Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock: A Fantastic 3-Day Dive Safari
Three Days and Three Nights Around Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock
We just had a fantastic dive safari, three days and three nights around the Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock: awesome!
We leave Ranong in the afternoon of the 18th of November and, after a little ceremony to Buddha, we are off to the National Park of the Surin Islands. We have a great dinner onboard with Massaman curry, my favourite, and some crunchy pork, yummy! It is with a full tummy that we go for a good night’s sleep. A big day awaits us tomorrow.
Morning Diving Around the Surin Islands
We wake up in the early morning to discover a dream-like landscape. The virgin forest covering the islands looks impenetrable; there must be so many birds and animals hiding in all this green! We only see a sea eagle and some white seabirds, but here a jungle melody and I am sure there is more to discover. Jungle cicadas make a very loud and strident noise.
We jump in the water at 7:30 AM. A late start for a first day, but we have all day. We finish waking up underwater, even though diving feels like a dream. I love this feeling of floating half-awake in the middle of the morning frenzy of the fish. It is time for them to find their breakfast and they are busy at it.
We see some beautiful nudibranchs on this first dive and the fish are so numerous, we don’t know where to look. Small, shiny blue ones hold my eyes for a little while, when a big pufferfish comes in the background to steal the show. Some huge barracudas are floating above us, not afraid of our bubbles. They seem intrigued.
Exploring the Dive Sites of Surin National Park
We spend two days around Surin Island and have the time to go around the island to many different dive sites. One is covered by yellow soft coral, and I enjoy spotting the small sea snails hiding in it and laying their eggs of the same colour.
On another dive, we spend more time on sandy parts at the bottom of a sloping wall. Garden eels look at us from afar, and I wouldn’t have seen them if the visibility wasn’t so good, as they disappear back into their holes as soon as we get closer.
I must say we are very lucky with the clarity of the water, which we could see even before rolling out of the dinghy. We see some bluespotted stingrays hiding in the sand, only to get away when we get too close.
The variety of fish is remarkable. A school of batfish looks at us curiously. A turtle takes off before our eyes and circles around before flying away. We also see some sweetlips parked behind a rock, as if sheltered from the current.
Mantis Shrimps, Dancing Shrimps and Moray Eels
I spot many mantis shrimps on this trip. Some go as quickly as they can back to a safe spot, from where only two curious eyes can be seen. Others mind their own business, sorting through rocks and coral particles on the ground to see if they find anything interesting.
Looking in the cracks, we can also see many shrimps, mostly Durban dancing shrimps, but also cleaner shrimps and transparent ones. Those are a wonder to me. They can swim as if they were walking on the water, and still you can see right through them!
There are many moray eels around the national park, and we don’t look at them much anymore. But from time to time, I like looking at them for a little longer and feel privileged to assist at their toilet when cleaner shrimps climb onto them. They open their large mouths and the shrimp get busy cleaning the inside. Then the shrimp gets to the top of its head and enjoys her prize.
Life Above the Water: A Sea Gypsy Village
In between two dives, we go to explore a white-sanded beach and a sea gypsy village. It’s funny how they have houses made out of palm tree leaves but still have one satellite dish for TV on every one of them, powered by solar panels.
The kids are just out of school and play in the sea in front of us when we set foot on land. It is a lovely change of pace between dives and another way to discover the islands beyond the underwater world.
From Surin Islands to Richelieu Rock
In the afternoon of the second day, we set sail towards Richelieu Rock, still Thailand’s best-rated dive site, to do our night dive there. We are lucky to be alone on the site for our first dive there. It’s a real aquarium.
We dive three more times around the rock on the following day and can see several pairs of mating cuttlefish. We also spot a pipefish, barely visible against its rocky background.
Richelieu Rock is one of those dive sites where there always seems to be something else to discover. Between the colourful reef life, schooling fish and small creatures hiding among the rocks, every dive can bring a different surprise.
For More Fishy Stories…
For more fishy stories, keep tuned!
Our Customers’ Reviews
Koh Surin and Richelieu: Beautiful Places…
“Thank you for this nice trip to Ko Surin island and Richelieu Rock. Was fantastic finish for our vacations. Really beautiful places you have showed us.”
2 Responses
I guess you diving is just fantastic over there !
Recommend The Smiling Sea Horse to other divers
Thanks for sharing and good dives…
Hope I will make it soon to dive with you
Tom
Hi Tm,
Thanks for looking at my website and blog and I hope to have you onboard soon for some fantastic diving 🙂
Cheers,
Camille