Andaman Dive Trip

I really enjoy scuba diving from a liveaboard dive boat. You can really get a lot of diving in at some great dive sites. This past week I flew to Phuket and took a taxi up to Khao Lak. I planned to do one day trip and then board the White Manta for four days of diving in the Andaman Sea including the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and the very fantastic Richelieu Rock.

This is one of the Similan Islands. The islands are mostly granite with a few lovely beaches here and there. This is called Donald Duck Bay by divers and Ao Guerk by the Thais. There are nine islands in the Similan chain. This is number eight.

Before I headed up to the Similans I did a day trip on this boat. We went out to the Boon Sung wreck, an old tin mining dredge that sunk not far offshore. It's a great place to dive as it has become a real creature magnet.

There are lots of these Honeycomb Moray Eels.

Quite a few cuttlefish.

Dozens and dozens of colorful Nudibranchs.

More Lionfish than you could possibly count.

That night I boarded the White Manta. This is a new, purpose-built liveaboard dive boat. One of the nicest I've seen.

The next morning we awoke to this beautiful Andaman sunrise.

Lots more creatures to see, including this Banded Sea Krate, a sea snake that breathes air.

This is Elephant Head Rock. Nice dive site.

This Sun Star, a type of Brittle Star, waved its arms about furiously.

It was wonderful to see this yellow seahorse.

Lots more photos of the trip here: Andaman Dive Trip

Here's a short video of some courting cuttlefish.