Our check dive took place at Koh Chi Reef, part of the Surin Islands. These remote islands are home to the Moken people, sea nomads who have lived in harmony with the ocean for generations. Shallow reefs, sandy slopes and healthy coral gardens make this area ideal for a gentle start.
With crystal-clear visibility, we encountered an abundance of reef life: false anemonefish, Clark’s anemonefish, moray eels, damselfish, cleaning shrimps, garden eels dancing in the white sand, and schools of five-lined snappers. Parrotfish such as blue-barred parrotfish and bullethead parrotfish grazed the reef, while small groupers including coral groupers and peacock groupers hovered near coral heads. Wrasses were everywhere: cleaner wrasse, moon wrasse, and sixline wrasse flashing between rocks. Our snorkellers were rewarded with an exciting sight: three blacktip reef sharks hunting in the shallows.

We then headed to the legendary Richelieu Rock for dives 2, 3, and our night dive. This isolated limestone pinnacle rises from deep water and acts as a magnet for pelagic life and dense reef action.
The gang was fully assembled: giant trevallies, bluefin trevallies, bigeye trevallies, large schools of rainbow runners, batfish, and hunting yellowtail barracuda and chevron barracuda. Morays were everywhere, from white-eye moray eels to fimbriated moray eels and massive giant moray eels. We spotted juvenile clown triggerfish, schools of yellowback fusiliers and two-spot fusiliers, five-lined snappers, along with Chromodoris annulata and its eggs, Chromodoris geometrica, and Cuthona sibogae.
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Night dive: a true nudibranch festival. Crabs and shrimps emerged, white-eye moray eels hunted actively, octopus roamed the reef, and Glossodoris atromarginata glided over sponges. Sleeping fish included parrotfish wrapped in mucus cocoons, squirrelfish, soldierfish, and sweetlips tucked under ledges, while Spanish dancers and hunting lionfish completed the nocturnal scene.

Dive 1: Koh Bon Pinnacle
Massive schools of fusiliers surrounded the pinnacle: yellowback fusiliers, gold-striped fusiliers, neon fusiliers, manylined fusiliers, and blue and gold fusiliers. Dogtooth tuna patrolled the blue, joined by small mackerels and passing barracudas. On the reef we found peacock mantis shrimp, stunning yellow and pink soft corals, and excellent visibility. Groupers included coral groupers, peacock groupers, and yellow-edged groupers. Parrotfish such as steephead parrotfish, blue-barred parrotfish, and bullethead parrotfish grazed constantly, while wrasses like African coris, moon wrasse, and bird wrasse mixed with clouds of damselfish.

Dive 2: Koh Bon Ridge and Bay
A rare highlight: octopus mating. Giant moray eels hunted in open water, batfish cruised slowly, and inside the bay we found the beautiful sea slug Haminoea cymbalum. Common reef fish included powder-blue surgeonfish, lined surgeonfish, oriental sweetlips, copperband butterflyfish, and schools of glassfish.

Dive 3: Koh Tachai Pinnacle
A high-energy dive with huge schools of giant trevallies, bluefin trevallies, and bigeye trevallies, swirling alongside dense barracuda formations. A giant grouper dominated the scene, while the boulders hid numerous giant lobsters. We also spotted blueface angelfish and royal angelfish, surrounded by schools of yellowback, twinstripe, and neon fusiliers. Reef life included potato groupers, coral groupers, parrotfish, wrasses, and clouds of anthias.
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Dive 4: Tachai Reef
A calmer end to the day with a blacktip reef shark, a baby hawksbill turtle, and classic reef fish: surgeonfish, butterflyfish, wrasses, triggerfish, and schools of fusiliers sweeping over the reef.

Back at Richelieu Rock, the gang returned in full force: trevallies, rainbow runners, barracudas, and hunting tuna. Nudibranch highlights included Chromodoris risbecia pulcella, Elysia ornata, Cuthona sibogae, and Chromodoris annulata. We saw cleaner pipefish, octopus, massive schools of yellowback fusiliers, naked fusiliers, rabbitfish, glassfish under constant attack from predators, blue ribbon eels, harlequin shrimps, and endless fish action.
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Dive 4 – Sunset at Surin South (“Bungalow”)
A magical sunset dive featuring Cuthona sibogae, epaulette surgeonfish, lined surgeonfish, oriental sweetlips, massive painted spiny lobsters, orange-banded pipefish, Thuridilla undula, Halgerda tessellata, Flabellina sp., Chromodoris geminus. Pelagics included pompano, dogtooth tuna, and schools of yellowback, twinstripe, and neon fusiliers, along with ring angelfish, blueface angelfish, and a cruising Napoleon wrasse.
Other groups experienced a blackwater dive: salps, mantis shrimp larvae, juvenile squids, crab larvae, snapper larvae, cornetfish larvae, and drifting siphonophores. Pure plankton poetry.

