World-class diving sites with sharks, manta rays and huge schools of fish await: From the Thai holiday resort of Khao Lak we set off with the Sea Bees liveaboard “Genesis I” towards the Similan Islands and Surin Islands - with the highlight: diving at the world-famous Richelieu Rock. And let me tell you one thing in advance: I have definitely never experienced anything like this in my fifteen-year diving career. After my Thailand diving safari, I would like to thank Jacques Costeau personally. What is there to discover off the Similan Islands and Surin Islands? A travel report about a very special Thailand liveaboard tour. 

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On my four-week trip to Thailand I treated myself to a very special treat - a Thailand diving safari to Richelieu Rock with a liveaboard visit to the Surin Islands and Similan Islands, which are off the small resort of Khao Lak. When many extraordinary experiences line up one after the other and you really... comfort zone It's easy to lose track of time when you leave. And on board a diving safari anyway. Because you go into the water three to four times a day at different dive sites, you see so much and you can hardly process everything you experience.

When so much is happening, days can easily seem like years and what happened just yesterday seems like a lifetime ago. At least that's what happened to me on our Thailand tour, where we visited the entire south of the country and everything Destinations from the deep south to the Gulf of Thailand. The diving safari from Khao Lak is supposed to be one of the highlights of the entire trip - because it takes us to world-class diving spots and, by the way, to paradisiacal beaches on deserted islands. What more could you want as an adventurer and explorer?

Video – Diving at Richelieu Rock is so incredibly beautiful

Below I have picked out a video for you that shows how beautiful diving is at Richelieu Rock. You'll immediately see clearly why you should definitely take a tour there - because world-class diving awaits you there.

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Arrival – We rush to Khao Lak for the liveaboard

After an eventful time on the dream island Koh Lipe With great dives in the deep south of the tropical state in Southeast Asia, we rush straight on in the opposite direction - to Khao Lak on the western side of Thailand. With the speed boat from the Malaysian border up the Andaman coast to Koh Lanta, a short stop on the hyped and over-hyped tourist island of Koh Phi Phi and off you go from Rassada Pier Phuket on a wild drive of several hours north to Khao Lak. I'm on the road practically all day and the journey at 35 degrees Celsius and what feels like 100 percent humidity is really tough.

The effort is worth it – world-class diving is on the cards

But I'm sure the hardships will be worth it: world-class diving sites are on the agenda. In the meantime, I had contacted Sea Bees Phuket, my trusted diving center on Phuket, and planned a few dives with them. And on the recommendation of the house, we go on a Thailand diving safari to Richelieu Rock with a visit to the Surin Islands and Similan Islands.

In my diving safari experience report I would like to tell you what it was like - and I can tell you this much in advance: It was simply gigantic! World class diving! I'm still raving about it today and am already planning my return to Richelieu Rock - it was that good.

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Thailand liveaboard with Sea Bees Diving: Liveaboard on the Genesis I

After the long tour, I'll spend a night in Palm Garden Resort*, which is located just outside Khao Lak. The accommodation consists of several small bungalows and is an excellent one Resort as a retreat after the long tour, with a pool in the middle between the bungalows and a pretty garden. I quite liked the pool with the waterfall and splashed around there frequently before and after the liveaboard.

Preparation is everything

The local Sea Bees diving center is also located directly in the complex, where we check in with base manager Markus and prepare our equipment for the diving safari and the Surin and Similan liveaboard. After all, we don’t want to leave anything to chance. And diving around the small islands and reefs can be quite challenging. There can be strong currents in the Andaman Sea.

First we go to the pier

The next morning we go from the resort to the pier about fifteen minutes away, where it is already waiting for us: The Genesis I is a very small, delicate and, above all, pretty one. Unlike most other built-up vessels cruising around Thailand, the Genesis has a sleek, unbuilt look.

