2024 Special Marine Biology Expedition in Thailand
9D8N expeditions to learn more about the coral reef inhabitants
From Phuket on the 18th February to Khao Lak on the 26th of February 2024
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The Smiling Seahorse team has partnered with a team of marine biologists to offer you a more educational expeditions, which will combine the best aspects of liveaboard diving with daily marine biology presentations!
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What's special about this Marine Science expedition?
Not only you will dive on some of the most beautiful dive sites in Thailand, but you will share this cruise with a fantastic marine biologist, Piers Baillie, who will share with you some his knowledge of the ocean wonders through daily presentations and can answer all the questions you may have about the reef ecosystem.
Meet Piers Baillie...
Piers Baillie- Marine Biologist
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A highly qualified marine biologist with a passion for conservation and education. Since he got his degree from the UK, Piers has worked tirelessly to establish multiple research and monitoring programs in Thailand.
As well as education on Marine sciences through a marine ecology and conservation program, he developed that is taught to students of all ages from around the world. In addition to being a published author, with his textbook "An Introduction to Corals and The Reefs They Form" available on Amazon, Piers is also an award-winning underwater photographer. Piers brings personal experiences and real-life examples into all his lectures, offering a unique insight into the field of marine conservation. Piers’s values are very much aligned with those of The Smiling Seahorse : committed to making a positive impact in marine conservation and inspiring the next generation to care for our oceans. |
What will you learn on this Marine Science Expedition:
Throughout the cruise, Piers will offer a series of lectures, covering a range of topics surrounding animal behaviours and interactions.
These will directly relate to species that can be observed during the scheduled dives – adding to the excitement and fascination when certain behaviours are seen throughout the week. Piers will deliver a presentation on the following topics:
1. Key symbiotic relationships within coral reef ecosystems.
2. Adaptations for different predation methods.
3. Predator avoidance methods – how to survive!
4. Cooperative hunting behaviours between different species.
5. Animals that work in pairs.
6. Competition – how to win against competing individuals.
7. Communication on the reef.
8. Contests and animal fighting
These will directly relate to species that can be observed during the scheduled dives – adding to the excitement and fascination when certain behaviours are seen throughout the week. Piers will deliver a presentation on the following topics:
1. Key symbiotic relationships within coral reef ecosystems.
2. Adaptations for different predation methods.
3. Predator avoidance methods – how to survive!
4. Cooperative hunting behaviours between different species.
5. Animals that work in pairs.
6. Competition – how to win against competing individuals.
7. Communication on the reef.
8. Contests and animal fighting
Learn about the Symbiotic relationship between clownfish and their anemone
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And about other interesting behaviours you can witness yourself over the 29 planned dives!
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Itinerary of Thailand Marine Science Expedition 2024This itinerary will explore the best dives sites in Thailand both in the South and North Andaman Sea from Malaysia to Myanmar's border.
We will get onboard in Phuket Tian Sin Pier at 4pm and plan 3 to 4 dives per day (including sunset, reef night dive on Blackwater diving) and a daily presentation about Marine behaviours. We will be back on land in Khao Lak, Tap Lamu around 4pm on the last day. |
In the South Andaman, we will visit:
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Hin Daeng and Hin Muang (Red rock and Purple rock), not far from Malaysian border, are amazing dive sites, offering steep walls, big fish and colourful soft coral. Both Mantas and Whale sharks are sighted there regularly next to many smaller pelagics such as tunas, schools of Jack, barracudas and Leopard sharks.
Koh Haa is more famous for its massive cavern systems (in which you can even see massive stalactites). And we might even go all the way to Koh Lipe near the Malaysian border. |
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In the North Andaman, we will visit Surin and Similan National parks
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SIMILAN NATIONAL PARK:
Koh bon is a well known cleaning site for Manta Rays and the site most frequented by them in Thailand. There is also a good chance to spot a Zebra Shark on the pinnacle. Koh Tachai Pinnacle is a very fishy dive: beside Whale sharks and Manta rays, we can see schools of barracudas, giant trevally, blue fin trevally, sweetlips, batfish, tunas in the blue. We will also visit some dive site in the south of the Similan National Park: The visibility is usually excellent around the Similan islands and we hope to spot leopard sharks, blue spotted stingray, school of snappers and fusiliers, emperor fish, clown trigger fish and more tropical colourful fish as well as some Moray eels, turtles and mantis shrimps living in the rocky areas. Whale sharks can also be spotted there so keep an eye out in the blue for a gentle giant passing above! |
Koh Bon Pinnacle
Delicate coral reef inhabitants
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Koh Tachai...One of the smaller islands of the Similans archipelago
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SURIN NATIONAL PARK:
Less know but unmissable! Especially Richelieu Rock, still listed in the top 10 dive sites in the world! And you will quickly understand why! Not only is it a great place to see Whale Sharks but it can also be described as a big aquarium with more or less everything … from seahorses to jack fish and plenty of kinky cuttlefish action and we hope again a sighting of something big in the blue... The rest of Surin Island, not dived by many other boats but it is a very good spot for macro life such as ghost pipe fish, frog fish and nudibranchs and the first place where we can see Whale Sharks and Mantas. There are also many Jenkins Stingray, sweetlips and Barracudas around and the regular sighting of Humphead Parrotfish, Eagle Ray and Reef Sharks. |
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We may offer you the chance to also experiment Blackwater diving on this cruise once or twice if you are up for it!
