Thailand: Similan Islands
These nine small islands have a reputation as one of the world's top ten dive destinations. Largely because they offer a great variety of marine life. Aside from coral walls and deep dives with huge sea fans, barrel sponges, and big fish, the bottom topography is also
fantastic. Large granite boulders overgrown with coral and algae lie jumbled together all the way from the surface to 40 meters (132 ft.) and below, providing many interesting
swim-through, canyons, archways and caves. The Similans also have a rich variety and abundance of reef fish. Deep water creatures like manta rays and whale sharks also visit the area, particularly in season from February to early May when nutrient-rich water cause planctonic blooms. The visibility ranges between 15 and 40 meters (50 - 132 ft.), and shallow coral in blue water at white, sandy beaches are the perfect surrounding for snorkeling or relaxed sunbathing.
Thailand: Koh Bon, Koh Tachai & Richelieu Rock
Further up north, some extraordinary dive
sites invite the adventurous diver to unforgettable underwater excursions.
Richelieu Rock is an outstanding dive site about 10 miles south-east of
Surin. This pinnacle is worldwide known as THE WHALESHARK MAGNET. The
plankton concentration here is often very high and thus, the amount and
variety of fish and coral is bigger than anywhere else at Thailand's west
coast. Even the dinosaur-like looking 'ray shark' is seen here -
transforming Richelieu Rock to a Jurassic Park under water!
Located halfway between Surin and Similan, Koh
Tachai and Koh Bon offer brilliant dives with many soft coral and schools
of large tuna and barracudas. The main attraction of Koh Tachai is a huge
underwater reef with big boulders, sea fans and swim-through.
Koh Bon is the ultimate spot for deep dives, as the impressing reefs and walls drop down to depths of more than 45 meters (150 ft.) in the crystal clear, blue water. Also manta rays are frequently sighted in this area.
 TOP
Burma: Mergui Archipelago
Finally, the Burmese authorities pulled the curtain and opened up this amazing archipelago to foreigners. The Mergui Archipelago contains more than 800 islands and stretches over 10.000 square miles.
In times when remote-controlled robots are discovering planet Mars it almost sounds like a fairy tale: The Mergui Archipelago is one of the world's last areas which has never before been explored by divers.
The port of Mergui was the main gate to the gulf of Siam in the 17th century and acts of piracy were rampant, as all passing traders had to come into the port.
Mergui Archipelago seems to have passed our computerized civilization without notice and still contains the spirit of the old days. The diver will find untouched reefs, sharks, big fish and an endless variety of coral.
Uninhabited islands, white sandy beaches and the mystic jungle of the Mergui Archipelago are waiting to be explored - by you!
Twin Islands, Northern and Western Rocky, Black Rock, Torres Islands, Tower Rock
The bay of South Twin Island contains three dive spots with an average depth of 16 metres (53 ft). Large boulders, covered with elk and staghorn coral are home for the whole spectrum of reef fish. Further away, big schools of jacks, tuna and trevallies pass the blue. The wide plateau of
North Twin Island starts at 20 metres (66 ft.) with clusters of seafans, building a safe haven for the colourful inhabitants. Curious, small white tip reef sharks and barracudas are guiding the diver along this outstanding reef.
A great observation station for divers is the barren, submerged pinnacle of
Western Rocky, which is rises from 40 to 20 metres (132- 66 ft.). Whitetips and big triggerfish are playing cat-and-mouse between geometrically shaped boulders which are characteristic for this area. Big stingrays are found here also as they flourish at almost every dive spot of the Mergui Archipelago.
Plenty of grey reef and blacktip sharks are calling the Northern Rocky their home. Parrotfish and wrasse are found in a vast mixture of soft coral, sea fans, gorgonians and hardcoral. This exciting and mind dazzling drop off ends at 50 metres (165 ft.) and is one of Mergui's top spots for big fish encounters.
Black Rock is where anything can happen - anything to do with fish, that is. You might see Leopard Sharks dancing a graceful ballet just for you or Manta Rays enjoying the sensation as your bubbles tickle their mighty wings. Grey Reef Sharks roam around the rock as shoals of Barracuda and Trevali form great spirals nearby. Smaller fish abound too, Frog Fish, Devil Scorpion Fish, all the way down to countless varieties of tiny Nudibranches.
Little Torres: these four islands south of the Great Western Torres offer beautiful dive sites with good visibility and mild currents. At the depths of 18 to 25 meters you will experience a diverse landscape of giant boulders, table corals and soft corals, gorgonian fans and sea whips. This wonderful coral garden is also an excellent place to see both sharks and rays.
Tower Rock, located on the north-west side of Prinsep Island is a place you won't want to miss! You will find towering walls cascading down into whole cities of underwater boulders covered with soft corals that partially conceal many enticing swimthroughs. The variety of marine life is never-ending with Grey Reef and Nurse sharks and schoals of Devil Rays cruise beneath your fins as you make your safety stop. Here the best night dives in the Mergui Archipelago introduce you to Ghost Pipefish, juvenile Batfish and too many invertebrates to name them all.
TOP
Burma Banks
The Burma Banks are a collection of elevated shelves sitting in a depth exceeding 300m (1000 ft.). The top of the banks rise to within 15-24m (50-80 ft.) of the surface. Reef fish are plentiful, but the real thrill of diving here is watching out for whatever might emerge from the deep blue.
The remoteness of the Burma Banks means that oceanic visitors are common, with almost everything like silvertips, whitetips, grey and nurse sharks, while oceanic visitors include hammerheads. On occasion Mantas circle around the banks, filtering plankton in the nutrient rich water.
