​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.

​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.

Our latest adventure took us across the best dive sites of the North and South Andaman Sea, Thailand. This week, we welcomed guests from the USA, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Israel aboard the Smiling Seahorse in Ranong, eager to explore the wonders of the Surin, Similan, Lanta, Tarutao and Koh Phiphi National Parks. Each of these parks offers unique marine landscapes, from vibrant coral gardens to dramatic underwater pinnacles, promising an unforgettable journey beneath the waves.

​Our first dive at Koh Chi was a gentle check dive, allowing everyone to get comfortable while enjoying the sights of a friendly hawksbill turtle gliding through the reef. Schools of blue-tailed snappers created a mesmerizing display, while a tiny yellow boxfish peeked out from the coral, amusing us with its clumsy movements. Among the vibrant reef, we spotted angelfish, fusiliers, and parrotfish darting between the coral formations.

​The second and third dives brought us to the legendary Richelieu Rock, where life teemed in every direction. Enormous schools of rainbow runners and jacks swirled together, accompanied by long-face emperor fish patrolling the depths. A delicate tiger tail seahorse swayed with the current, while ghost pipefish skillfully camouflaged themselves among soft corals. Peering into crevices, we discovered peacock mantis shrimp and flabellina nudibranchs adding bursts of color to the scene. Surgeonfish, fairy basslets, and Moorish idols flitted through the coral gardens, making for a lively spectacle.
For our night dive at Richelieu Rock, the mysterious "green monster"—a dense thermocline—rolled in, adding a touch of adventure to the dive. Despite the water movement, we enjoyed the eerie sight of moray eels hunting under the cover of darkness, while countless crabs and shrimps scuttled across the reef. A porcupinefish hovered nearby, watching the activity unfold.

​At Koh Tachai, our first dive began with a fascinating scene: a pair of white-banded cleaner shrimp diligently grooming a large moray eel. Nearby, two painted spiny lobsters peeked out from their rocky hiding spots. Jackfish patrolled the blue, moving in pairs as they hunted in synchrony. Amid the bustling reef, we found butterflyfish, wrasses, and gobies going about their daily routines.
On our second dive at Koh Tachai, we drifted along with a large school of batfish, their graceful movements mesmerizing against the backdrop of the deep blue. The reef revealed hidden gems like a Maldives sponge sea snail and a pustulose wart slug, while angelfish and bannerfish weaved between the corals.
Koh Bon was our next destination, where fantastic visibility allowed us to fully appreciate the marine spectacle. A big family of batfish greeted us in the bay, their silver bodies flashing in the sunlight. As we ventured further, a massive school of yellow snappers engulfed us, moving as one. Mantis shrimp darted between the rocks, while ghost pipefish hovered delicately among the soft corals. The presence of giant groupers and the occasional passing fusilier added to the excitement.

​Our morning dive at Three Trees introduced us to a resting hawksbill turtle, peacefully nestled among the corals. Pipefish drifted along the sandy bottom, while rays and lobsters lurked under overhangs. The reef was alive with fairy basslets, fusiliers, and wrasses, their colors creating a dazzling underwater display.

At Elephant Head Rock, we navigated through the boulder formations, where porcelain crabs clung to their anemone homes. A small family of tunas cruised by, accompanied by schools of fusiliers and snappers. West of Eden offered a spectacular sighting of a Sagaminopteron psychedelicum nudibranch, alongside an octopus skillfully changing colors to blend with its surroundings. A sea snake made a brief appearance, weaving gracefully through the reef.

​As the sun began to set, we returned to Koh Bon, where a large school of milkfish swam past, shimmering in the golden light.

​Our first dive at Hin Nam was filled with delicate discoveries, including ghost pipefish blending seamlessly with the reef and a juvenile clown triggerfish darting between the corals. Later, at Hin Daeng, we encountered tiny juvenile sweetlips moving in their signature wavy dance, while juvenile angelfish added a splash of color to the rocky crevices.
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Hin Muang provided thrilling action as tunas and rainbow runners hunted in the open water. Schools of batfish hovered effortlessly, while hundreds of red-tooth triggerfish filled the blue and a magical encounter with a clown frogfish. Our night dive at Hin Daeng revealed an entirely different world, where helmet crabs and decorator crabs scuttled across the seabed, and moray eels—both the common and zebra varieties—prowled for prey

At 8 Mile, the dive site was alive with schools of large jacks and pairs of smaller hunters weaving through the reef. Among the coral, a beautiful tiger tail seahorse clung to its perch. Snappers and damselfish formed a colorful backdrop as we drifted through the site.
Stonehenge provided an awe-inspiring moment as we encountered a massive lion’s mane jellyfish, its trailing tentacles sheltering tiny fish. Blue dragons and an eagle ray gliding by added to the magic.
At Koh Taru, porcupinefish gathered in abundance, while southern stingrays rested on the sandy bottom. Koh Sawang brought sightings of comet fish and a well-camouflaged devil scorpionfish lurking among the coral.
We also had great encounters on blackwater dives with Indian Halibut and cusk eel!!!

​Returning to Hin Daeng, we found zebra and honeycomb moray eels slithering through the reef, while a school of batfish hovered gracefully nearby. Hin Muang offered another chance to observe ghost pipefish and playful juvenile clownfish, along with a tiny yellow boxfish hiding in a coral crevice.
Our final dives at Koh Haa brought us face-to-face with a hawksbill turtle cruising through the Cathedral, while thousands of glassfish filled the Chimney, creating a mesmerizing, swirling effect.

On our last day, Koh Bida Nok did not disappoint, with blacktip reef sharks and a majestic leopard shark making an appearance. At Shark Point, the grand finale included hundreds of yellowtail barracudas weaving through the water, while devil scorpionfish lay in wait among the coral.
With unforgettable dives behind us, we made our way back to Phuket, bidding farewell to our wonderful guests after an incredible week exploring Thailand’s best dive sites. Until next time, the Andaman Sea will be waiting!

Departing from Phuket, our international group of divers from the UK, USA, Germany, Australia, France, Sweden, Canada, and Austria embarked on an exciting journey through the northern Andaman Sea. Our itinerary took us through the spectacular dive sites of Similan National Park and Surin National Park, with the highlight dives at Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.

​Day 6: ​Returning to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, we enjoyed more encounters with their spectacular marine life. However, the real highlight of the day came during our third dive at Cathedral—as we explored its underwater caves, we were stunned to witness a rare blue marlin, a once-in-a-lifetime sighting!
Our final dive at Chimney took us through a dramatic vertical tunnel, where a pair of ghost pipefish greeted us at the exit.