My impression: She's cute! And exactly this first impression is confirmed after we get on board. The 25 meter long monohull yacht is quite small, but elegant and, above all, exclusive, although not overly luxurious. With five double cabins and two single cabins, the number of divers is quite manageable.

It gets cozy on the ship

On the other hand, of course, one has to say that we are talking about different size ratios for a ship than we know from Egypt or the Maldives. The cabin consists of a bed with a door in front of it. And you won't find much privacy on the ship. Because we were a total of ten participating divers plus three guides plus crew. It's getting cozy on the ship. But we're in the water most of the time anyway - so you can do that for a few days.

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Thailand diving safari with Sea Bees Diving – great team on a great liveaboard

It is said that a liveaboard depends on the participants and the food. And that's completely true. Diving sites come in third place. And in this case they are also very likeable guys: Norms, Sabine and Peter as well as Sven from Germany are among them. On this tour, the Thailand diving safari is completely in German hands, at least as far as the guests are concerned. The tour is accompanied by tour leader Koen, diving instructor Irina and the friendly Dutchman Gerben.

The three of them spread a fantastic atmosphere from the very first moment and right from the start of the boat briefing for our Surin & Similand Islands Liveaboard it became clear that one of the two most important conditions for a successful Thailand diving safari was present right from the start: friendly people!

On-site diving center – Sea Bees Diving Phuket

Sea Bees Phuket	address data
Address	1/3 Moo 9 Viset Road, Chalong, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83130, Thailand (Phuket Headquarters)
Phone number	+66 76 381 765
Website	sea-bees.de/ - Sea Bees Khao Lak on TripAdvisor - Sea Bees Chalong Phuket on TripAdvisor
Opening hours	08.30 a.m. to 20 p.m. daily - closed on Tuesdays

Thailand liveaboard to Richelieu Rock

Liveaboard to the top spots of marine pioneer Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Now we finally set off on our ThailandWe leave the harbor and the bay of Khao Lak and head straight for our first destination: Koh Bon. The island is called the same as the dive site where we will start our first underwater tour. Overall, the crossing takes a few hours, which makes it immediately clear to us why we are on a liveaboard and not a day trip: the nearest dive site is a few hours away, and the most remote one is a whole day trip away. We're pretty far out in the Andaman Sea.

Time to get to know the participants

It's actually pretty good that we can chill out on the sun deck during this time or sit on the upper deck with coffee in the meantime. As we head for the first dive, there is plenty of time for conversation and getting to know each other.

Sabine and Peter had already been to the Koh Bon dive site the day before: “We had a very curious manta ray. He was quite curious and circled us a few times!” reports the flight attendant from Germany. Good conditions for our first tour under water, we can look forward to it. And so the anticipation slowly increases. What do we expect? Also a manta ray? Maybe a whale shark?

The liveaboard depends on the food

But first there is food! After an appraisal of the first meal with chicken wings, various thaifood specialties and all sorts of side dishes, I'm relatively sure right: the second condition for a successful Liveaboard (diving safari) is fulfilled - the food is very good. Basically nothing can go wrong and when we reach the first dive site, we can hardly wait to finally get into the water. So Manta, I think, and look carefully into the dark blue, crystal clear water.

Liveaboard north of the Similan Islands, south of the Surin Islands

My experiences on this extraordinary tour

We are practically in the middle of nowhere. As far out as you can get with such a small boat. South of us are the famous Similan Islands and north of us are the Surin Islands, which are quite close to the border with Myanmar. The mainland? Almost out of sight!

In between are Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, two tiny islets that rise a few meters out of the sea. From the moment we reach the first dive site, the rhythm of any good liveaboard begins: dive, eat, relax - and start again.

Excitement arises when diving off Koh Bon

On the first dive off Koh Bon I wasn't surprised, but I was extremely excited: there was fish soup here! The crystal clear water is filled with everything the Andaman Sea has to offer! Huge schools of fish can be found at this diving site. I've rarely seen something like that and didn't expect it. If you know the shoals from the Canary Islands, the Red Sea or the Maldives - multiply them by a factor of 10 here in the Andaman Sea.

