Nekton

Covering an area of more than 38,695 sq. kms, the Kingdom of Thailand has 74 National parks evenly distributed throughout the country. Encompassing every type of topography, from mountain scenery in the north to coastal mangroves in the south, a number of the parks around the southern coastlines are among the world's top diving destinations.

With an extensive range of dive sites and conditions suited to all levels of experience, several of these sites are equally popular as snorkelling destinations. Best of all, not only is there something to suit all tastes but it's also possible to enjoy them year round.

Categorised into two main areas despite their close geographic proximity, the opposing coastlines of the Andaman Sea to the west and the Gulf of Thailand to the east, feature completely different underwater characteristics.

The Gulf of Thailand

Sub-divided into two main areas, the preferred diving destinations are, firstly, the islands of Koh Tao and the popular Koh Samui, and secondly the Ang Thong National Marine Park, running from north to south to the west of the islands.

Diving
The dive sites are mostly located around the fringing reefs of over two hundred small islets and islands, submerged offshore pinnacles and surrounding clusters of rocks or along the walls of larger rocky outcrops and submerged peaks.

Koh Samui
This island boasts a number of sites around the fringing reefs, including one site accessed directly from the beach. As popular with snorkellers as it is with divers, Chaweng Reef consists mainly of hard corals and marine life that includes many types of parrotfish and wrasse. Smaller residents like nudibranchs, flatworms and cowries are all found here, along with a number of Hermit Crabs.

Sail Rock is accessed by the dive operators on both Koh Samui and Koh Tao and is one of the finest dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand. The main infrastructure of the site drops down to form a tremendous wall dive surrounded by a number of smaller, but equally impressive pinnacles. The walls are heavily encrusted with orange sponges as well as oysters and clams clinging to its craggy surface. The south east face of this dive has a natural chimney eroded into the rock. Whale sharks are often seen here together with many other species.

Koh Tao
There are different types of coral reefs all around the island. Those in deeper waters follow the contours of towering pinnacles and are highlighted by a variety of hard and soft coral species; the most prominent being Black Corals in the form of sea whips and fans. There are also a number of gently sloping reefs that are excellent spots for seeing many different varieties of coral laminates, all equally rich in associated marine life. Among the more popular sites, Chumporn Pinnacles, consists of four completely submerged, interconnecting pinnacles. By contrast, Green Rock is littered with boulders leaning precariously against and on top of one another to form archways, caverns and narrow twisting crevices, some of which are just wide enough to pass through.

While the sheltered bays of Nang Yuan are highly suited to snorkelling and diver training, the eastern facing reefs feature a number of small caves and overhangs that are lairs to a variety of groupers and small stingrays. Shark Island, (Red Rock) has wonderful anemone gardens and table corals interspersed among large flat-topped rocks rich in a colourful multitude of reef fish.

Ang Thong Marine National Park
Hin Nippon and Koh Wao are the top destinations in the Ang Thong Marine National Park. The main features here are large fallen rocks and boulders forming alleyways large enough to pass through. Sheltering among the rocks are impressive schools of large Red and White snappers, Honeycomb and Malabar groupers. Other marine life includes large Barrel sponges and a diverse array of invertebrates and crustaceans.

The Andaman Sea

The dive sites of the Andaman Sea fall into two main categories. The first group of sites are those that are dived as day trips; the second group are those accessed during a multi-day live-aboard excursion. These latter journeys are well worth the effort. As well as the spectacular underwater scenery fringing tropical islands crowned by lush vegetation - including in some instances, prime rain forest - the idyllic sandy beaches provide a welcome break from shipboard living and have appeal to both snorkellers and divers alike.

Day Trip Diving
Shark Point received its name from the high representation of Leopard Sharks found here, but that's not all that there is to see. Consisting of three pinnacles covered at all depths with both hard and soft corals there are many cleaning stations, each with its host cleaning fish and shrimps.

Anemone Reef. This submerged pinnacle is carpeted with sea anemones and numerous species of attendant clown fish. Closer inspection reveals even more symbiotic residents.