Dive 1: Torinla Pinnacle
An exceptional final morning: Andaman sweetlips, mating Kuhl’s blue-spotted stingrays, yellow-edged lyretail groupers, peacock groupers, coral groupers, black-saddle groupers, juvenile peacock mantis shrimp, anemone crabs, Clark’s anemonefish, titan triggerfish, and bluespine unicornfish.
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Final dive: Richelieu Rock
A grand finale with everything Richelieu is famous for: massive schools of trevallies and rainbow runners, dense barracuda formations, naked, neon, yellow back yellow lined fusiliers in every direction, hunting tuna, batfish, morays, nudibranchs, glassfish clouds, and that unmistakable feeling of being inside one of the most alive dive sites in the Andaman Sea.
 

​Our last trip of November began beautifully at Tap Lamu Pier, where we welcomed a lovely international group from the USA, Australia, Canada, and China. Smiles, excitement, and dive bags loaded — we set sail toward the legendary Similan National Park, ready for a week of granite giants, lush reefs, and pelagic encounters.

Dive 3 — Koh Tachai Pinnacle
Action-packed as always.
We were greeted by giant marble groupers, clouds of bluefin trevallies, powerful godtooth tunas (the local spelling fun continues!), and a tornado of barracudas.
Schools of yellowback fusiliers, neon fusiliers, and bluelined snappers danced over the rocks.
Hidden between coral blocks we found lobsters, giant morays, batfish, diamond-shaped unicornfish, bigeye emperors, curious goatfish, and plenty of colorful angelfish, butterflyfish, wrasses, parrotfish, and surgeonfish.

Dive 4 — Tachai Reef or Blackwater
Tachai Reef offered a peaceful end to the day with checkered snappers, shy octopus, bridled monocle bream, Indo-Pacific sergeant, morrish idol, powder-blue surgeonfish, striped surgeonfish, Indian sailfin tang, golden rabbitfish, and a thrilling moment with two blacktip reef sharks hunting fusiliers in the shallows.

The reef was buzzing:
Octopus, elegant harlequin shrimps, a beautiful black-and-yellow ribbon eel, Chromodoris risbecia pulchella, blue dragons, and bright purple flabellinas.
Pelagic visitors included cobias, pickhandle barracudas, yellowtail barracudas, and « the gang » — the longnose emperors teaming up with rainbow runners and several species of trevallies (bluefin, giant, bigeye, golden…).
A courtship of golden trevallies was the highlight of the afternoon.
The clouds of life around the rock were incredible: yellowback fusiliers, two-spot snappers, twinstripe fusiliers, longfin snappers, and more — everything swirling through the soft coral fingers.
The night dive revealed hunting morays, crabs on the move, sleeping parrotfish, and surreal colors in the torch beams.

Four more dives full of action: endless trevallies, rainbow runners, fusilier storms, lovingly posing harlequin shrimps, macro critters hiding in soft corals, and the iconic purple landscape of Richelieu glowing in the morning sun.

​Our new diving season began with a wonderfully international group joining us at Chok Thaeworn Pier in Phuket. Divers arrived from Switzerland, France, Holland, Belgium, Taiwan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Canada — including our special guest and paparazza Katie, already armed with her camera. With everyone settled in aboard the MV Smiling Seahorse, we started our southbound journey toward the crystalline waters of the Koh Lanta National Park and the remote pinnacle of Hin Muang.

​Koh Lanta National Park — turquoise lagoons & dramatic limestone formations

Koh Lanta National Park is known for its sheltered lagoons, underwater caverns, and vibrant coral slopes, making it a perfect starting point for our first dives of the season. Our check dive at Koh Haa set the tone, with chromodoris annulata and chromodoris kuniei decorating the reef like tiny jewels. Coral groupers hovered above bommies as juvenile angelfish and juvenile clown triggerfish darted around. Schools of yellowback fusiliers moved in waves alongside snappers and mackerels, while golden trevallies flashed past in hunting formation. A great barracuda cruised by, and a yellow-margin triggerfish paused at a cleaning station surrounded by busy wrasses and partner shrimps. Dusky damselfish, flutemouths and curious butterflyfish added movement and colour to the scene.

We continued south to Hin Muang for a spectacular wide-blue dive blessed with excellent visibility. Schools of batfish followed us down the wall where giant, bluefin and white-tongue trevallies patrolled the deep. Longnose emperors glided over purple-red soft corals, yellow boxfish played hide-and-seek around ledges, and a fimbriated moray eel peeked out from a crack. Rainbow runners flickered past like silver missiles while dogtooth tunas circled in the blue. A wandering octopus inspected our group before disappearing into the reef, and a white bent-stick pipefish blended perfectly with the soft coral background. Wrasses, anthias and red-toothed triggerfish filled every corner of the reef.
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Our final dives of the day took place at Koh Rok Ridge, where porcupinefish of every pattern — false-eye, blue-spotted, black-spotted and fine-spotted — hovered curiously. Blue-legged boxer shrimps and Durban dancing shrimps were busy in the crevices of the giant barrel sponges, one of which hid a massive giant moray eel. Yellowback fusiliers, yellow-lined snappers and giant trevallies passed in numbers, while anemonefish guarded their shimmering homes and hawkfish perched proudly on coral heads.

