Thailand Liveaboard Diving: From Koh Lipe to the Similan Islands
Ahoy! Me hearties! Get ready for a diving adventure report that will make your heart skip a beat!
The MV Smiling Seahorse has just completed an 8-day trip, cruising from the southern border with Malaysia to the northern border with Myanmar. We welcomed 14 guests from different corners of the world, all eager to explore the Andaman coast of Thailand with us. From Canada to Australia, everyone was thrilled to dive into the deep blue and witness the breathtaking marine life of Thailand.
Mu Ko Lanta National Park: A Colourful Start
Our first day kicked off in Mu Ko Lanta National Park, where we encountered an array of stunning sea creatures. We saw stonefish, mantis shrimp, batfish and even huge tuna swimming around the dive sites.
As we explored the park, we learned that Ko Lanta was once known as “Pulao Satak”, which means “Long Beach Island” in Malay. Later, many Thais, both Buddhist and Muslim, moved to the island, making the island known as the island of “a million eyes” (“lan ta” in Thai).
Mu Ko Lanta National Park (Thai: อุทยานแห่งชาติหมู่เกาะลันตา) is a national park in the southern part of Krabi Province, Thailand, consisting of several islands, beautiful beaches and diverse marine life. It’s no wonder people from all over the world flock to this destination.
Tarutao National Park and 8 Miles Rock
On the second day, we ventured to Tarutao National Park and 8 Miles Rock for the first two dives, where we witnessed schools of fish hanging in the split of the current and huge trevallies! The famous Stonehenge saw our divers in the afternoon. It is such a stunning site, with soft and hard coral mixing perfectly with barrel sponges and all types of anemones, and we got super lucky meeting this cool fish: the bearded leatherjacket.
Truly one of the weirdest fish you can encounter on a dive. With its distinct, tough-looking appearance and rough skin, this fish is truly a sight to behold. The bearded leatherjacket (Anacanthus barbatus) is typically found in rocky reefs and kelp beds in the southern hemisphere and can grow up to 60 cm in length. Despite its tough appearance, it’s actually quite friendly and curious, often swimming up to divers to check them out. So if you’re lucky enough to spot a bearded leatherjacket on your next dive, take a moment to appreciate this amazing creature!
A lot of people know Koh Lipe but don’t know it is part of the Tarutao National Park, with hundreds of small islands scattered from 20 to 70 kilometres from the south-westernmost point of mainland Thailand.
Blackwater Diving in Thailand
Another exciting experience we had on the trip was taking two blackwater dives. Pelagic nudibranchs, flounders and a pelagic sea snake hanging out with a remora in the darkness were all part of the fun!
From Koh Haa to the Similan Islands
After Koh Lipe, we went back west, passing a day through Lanta National Park again to dive more amazing dive sites around Koh Haa, and then crossed overnight to the Similan Islands, where we leisurely explored the southern islands for a day and the northern islands for the second day.
Koh Bon and Koh Tachai are two very popular dive sites in the north of the Similans and had us spellbound. The schools of glassfish were so dense that it was difficult to see through them, and the hunting trevallies were coming from everywhere at the same time for the feast!
The next day we were thrilled to stay around the great pinnacle of Richelieu Rock in the Surin National Park for the whole day. The photographer among us had a hard time deciding between their macro or wide-angle lens due to the abundance of marine life, big and small!
Celebrating Our Guests and Their Achievements
The end of the season is only a month away now, and we couldn’t help but feel grateful for our lovely guests. We want to give a special shoutout to Brent and Annie, who joined us for the last three trips and are now part of The Smiling Seahorse family!
Congratulations to Noah, who reached 100 dives at only 16 years old! Kudos to Nadine and Steffen, who received three and two specialty certifications, respectively.
Until the Next Adventure
It was an unforgettable trip, and we can’t wait to set sail again soon! If you’re a diving enthusiast, you don’t want to miss the Andaman coast of Thailand. So pack your bags and come join us for an unforgettable experience!
