My Similan - Dec 2007

[kthan]

this is a bit of a late posting.....

Went Similan in early Dec with one sole purpose - Mantas. For those who are planning for your first trip there, this is my personal review: The diving is generally good, although if one is based in Singapore, there are comparable or better dive sites to go to at similar costs but better accessibility (in terms of finally reaching the dive sites and not just Phuket). The Similan Islands are great for someone venturing out of West Malaysia for the first time. The only highlight of a LOB to that area is Koh Richelieu. IT stands head and shoulders above all the dive sites, regardless of Mantas / whalesharks or not. I will definitely return to Richelieu Rocks and if the boat can skip Similan Islands, all the better. What the area has in abundance are morays, glassfish and scorpionfish. The corals are healthy and none bears a better testament than R-rocks.

Didn't shoot any macros on this trip. Water clarity could have been better but still didn;t manage to get any streaking sunbursts despite numerous attempts. Think i need a course on that !

Anyway, here are the phots......

 

[kthan]

 

[kthan]

 

[kthan]

 

[kthan]

and my personal fav:

if only she looked me in the eye. Goes to show that good photos are 70% patience (luck) , 25% preparation and 5% skill.

 

[chubbyman]

makes me want to go back to dive again!

Great pictures! .... going to be a father soon .. so fins have to hung up for a while .. :sweatsm:

 

[lovells19]

Yes i agree.. richelieu rock is definately worth the rocky seas and wasted dinners to go to.

I really miss the place!

 

[howeikwok]

Yes i agree.. richelieu rock is definately worth the rocky seas and wasted dinners to go to.

I really miss the place!

Damn the 2 times i went similans the boat didn't make it up to richelieu due to bad weather. :dunno:

 

[chubbyman]

the last time i went, we saw mantas at Richeliue Rock, .. it was amazing .. as the manta swam right at us, and zoom up in front of you showing their flat white bellies ....

those were the days! :cry:

 

[Zippsy]

So mantas? Where got? Just some stupid whaleshark and a bunch of other fish.

Actually, I found Koh Bon much better than Richelieu Rocks for marine life, particularly the many mantas, but I guess it is just what you see when you are there that sets your opinion.

 

[kthan]

no mantas this trip, so it is a small disappointment.........the guide was surprised when he asked me what i hoped to see after seeing my rig and i said "nothing". only here to shoot mantas.......so no mantas = lousy guide. hahahhaha.

he had a good time diving with us becos none in my group were interested in what he was trying to show us - morays, lionfish, whaleshark and a bunch of other fish.....he was happily snapping away with his digicam. tough lah, bloody pampered singaporeans. Also haven't been diving for a while so air consumption was really bad on the first 2 days......the ladies easily lasted additional 15 min and still with at least 70 bar upon surfacing......said not much else to see except morays, morays and more morays........

i am still looking for my very own manta pictures.

 

[kthan]

for the record, the "better" dive sites to go as compared to Similan Islands are:

1. macro - anilao, lembeh, Puerto Gelara, Mabul, Bali
2. Mantas - Bali, Sangalaki, (ok Phuket too, ie Hin Daeng and Koh Bon), Maldives
3. Whalesharks - Sogod Bay definitely
4. Walls - Manado, Sipadan, Maratua, Layang Layang, Southern Leyte, Bali

note: some may not be better, but cheaper and/or easier to get to and defintiely comparable (except Richelieu Rocks).
For Similan Islands, the travelling in consideration is SIN-Phuket by air, (optional Khao Lak via 2 hr road), Similan by LOB. Pretty much the same as most dive sites, except Sangalaki and Layang Layang which require 2 flights.

 

[kthan]

So mantas? Where got? Just some stupid whaleshark and a bunch of other fish.

Actually, I found Koh Bon much better than Richelieu Rocks for marine life, particularly the many mantas, but I guess it is just what you see when you are there that sets your opinion.

my ideal LOB off Phuket would be 3D3N to Richelieu Rocks and Koh Bon, skipping Similan Islands all together

 

[eudon]

Eric,

For Mantas, i think you left out Maldives. Mantas at Manta point near Male, and Rashadoo (sp?) atoll. When i went in 2006, our group was reef hooked in next to a school of 7 Mantas stationary in strong currents getting cleaned. We had to duck to avoid touching them. It was surreal.

Maldives are great for Whaleshark too. And Hammerheads if you go early in the year and are lucky!

Same photos in my link in my sig below.

 

[kthan]

MAldives for Mantas....totallly agree. edited as advised

 

[sytsou]

Dude... very nice pix
Just saw them again after registering..

 

[kthan]

Dude... very nice pix
Just saw them again after registering..

buy yr wife the camera and ask her to get u the housing..........