The night dive revealed an entirely different world. Giant hermit crabs marched across the sand, cleaning shrimps wiggled within the shadows of barrel sponges and delicate flabellinas crawled over the reef. Big red crabs explored the rocks, bubble corals sheltered tiny squat shrimps, parrotfish slept in their mucus cocoons and several triggerfish wedged themselves safely into cracks. A scribbled filefish drifted slowly through the torch beams while cardinalfish and soldierfish hovered along the walls.

We began again at Koh Haa Yai, the famous “Cathedral,” where the large caverns glowed with natural light. Cleaner pipefish hovered above sandy patches, yellow boxfish zig-zagged between boulders, and golden trevallies cruised through shoals of rabbitfish. Hermit crabs roamed along the rocky edges, tiger cowries shimmered on the walls, and Moorish idols danced gracefully in pairs. Surgeonfish, fairy wrasses and angelfish of all sizes added movement around the cathedral arches while another yellow-margin triggerfish watched us pass with suspicion.

Koh Haa Lagoon offered calm, crystal-clear water between islands 2 and 4. A giant moray eel and a yellow-edge moray eel shared the same patch of reef while Durban dancing shrimps and partner shrimps worked tirelessly at cleaning stations. Garden eels swayed like tall grass on the sandy bottom, convict blennies formed tight black-and-white tornadoes, and a red-marbled lizardfish watched for prey. Bearded scorpionfish lay perfectly still, and yellowfin soldiers hovered above the rocks. Two dogtooth tunas patrolled the perimeter while giant trevallies and juvenile emperor angelfish added flashes of yellow and blue. Wrasses, anthias, parrotfish and goatfish swirled across the lagoon.

At Koh Haa Chimney, we descended through the famous vertical tunnel before circling the large boulders outside. Yellow-lined snappers formed dense clouds, neon fusiliers streaked through the blue, and giant trevallies and dogtooth tunas swept along the deeper edges. A giant coral grouper patrolled the sandy bottom, and a proud peacock mantis shrimp marched boldly along the wall. Inside the entrance cave, nudibranchs glossodoris cincta and bornella anguilla decorated the rock while a graceful young banded sea snake hunted in the shallow 3-meter water as we finished the dive.
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Our sunset dive at Koh Haa Yai Reef was magical, with schools of Moorish idols, lined surgeonfish and copperband butterflyfish gliding above healthy hard corals and vibrant sea fans. Branching acropora, mushroom corals and large plate corals created perfect backdrops as the day slowly shifted into dusk.

A protected archipelago known for limestone cliffs, caverns & rich megafauna

Phi Phi National Park welcomed us with its dramatic limestone peaks and nutrient-rich waters.
Our first dive at Koh Bida Nok delivered an abundance of life. We found four tigertail seahorses clinging to sea fans, two banded sea snakes exploring crevices and a massive lobster hiding under a ledge. A beautifully patterned Dermatobranchus ornatus nudibranch crawled across a rock. Blacktip reef sharks glided by, and a resting leopard shark offered a serene moment. Schools of yellow-lined snappers and juvenile silver batfish danced in loose formation.

At Anemone Reef, the pinnacle was fully carpeted with blue, green and pink anemones swaying with the current, home to colourful anemonefish and porcelain crabs. Cometfish hovered above the reef while squids moved in formation. Yellowback fusiliers, neon fusiliers and yellow-lined snappers circled continuously while a fimbriated moray eel shared a crack with two white-eye morays. A yellow-edge moray eel and a copperband butterflyfish completed the scene.

Shark Point offered yet another highlight with gigantic pickhandle barracudas at a cleaning station, schools of blacktail barracudas, and a pair of pharaoh cuttlefish mating in the shallows. Large barrel sponges and elegant sea fans decorated the ridge. Fimbriated, white-eye and giant moray eels appeared one after another, while copperband butterflyfish played among the soft corals. Wrasses, anthias, damselfish and soft-coral gobies filled every corner of the reef.
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We then began our long navigation north — about 15 hours — following the coastline of Phuket and the Phang Nga region toward the Similan Islands.

Nine granitic islands with some of Thailand’s healthiest reefs

After a smooth 12-hour crossing, the iconic boulder landscapes of the Similans appeared on the horizon.
Our first dive at East of Princess Bay (Island 4) took us through Stonehenge, where large slabs of granite formed passageways filled with octopus, giant trevallies and juvenile oriental sweetlips. Lined surgeonfish moved calmly across the reef while peacock mantis shrimps patrolled the sand. Butterflyfish, angelfish, fairy wrasses and juvenile wrasses added colour at every turn.

