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Trip report: South to North Andaman cruise from the 14th to 21st of November 2022

23/11/2022

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Andaman cruise trip report
Another great trip diving in the Andaman Sea in Thailand. 14 guests from all around the world embark with a big smile on the boat in Phuket and happy to start cruising South. 
trevallies jackfish
School of trevallies
Coral reef Tarutao National Park
Coral reef Tarutao National Park
Spadefishes Batfishes
Spadefishes (Batfishes)
Congratulations to Sari from Finland and Blake from Australia, our two students from this trip, started straight away to study and managed to be certified Advanced Open Water Diver and Nitrox Diver after few days only !
Stonehenge coral reef
Amazing soft coral reef of Stonehenge - Tarutao National Park
Thank you to Koh Lipe and its beautiful dive sites and their beautiful creatures.
We were lucky to discover a stone fish, two frog fish, plenty of coral catsharks, seahorses, razor fish and some colorful Nudibranchia.
Catshark
Coral catshark - Talang Steps Tarutao National Park
Stonefish
Stonefish - Synanceia
Occelated Frogfish
Occelated Frogfish at 8 Mile Rock
nudibranchia
Chelidonura Punctata nudibranchia
Time to cruise North and look on and in between the big granite boulders of the Similan National Park. Another frog fish, a ribbon eel, a curious eagle ray and some black tip reef sharks were spotted in the middle of millions of fishes swimming above the reef. 
Granite boulders Similan
Granite boulders - Similan Islands
Ribbon eel
Ribbon Eel
Yellow Warty Frogfish
Yellow Warty Frogfish
The Blackwater dive from this trip was great, and we spotted many tiny and strange critters.
Amphipods salp
Amphipods on salp
crab
Unidentified crab
Flounder
Juvenile Flounder
Pencil squid
Pencil squid
Pelagic Sea snail
Pelagic Sea snail
Squirrelfish
Squirrelfish - Holocentridae
Shrimp
Unidentified Shrimp
Grouper
Grouper Larv
Tube Anemone
Pelagic Larval Stage of a Tube Anemone
Tiger Tail Mantis Shrimp
Tiger Tail Mantis Shrimp larvae
Back to the limestone type of rock with the famous Richelieu Rock and its school of barracudas, trevallies, emperor for four dives. You don't know where to look, in the blue for the dancing fishes, on the reef, covered by thousands of glass fish, for the beautiful peacock mantis shrimp, ghost pipefish and seahorse. 
peacock mantis shrimp
Peacock Mantis shrimp
Lobsters
Lobsters
Two-spot Red Snapper
Two-spot Red Snapper
Ornate ghost pipefish
Ornate ghost pipefish
Thank you for this amazing trip and looking forward for the next one already.
The Smiling Seahorse
Happy guests onboard The Smiling Seahorse
barrel sponge
Beautiful Barrel sponge
Koh Haa
Koh Haa
Table coral
Table coral
Glassfishes
Diver surrounding by Glassfishes
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Trip report from our North to South Andaman cruise from 4th to 11th of November 2022

14/11/2022

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Welcome to 72 Aquatics from Tucson, Arizona for this great trip.

trip report north to south andaman
We had the pleasure to welcome this group, all the way from the United States to dive with us in the beautiful Andaman Sea of Thailand. Checking in on the MV The Smiling Seahorse and starting this trip in Ranong, we cruised to the South of the country and dove the best dive sites of the Andaman Sea from Myanmar's border all the way to the Malaysian border.
Snappers bluefin trevally
Snappers and bluefin trevally
Trevallies hunting
Trevallies hunting
Lobsters
Lobsters
bAfter our check dive on the north of Surin, we headed to the famous and beautiful Richelieu Rock for the rest of the day! Loads of glass fishes, trevallies, barracudas and bat fishes were swimming around us and the purple rock.
When we looked closer on the reef, we found a seahorse, two baby ghosts pipes fish and the first pair of harlequin shrimps of the season!
Ornate ghost pipefish
Ornate ghost pipefish
Time to head for the Similan National Park and dive there for a couple of days. Colorful Nudibranchia and their eggs were found on the big boulders of granite. A huge and old green turtle came to visit us during our surface interval, and some guests were happy to swim with it for a while.
Psychedelic Batwing slug
Psychedelic Batwing slug
Nudibranchia eggs
Nudibranchia eggs
Netted Miamira nudibranchia
Netted Miamira nudibranchia
Green sea turtleA friendly green turtle came to say hi in the Similans
After those two great days of diving, it was time to navigate south overnight to Hin Daeng and Hin Muaeng: two dives sites of Lanta National Park. Time to change the types of rocks we are diving on and explore a pinnacle made of limestone and basalt with a full mix of soft and hard corals.

Schooling bannerfish
Schooling bannerfish
Lunar eclipse
Lunar eclipse
We celebrate the full moon and witnessed the lunar eclipse from the boat, while some of the guests were trying to blackwater dive for their first time and loved it.
Pelagic Larval Stage of a Tube Anemone - Ceriantharia
Pelagic Larval Stage of a Tube Anemone - Ceriantharia
The Pumpkin afloat
The Pumpkin afloat
Flounder
Larval Flounder
Zoanthid larva - Zoantharia - Cnidaria
Zoanthid larva - Zoantharia - Cnidaria
Larval Amphipod
Larval Amphipod
Sea butterfly
Sea butterfly
Next day we went close to the Malaysian border and dive the underwater pinnacle of 8 Mile Rock and around Koh Lipe at the famous soft coral garden of Stonehenge. We found a frog fish, indian walkman and some cute cuttlefish.
Occelated Frogfish
Occelated Frogfish
After this great day of diving, we headed back toward Koh Lanta National park to dive on Koh Haa and ended the trip with Phi Phi for the last day of the trip.
Thanks again to 72 Aquatics Tucson for joining us on this amazing trip. We are looking forward to diving with you again very soon!
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22nd to 29th of October 2022: Second trip of the season | north Andaman liveaboard

