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Bangkok & Around Andaman Sea Gulf of Thailand Northern Northeastern |
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Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Koh Surin North of the Similan Islands lie Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, the Surin Islands,
and Richelieu Rock. All of these areas offer world class diving that differs from the Similans in many ways,
and should be part of any serious divers' itinerary.
Koh Bon is located about 20 kilometers north of Koh Similan and features a 33 meters wall facting a small cove,
and a step down ridge that carries on to depths of over 50 meters. How to get there: Boats can be chartered or individually booked from serveral dive companies in Phuket, or from Thap Lamu and Khao Lak just north of Phuket in Phangnga province. Tourism Authority of Thailand. |
Leopard Sharks are common on the flat areas of the ridge and on the sandy plane below the wall. Although the soft corals are not
as luch as they are in Similans, the colors are radically different are include shades of turquoise, yellow and blue, besides the
more common pinks and purples. Koh Bon is one of the better places in the Andaman Sea to see mantarays.
Twenty-five kilometers north, Koh Tachai features and offshore underwater ridge and is considerd to be one of the finest dives in the region.
It has become famous as a reef to see larger animals such as rays, leopard sharks, turtles, and especially whale shark. Tachai also boasts of
one of the finest beaches in the Kingdom.
![](http://www.geocities.com/smilesland/gifts/"surin4.jpg")
The surin Islands ,although visiter by serval dive operators from Phuket, are more
appropriately famous for their beatiful coves, bays and dense jungle than they are for their diving. Although it can be a great spot to see unusual
marine life such as frog fish and ghost pipe fish, most operators rarely diving here.
The reason for visiting this area so far north is a small submerged rock about 18 kilometers east of Surin. Richelieu Rock,
although from the surface seemingly insignificant, rates as one of the best places in the world of swimming with our gentle giant, the whale shark.
Encunters with these fish the largest of all fish are extremely rare almost any place. for some reason, however, Richelieu attracts them regularly and is
one of the best places in the world to dive with whale sharks in clear water. Sincerely, over the past 10 years it has become common-yes, common to swim with two
or three animals for long periods of time on a single dive.
Besides the apperance of the whale shark, Richelieu Rock offers lush soft corals,
large schools of pelagic fish, as well as countless small organisms clinging to the rock. Octopus and cuttlefish are abundant. Finally, the ray shark and the bow mouth quitar shark,
two very weird looking animals, are seen regularly. If you are one of those divers who has seen it all, then you're going to love Richelieu.
For the divers looking at a world class diving trip, the northwest triangle of Thailand's Andaman Sea is see must.