There is no better way to discover how life begins in the ocean! Not sure what blackwater is all about? Read about it here! |
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Our boat: MV Smiling Seahorse, the newest liveaboard around!
Built by and for divers in 2018, the MV Smiling Seahorse is the newest dive boat currently cruising the Andaman sea
The Smiling Seahorse has been operating since 2012, both in Thailand and Myanmar with a new boat built in 2018.
Ocean preservation is very important to us and these "special expeditions" are an integral part of our sustainability strategy.
We promote responsible diving, low impact tourism and also reduce/ reuse/ recycle as much as we can and offer (refillable) organic, reef friendly amenities onboard such as Reef friendly Soap, Shampoo and hair conditioner. We are proud to represent Thailand on Swim with Mantas "Responsible Operator Wall of Fame".
Our boat, MV Smiling seahorse, was built by and for divers and took its maiden voyage in November 2018.
We added all the "little extras" you may want on a new liveaboard: a spacious dive platform, a camera room, lovely lounge areas, a massive sun deck, 8 cabins for only 16 guests all with large windows and doors to the ocean.
We keep dive groups small and organise each group to stagger their diving times to ensure that the already spacious dive deck never has too many divers gearing up together. While your group is ready to jump in for a dive, the next group will be doing safety checks and the following group is still upstairs taking their last sips of water during their dive briefing. Everyone is a VIP on the MV Smiling Seahorse!
Ocean preservation is very important to us and these "special expeditions" are an integral part of our sustainability strategy.
We promote responsible diving, low impact tourism and also reduce/ reuse/ recycle as much as we can and offer (refillable) organic, reef friendly amenities onboard such as Reef friendly Soap, Shampoo and hair conditioner. We are proud to represent Thailand on Swim with Mantas "Responsible Operator Wall of Fame".
Our boat, MV Smiling seahorse, was built by and for divers and took its maiden voyage in November 2018.
We added all the "little extras" you may want on a new liveaboard: a spacious dive platform, a camera room, lovely lounge areas, a massive sun deck, 8 cabins for only 16 guests all with large windows and doors to the ocean.
We keep dive groups small and organise each group to stagger their diving times to ensure that the already spacious dive deck never has too many divers gearing up together. While your group is ready to jump in for a dive, the next group will be doing safety checks and the following group is still upstairs taking their last sips of water during their dive briefing. Everyone is a VIP on the MV Smiling Seahorse!
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INCLUDED
• Full accommodation and board (Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon bites, Dinner) • All soft drinks, drinking water, fresh coffee & tea • Fresh fruits, yogurt & snacks all-day • 12 L scuba tank, Weights & Weight Belt • PADI Professional Dive Guide (for up to 4 divers) • up to 29 Dives • Towels, reef-friendly amenities • Sea kayak and hammock |
NOT INCLUDED
• Marine Park Fee * 4,000-THB / diver *subject to government's change *subject to change without prior notice • PERSONAL INSURANCE COMPULSORY • Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes • Equipment rental (600 THB/ day) • Computer rental (300 THB/day) • PADI Courses • Private guide 3,000 THB/day • Nitrox : 250 THB/tank or 5,700 THB for the whole cruise • Optional Black water dive (500thb/ diver) • Photographer coaching or courses • Transfers to and from the boat on-demand (prices) |
Note: This itinerary is provided as sample itinerary and can be modified by The Smiling Seahorse based on weather forecast or other unforeseen circumstances.
The space is limited on this very special expedition! Book early to avoid disappointment!