4/11/2022

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We had the pleasure to dive with Subaqua Club de Chartres

22nd to 29th of October 2022: Second trip of the season | north Andaman liveaboard
What an amazing trip with this group of 16 French divers all super fun to have around!
divers MV The Smiling Seahorse
Divers from Subaqua Chartres Club
After the rainy week we had last trip, it was a amazing having perfect conditions, both below and above water! Flat sea, warm water, excellent visibility and almost no rain.
sea fan surin islands
Beautiful Sea fan from the Surin Islands
We started this trip from Ranong and were diving around Surin island on the first day. We had some current and could drift gently surrounded by thousands of fishes ! Some even managed to find the colourful Pikachu Nudibranchia!
Pikachu Nudibranchia
Pikachu Nudibranchia
The second day was around Koh Tachai and Koh Bon, we love both pinnacles that were full of life!
We continued down South for the third day around the Similans Island and their beautiful granite boulder formations. The star here was a Yellow Warty frogfish (quite rare around here) but the magnificent ribbon eels at Elephant Head Rock was a close second!

Because of the rough condition last week, this trip saw the very first Blackwater Dive of the season and it was also a first for all our dear guests.
lionfish hovering over the coral reef
Lionfish hovering over the coral reef
Time to cruise back north, with the morning dives in the north of the Similan islands, then two more at Koh Bon, not far from which our guests asked for a second Blackwater Dive! Your wish is my command :) We just love making you happy!
Pearlfish Blackwater dive
Pearlfish Blackwater dive
Unidentified Shrimp Blackwater dive
Unidentified Shrimp Blackwater dive
Pelagic snail Blackwater dive
Pelagic snail Blackwater dive
Flounder Larval Blackwater dive
Flounder Larval Blackwater dive
In Koh Tachai pinnacle we swam in the middle of a huge school of barracuda, than with an enormous green turtle followed by a black tip reef shark.
School of Barracuda
School of Barracuda Koh Tachai pinnacle
Yellow Warty Frogfish
Yellow Warty Frogfish
Last dive site but not the least, the famous Richelieu Rock in its purple soft coral costume, thousands of jack fishes hunted around to feed on the cloud of glassfish.
We were happy to find the usual suspect: seahorse, ghost pipe fish and another ribbon eel hidden under the blanket made from the millions of glass fish.
Pygmy Squid
Pygmy Squid
We also welcomed back a dear friend and fantastic dive guide: Julien, who’s finally back after 2 years of adventurous trip sailing on the Atlantic Ocean who is just as delighted to be back in The Smiling Seahorse Family!
Octopus Richelieu Rock
Octopus Richelieu Rock
Ribbon Eel Richelieu Rock
Ribbon Eel Richelieu Rock
Congratulations to Roro and David for your 100’ dives and Stephanie for your 300’ !

Thanks again to Subaqua Chartres Club for joining us on this amazing trip. We are looking forward to diving with you again very soon!
Moray Eel Richelieu Rock
Moray Eel Richelieu Rock
Beautiful soft coral
Beautiful soft coral
divers smiling seahorse
"Love is in the air"
Mantis Shrimp
Mantis Shrimp
Ornate Ghostpipe fish Richelieu Rock
Ornate Ghostpipe fish Richelieu Rock
Seahorse Richelieu Rock
Seahorse Richelieu Rock
divers smiling seahorse
Subaqua Chartres divers
sunset smiling seahorse liveaboard
Sunset onboard MV The Smiling Seahorse
Part of the group decided to continue in Khao Sok National park so we organised for them a little adventure!  They even spent a night in a hammock with integrated mosquito net on a remote island of the lake from where they could spot interesting wildlife! Thanks for sharing these lovely photos!
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  • When & Where
    • Schedule and Prices
    • Destinations >
      • North Andaman Thailand >
        • Similan Islands
        • Surin Islands >
          • Richelieu Rock
        • The essential Underwater photo Guide to diving Thailand
      • South Andaman Thailand >
        • Phuket & Koh Phi Phi National Parks
        • Koh Lanta National Park
        • Koh Lipe and Tarutao National Park
      • Mergui Archipelago >
        • Liveaboard diving holiday in Myanmar
        • Burma's best dive sites
        • The Ultimate Underwater photo Guide to diving Burma
  • ABOUT
    • Our Boat >
      • DELICIOUS FOOD
    • Diving in Thailand in 2024-2025
    • Diving in Myanmar/Burma in 2024-2025
    • Blackwater diving in Thailand and Myannmar
    • Marine life in Thailand's Andaman Sea
    • Marine life in Mergui Archipelago
    • Dive Courses >
      • Learn to Dive
      • Continue diving education
      • Rescue diver
      • Professional Dive Courses
      • Hone your dive skills with a specialty course
      • Photo coaching in Thailand on the Smiling Seahorse
    • Guest Book
    • FAQ
  • Plan your trip
    • Our hotels recommendations
    • Khao Sok National Park
    • Taxi services >
      • Taxi services to and from Ranong
      • Taxi services to and from Phuket
      • Taxi services to Tap Lamu and Khao Lak
    • 10 things to do around Ranong
  • PROMO
    • HOT DEALS
    • Special Expeditions >
      • 8D Special Marine Bio with Piers Baillie - 10 Nov 2025
      • 8D Whale shark expedition - 20 March 2026 - North and South
  • gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG
    • Most popular posts