 Rinda "Mony" The Whaleshark Guru | Thailand Whale Shark project |  Sunset at Sea |
Some expeditions are defined by what you see. Others by what you come to understand.
We departed from Ranong, welcoming our international group of guests from Italy, France, the UK and the US, and set course for a Marine biology expedition with a Whale Shark Specialist, Mony to learn more about the biggest fish in the seas!
While the ocean chose not to reveal them this time, the experience took on a different depth. Throughout the week, Rinda, also known as Mony, from the Thailand Whale shark project, delivered daily presentations exploring whale shark biology, behaviour, and conservation challenges in Thailand.
These sessions brought a meaningful layer to the expedition, connecting each dive to a broader ecological perspective — linking what we observed underwater to the larger story of marine life in the Andaman Sea. From North to South Andaman, the journey unfolded as a rich exploration of pelagic encounters, vibrant reefs, and intricate macro life — shaped as much by discovery as by understanding.
While the ocean chose not to reveal them this time, the experience took on a different depth. Throughout the week, Rinda, also known as Mony, from the Thailand Whale shark project, delivered daily presentations exploring whale shark biology, behaviour, and conservation challenges in Thailand.
These sessions brought a meaningful layer to the expedition, connecting each dive to a broader ecological perspective — linking what we observed underwater to the larger story of marine life in the Andaman Sea. From North to South Andaman, the journey unfolded as a rich exploration of pelagic encounters, vibrant reefs, and intricate macro life — shaped as much by discovery as by understanding.
Day 2 – Surin National Park & Richelieu Rock
Our check dive in the Surin Islands at Koh Chi offered a gentle but vibrant start. Garden eels swayed over sandy patches while Halgerda tesselata, blue dragon and scorpionfish blended into the reef. Coral groupers hovered near bommies alongside Clark’s anemonefish and false anemonefish, while schools of yellowback fusiliers and neon fusiliers moved through the water column. Around them, Moorish idols, copperband butterflyfish, blue-barred parrotfish and bullethead parrotfish completed the reef scene.
Macro life was already hinting at what was to come — a richness that would only intensify as the expedition progressed.
Macro life was already hinting at what was to come — a richness that would only intensify as the expedition progressed.
 Red Tailed Butterflyfish | Frederique Bechet |  Halgerda Bacalusia Nudibranch | Renaud Liberge |
 The Richelieu Rock "Gang" |  Moorish Idols |
At Richelieu Rock, visibility was excellent and the site delivered immediately. The gang — giant trevallies, bluefin trevallies, bigeye trevallies, longnose emperors and rainbow runners — hunted through dense clouds of glassfish. Barracudas patrolled the edges while batfish hovered calmly mid-water.
Closer to the reef, harlequin shrimps, thorny seahorse, cleaner pipefish and orange-spotted pipefish added intricate detail. Tomato anemonefish, white-eye moray eels, giant moray eels and zebra moray eels occupied every crack, while octopus shifted colours between rocks. Headshield slugs, reticulated sapsucking slugs, ornate sapsucking slugs and Moyer’s dragonet were all present, alongside schools of five-lined snappers, twinstripe fusiliers and lunar fusiliers.
Closer to the reef, harlequin shrimps, thorny seahorse, cleaner pipefish and orange-spotted pipefish added intricate detail. Tomato anemonefish, white-eye moray eels, giant moray eels and zebra moray eels occupied every crack, while octopus shifted colours between rocks. Headshield slugs, reticulated sapsucking slugs, ornate sapsucking slugs and Moyer’s dragonet were all present, alongside schools of five-lined snappers, twinstripe fusiliers and lunar fusiliers.
 Tigertail Seahorse | Renaud Liberge |  Giant Moray Eel | Frederique Bechet |
The night dive revealed blunt decorated spider crabs, orange-spotted pipefish, boxer banded shrimps, Durban dancing shrimps, cleaner shrimps and pencil sea urchins. Ridged egg cowries and sixline soapfish appeared, while sleeping parrotfish, triggerfish locked into the reef and hunting moray eels completed the nocturnal scene.
Day 3 – Similan National Park, Koh Tachai & Koh Bon
Koh Tachai delivered strong currents and action-packed dives. Blacktip reef sharks cruised the reef, a hawksbill turtle passed by, and large schools of barracudas, dogtooth tuna and Spanish mackerel moved through the blue. African pompano, adult black and white snappers, lobsters and glassfish filled every level of the dive.
 Turtle | Frederique Bechet  Glassfish Over the Reef |  School of Barracuda  Blacktip Reef Shark | Renaud Liberge |
During the navigation to Koh Bon, dolphins came to greet the boat, riding the bow wave and adding a rare surface interval moment that stayed with everyone on board.
