Snorkeling the Surin Islands with Go2Similan Dive Center

The Surin Islands is a group of 4 tropical islands, of which 1 is accessible  for tourists. The scenery is beautiful, with sandy beaches and crystal clear blue green waters. Tropical fishes, turtles and much more to see. For people who look for a more quiet place, Surin Islands is the place to be. Shallow waters with great snorkeling and nice small sandy beaches to relax.

Phi Phi Island Green Season day trip

Phi Phi Island Green Season day trip
www.go2similan.com

A nice full day trip where we give you the chance to not just scuba dive or snorkel but we also show you Phi Phi Islands from the sea – the most beautiful way to see to see Koh Phi Phi from Khao Lak.

We started nice and relaxed with a drive from Khao Lak down to Phuket where the big comfortable boat – our floating hotel for the day - was leaving from. 

After a nice buffet style breakfast we sat up our dive equipment so we were ready to jump when we got to our fist dive site Bida Nok the most southern of the 6 Islands in Koh Phi Phi National Marine Park and one of my favorite dive sites in Thailand with a great verity in both colorful marine life and corals.

We decent in a shallow bay where we almost jump down on a Reef Octopus blending so well into the corals I took my guests a while to spot it. A true master of disguise. Schools of snappers, fusiliers are all around us while we look for Rays and Eels hiding in the crystal clear waters – we had more than 20m visibility on this sunny day. 

While we were making our way cross the finger reef we hover with a resident turtle for a while before we descended into the deeper waters on the west side of Bid Nok to look for Leopard Sharks sleeping the day away in the sandy patches. 

No luck on the Leopard Sharks on this day but we found some pretty cool Rays hiding the sand and a few Peacock Mantis Shrimps out looking for food. Working our way up to shallower waters we had Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Pufferfish, Trumpetfish, Triggerfish and lots more of the different colorful reef fish you find in Koh Phi Phi National Marine Park swam happily around us. 

Coming up to shallower waters we started seeing shoals of Trevally and Barracudas – the hunting mafia of the reefs - looking for a snack. As we were getting hungry and low on air we went for shallow waters looking for Nudibranchs, Shrimps and other critters on our swimming safety stop.

Lunch, leisure time and cold drinks to rehydrate made our surface interval a sweet short break in the famous Maya Bay where the movie The Beach was filmed – Leonardo DiCaprio had left - but it’s still one of the most stunning bays in Thailand.

Second dive we went to look for Black Tip Reef Sharks in the best place in all of Thailand to look for these magnificent sharks on Palong Wall at the West side of Koh Phi Phi  Leh the second largest Island in Koh Phi Phi National Marine Park. 

Hiding between rocks we had luck and saw more than 20 Black tips cruising around us in only 12m of water. These beauties are always a breathtaking sight and when you are hiding well enough - you see them cursing by within a few meters. 

You have to stay still course if they see you they will take off with the speed of lightening shy as they are. The rest of the dive we spend exploring the reef where you find an abundance of Scorpion Fish, Nudibranchs, 

Flatworms, Shrimps, Crabs and other critters in the cracks of the limestone. I almost bumped my head into 3 Cuttlefish dancing a mating dance so we hovered with them for a while admiring the spectacular show of changing colors only within touching range.

Our surface interval was spend eating fresh tropical fruit and rehydrating on our way back towards Phuket where we were going to div Phuket Shark Point half way between Phi Phi Island and Phuket.

We were only boat on Phuket Shark Point this afternoon and I was eager to get in the water to see if we could be lucky to find a Leopard Shark. So quickly in the water and out on the sand patches but again we weren’t in luck with the Leopard Sharks. 

I was lucky to find a few Rays and a Peacock Flounder hiding in the sand though. 3 different kinds of Moray Eels and heaps of Lionfish caught my eye on the way up to find the resident Yellow Tail Seahorse hiding at the base of one of the many Giant Sea Fans scattered around the pinnacles of Phuket Shark Point. 

Looking in the cracks and crates I spotted an Ornate Ghost Pipefish - also from the Seahorse Family - hovering head down in the colorful soft corals that covers major parts of the dive site.  

