Manta Queen 7, Trip No. 41
On the 14th of December 2015 our Manta Queen 7 Liveaboard left Khao Lak habour with a group of very keen and excited divers.
We awoke surrounded by the tropical beauty the Similan Islands and the crystal clear water. We started off the day with a dive at Anitas Reef where we enjoyed the beautiful coral bommies around which millions of glass fish gathered and we saw plenty of garden eels and blue spotted sting rays in the sand. Dive two was at West of Eden where we visited the resident spearing mantis shrimp and ribbon eels. We then headed off towards a dive site called Deep Six where we enjoyed a lovely introduction to the huge granite boulder diving the Similan Islands are famous for. To end the day off, we plunged into Hideaway Bay for a night dive where we enjoyed plenty of moray eels and shrimps becoming active for the night.
Day two started with two beautiful dives at the famous Elephant Head Rock, where we enjoyed seeing a big marble ray, plenty of blue spotted sting rays and some groups even got to see a black tip reef shark. We then headed towards Christmas Point where some groups got to see a white tip reef shark and the mysterious napoleon wrasse. To end a good day of diving we plunged into the water once more at Whale Back Rock where we saw loads of blue spotted sting rays.
Day three started with a stunning dive at North point where a few groups were lucky enough to see a leopard shark. We then headed towards Koh Bon Island and dove the Westridge twice, where we saw plenty of sea snakes, octopus and napoleon wrasse. We then headed towards Koh Tachai Island where we dove the Dome and we enjoyed all the fish action a sunset dive has to offer.
Day four started with another dive at Koh Tachai and then we headed off towards Richelieu Rock where we enjoyed the various marine life it has to offer. We saw schools of barracuda, snappers, frog fish, nudibranches, sea horse and pipe fish. For the sunset dive we headed back towards Koh Tachai where some groups enjoyed being engulfed by a school of barracuda at the reef, while others enjoyed the beautiful coral gardens, octopus and morays and the Dome.
On the last day, our first dive was at Hin Luang where we visited the resident stonefish called Stewie and got a lovely show from an octopus swimming around. Some divers, we're lucky enough to see a Manta Ray. Dive two was at Koh Bon Westridge again where we enjoyed our last dive in the Similan National Marine Park before heading back towards Thai mainland. On the way back we stopped one last time to dive the Boonsung Wreck where we saw loads of moray eels, cuttle fish, nudibranches, blue spotted sting rays, scorpion fish, lionfish, puffer fish and juvenile barracuda. Very happy, but tired we headed back towards Khao Lak Scuba Adventures after a very successful trip with a great group of people.
Congratulations to Alejandro for completing his PADI Open Water Course with instructor Carlota and Jane for completing her PADI Advanced Open Water Course with instructor Earl.
Thanks to you all and look forward to seeing you all again soon aboard the Manta Queen Fleet powered by Khao Lak Scuba Adventures, PADI 5 Star IDC