At Koh Bon Pinnacle, one group encountered a large shark in the deep, most likely a bull shark, while the pinnacle itself pulsed with schools of yellowback fusiliers and neon fusiliers. Coral groupers, peacock groupers, powder-blue surgeonfish and Indian sailfin tang added structure and colour to the reef.
On the North Ridge and West Ridge, reef life remained dense and dynamic, with anemone crabs, dogtooth tuna, rainbow runners and mackerels hunting through thick schools of glassfish, while wrasses, blennies and damsels filled every available space.
At Koh Bon Pinnacle, one group encountered a large shark in the deep, most likely a bull shark, while the pinnacle itself pulsed with schools of yellowback fusiliers and neon fusiliers. Coral groupers, peacock groupers, powder-blue surgeonfish and Indian sailfin tang added structure and colour to the reef.
On the North Ridge and West Ridge, reef life remained dense and dynamic, with anemone crabs, dogtooth tuna, rainbow runners and mackerels hunting through thick schools of glassfish, while wrasses, blennies and damsels filled every available space.
 Anemone Crab | Freqerique Bechet |  Schooling Fusiliers |
The blackwater dive introduced squids, salps sheltering small fish and pyrosomes drifting through the dark.
 Squid in Blackwater |  Juvenile Fish in Blackwater  Pyrosome Sheltering a Juvenile Fish in Blackwater |
Juvenile Fish in Blackwater
 Squid in Blackwater |  Juvenile Fish in Blackwater |
Day 4 – Similan Islands & Crossing
At North Point, a Napoleon wrasse cruised past while squat shrimps, mantis shrimps and Durban dancing shrimps animated the reef. Anemone crabs, Clark’s anemonefish, moray eels and topsail drummers were joined by blueface angelfish, regal angelfish, butterflyfish and schools of fusiliers.
 Giant Moray Eel | Renaud Liberge |  Mantis Shrimp | Renaud Liberge |
We then stopped at Island #8, also known as Donald Duck Bay, where white sand and granite boulders offered a striking contrast to the dives and a magnificent view from Sailrock offering sight on the blue and transparent water of the Similans.
 Black Spot Boxfish |  Squat Shrimp AKA Sexy Shrimp |
 Blue Ribbon Eel | Renaud Liberge | Elephant Head Rock delivered dramatic topography with blue ribbon eels, adult yellow boxfish, juvenile blackspotted boxfish, red anthias, surgeonfish, blue dragon and giant trevallies weaving through the formations. At West of Eden, two pipehorse fish hovered delicately while spearing mantis shrimps, squat shrimps, “sexy shrimps”, hawksbill turtle, blue dragon and a psychedelic batwing slug created a richly layered dive. Topsail drummers, fusiliers, snappers, angelfish, wrasses and parrotfish completed the reef. We then crossed overnight toward Koh Lanta, leaving the granite islands behind. |
Day 5 – Hin Daeng & Hin Mueang
Hin Mueang was full of life, with glassfish and juvenile fusiliers forming dense schools constantly targeted by hunting trevallies, African pompano and rainbow runners. Juvenile emperor angelfish, ghostpipefish, Bornella anguilla, Halgerda tesselata and phyllidia of various colours covered the reef.
Banded boxer shrimps, Durban dancing shrimps and cleaner shrimps filled every crevice, while titan triggerfish dug into the reef and redtooth triggerfish hovered above. Topsail drummers completed the scene.
Banded boxer shrimps, Durban dancing shrimps and cleaner shrimps filled every crevice, while titan triggerfish dug into the reef and redtooth triggerfish hovered above. Topsail drummers completed the scene.
 Juvenile Emperor Angelfish | Renaud Liberge  Bornella Anguilla Nudibranch | Renaud Liberge |  Titan Triggerfish  Ghost Pipefish | Renaud Liberge |
Hin Daeng delivered ghostpipefish, Glossodoris cincta and its eggs, ornate elysia, giant moray eels hunting in the shallows, Clark’s anemonefish, anemone crabs and tiger egg cowries. Batfish, fusiliers, snappers, surgeonfish, sweetlips and reef fish filled the water column.
 Glossodoris Cincta Nudibranch | Frederique Bechet |  Tiger Egg Cowrie | Frederique Bechet |
The night dive intensified the atmosphere with multiple giant moray eels hunting, small octopus camouflaging along the wall, and a constant movement of crabs and shrimps across the reef.
Day 6 – Koh Tarutao National Park
At 8 Mile, excellent visibility revealed a very friendly marble grouper who looked like he was mixed with a barramoundi, great barracuda, schools of scribbled filefish, juvenile emperor angelfish, juvenile blue-ringed angelfish, stonefish, yellowtail barracuda and schools of giant trevallies, alongside fusiliers, snappers, surgeonfish and reef fish.