I dive with the experienced tour leader Koen, who is at the spots here in the north practically once a week and knows the places like the back of his hand. I am amazed at the huge schools of mackerel and especially barracuda that are found on Koh Bon as well as in all the other dive sites we visit. Koen shows me everything – he has a trained eye. Nothing escapes him underwater.

A full-grown baracuda is an impressive animal when it approaches you without fear. We experience schools upon schools - tuna, groupers and all sorts of smaller fish that the Indian Ocean has to offer.

It's hard to get enough of it and I always enjoy sinking completely into a sea of ​​fish so that you can barely see your hand in front of your eyes. I am completely surrounded by fish. It's similar at the other dive sites. Also just outside of Koh Bon - at the Koh Bon Pinnacle, at Koh Tachai and the Boonsung Wreck. All of these locations have world-class diving spots. I have rarely seen such marine diversity. Such huge schools of fish.

Koh Tachai is a feast for the eyes

Koh Tachai, on the other hand, is not only a feast for the eyes under water, but also has a sheltered bay with a white sandy beach, where the genesis of the river flows through and the tour guests start their shore leave. Except for a ranger station, there is no one on the small island, so we adventurous tour in the rainforest go with flying foxes, giant crabs and monitor lizards, and enjoy the sun and crystal clear water. That's the icing on the cake next to diving!

Incredible Richelieu skirt

World class diving in the Andaman Sea between Surin and Similan Islands

Only another dive site puts the crown on everything: the Richelieu Rock. According to legend, the marine researcher Jacques-Yves Costeau discovered this dream spot - simply by asking local fishermen where there are the most fish in the area and where to fish. That's the way it is told at least locally. This place is at least one of the best spots in Thailand, if not the best - and in any case, it is world class!

Even though the name sounds like a mighty rock in the sea, in reality it is more of a small stone above the sea surface that only sticks out of the water for perhaps a meter at low tide. But this absolute inconspicuousness on the surface is the ultimate antagonism to what is happening under water: words can be used!

Fish soup at Richelieu Rock

The guides would say fish soup. And there's actually only one way to deal with this sensory overload: you balance yourself completely neutrally, hang yourself in your buoyancy compensator and enjoy! Barracudas, trevalies, jacks, tuna, triggerfish, a few sweetlips, thousands of yellowback and blueback fusiliers, while a bit off to the side a blacktip - a blacktip reef shark - scurries past.

But hidden at the foot of a rock quite inconspicuously, lives the eye-catcher of this dive spot: A small, yellow seahorse. At times, scores of divers struggle for the small reef dwellers, taking pictures and taking selfies. You almost want to say, "Leave the poor creature in peace!" The little animal is the star on the reef and takes its role apparently with stoic serenity.

Impressions from my liveaboard to Richelieu Rock

Below I have some pictures for you from my diving safari to Richelieu Rock. The liveaboard was something very special and a truly unforgettable trip. I hope I can repeat this tour again one day.

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Liveaboard in Thailand – Diving at Richelieu Rock is so good

My conclusion

And with this impression we return to Khao Lak to the Palm Garden Resort after three days, as if nothing had happened and as if we had never left. Three days with twelve dives and compressed underwater adventure that felt like three weeks because we saw and experienced so much.

Many thanks to Jacques Costeau

In the end, a strange thought remains: Between the incredible hustle and bustle - the abundance of fish and species - at the diving sites in the Andaman Sea, somewhere in the middle of it lives a single, thumb-sized, yellow seahorse. You should see this. Thank you, Jacques Costeau, for discovering this unique corner of the world.

Thailand liveaboard to Richelieu Rock: Liveaboard Similan Islands and Surin Islands - have you ever scuba diving in Thailand? Share your experiences in the comments.