West of Eden was spectacular with an ovula ovum cowrie mating on a coral head, schools of pennant coralfish weaving between boulders, and both yellowface and bluering angelfish showing off their vibrant colours. African coris and pastel ring-wrasse danced over the hard corals while a white-tip reef shark cruised by, followed closely by five imposing giant trevallies. Blue dragons decorated the coral blocks and a clown triggerfish impressed our divers. Gobies, chromis and small anthias flickered in the light.

At Hideaway, honeycomb groupers, peacock hinds, coral groupers and longface emperors dotted the reef, joined by oriental sweetlips and a mixed school of bluestreak and dory snappers. Durban dancing shrimps cleaned patiently below, while schools of juvenile blackfin barracudas and young bluefin trevallies hunted together with yellow-saddle goatfish.
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The night dive at West of Eden revealed sleeping parrotfish, squirrelfish, soldierfish, hunting morays, long-legged spiny lobsters, glossy nudibranchs and massive moon groupers patrolling the shadows. Cardinalfish, sweepers and nocturnal wrasses reflected the torchlight.

Honeymoon Bay (Island 4) greeted us with two octopuses mating in the sand channel. Dogtooth tunas circled the reef while cometfish, Durban dancing shrimps and partner shrimps explored the coral heads. A school of black-tail damselfish illuminated the water column, and a bright Halgerda tessellata nudibranch was the star of the macro search.

Back at West of Eden, we encountered another dogtooth tuna, a large green turtle and a small hawksbill turtle. Three more octopuses were spotted, including another mating pair. Leopard blennies peeked from holes while black-veined, dusky and two-coloured parrotfish grazed among the corals. Three-spot angelfish, hermit crabs and banded pipefish added to the action.

Elephant Head Rock delivered its signature swim-throughs, where giant trevallies roamed alongside giant yellow boxfish, porcupinefish, unicorn sweetlips, Andaman sweetlips, six-banded angelfish, rabbitfish, spotted boxfish and map puffers.
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Our sunset dive at Turtle Rock (Island 8) featured brassy drummers, more giant yellow boxfish, black surgeonfish, blackear wrasse, spotted-tail dart gobies, porcelain crabs, marble groupers, coral groupers, tiger cowries and a parade of parrotfish grazing the reef. A pygmy squid darted in and out of view, and an octopus displayed brilliant colors as it hunted among the rocks.

Eagle’s Rock surprised us with beautiful coral bommies and granite formations sheltering giant morays, bluefin trevallies, dogtooth tunas and sail-finned surgeonfish. A tiny juvenile rockmover wrasse danced hypnotically across the sand.

At Donald Duck Bay, we explored the iconic boulders and giant barrel sponges where peacock mantis shrimps peeked out from holes. Dogtooth tunas, bluefin trevallies, giant morays, clownfish, blue dragons, sail-finned surgeons, sea fans, puffers, hawkfish, cometfish and oriental sweetlips kept us entertained. A tiny teardrop butterflyfish juvenile danced near the surface.

Back to Elephant Head Rock for our third dive of the day, we crossed paths with a white-tip reef shark, slender groupers, lizardfish, coral groupers, giant trevallies, bluefin trevallies and huge schools of neon fusiliers lighting up the blue.
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Our blackwater dive was a festival of planktonic life — larval mantis shrimps, long chains of siphonophores, crab larvae, salps carrying tiny fish companions, squids, larval anemones, larval triggerfish, eel larvae, drifting jellyfish and countless shrimp and spreadfish. Even a tiny larval lizardfish appeared under our lights.

Our last morning at Honeymoon Bay was peaceful with a gentle zebra shark resting on the sand. Parrotfish, rabbitfish, wrasses and schools of fusiliers glided calmly above the reef while gobies, blennies and butterflyfish added colour to the shallows.
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Boonsung Wreck, as always, was a fish soup of the highest order. Clouds of juvenile yellowback fusiliers, neon fusiliers and blue-striped snappers filled every corner while juvenile silver batfish shimmered around the structure. Porcupinefish floated in groups like balloons, honeycomb and white-eye moray eels peeked from the metal plates, pompano hunted through the clouds of fish and big-eye trevallies zig-zagged through the chaos. Chromodoris kuniei and bright Halgerda nudibranchs crawled along the beams as damsels, wrasses and parrotfish weaved through the dense schools.

We surfaced from our final dive tired, happy and already eager for the next adventure, ending our trip at Tap Lamu Pier with big smiles all around.

​The MV Smiling Seahorse set off once again for an exceptional cross-border adventure — a journey from Thailand’s Surin & Similan National Parks to Myanmar’s wild Mergui Archipelago. This week we welcomed our wonderful guests from Israel, excited to explore two countries, two ecosystems, and a whole spectrum of marine life.
After check-in and Thai immigration formalities, we boarded the boat and headed across the Pakchan River to Kawthung for Burmese immigration. Passports stamped, gear prepped, smiles wide — our expedition began.

