Thailand Liveaboard Diving: Exploring Surin, the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock at a Slower Pace
Some people want to see all of the Andaman Sea in a week on our 8-day/7-night North and South Andaman cruise, while others prefer to take their time and explore more dive sites in the same area. On this 7-day/6-night cruise, we had plenty of time to explore many sites around Surin and the Similan Islands, including dive sites that we sometimes have to overlook on our faster-paced expeditions.
Our guests this week came from Germany, France, England, America and Israel, and we had a blast! Thanks again for choosing us. Congratulations also to Aveline for completing her Advanced Open Water certification, and happy birthday to Ken!
Starting the Cruise from Ranong and Exploring Surin
It was nice to start this cruise from Ranong, our main port since 2012, and one that we had not had the chance to see much since COVID. Starting from Ranong also gave some of our guests the opportunity to board from the paradisiacal little island of Koh Phayam.
We spent the first day in Surin National Park, where a juvenile shaded batfish greeted us at Yellow Rock. Such a graceful angel of the sea! A big blotched stingray was also sleeping under a rock at the same dive site, while Pikachu nudibranchs were in their usual location next to Torinla.
We also really enjoyed watching a big school of sweetlips forming a ball around the Satellite Finger Reef, creating a beautiful spectacle in the water.
Three Days of Diving in the Similan Islands
We then embarked on a southward cruise to reach the Similan National Park, where we enjoyed three unforgettable days of diving and completed a total of twelve dives.
The water was crystal clear and teeming with a diverse array of marine life. Our underwater explorations brought encounters with sharks, rays and adorable nudibranchs with their eggs.
We were fortunate to observe a large and striking spearer mantis shrimp, as well as a few ribbon eels, including both black-and-yellow and blue-and-yellow individuals. Did you know that their colours tell us their sex? There is much more to discover in our ribbon eel article.
We also came across some multibar pipefish carrying their eggs on their bellies.
Our experience at Tachai was particularly remarkable. Excellent conditions allowed us to witness an immense school of barracuda, blacktip reef sharks and various species of trevallies hunting above the pinnacle. It was truly a remarkable adventure that we will cherish for a lifetime.
Blackwater Diving and the Strange World of Larval Creatures
One of the highlights of our trip was discovering a bright juvenile clown triggerfish nestled in the crevices of Koh Bon Pinnacle.
However, the night and blackwater dives proved to be even more remarkable, as we encountered an abundance of fascinating marine life. We were thrilled to spot numerous nudibranchs and crustaceans, including the elusive slipper lobster and spider crabs, amongst the vibrant and diverse reef ecosystem.
What really captivated our attention were the peculiar creatures in their larval stages, drawn towards the bright lights of our bright pumpkin. It was an awe-inspiring sight that truly made the night and blackwater dives unforgettable experiences.
Richelieu Rock: The Grand Finale
Our last day and a half was spent diving in the Surin National Park, exploring the world-renowned dive site of Richelieu Rock.
As expected, the breathtaking underwater world left us in awe. The diversity of fish species was astounding, with schools of emperors, trevallies and rainbow runners growing bigger and bigger by the day.
We were mesmerised by the stunning soft corals that adorned the reef in shades of pink, orange, purple and blue, providing shelter to countless glassfish and shrimps. It was a truly spectacular sight that will stay with us for a long time to come.
Thank You for Joining Us
On behalf of The Smiling Seahorse, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our very special guests for choosing us as your dive partner in the Andaman Sea. It was an absolute pleasure having all of you on board and sharing this fantastic trip with us.
We would also like to give a special shout-out to our returning guests Boris, Nicolas and Philippe. It is always a joy to have familiar faces on board and to dive with passionate divers like you. We hope to see you again soon for more exciting underwater adventures.
