Guided by Manta Queen's Spanish stallion Jacobo she quickly aced all the skill modules and soon found her air consumption had improved 100% within just a few dives, easily clocking up 60 minute dives and surfacing with more air than most of the boat!
Congratulations Tara on completing your advanced open water with us
Donald Duck Bay and Koh Chi Perfection
As part of the new 5 night trip (which is already quickly booking out as a popular option for the whole 2014/2015 season) the itinerary also schedules in 2 beach stop offs, the perfect way to fill a surface interval between dives but also an amazing opportunity to take in some of the epic views over the islands and take a heap of postcard perfect pictures!
With sunny skies, calm, clear waters and white sandy beaches both beach stops are becoming a firm highlight of the live aboard experience. Everyone on board couldn’t help but smile as they left sandy footprints on the shores of this beautiful part of the world.
The Similan Islands aren’t simply about the diving!
Underwater Highlights
But despite the beach getaways the highlight is always the underwater fun - something the Similan and Surin Islands is famed for.
As divers tackled the swim throughs at the ever impressive Elephant Head Rock a couple of the groups hit the depths and headed to the outer section of the Thailand diver site. Their patience and determination rewarding by a shark cruising the perimeter, gracefully cutting through the water.
Everyones always stoked to see these amazing creatures patrolling the deep.
The major stand out though came at the West Ridge on Koh Bon. After a couple of dives surrounded by shoaling fish, in near perfect visibility a quick glance to the surface saw a huge silhouette glide into view…a giant manta ray soaking up the morning sun!
Needless to say bubbles of excitement exploded into the water and the group hovered, camera and GoPros at the ready.
An epic creature to spend the morning with and no doubt and experience that the divers will continue chatting about long after they leave Thailand.
And it’s just the beginning of the season too! With mantas and whalesharks already making an appearance it’s shaping up to be an incredible few months of diving in the Simians - so get your spot secured on one of our 3, 4 or even 5 night trips and avoid missing out!