Dive Trip - Similan and Surin Islands

After many years of trying to organise a dive trip I finally pulled my finger out and booked a trip to an area I had wanted to go for many years, the Similan Islands. Tony has some good recommendations as he used to work out in that part of the world and agreed with a dive company I was looking at called Similan Diving Safaris, especially as they did an extended trip up to some more islands called the Surin islands that weren't visited by many other dive operators.

I didn't want to spend more time away and days off work so I organised to fly straight to the dive shop that day and then the boat steamed overnight to start diving bright and early at 7am. Was a well run trip and crew were all very good and after the initial weirdness of being on a liveaboard and NOT having to work, I got into the groove of things.

The diving was superb overall, 30 degrees in the water, lots of life and good visibility and could go on for a long time about all the different things we saw...

But the most amazing dives happened on day 2 when we saw not one, but two of the "big ticket" critters that all divers hope to see but know its very rare. Manta rays and Whale Sharks!

Will upload some more photos (have about 500) when I've finished editing but have uploaded the vids (see side panel) which show these gentle giants more effectively anyway. And even if you're not an underwater person, I challenge you not to be impressed by them :)

OK, more photos now on picasa album.

p.s. The 12 year old girl screaming with excitement in the videos must have been one of my dive buddies.....