​Our first dive at High Rock was the perfect warm-up. We drifted along the rocky outcrops and immediately met two tigertail seahorses hiding among the hard corals. Thornback boxfish hovered curiously near the walls while crocodile needlefish glided just under the surface. A busy peacock mantis shrimp scuttled across the sand, and Durban dancing shrimps flashed their white antennae from inside tiny crevices. Moray eels peeked out from the reef — fimbriated and white-eye morays sharing the same neighbourhood — and a cooperative group of four scribbled filefish swam past, changing colour as they fed. Schools of trumpetfish, lionfish, bearded scorpionfish, coral and peacock groupers, snappers, fusiliers, and a handful of blackfin barracudas filled the water column, with a white-tongue trevally circling us during the safety stop.

At Three Islets, the Submarine site gave us a lovely first encounter with a bamboo shark tucked into a rocky crack, and a turtle drifting lazily overhead. We found orange-spotted pipefish and the elegant nudibranch Chromodoris rufomarginata on the sandy slope. Shark Cave was buzzing with life; the entire cave shimmered with sweepers, and outside the entrance clouds of fusiliers pulsed in the current. Sergeant majors were fiercely defending their eggs while wrasses, angelfish, butterflyfish, and triggerfish opportunistically picked at any moment of distraction. Wahoos streaked through the blue, accompanied by a great barracuda, golden trevallies, and even a giant bicolour parrotfish. Square continued the spectacle with more tigertail seahorses, a giant moray, and well-hidden bearded scorpionfish.
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Our night dive around Square and Shark Cave was a treasure hunt of nocturnal critters. Five tigertail seahorses showed up, along with sponge spider crabs, decorated crabs, Godiva quadricolor nudibranchs, and sleepy pufferfish wedged among the corals. Soldierfish and cardinalfish hovered in the glow of our torches while hinge-beak shrimp and banded cleaner shrimp darted from rock to rock.

At North Twin Reef, we descended into crystal-clear blue water where sea snakes wove gracefully across the reef. Oriental sweetlips gathered in loose schools, and anemonefish bobbed in their host anemones. Giant morays, surgeonfish, and redtooth triggerfish patrolled the boulder fields. Seal-face pufferfish, boxfish, and a forest of staghorn, lettuce, and foliose corals created a vibrant underwater landscape.
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South Twin Reef delivered even more action with partner shrimps and peacock mantis shrimps scurrying along the sandy patches. Juvenile triggerfish flicked between coral heads while gold-saddle rabbitfish fed in tight groups. Four dogtooth tunas shot past in formation. Blue dragon nudibranchs were scattered everywhere, and the reef was alive with lined and stripe-bristletooth surgeonfish. A Jenkins ray rested on the sand beside a blue-spotted stingray, while yellow-edge and giant morays watched from shaded holes. An octopus shifted colours as we approached, and juvenile oriental sweetlips wiggled in their rhythmic dance. We ended the dive drifting over beautiful table corals and elegant funnel corals.

Our two dives at Sea Fan Forest were spectacular. We explored towering forests of gorgonians where another tigertail seahorse clung to the branches. Yellow-lined and neon fusiliers filled the water column, pursued by rainbow runners weaving through the openings. We found several octopus, stonefish, and devil scorpionfish, along with nudibranchs such as Chromodoris, Risbecia annulata, and Geometrica. Zebra morays slithered over the rocks, yellow trumpetfish hovered motionlessly beside sea fans, and peacock mantis shrimps guarded their burrows. Juvenile boxfish, needlefish, and a perfectly-patterned young emperor angelfish added splashes of colour. A curious cuttlefish rounded off the dive with a gentle display of shifting patterns.

At Western Rocky, we entered the famous cave with octopus and cuttlefish patrolling the entrance. Coral-banded shrimp and red reef crabs clung to the walls, and we spotted a delicate wentletrap snail and a striking Maldivian sponge snail on the sandy floor. Blue dragon nudibranchs added flashes of purple and white as we continued along the reef, passing bannerfish, goatfish, snappers, and butterflyfish enjoying the current.
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Our sunset dive around the Western Rocky islets unfolded beautifully as clouds of fusiliers, sergeant majors, and damsels swirled around us. Harlequin shrimps crept delicately over the rocks, and more Maldivian sponge snails dotted the reef. White-tongue trevallies chased schools of baitfish, accompanied by scribbled filefish, pyjama surgeonfish, rainbow runners, golden trevallies, and a pack of blacktail barracudas. At one point, two giant morays squeezed together inside the same hole, seemingly unbothered by each other's presence.

