Koh Bon / Koh Tacahai
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Koh Bon Island lies an hour or so north of the Similan Islands. It's one of the best places in Thailand to see manta rays, especially from April to May, though the last couple of years have seen Mantas almost year round. There's a 33 meters wall on its south side, facing a small cove, with a stepped ridge pointing west and down to over 40 meters. It is at the edge of this ridge that divers are drawn, as they peer into the blue looking for that first sight of a black and white wing that signals an approaching manta ray. Keep a little distance from the rays and the chances are good that they'll circle and swoop around, feeding on the plankton. If the manta feels threatened by rapid or aggressive movements it will just glide off into the distance and find somewhere else to feed. Manta rays are not the only reason that Thailand dive cruises visit Koh Bon though. Leopard sharks are common at the ridge on the sandy flats below the wall, and white tip sharks can be seen roaming the depths off the edge of the reef. Soft corals the colors of turquoise, yellow and green dominate. Listen carefully and you'll hear the warning clicks of hundreds of nervous damsel fish, and the coral crunching of hungry titan trigger fish, but don't neglect the wall itself which has plenty of critters to keep you interested including various types of moray eels. To the west of Koh Bon Island lies Koh Bon Pinnacle. This Thailand diving site lies in deep water (18m - 40m) and is exposed, so consequently it is only possible to dive here in favorable conditions with experienced or advanced liveaboard divers. The west wall is steep, covered in small, yellow soft corals, and has a large cavern with a fish trap at its entrance. There is a smaller pinnacle lying to the north. Making your way back up the mountainous terrain, keep your eyes out for passing eagle rays, black tip sharks, and manta rays. The small cove of Koh Bon provides good grounds for a night dive. The reef is made up of pore corals, with shrimpgobies peering out of the holes, and coral ledges. There are splendid decorator crabs, the intelligent red octopus, and red and white banded boxer shrimps. Koh Bon Reef Basics:
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Koh Tachai (Tachai Island) lies about halfway between the Surin and Similan Islands and is rated as one of the best sites for Thailand scuba liveaboards as it's normally visited on the way to Richelieu Rock from the Similans. There are several dive sites around the island but the most famous is Koh Tachai Plateau which lies southeast of the island, about 1 kilometre offshore. The plateau is a submerged crowned reef of hard sheet corals, and scattered boulders. These boulders provide great swim-throughs and cut-through opportunities. They also provide refuge for tired scuba divers caught unawares by the sometimes hectic currents! This site is renowned for its currents and a dive briefing on any Thailand liveaboard scuba trip will include advice on where to find shelter. A dive here is not for beginners and not always easy but it is worthwhile because, as any diver knows, where there are currents there are big fish. Chief among these are manta rays who make regular appearances and effortlessly glide over the boulders. Other big visitors are whale sharks and nurse sharks. Leopard sharks are common and hawksbill turtles are often seen. Other common fish you'll see here are blue-dash and yellow-backed fusiliers, red-tooth triggerfish, bigeye trevally and unicornfish. The south side of Koh Tachai is the deeper side, and a logical place to start your dive. The north side features a huge abandoned fish cage which is useful as a navigational aid. At the edge of the coral crown is a cleaning station, popular with tiera batfish which always makes for a pleasant safety stop as you hang on the line at the end of the dive. Koh Tachai is often dived early morning by liveaboard but also makes a nice sunset dive. Koh Tachai Reef Basics:
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