 hours between your last dive and your flight. Our final dive usually finishes around 12:00 pm.
For the latest domestic flight schedules from Phuket Airport, check AirAsia.
🚌 Transfer
We would be happy to assist with transfers before or after your cruise. Contact us!
Please note: This itinerary is provided as a sample and may be modified by The Smiling Seahorse depending on the weather forecast, sea and diving conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Explore the Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock and the Similan Islands.
Prices in Thai baht (THB), per diver. The 10% discount is already applied.