Back at Dendro’s Peak, we descended along a slope draped in purple soft corals. Yellow-lined, neon, and yellowback fusiliers streamed past in glittering clouds while rainbow runners and mackerel darted along the edges. Bannerfish hovered near coral heads, trevallies patrolled the shallows, and a banded sea snake explored the cracks. Zebra morays peeked out from the reef, and coral groupers hunted through the bommies. A large turtle drifted peacefully overhead — and then the highlight of the day arrived as two magnificent manta rays swept gracefully above us, circling repeatedly.

The afternoon dives at Sea Fan Forest were equally memorable. Fusiliers filled every corner of the reef, and another tigertail seahorse clung to a sea fan. A pharaoh cuttlefish hovered confidently before drifting away into the blue. Pickhandle barracudas and golden trevallies patrolled the sandy patches while batfish, moorish idols, and titan triggerfish appeared throughout the site. A large tiger cowrie, several anthias, wrasses, butterflyfish, and damsels added detail to the coral scene. More octopus and a well-camouflaged stonefish ended the day.
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That night’s blackwater dive was exceptionally special, featuring a female paper nautilus drifting like a delicate origami shell. Larval wrasses and tiny fish sheltering inside jellyfish floated through the dark, and we found many larval triggerfish and fish living inside salps — a perfect finale to the drifting night.

We re-entered Thailand in the early hours and cruised south toward Richelieu Rock, where perfect conditions awaited us.
What Makes Richelieu Rock Famous?

• A horseshoe-shaped pinnacle covered in purple and pink soft corals
• Massive schools of trevallies, barracudas, and snappers
• Incredible macro life: ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimps, tiger eggs cowries
• Historically known for whale shark sightings
• Named after Admiral Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu, a Danish officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Siamese Navy — not the French cardinal, despite the popular legend

Our first dive at Richelieu Rock was enchanting. Dense schools of glassfish wrapped the entire reef in a shimmering veil. Longnose emperors worked in tight groups, flashing brilliant colours as they hunted, while giant trevallies, bluefins, white-tongue trevallies, and bigeyes patrolled the edges. Batfish hovered calmly around the cleaning stations, and titan triggerfish bulldozed their way along the bottom. Octopus displayed quick colour changes, and huge potato groupers watched us from between the cracks. White-eye, zebra, and yellow-edge moray eels peeked from the crevices, and tiny tiger-egg cowries clung to sea fans. Nudibranchs including chromodoris and flabellina added delicate splashes of colour while bannerfish, wrasses, dartfish, anthias, and butterflyfish decorated every corner of the reef.
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Our night dive at Surin South (Ao Pakkard) offered a different perspective. Giant red crabs prowled the sandy areas, Durban dancing shrimps and marble shrimps flickered under our torches, and boxer-banded shrimps waved their oversized claws. Parrotfish, surgeonfish, and pufferfish were already tucked into their nighttime hideouts, while barracudas sliced through the dark hunting yellowback fusiliers.

We returned to Richelieu Rock for two more morning dives filled with action. Longnose emperors swam in the shallows where cleaners worked tirelessly around their open mouths. Giant trevallies and chevron barracudas surged through the schools of glassfish. We found beautiful harlequin shrimps, cleaner and orange-spotted pipefish, and several potato groupers cruising the bommies. Boxfish, angelfish, needlefish, cobia, black snapper, and African pompano all made appearances. A large marble ray glided past us to complete the scene.
Similan National Park Highlights

• Famous for giant granite boulders and white-sand beaches
• Excellent visibility and vivid blue water
• Frequent encounters with manta rays, whale sharks, and giant trevallies
• Beautiful coral gardens with sea fans, hard corals, and soft coral patches

Our third dive at Koh Tachai brought us into the energetic mix this site is known for. Bluefin trevallies and chevron barracudas hunted in packs while giant trevallies and dogtooth tunas patrolled the deeper zones. Marble groupers rested on the bommies while longfin bannerfish, unicorn surgeonfish, angelfish, and massive swarms of fusiliers filled the reef. Lobsters and snappers hid among the corals, and batfish drifted by in lazy groups.
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At Koh Bon, we explored the ridge and bay where hard corals glowed beautifully in the afternoon light. A baby blacktip shark cruised the shallows while an octopus hid in a coral crack. Maldivian sponge snails dotted the reef. The dive ended with colourful scenes full of wrasses, goatfish, butterflyfish, damsels, and scorpionfish, with the occasional wahoo and giant moray cruising through the dusk.

​Our last day took us south to Racha Noi, where Banana Bay offered a relaxed sandy slope with scattered bommies teeming with damsels, redtooth triggerfish, Meyer’s butterflyfish, fiveline and checkered snappers, longbarbel goatfish, squirrelfish, and gold-saddle rabbitfish. A banded sea snake glided along the reef, and a mantis shrimp, guarded closely by its pair of squat shrimps, kept watch from its burrow.
At Manta Reef, we found Glossodoris cincta​, a snowflake moray, and several seal-face pufferfish drifting over the sandy bottom. Garden eels swayed in the light current as blue-spotted rays glided past. Butterflyfish, damsels, and a bearded scorpionfish rounded out the dive while yellowback fusiliers danced above in glittering swirls.

