I've just spent the last couple of weeks day diving in Phuket, so I thought I'd share some of the critters spotted in the immediate area (High Season, late Feb/early March).
I have dived here year round, and surprisingly few animals are seasonal. The only one that comes to mind are the Ghost Pipe Fish, they seem to appear around December and disappear a few months later. The opposite is true for the Zebra/Leopard Sharks, when the number of divers drops in the "low" season they come closer to the reefs and can be seen in greater numbers.
All the photos posted were taken in the last two weeks, and at the sites they are listed under.
Racha Yai
Racha Yai has a reputation as a "beginners" site, as it's a series of sheltered bays and reefs with not much current where most companies take people for their first open water dives. BUT there are some nice animals to be seen (especially bay no.3 close to the artificial reef cubes).
This Seahorse has been around for months.
And if you have a guide with good eyes you can see some of these:
Pegasus Fish (Eurypegasus draconis)
Thecacera sp.
Robust GPF (Solenostomus cyanopterus)
Batfish on the artifical reef (Not quite as hard to find)
There are lots of fish as well - watch out for the over friendly Titan Trigger fish as you swim along the reefs.
Racha Noi
Racha Noi is an island a bit further south than Yai, and offers the best chance of seeing Manta's close to Phuket (Don't get carried away with that statement, best chance is far from guaranteed).
I wish I'd had the wide angle on instead of the intermediate lens....
Lionfish (no shortage of these)
Koh Doc Mai
This is an isolated Island, often used as a divesite either on the way to or from the sites to the East as it's fairly sheltered when the currents running or waves are higher.
One of these is an Ornate Ghost Pipe Fish (Solenostomus paradoxus)
And making the next generation of Nudibranchs (Chromodoris annulata)
Shark Point
This is a series of underwater pinnacles, one of which breaks the surface. Quite a large site and good to explore when there is some current. Leopard/Zebra sharks can be seen here, but are more common in the "low season" when there are fewer divers.
Yet another GPF, these are on just about every site at the moment.
Seahorse, regularly seen at many of the sites as well
And a bit of the bigger picture - some soft corals
Anemone Reef
Close to shark Point, it is a single submerged pinnacle and is best dived slowly when there is little current.
Bottled Moray
Zebra/Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum [or varium]) - look it up on Wiki.
Boat on the mooring (it's further away than it looks!)
King Cruiser
An old car ferry, on the bottom thanks to Anemone Reef and a bad captain. The wreck is now collapsing quite quickly but is now covered in life and has some good schooling fish and nudibranchs. Shallow point is 16m so watch that no-deco time.
Hypselodoris sp. (Not a Kanga)
Hypselodoris obscura
Phi-Phi
Large islands a bit further away from Phuket, close to the outer range for day diving on standard boats (not speed boats). Some nice dives and great above water scenery. Didn't take the wide that day, so only small things.
Porcelain Crab
Hypselodoris iacula
Koh Ha, Hin Deng, Hin Muang
Further than Phi-Phi from Phuket, but if you find time to get there they are well worth the visit (I did not go this time).
I have dived here year round, and surprisingly few animals are seasonal. The only one that comes to mind are the Ghost Pipe Fish, they seem to appear around December and disappear a few months later. The opposite is true for the Zebra/Leopard Sharks, when the number of divers drops in the "low" season they come closer to the reefs and can be seen in greater numbers.
All the photos posted were taken in the last two weeks, and at the sites they are listed under.
Racha Yai
Racha Yai has a reputation as a "beginners" site, as it's a series of sheltered bays and reefs with not much current where most companies take people for their first open water dives. BUT there are some nice animals to be seen (especially bay no.3 close to the artificial reef cubes).
This Seahorse has been around for months.
And if you have a guide with good eyes you can see some of these:
Pegasus Fish (Eurypegasus draconis)
Thecacera sp.
Robust GPF (Solenostomus cyanopterus)
Batfish on the artifical reef (Not quite as hard to find)
There are lots of fish as well - watch out for the over friendly Titan Trigger fish as you swim along the reefs.
Racha Noi
Racha Noi is an island a bit further south than Yai, and offers the best chance of seeing Manta's close to Phuket (Don't get carried away with that statement, best chance is far from guaranteed).
I wish I'd had the wide angle on instead of the intermediate lens....
Lionfish (no shortage of these)
Koh Doc Mai
This is an isolated Island, often used as a divesite either on the way to or from the sites to the East as it's fairly sheltered when the currents running or waves are higher.
One of these is an Ornate Ghost Pipe Fish (Solenostomus paradoxus)
And making the next generation of Nudibranchs (Chromodoris annulata)
Shark Point
This is a series of underwater pinnacles, one of which breaks the surface. Quite a large site and good to explore when there is some current. Leopard/Zebra sharks can be seen here, but are more common in the "low season" when there are fewer divers.
Yet another GPF, these are on just about every site at the moment.
Seahorse, regularly seen at many of the sites as well
And a bit of the bigger picture - some soft corals
Anemone Reef
Close to shark Point, it is a single submerged pinnacle and is best dived slowly when there is little current.
Bottled Moray
Zebra/Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum [or varium]) - look it up on Wiki.
Boat on the mooring (it's further away than it looks!)
King Cruiser
An old car ferry, on the bottom thanks to Anemone Reef and a bad captain. The wreck is now collapsing quite quickly but is now covered in life and has some good schooling fish and nudibranchs. Shallow point is 16m so watch that no-deco time.
Hypselodoris sp. (Not a Kanga)
Hypselodoris obscura
Phi-Phi
Large islands a bit further away from Phuket, close to the outer range for day diving on standard boats (not speed boats). Some nice dives and great above water scenery. Didn't take the wide that day, so only small things.
Porcelain Crab
Hypselodoris iacula
Koh Ha, Hin Deng, Hin Muang
Further than Phi-Phi from Phuket, but if you find time to get there they are well worth the visit (I did not go this time).
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