The wreck of the King Cruiser Car Ferry is now well advanced in its transition to becoming an artificial reef with the average size of schooling fish on the increase together with a variety of invertebrates concealed in its darker recesses. Koh Dok Mai teems with seafans, sponges and, in the depths, sea whips. The marine life includes reasonably sized moray eels, black banded sea kraits, honeycomb groupers and angelfish. There's also a good chance of seeing Leopard sharks out on the sand and the occasional turtle. Racha Noi is for the more experienced divers seeking larger pelagic action; while the shallows around Racha Yai are ideal for novices and diver training.

Phi Phi Islands
The waters around these islands are also visited by the operators based on Phuket and Krabi, and generally offer good visibility, mild currents and good representations of corals.

The waters off of the eastern face of Nui Bay are shallow and therefore ideal for divers and snorkellers; colourful reef fish flit around sponge encrusted boulders and rocks. The western side of the site drops down to a much greater depth where the wealth of marine life includes moray eels, lionfish, butterfly fish, boxfish, moorish Idols, bannerfish. and angelfish.

Koh Bida Nai and Nok are both admired dive sites. There are many Gorgonian seafans, sea whips and colourful soft corals at all depths. Bearded scorpionfish lie on the rocks and lionfish hover above. This site features Leopard sharks and, on the sand, a variety of blennies and gobies. An added bonus is the occasional sighting of Manta rays and Whale sharks away form all of the reef action.

Krabi
The surrounding waters are absolutely perfect for diver training and a place where divers at every level of experience can appreciate the abundance of radiant soft corals and diverse marine life. There are gentle sloping reefs, caves and exciting swim-throughs, as well as first class snorkelling in easily accessed shallow waters.

The fringing reef of Koh Podah Nai mainly consists of small clusters of staghorn, cauliflower and numerous leaf and plate corals as well as a healthy variety of wrasse and parrotfish in a wide variety of colours. Koh Podah Nok is another great choice for snorkellers, with its 'patch like' corals. The seascape is mostly punctuated with rocks and boulders sprinkled with coral laminates. The major attraction, however, is the large variety of marine life and the many examples of small colourful reef fish, like damsels, parrot and wrasse, which share the waters with reasonably sized Giant clams and fields of sea urchins.

Koh Mae Urai, is definitely for divers! The site features two underwater tunnels penetrating right through the rock and whose walls are graced with clusters of soft corals and small Gorgonian sea fans. The neighbouring site of, Hin Bai Rhlua, features soft coral gardens that make colourful subjects for underwater photographers.

The two islets of Koh See and Koh Haa are exceptional for both coral and the presence of marine life. Immense numbers of juvenile Yellowtail barracudas and fusiliers, schooling in tight formation above and among these submerged pinnacles, give the appearance of a large singular animal. Moorish Idols, too, patrol back and forth around the rocky canyons in large numbers. Blue Spot Ribbontailed Stingrays are often discovered beneath rocky ledges, while Black Banded Sea Snakes, Yellow Margined and Undulated Morays utilise the many nooks and crannies for lairs.

Liveaboard Excursions

Liveaboard diving has flourished, with an enormous selection of boats scheduling regular departures, mostly from Phuket but with one or two based in Krabi and on the island of Phi Phi. Both the vessels and the trips can now be categorised into the style of boat and the destination. With slight variations the routes concentrate on the Similan Islands, although a few go south to the Koh Lanta Marine National Park while others specialise in areas beyond Thai waters such as the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar.

The Southern Route
At Koh Ha Yai, in the Marine Park, the diving mainly takes place along walls and undulating reefs. The largest of the outcroppings features a spectacular cave with two entrances. The westerly entrance is an opening at a depth of five metres that opens up to form two large inner cathedrals with amply lit air spaces rising well above the surface of the water. Hin Muang and Hin Daeng are the highlight of the southern route. The former is a completely submerged collection of rocky pinnacles while, only 500m away, Hin Daeng occasionally breaks the surface. The sites are named, respectively, for the rich gardens of purple sea anemones carpeting the upper surfaces and for the hues of red soft corals. As the only two reef structures in the area, both sites provide excellent opportunities for seeing large numbers of visiting pelagics. Barracudas and a host of large tunas, trevally and jacks are omnipresent and complemented by visits from Whale sharks and Manta rays.