​From Myanmar’s caves and giant sea fans to Thailand’s iconic reefs, this trip delivered unforgettable moments: manta rays, seahorses, endless fusiliers, dramatic landscapes, and amazing energy from our guests.
Thank you to our wonderful divers from Israel for sharing this week with us and their wonderful photos to illustrate this blogpost!
See you soon for another adventure with the MV Smiling Seahorse! 🐟💙

​In between the drama, macro life was thriving: the smallest harlequin shrimp we’ve ever seen balanced on a sea star, tiger tail seahorses swayed with the current, and ghost pipefish hovered delicately in their shadows. Moray eels—fimbriated, honeycomb, and giant—peered out from coral alcoves. We found butterflyfish, damsels guarding eggs, and even an elusive mimic blenny poking from the rubble.
These last dives were the perfect conclusion to our season—a celebration of life, color, and the unmatched magic of the Andaman Sea.
As we returned to Ranong, the sun dipped behind the mangroves and the MV Smiling Seahorse entered her summer rest. But in our minds, the ocean is still alive with swirling fish, curious sharks, and coral gardens dancing in the current.
Until next season, happy bubbles from all of us aboard!​

Exploring Thailand’s Underwater National Treasures
As the sun rose over Ranong, we welcomed an enthusiastic group of divers from the USA, France, Brasil, and Switzerland aboard the MV Smiling Seahorse. Our journey would take us through some of Thailand’s most iconic national parks—from Surin and Similan to Lanta and Tarutao—each with its own unique seascape and underwater wonders. Spirits were high as we set a course for the famed Surin Islands to begin our underwater adventure. All pictures on this blogpost were taken by our distinguished guests.

Three Trees delivered calm water and stunning white sand patches covered in garden eels. A porcupine stingray and blue-spotted ray swept by, while above us schools of fusiliers and snappers moved in synchronized waves. Curious trumpetfish hovered and gobies danced along the sandy slopes.
Elephant Head Rock was majestic as always. We drifted through its cavernous swim-throughs, surrounded by walls adorned with giant sea fans and hunting giant moray eels. A white-tip shark slipped by, and above us an eagle ray soared across the sunbeams. We caught sight of a mature yellow boxfish before it tucked into a crevice, while blue-lined groupers and bannerfish hovered near the edges of the boulders.

The sunset dive was full of movement and macro life. Helmet crabs and decorator crabs scuttled across the reef while zebra moray eels and common morays hunted along the slopes. Nudibranchs—chromodoris fidelis, annulata, risbecia, and geminus—dotted the rocks like confetti, with bornella anguilla curling through the soft corals.

At Koh Taru, baby yellow fusiliers filled the reef, flashing like lightning. A baby yellow boxfish stole hearts with its wobbling swim, while a large star puffer looked on with sleepy eyes. Indian Ocean walkman scorpionfish and banded pipefish made rare appearances to round off the day.

For this Whale Shark Expedition, we were thrilled to welcome aboard the M/V Smiling Seahorse a diverse group of divers from Romania, France, the USA, and Australia. Adding to the excitement, we were joined by Josh Johnson, a marine biologist specializing in whale shark conservation. Based in Koh Tao, Josh is a graduate of the University of Plymouth’s BSc Ocean Science and Marine Conservation program.

Josh shared fascinating insights into whale shark biology, ecology, and conservation:
“Although they are the largest fish in the world, they remain one of the least studied sharks globally, especially in Thai waters. With so much still to learn about them, it is crucial to explore new methods for monitoring their migration patterns and feeding hotspots. This allows us to implement the best conservation strategies to protect these gentle giants.”

Setting sail from Phuket on March 23rd, we first explored Koh Lanta National Park and Koh Tarutao National Park for three days before heading north to discover the wonders of the Similan and Surin National Parks. Each of these marine sanctuaries is a jewel of the Andaman Sea, boasting a unique blend of stunning underwater landscapes, thriving marine life, and vibrant coral ecosystems.
    •    Koh Lanta National Park is renowned for its dramatic limestone formations and rich marine biodiversity.
    •    Koh Tarutao, the largest national park in the Andaman, remains a pristine paradise with spectacular reefs and abundant pelagic life.
    •    The Similan Islands, world-famous for their breathtaking granite boulders and crystal-clear waters, offer incredible diving experiences with flourishing coral gardens and deep pinnacles.
    •    Surin National Park, home to the legendary Richelieu Rock, features one of Thailand’s most spectacular dive sites, teeming with marine life and a prime location for large pelagic encounters.

This unforgettable expedition combined breathtaking scenery, exceptional dives, and invaluable knowledge, leaving us all with a deeper appreciation for whale sharks and their conservation.

