Clockwise: Me all set to go, MV Koon, a friend about to do the giant stride.
I could hear someone enthusiastically banging his tank and I instantly knew there was something major up ahead. I examined my surroundings and there it was, gracefully gliding through the great expanse of the sea, coming toward our direction. Yes, this was what we came here for. And suddenly the exhaustion vanished. A sense of calm never fails to envelop me whenever I encounter this gentle giant gliding through, perhaps enjoying the attention too.
Strong currents hit us when we reached Ko Bon Pinnacle from the blue. It pays to be fit because just reaching the Pinnacle is a work-out all its own. This near vertical slope is where manta rays are frequently spotted playing. There are a couple of cleaning stations on the reef and manta sightings are almost guaranteed.
This occurrence will continue until the next day, in different dive sites, mostly in the northern part of Similan. It was awesome and is always a privilege being with them in their domain.
The Similan Islands was declared a national park in 1982 and is rated top ten among the world’s dive destinations. The impressive boulder formation also continues below the surface with diverse landscapes of canyons, boulders, coral gardens, caves and walls. It is also home to an amazing variety of marine life.
The southern coast consists of those smaller islands (described on previous posts) that are numbered from one through nine and is balanced by the larger northern islands of Ko Bon for its beautiful piece of landscape, Ko Tachai with her attractive sandy beach above and plateaus beneath with probably the most colorful coral gardens in the park. Richelieu, the 3rd island of the south was also a highlight of our dive trip.
A relatively small dive site and a bit too crowded with divers all vying to see the huge extent of marine life in the area. Whale Sharks are usually sighted during the months of April and May but for some reason, they elude me once more. And so my pursuit of that elusive butandings continues.
Here’s some underwater snapshots to take pleasure in:
Huge Batfish
Cuttlefish
Yellow fusilier
Harlequin Shrimp
Lionfish
Moray eel
Octopus
Puffer fish
Seahorse
Shrimps
This is either a squid or another octopus
Tomato Clownfish
Us, posing for the cam during a safety stop.
* All photos courtesy of R. Formoso of Subaquatic Scuba.
my adventure odyssey 
Brilliant underwater shots.
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that’s understandable! such beauty makes you smile from all your heart! must have been an amazing experience, and your photos also helped us to be a small part of it! excellent! thanks!
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beautiful series, wonderful fishes and photos, well done!
Enjoy your week,
Bram
Seen on My World Tuesday
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WOW!! I am just about speechless!! Really!! WOW!!! Soooo beautiful! Your post is the closest I will ever come to diving. Scared to death of being that far under water. But it is sooo beautiful! Thank you so much for giving me a peek into that world!
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wow, these are jaw-dropping underwater photos! what a beautiful world! no wonder a lot of people are addicted to diving. i had my first dive in Cebu a few months ago…i like it but i’m not sure if i could afford it.:p
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Luna, contrary to what many believe it does not have to be expensive if you just rent your gears. All you probably have to own is a mask and fins. Anilao is a great dive destination and comparable to many sites in the world. Many resorts are quite affordable. Aquaventure (http://www.aquareefclub.com/about.html) is a nice, reliable resort and very affordable too.
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Hi Jenn, Thank you for taking me along on your underwater adventure. It’s like a whole other world down there! I’ve never dived (and probably never will), so seeing these sights was thrilling.
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forget my zoo this underwater set is terrific. I want to be there….its a great glimpse into your world.
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what a fabulous adventure. you really are checking off the items in your bucket list eh? what else is left?
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Ewok, there’s so much more to tick off! 🙂
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Thank you very much for taking us on the dive with you. The underwater photos are stunning! I can never conquer my fear of deep ocean water, so a virtual dive like this is the only way I can appreciate sea life. Please thank R. Formoso for us too.
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Awesome! What an experience to come up close and personal to these wonderful underwater creatures! Fantastic photos!
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Awesome shots. The fishes are very colorful and unique.
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Anything that has to do with water (snorkeling, scuba diving, island hopping) still scares me at this point. But the photos in this entry made me green with envy and encouraged me somehow to conquer my childhood fears. Grrr… Oh well. 😉
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what a lovely adventure, lovely series.
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