The Similans
Mu Koh Similan Marine National Park is located some 90 km's northwest of Phuket Island and is, quite possibly, the most popular of the live aboard destinations. In general terms, the eastern coastline features gently sloping reefs and drop offs with impressive gardens of anemones and hard and soft corals. The western seascape is quite the opposite. Giant boulders tumble down to depths that, in some instances, exceed 40m. These structures are highlighted by a tremendous miscellany of marine life; colourful reef fishes mingle with all manner of equally exotic - and in some instances 'surreal like' - aquatic creatures, all to be enjoyed in clear waters.

Christmas Point features enormous triangular boulders whose walls and sides are highlighted by radiant soft corals together with leafy, brain, slipper and lip corals. Fantasy Reef, off the western coast of island number eight, consists of large submerged boulders dividing up an otherwise gently undulating seabed, and is an ideal location to watch for pelagics patrolling by in distant waters. Huge gorgonian seafans obstruct interconnecting gullies, places that are frequently patrolled by giant moray eels that live concealed among the mounds of Lesser star corals. Varieties of triggerfish mingle with schools of parrotfish, coral groupers, Indian lionfish and Oriental sweetlips against a backdrop of seafans, sponges, splendid yellow crinoids and myriad soft corals.

Around, Elephant Head the scenery is breathtaking with dives taking you around massive sunken boulders - some measuring over thirty metres - sitting individually or stacked high to form daring swim-throughs of arches, caverns, gullies and tunnels at all depths, including the deepest waters found in the Marine Park.

About forty-six kilometres north of the Similan islands, the island of Koh Bon is also included in the Marine Park and is the perfect place to see Manta rays, Whale Sharks, Leopard sharks as well as a variety of reef sharks.

Further north, in the Mu Koh Surin Marine National Park, is Koh Tachai. Off of the islands southern point, two submerged pinnacles stand proud of the many large boulders and rocks, a good place to observe passing pelagics. To the island's north a shallow reef of small boulders and rocks is obscured by some of the most beautiful corals in the region, a place that swarms with small iridescent reef inhabitants. Clinging to the rocks are good quantities of Gorgonian seafans, featherstars and carpets of sea anemones. If the visibility is not at it's best then there's a good chance that enormous filter feeders like Manta Rays and Whale Sharks will be in the area.

Mu Koh Surin Marine National Park, lays claim to the country's most established coral structures - and to Richelieu Rock, a five pronged semi-submerged site featuring a multitude of spectacular attractions that includes Bearded scorpionfish, moray eels, Long spined sea urchins, shrimps, crabs, colourful nudibranchs and, on occasssion, Tigertail seahorses. Among the radiant Hermetypic corals, common residents include Schooling bannerfish, Blackspot and Humpback snappers, Indian and spotfin lionfish, Moorish idols and Titan triggerfish while close inspection of the rocks reveals a variety of macro life displaying interesting interactions. Richelieu Rock is also renowned for encounters with Whale sharks.

The Future

At present only a very few operators ply the seasonal waters of new and relatively unexplored destinations like Koh Tarutao, in the Andaman Sea, and Koh Losin in the Gulf of Thailand, but the news coming in about these destinations is all positive and has stimulated a growing interest among the diving community. Perhaps, in the very near future, they too will, will be regularly featured destinations on the Thailand diving map.

Paul Lees qualified as an instructor in the UK in 1991. Shortly after he
relocated to Thailand, where he now lives on the island of Phuket. He
has taken pictures in various locations throughout the country, and
dived all of them! His written work and photography regularly appears in
magazines and books Worldwide. He is a   key figure in the Scubaglobe
network.
Tel/Fax: (+66) 76 238560
Mobile:   (+66) 1 846 6267
Email:    paullees@loxinfo.co.th
Web:      http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/7267