Our check dive at Koh Ha Lagoon provided a smooth and scenic introduction to the trip. Among the coral bommies, we spotted a perfectly camouflaged Ornate Ghost Pipefish, swaying gently with the current, while a curious Coral Grouper patrolled its reef territory. Schools of Yellowback Fusiliers darted through the water, accompanied by striking Emperor Angelfish, adding bursts of vibrant color to the scene.

In the afternoon and evening, we explored Hin Mueang and Hin Daeng, where the reefs were teeming with life. A Clown Frogfish, perfectly still and expertly blended into a sponge, caught our attention. Nearby, pairs of Ornate Ghost Pipefish hovered delicately in the water. Overhead, Red-Toothed Triggerfish swirled in mesmerizing formations, while Giant Trevallies patrolled the reef in search of prey. Schools of Rainbow Runners flashed by in unison, and among the hard corals, we admired a striking Peacock Grouper and a Blue-Barred Parrotfish lazily grazing.

​The morning began at Hin Paad Mile, where Giant Trevallies moved in synchronized schools, their silver bodies flashing as they sliced through the water. Beneath a coral ledge, a massive Potato Grouper rested, watching us with a slow, deliberate gaze. Around us, schools of Bengal Snappers and Blue-and-Gold Fusiliers shimmered, creating a breathtaking display of color and motion.

At Stonehenge, the highlight was a perfectly camouflaged Tigertail Seahorse, delicately gripping onto a sea fan. Nearby, an Indian Walkman lay in wait on the sand, its intricate fins blending seamlessly with the ocean floor.

Before crossing to the Similan Islands, we completed one last dive at Hin Mueang, where we revisited our Clown Frogfish and discovered a few new additions to the scene. Moorish Idols glided effortlessly above the reef, a school of Twinstripe Fusiliers darted between coral formations, and a well-camouflaged Bearded Scorpionfish lay hidden among the rocks, waiting patiently for unsuspecting prey.

Our dive at Shark Fin Reef welcomed us with a breathtaking spectacle of marine life—schools of Lunar Fusiliers swirled around us in a dazzling display, while Parrotfish crunched noisily on the reef, shaping the underwater landscape with every bite.

At West of Eden, we encountered a playful Octopus, shifting colors in a mesmerizing dance before our eyes. A Rock Mover Wrasse skillfully flipped coral rubble in search of hidden prey, while a Psychedelic Batwing Seaslug nestled discreetly in a crevice, adding a splash of vibrant color to the reef.

At Elephant Head Rock, the current carried us effortlessly past Giant Trevallies hunting in the blue, while a pair of Sweetlips hovered serenely beneath an overhang. In a sandy patch, a White Tip Reef Shark lay motionless, completely undisturbed by our presence.

We ended the day with a captivating night dive at Turtle Rock, where Basket Stars unfurled their intricate arms to feed, and Decorator Crabs, masterfully disguised with sponges and algae, scuttled stealthily across the seabed.

Xmas Point welcomed us with a vibrant display of reef life—from the dazzling flashes of Blue Striped Snappers to the sleek, steady glide of a Barracuda lurking in the distance.

At 3 Trees, a Blue Spotted Stingray lay half-buried in the sand, perfectly camouflaged, while a massive Potato Grouper loomed near the coral formations, surveying its domain.

Meanwhile, Koh Bon Pinnacle and West Ridge were alive with movement, as schools of Rainbow Runners and Longnosed Emperors wove effortlessly through the currents, creating a mesmerizing underwater ballet.

Returning to Koh Bon Pinnacle and West Ridge, we were greeted by Batfish, curiously circling around us, while Barracudas held their ground against the current.

Later, at Koh Tachai Pinnacle, we navigated through massive boulders draped in soft coral, discovering Lobsters tucked away in crevices, more Barracudas patrolling the reef, and a sleek Black Tip Reef Shark gliding effortlessly past—an exhilarating finale to an unforgettable dive.

Our final two days at Richelieu Rock were nothing short of spectacular. The site was teeming with life--Ornate Ghost Pipefish hovered gracefully among feather stars, Tigertail Seahorses clung to delicate sea whips, and Porcelain Crabs filtered plankton with meticulous precision. Banded Stick Pipefish wove through the reef, while Big Eye Trevallies and Giant Trevallies darted back and forth in a relentless hunting frenzy.

In the blue, schools of Barracudas hung motionless, suspended in perfect formation. We were mesmerized by a vast mixed school of Rainbow Runners, Emperors, and Big Eye Trevallies, moving in unison like a single, fluid entity. Red Snappers lurked near the coral formations, adding the final flourish to an already unforgettable experience.

As we sailed back to Ranong, the excitement and memories of the trip lingered among our group. The Whale Shark Expedition had given us not only breathtaking encounters with Thailand’s marine giants but also a deeper appreciation for the intricate beauty of the Andaman Sea’s underwater world.

Until next time, we carry with us the wonders of the deep and the hope for future encounters with the gentle giants we strive to protect.