Thailand

Author: Harry Kreigh

I just returned from a dive trip to Thailand. I had a good time and saw some amazing marine animals, but there were some problems. Read all about it!

Harry

Thailand/Myanmar (March, 1999) Harry A. Kreigh, Sacramento, CA

Ten day trip to the Similians, Richelieu Rock, Burma Banks and Mergui Archipelago aboard the M/V June Hong Chian Lee ("The Junk"). Trip was booked on the M/V Fantasea, which was unavailable due to engine problems. Excellent weather conditions - hot, dry and calm; water conditions: 84 degrees F. with some mild thermoclines and cooler currents, slight to moderate currents and highly variable visibility (30-100+ feet). Not particularly deep diving, <100 feet maximum at nearly all sites (typically 60-90 feet to bottom).

Highlights

* No whale sharks, but several encounters with mantas (up to three at a time) throughout the trip. * Remarkable variety and frequency of unusual/exotic species, including sea horses, harlequin ghost pipefish, large frogfish of various colors, ribbon eels, mantis shrimp, giant blennies, fire gobies, banded sea snakes, cowries, nudibranchs and leopard sharks. * Frequent encounters with large octopus and cuttlefish; observed mating pairs of both species. * Divemaster hand-fed two large silvertip sharks and a persistent nurse shark at featured "Shark Attraction" dive at Burma Banks. * Amazing numbers of lionfish, anemonefish (4+ varieties) and scorpionfish everywhere. * Richelieu Rock was the most impressive divesite, rich in fish diversity and colorful soft corals; Large sections of the rock are blanketed in beautiful soft corals and anemones; Resident species include: titan and clown triggerfish; batfish; butterfly, unicorn, angel and surgeon fishes; sweetlips; checkered wrasse; barramandi cod; rainbow runners; fusiliers; jacks; snappers; barracuda and long toms.

Positive Points

* Fantasea Divers and Warm Water Divers arranged and prepared the substitute vessel for this trip at the last minute; both crews cooperated and worked smoothly together; tanks were filled promptly and dinghy drivers were very alert for surfacing divers. Their efforts are commendable and resulted in a satisfactory experience for all divers on the boat. * Mark Strickland is an outstanding divemaster and respected underwater photographer; he provided very detailed dive briefings and guided tours at each site, kept us updated on dive schedule and planned sites, is extremely knowledgeable of the resident species and adept at finding unusual critters; always available to help divers or to converse about diving; one of the best and most dedicated dive professionals on any live-aboard around the world. * The native chef prepared delicious Thai meals for lunch and dinner (mostly curries and hot/spicy meat/vegetable stir-fry entrees) with some western fare; there were no complaints with the food, only tremendous praise and applause for the cooking staff.

Criticisms

* "The Junk" needs some improvements for passenger comfort and diving amenities: I was assigned to a quad cabin (expected a double cabin on M/V Fantasea) and there was also a triple cabin; my cabin was overcrowded with little storage space or privacy. Cabins have ensuite showers and toilets, which had problems throughout the trip (fortunately there are also two heads on the main deck). The entire deck is uncovered, so a small tarp was raised to provide limited shade, but the area was always crowded. The salon was crowded at mealtime because an entire table was devoted to cameras; the A/C was ineffective in the salon- better to just open the windows if there was a breeze; otherwise, it was hot inside. Dive platform is too small and dive ladder is very flimsy (other ladder broke during the trip); it would be unsafe in rough conditions. Unable to reach most remote site in Burma (Black Rock) due to slower boat (top speed of 7 mph). * Several outstanding/very good divesites (Richelieu Rock, 3 Islets, High Rock and Ko Bon), but many mediocre sites in Thailand and Burma (especially North and South Twin islands). Usually very few bommies, just massive rock formations and pinnacles with varying amounts of coral cover, sometimes bare rocks; Expected pristine sites with more fish in Burma, but found comparable or worse conditions there (i.e., destroyed reefs and rubble from dynamiting practices of local fishermen, fish nets covering sections of the rocks at all sites, evidence of commercial overfishing with no large schools of fish or large fish anywhere, fewer sharks than on any previous Indo-Pacific trip, etc.). Worst visibility was generally in Burma. Only purpose of Burma Banks dive was the shark feed. Government officials are greedy (each diver paid $130 for the privilege of diving in Burma) with no serious interest in conserving/protecting the marine environment. I wouldn't recommend or return to Burma for diving. * If you are ever in Phuket, do not waste your time visiting the "James Bond" island; it is a two-hour drive and long boat ride to a tourist trap.