 Marbled Grouper | Renaud Liberge  Scibbled Filefish |  Scorpionfish | Renaud Liberge  Juvenile Blue Ringed Angelfish | Frederique Bechet |
Stonehenge offered three tigertail seahorses, including one black pregnant individual, surrounded by bird wrasse, moon wrasse and sixline wrasse, along with parrotfish, scorpionfish, butterflyfish and damsels.
 Seahorse | Frederique Bechet |  Razorfish |
Flounder
At Steps, the sunset dive featured yellow-scribbled pipefish, Kuhl’s blue-spotted stingray, bamboo shark, flounder and razorfish, alongside fusiliers, goatfish, sweetlips, surgeonfish and reef fish settling into the evening light.
Day 7 – Koh Lanta National Park
Hin Mueang again delivered intense action, with schools of dogtooth tuna, Spanish mackerel, rainbow runners and mackerels hunting through glassfish and juvenile fusiliers. Batfish hovered nearby, while two yellow ghostpipefish and topsail drummers added structure.
Hin Daeng revealed yellow and black ghostpipefish and a juvenile hawksbill turtle surfacing for air before resting. Clark’s anemonefish, anemone crabs, ornate sapsucking slugs and reef life filled the dive.
Hin Daeng revealed yellow and black ghostpipefish and a juvenile hawksbill turtle surfacing for air before resting. Clark’s anemonefish, anemone crabs, ornate sapsucking slugs and reef life filled the dive.
Hawksbill Turtle | Renaud Liberge
 Koh Haa | Renaud Liberge  Hermit Crab | Renaud Liberge |  Anemones  Dogtooth Tuna |
At Cathedral, massive Glossodoris hikuerensis, Halgerda stricklandi, Halgerda candy, verconia alboannulata (noumea alboannulata), Bornella anguilla, a juvenile hawksbill turtle with a damaged shell, titan triggerfish carrying shells, bannerfish, Moorish idols, giant moray eel, longfin batfish and pinnate batfish created a rich and layered scene.
At the Cheminee, ghostpipefish, Cuthona sibogae, tiger cowrie eggs, giant moray eels, cave fish, sweetlips, snappers, yellowback fusiliers, neon fusiliers, glassfish, ornate elysia, scorpionfish, parrotfish and anemonefish filled the tunnel.
The day ended with our traditional BBQ on board, under calm seas and a sky full of stars.
The day ended with our traditional BBQ on board, under calm seas and a sky full of stars.
 Ornate Elysia Nudibranch | Renaud Liberge  Jellyfish | Renaud Liberge |  Trinchesia Sibogae Nudibranch | Frederiqe Bechet  Tiger Tail Seahorse | Renaud Liberge |
Day 8 – Koh Phi Phi & Final Dive
Bida Nok offered blacktip reef sharks, tigertail seahorse, two ghostpipefish, schools of five-lined snappers, giant moray eels, batfish and schools of fusiliers moving across the reef alongside butterflyfish, surgeonfish and parrotfish.
At King Cruiser wreck, the sunken ferry now acts as a thriving artificial reef, covered in life. Schools of yellowback fusiliers, bigeye trevallies, school of jacks, snappers circled the structure, while lionfish and groupers, sweetlips and reef fish occupied every level of the wreck.
Closer to the structure, macro life revealed itself in layers: Hypselodoris infucata, Glossodoris atromarginata, Chromodoris aureopurpurea, Hypselodoris sp. 3 and Flabellina rubrolineata decorated the surfaces, turning the wreck into a vibrant underwater mosaic where small details were just as captivating as the schooling fish above.
Closer to the structure, macro life revealed itself in layers: Hypselodoris infucata, Glossodoris atromarginata, Chromodoris aureopurpurea, Hypselodoris sp. 3 and Flabellina rubrolineata decorated the surfaces, turning the wreck into a vibrant underwater mosaic where small details were just as captivating as the schooling fish above.
 Verconia Alboannulata Nudibranch | Frederique Bechet |  King Cruiser Wreck Map |
We ended the trip in Phuket Marin Charter Pier, saying goodbye after a week rich in encounters, diversity and unforgettable underwater moments.
From open-ocean encounters to the smallest hidden reef life, this journey captured the full spectrum of Andaman diving — shaped by rhythm, diversity, and the quiet magic of life below the surface.
See you soon, fellow divers.
Pictures from Renaud Liberge & Frederique Béchet (pictured below) present on this trip and others from Franck Fogarolo.
From open-ocean encounters to the smallest hidden reef life, this journey captured the full spectrum of Andaman diving — shaped by rhythm, diversity, and the quiet magic of life below the surface.
See you soon, fellow divers.
Pictures from Renaud Liberge & Frederique Béchet (pictured below) present on this trip and others from Franck Fogarolo.
 Frederique Bechet |  Renaud Liberge |
BBQ Night Group Photo Tradition
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