Similans Northern Islands Liveaboard

[jonniebkk]

Just completed a 3n4d liveaboard to the northern similans and richelieu rock. overall unimpressive. this is my 4 or 5th similans liveaboard over the past 8 years. the boat service and crew were fine (PM me if want specific details on the ship and liveaboard experience). this review will focus on the divesites themselves. the only divesites worth getting geared-up for were the day spent at richelieu (3 dives) and the single dive at the boonsoon wreck on the way back to tab lamu port.

all the other sites were nothing much more than bombed-out coral rubble reefs with only a smattering of interesting marine life. ko tachai was quite booring and ko tachai pinnacle was also a wash-out. didn't see too much marine life on the trip but many many thai fishing boats were in evidence (humm...maybe a connection here). not a single shark or turtle seen the entire trip. richelieu rock was full of life and the boonsoon wreck was covered in interesting marine life.

my recommnedation for a diver would be to do a day-trip charter to richilue and/or the boonsoon wreck and forget the other sites.

[Bowmouth]

Just completed a 3n4d liveaboard to the northern similans and richelieu rock. overall unimpressive.

...all the other sites were nothing much more than bombed-out coral rubble reefs with only a smattering of interesting marine life.

Although it is true that commercial fishing is still going on within the boundaries of the Similan (and Surin) Marine National Park it is NOT true that dynamite fishing is going on. The reefs of the Similan (and Surin) islands haven't been dynamited for at least 10 years and I dare say probably longer than that.

It's sad to hear you didn't enjoy your trip. Maybe the divecrew on your liveaboard were newbies and dropped you off at the wrong spots? There are some VERY nice reef and boulder dives in the Similans with LOTS of soft and hard corals and plenty of marinelife.

[jonniebkk]

I don't disagree that there are some nice sites in the Similans. This tour didn't really touch one this area as was a "northern islands" tour. Company is one of the longest serving and best in the Andamen but even they can't show you something that isn't there.

Overall, the diving in Thailand is very unimpressive unfortunately. I didn't mention, but in 4 days (10 dives) no one spotted a single shark or turtle (gives one an idea of how badly over-fished Thai waters are).

Only reason it survives is all the tourisit that come to Phuket...otherwise, wouldn't even be on the international diving circuit.

[Bowmouth]

Overall, the diving in Thailand is very unimpressive unfortunately. I didn't mention, but in 4 days (10 dives) no one spotted a single shark or turtle (gives one an idea of how badly over-fished Thai waters are).

Sharks are indeed not all that common (anymore) in Thai waters with the exception of zebra (leopard) and white tip reef sharks. Hawksbill turtles are often seen on various sites in the Similans and Surin National Marine Parks.

I wouldn't say though that because there aren't lots of sharks and turtles around the diving is bad or unimpressive. There are LOTS of cool creatures around including frog fishes, tigertail seahorses, harlequin shrimps, spindle cowries, a great variety of nudi's and flatworms, jawfish, ornate and robust ghostpipe fishes, moray eels, hinchbeak and cleaner shrimps, porcelain crabs, octopi, true estuarine and reef stonefish, pharao cuttle fish and at various sites good to very good schooling fish. Also, every year at some sites we have consistant manta ray sightings and the odd whaleshark for the lucky diver. Last year at Ko Ha a pair of Rhinopias were found and one can easily say that those fish are some of the most rare and unusual critters to be found anywhere in the world.

If you want sharks and turtles you better take a trip to Cocos Island, Wolf or Darwin in the Galapagos, the Bahamas or Tahiti.