Similans- White Manta Trip Report Nov 09

[Kevster]

A quick trip report
4 Night Similans trip onboard the White Manta Nov 12-16th 2009

Left Patong beach around at 18.00 for the drive up to the harbour near Koh Lak. Journey took approx 90 mins. The boat left the dock at around 21.30 and travelled out to the Similan islands. The journey took approx 4-5 hrs.

The Boat
The white manta website advertised space for 14 guests. We had 17 onboard, of which 15 were diving. I shared a cabin on the lower deck. The cabin was really small , just a couple of bunks. No on-suite toilet or control for the air conditioner. The cabin was fine for a short 4 night trip. The shared shower/toilet was on an upper deck.
The dive deck was ok, enough room to gear up. Was also a large camera soak tank. Diving was straight of the back of the boat which was good & bad. Good that there was no hassle getting into small tendors. Bad there were 3 dive groups and sometimes it took a long time for everyone to gear up & for the captain to get the boat into position. This was a pain standing around on the dive deck with heavy equipment on.
The upper deck had a decent sun deck where several people slept during the evenings.
The food was excellent. Really tasty thai food.

Weather was ok. Some rain, a bit overcast & some sun. Highlight was seeing a couple of water spouts (i.e like a tornado)in the morning at Koh Bon.

Water was warm at 29/28 C. I did not use a wetsuit,just some boardies & a rashie. Surface conditions were ok. Some minor swell & a little rock & rolling on the boat.

The Diving
Mostly disappointing but with some nice dives.
4 dives a day, one night dive offered,sunset dives on other 3 days.
2 main Dive guides & 2 other freelance dive guides. Small groups.
Viss 15-20m

Day 1-Anitias Reef, West of Eden, East of Eden
Day 2 – Elephant head, Rocky point, East of Island 9,Koh Bon
Day 3 – Koh Tachi, Richelieu X3
Day 4 – Boonsoom Wreck X2

The good
East of Eden & Richelieu Rock. These 4 dives were nice. Lots of glass fish , nice soft coral.

Boonsoom wreck was ok.

The Bad
Most of the other dives were either average or poor or just depressing.
I went at the start of the dive season and I have to say it was very noticeable that a great deal of fishing has been done during the off season. There were lots of fishing net/rope around, especially at Koh Tachi. Not much fish life around. There was also a lot of damage to hard corals,fans. Not sure if this was due to fishing or storms.

No sharks or big fish. Not much macro either (compared to the other diving I have done on my trip)
Highlights- Soft coral,quantity of glass fish, sea snake,turtle, blue spotted ray.

Cost was 19,500 Bht (approx 600 USD which is very good value)
So would I go again.

Answer – Maybe but only during the high season in March when the reefs have a chance to recover from the close season fishing and the chance of seeing Mantas,whale sharks. I would recommend the white manta. At 600 USD it was some of the cheapest/best value diving I have done.

Would definitely not recommend a visit here early in the season.

I really hope the Similans get more protection during the close season.
Topside
Thailand is definitely more expensive/developed since my last visit. I really enjoyed Krabi. I stayed 9 days in Au Nang which was really cheap (Decent Accom $15,cheap food) & had some great nearby beaches.

Will add some photos later

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Just found this link about fishing problem during close season
http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33020

 

[Bowmouth]

Thanks for your report.
That does not sound like a great trip to me.

I'm going out on a trip next month and will post an update then as well.

 

[Sideways]

Sorry the diving wasn't great :depressed: Im going in March on the Queen Scuba. We're also staying in Krabi for a week. I'm curios where you stayed for $15???

Thanks,

Greg

 

[claudine]

Kevster, I was diving on a LOB in the Similans just before you and we were diving almost the same sites! We were there from 4 to 9 Nov and I was also quite disappointed about not spotting any mantas or whale sharks either! But the other group managed to spot a leopard shark!

Richelieu Rock is the best dive site among all the sites with abundant marine life and the highlight was this great barracuda stalking us for both our dives! It even bit one lady diver's tank

Diving was mediocre but the boat and company was great! I was on the White Manta in October and comparatively, I prefer the boat I took when I was in the Similans - the Venus Marina.

Have fun diving in Similans for the rest of you peeps!

 

[Kevster]

Sorry the diving wasn't great :depressed: Im going in March on the Queen Scuba. We're also staying in Krabi for a week. I'm curios where you stayed for $15???

Thanks,

Greg

hotel was called J manson. It was 500 Bht. It is normally busy as it is recommended in the lonely plannet. There are several hotels on the same street as the J manson that are in the same price range.

 

[Sideways]

hotel was called J manson. It was 500 Bht. It is normally busy as it is recommended in the lonely plannet. There are several hotels on the same street as the J manson that are in the same price range.

Thanks!!!! I'll take a look at them

 

[Bowmouth]

....and I was also quite disappointed about not spotting any mantas or whale sharks either!

I think one of the problems in Thailand is that too many dive operators advertise whalesharks and manta rays as "feature" animals on their web and in their brochures.
Customers who read those webs and brochures are often led to believe that there are lots of big animals in Thai waters and that whaleshark and manta ray sightings are basically a guarantee at certain sites.

Unfortunately this is not true.

The good news is that we still have whalesharks and manta rays in Thai waters and that divers get to see those animals year-round at a variety of dive sites.

Having an encounter with whalesharks or manta rays in Thailand (and most other places in the world) is a big bonus, not a guarantee or something you should count on.

 

[claudine]

Yup, totally agree with you on there being no guarantee whenever sightings are involved as these pelagics move around but we really appreciate the crew's efforts to increase the chance of our sightings by having more dives at Koh Bon! Although the mantas and whale sharks did not appear, there were still lots of huge groupers, snappers, wrasses, octopus and cuttlefishes! Overall, a really enjoyable trip!

 

[stevenl]

but we really appreciate the crew's efforts to increase the chance of our sightings by having more dives at Koh Bon!

There is always a chance, but from Mid January on the chances normally increase a lot.

Did have a whaleshark a few days ago at Shark point area though.

 

[bertramguy]

How funny, my brother and I (Americans) were on the boat with you ! I don't have as many dives under my belt as you do so for me the diving was off the charts spectacular. My brother and I had a larger cabin forward with insuite head / shower and ac, very comfortable, after 4 dives every day I could heve slept in the engine room and been ok. The crew was fantastic very professional and safe operation great group of people. The food was first rate and plentiful they feed the hell out of you. We didn't see whale sharks or any sharks but what we did see was awsome. Cuddle Fish, big Morey's Octopus, Dog Tooth Tuna, Big Barracuda, etc. etc all of the other standard stuff. I actually had a big Trigger Fish get pissed at me and ran right into my chest at full speed, scared the hell out of me ! So many colors. Being from cold Southern California there is just something about diving in 100 + feet of water looking at your computer and the temperature is 84 degrees F. Board shorts and a rash guard and you are good to go. The water spouts were very cool. I would absolutely not hesitate to dive with this crew and on this boat again this was a great live aboard charter and as far as I'm concerned the only way to dive the Similan Islands. 4 days was good, as much as I loved the boat and people I was definately ready to get off the boat. They have Nitrox available and the only improvement I could suggest is doing 4 fairly deep dives a day up to 100 feet and most dives about 50 - 55 minutes I wish I would have started to use the Nitrox from day 1 of the trip. I think my energy level would have been a little better for dive number 3 and 4 every day. White Manta gets 10 stars and definately 2 thumbs up from me.