Nemo and other Clownfish swim happily around in the plentiful Magnificent Anemones spread out on Phuket Shark Point. Running low on bottom time on this 3^rd dive of the day we spend a while in the shallow light full waters enjoying the bright colors you find on both fish and corals in the shallow waters anywhere in Thailand.

Watching the sun setting over Phuket Island behind the Big Buddha Statue while we were served pancakes was just a perfect view to end up a good day of diving in some of the best dive sites we have in our Green Season where Similan and Surin National Marine Parks are closed for both day trips and liveaboard safaris to give the reefs and marine life a chance to rest.

Relaxing and taking a nap to recharge before dinner the trip back to Khao Lak was over before we knew it. A great day of private guiding for Go2Similan was as always a great day of diving.

Koh Tachai – Day trip from Khao Lak

Koh Tachai – Day trip from Khao Lak.
www.go2similan.com

2 ways to get to my favorite dive site in Thailand – today it’s a daytrip to Koh Tachai from Khao Lak - and the other way is liveaboard safari starting from Khao Lak as well. Koh Tachai is not one of the 9 Similan Islands but the most northern Island still within Similan National Marine Park.

My favorite dive site due to the diversity of marine life found here. It’s extraordinary even for The Similans with the amount of fish you see here. All the corals are in pristine condition and great in numbers and diversity like the fish. I could dive here 4 times a day when on liveaboard and still love every dive.

First dive we go north of the main Pinnacle where not too many guides go. Away from the crowd to see if we can find a something big in the deep sandy patches. We are lucky to find the biggest Jenkin’s Whip Ray I have ever seen. 

Must have been almost 2m between the wingtips and she didn’t mind us at all so we got VERY close and left her sitting there after spending a few min taking in the beauty of one of the world’s biggest bottom dwelling rays.

Crystal clear waters as always at The Similan with huger Marble Groupers swimming between the rocks and lots of colorful reef fish all around us. Back to Koh Tachai main Pinnacle to do our safety stop looking down on all the action awaiting us on the second dive.

Second dive we stay on the main Pinnacle where we enjoy the swim troughs and look for macro life. I spot Ornate Ghost Pipefish, Cleaner Pipefish and a few colorful Nudibranchs. On our way up we drop by Batfish Rock and we swim close to the Longfin Batfish while Giant- and Bluefin Trevally are hunting around and above us. 

On our safety stop a big shoal of Chevron Barracuda were circling magically around us with the sun right in the middle just like on a National Geographic photo.

At the surface I think about how nice it would have been being on a liveaboard trip and do a sunset dive here on my favorite Similan dive site as well. Going back to Khao Lak for a nice dinner is only next best choice for me. 

Similan National Marine Park has so much to offer and a liveaboard trip is the best way to see more of it in a few days and still have time to see all the other attractions around Khao Lak.

On the way back my divers are already planning their next trip to Thailand and this time back to Khao Lak and do a whole liveaboard safari – they are hooked on The Similans just like me.

New website

Dear Future Customers, Current Customers, Friends and Business Partner.

Go2Similan Diving & Snorkeling Center is pleased to announce the release of our new website www.go2similan.com designed with a fresh new look and user-friendly navigation, updated with the latest information about our products and services. 

The updated product pages contain information about existing and new products. You can now find elaborated info about Diving, Snorkeling, PADI Courses, Liveaboard Trips and Equipment such as Dry bags, fins, masks, snorkels, rashguards all from top brands like Aqualung, Tusa, Cressi , Mares and Scubapro, all under the same roof.

You will be able to review the tech specs of the products, watch the related videos and read the most updated news about our tours .

One of our main goals was to build a user-friendly and simple to navigate site. The new design allows the users to quickly find the contents thanks to its low hierarchical structure.

We hope that you will enjoy browsing our new site, finding more options and information each time, and that it will be yet another tool for strengthening our business relations.

Facts: Queen Angelfish

The queen angelfish gets its name from the crown-like ring on its head. Its diet consists mostly of sponges and algae.