Indonesia
The Indonesia Archipelago contains 17.508 islands from which a big percentage yet remains completely unexplored by divers. The outstanding beauty of North Sulawesi's islands and reefs will impress even the most experienced diver. Surrounded by rainforest and coconut trees, huge volcanoes are touching the clouds, with some of them reaching over 6.000 feet. Reef flats surround the tropical islands at an average depth of 15 feet to then suddenly drop straight to depths of up to 3.000 feet.
Active underwater volcanoes dress several reefs in a silver coat of gas bubbles and at night the visible eruptions are reflecting a shiny red onto the sky. Only by looking at sea charts of the Indonesian archipelago, one may imagine what a huge potential in unexpected wonders of nature are waiting here, below and above the water. Once seen, Indonesia will leave a vast collection of unforgettable impressions in a diver's mind. The urge to come back again and explore more of this amazing region is almost inevitable.
Manado, Bunaken, Manado Tua, Montehage and Nain Islands
 This little paradise for divers consists of 5 islands and is located only a few miles north of Manado, the capital city of North Sulawesi and was declared a marine sanctuary in the year 1989. Right in front of Manado, a 180 feet long steel-hulled Dutch merchant ship rests at a depth of 120 feet. The wreck sits on a sandy slope and is easy to dive. Also, the island of Bunaken is only a couple of miles away and surprises the diver with an unbelievable diversity of dive sites. From fringing reefs with sloping sand bottom over terrace-shaped formations to deep drop-offs… everything can be found here. The walls are mainly covered with all different kinds of sponge and stone coral.
 Bunaken alone features more than 14 dive sites. The best divesites at Bunaken are: Mandolin, Mike's Point, Sachiko's and Lekuan 3. The full spectrum of tropical
reef fish aside, you will find big schools of tuna, jacks and trevallies as well as stingrays, whitetip reef sharks and turtles.
 Manado Tua, or "old Manado", is a dormant volcano jutting up just west of Bunaken. The two best dive sites are Muka Geraja and Tanjung Kopi, both are wall dives with a nice mixture of marine life and a cave. Sharks, barracuda and huge Napoleon wrasse are ruling these waters. The dive sites around Montehage and Nain are fringing reefs with sandy bottom, featuring large terrace coral formations. Nain is a small island, which is surrounded by a blue lagoon. Both islands are perfect for
snorkeling.
Takulandang, Ruang and Makalehi Islands
Like pearls on a string, more islands stretch further afield into northern direction. The main attraction of the islands Takulandang and Ruang is a breathtaking scenery, caused by a constant lava flow. Makalehi and its surrounding reefs allow at least three outstanding dives. Big fish encounters, including sharks, are common here. Due to the geographical features of Makalehi, a land visit reveals the beauty and wonders of Indonesia's rainforest. One of them is the so called "Tarsier" (Tarsius Syrichta): It is the world's smallest primate, measuring 2,6 inches and he is featured on the list of protected species.
Siau and Sanggaloang Islands
The island Siau accommodates the most active volcano of this region. An overnight stay on board close to the volcano island will recall memories of Jules Verne's novels. The glowing red eruptions, in combination with the caused background sound, will carve impressions into a visitor's mind that even photo and video can't reproduce. Further up north, a group of smaller islands called Sanggaloang can be found. The divesites here are a healthy mix of fringing reefs and drop offs. The majority of the reefs are covered with beautiful soft coral and gorgonia. Large stingrays, whitetip reef sharks and big schools of barracuda and mackerel can be observed here.
Mahangetang Underwater Volcano and Para Island
 The active Underwater Volcano Mahangetang immerses the surrounding reefs in a curtain of silver gas bubbles, designing a bizarre, yet unknown underwater scenery. At night, the eruptions illuminate the water with orange circles of light. Night dives within the Mahangetang Region rank with the best worldwide, as such a concentration of diverse nature phenomena can be found nowhere else on earth.
 Para Island is encircled by crystal clear and blue lagoons thus, it is one of the most exotic landscapes within the Sangihe Archipelago. Four smaller islands and submerged reefs are surrounding Para Island. Various species of shark and big marlins are to be seen here often. The reefs offer an interesting repertoire of stone and soft coral, as well as extremely large sponges of various shape and color.
Sangihe and Lipang Islands
 The largest and dominant island of the North Sulawesi Archipelago is Sangihe with it's own harbor and irregular ferry connection to Manado. Sangihe is the last port before the connective stretch of islands is leading to the Philippines. Countless islands surround Sangihe and the island's volcano, which is over 6.000 feet high. The divesites consist mainly of steep walls, plunging to over 4.000 feet. Books could be filled with a list of the pelagic fish that can be encountered in Sangihe, but also the macro lover will find his Eldorado here. The small island Lipang is located north of Sangihe, at the very border of the Celebes Basin with it's abyss measuring 15.000 feet. Besides schools of napoleon wrasse also hammerhead sharks pass along occasionally.
Dalam, Kawalusu, Kawio to Talaud Islands
Dalam, Kawalusu and Kawio are almost completely submerged and also touch the border of the Celebes Basin. The dive sites here are completely unexplored. The natives of Talaud announce proudly that big schools of sharks and rays are common here and that they are part of their daily life. The treasures of nature, which are waiting here can just be imagined. Hundreds of small and medium sized islands are scattered around Talaud like stones, thrown by the hand of god. This mysterious region is waiting to be pioneered by Genesis Liveaboards, are you in?
TOP
|