Photograph courtesy Chris Huss/NOAA

Queen Angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris)

Queen angelfish get their royal title from the speckled, blue-ringed black spot on their heads that resembles a crown.
Decked out with electric blue bodies, blazing yellow tails, and light purple and orange highlights, Queen angels are among the most strikingly colorful of all reef fishes. Their adornments seem shockingly conspicuous, but they blend well when hiding amid the exotic reef colors.
They are shy fish, found either alone or often in pairs in the warm waters of the Caribbean and western Atlantic. Fairly large for reef-dwellers, they can grow up to 18 inches (45 centimeters) in length. They have rounded heads and small beak-like mouths, and, like other angelfish, their long upper and lower fins stream dramatically behind them.
Their diet consists almost entirely of sponges and algae, but they will also nibble on sea fans, soft corals, and even jellyfish.
Queen angels are close relatives of the equally striking blue angelfish. In fact, these two species are known to mate, forming natural hybrids, a very rare occurrence among angelfish.
They are widely harvested for the aquarium trade, but are common throughout their range and have no special protections or status.

 

Facts: Triggerfish

Triggerfish are infamous for their nasty attitude and this behavior is especially evident around nests, where intruders, from other fish to human divers, are likely to be charged or bitten.

Photograph by Georgie Holland, Photolibrary

Triggerfish (Balistidae)

The 40 species of triggerfish are scattered throughout the world’s seas and are familiar to divers and aquarium aficionados. Largest of all is the stone triggerfish, which reaches up to 3.3 feet (1 meter) long, found in the Eastern Pacific from Mexico to Chile.
These bottom dwellers dig out prey, such as crabs and worms, by flapping away debris with their fins and sandblasting with water squirted from their mouths. They also use very tough teeth and jaws to take on sea urchins, flipping them over to get at their bellies, which are armed with fewer spines. Triggerfish wreak such havoc on less fortunate reef dwellers that smaller fish often follow them to feast on their leftovers.
The Balistidae family takes its common name from a set of spines the fish use to deter predators or to “lock” themselves into holes, crevices, and other hiding spots. The system can be "unlocked" by depressing a smaller, “trigger” spine.
Triggerfish tend to be solitary but meet at traditional mating grounds according to timetables governed by moons and tides. The males of many species appear to establish territories on these spawning grounds and prepare seafloor nests that will house tens of thousands of eggs. Females share care of the eggs until they hatch, blowing water on them to keep them well supplied with oxygen. In some species males are known to maintain a harem of female mates.
Triggerfish are infamous for their nasty attitude and this behavior is especially evident around nests, where intruders, from other fish to human divers, are likely to be charged or bitten.
Triggerfish are attractive animals and some species have become too popular for their own good. They are sought for the aquarium trade, which has prompted fishermen to gather even threatened species from the wild. Researchers are working to raise triggerfish in captivity so that wild populations might more likely be left alone.

 

Facts: Seahorse

 

 Seahorses use their prehensile tails to grab onto sea grasses and corals.

Photograph by George Grall

 

Seahorse (Hippocampus)

Seahorses are truly unique, and not just because of their unusual equine shape. Unlike most other fish, they are monogamous and mate for life. Rarer still, they are among the only animal species on Earth in which the male bears the unborn young.
Found in shallow tropical and temperate waters throughout the world, these upright-swimming relatives of the pipefish can range in size from 0.6 inches (1.5 centimeters) to 14 inches (35 centimeters) long.
Male seahorses are equipped with a brood pouch on their ventral, or front-facing, side. When mating, the female deposits her eggs into his pouch, and the male fertilizes them internally. He carries the eggs in his pouch until they hatch, then releases fully formed, miniature seahorses into the water.
Because of their body shape, seahorses are rather inept swimmers and can easily die of exhaustion when caught in storm-roiled seas. They propel themselves by using a small fin on their back that flutters up to 35 times per second. Even smaller pectoral fins located near the back of the head are used for steering.
They anchor themselves with their prehensile tails to sea grasses and corals, using their elongated snouts to suck in plankton and small crustaceans that drift by. Voracious eaters, they graze continually and can consume 3,000 or more brine shrimp per day.
Population data for most of the world’s 35 seahorse species is sparse. However, worldwide coastal habitat depletion, pollution, and rampant harvesting, mainly for use in Asian traditional medicine, have made several species vulnerable to extinction.