Thailand - Similans paradise

Its a privilege to spend time on a liveaboard in the Similan Islands - nine pretty islands in the Andaman Sea, off the west coast of Thailand.
Our January trip also took us north, to Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, and then to Richelieu Rock, a lone oceanic pinnacle, not far from the Burmese border. All the dive sites have their highlights - its world class. The island bays make for the most scenic mooring spots you could wish for. Most of the islands are uninhabited, and inaccessible, but there are some lovely beaches which you can visit, using the inflatable, or with an energetic swim!

Life on board South Siam's boats takes some adjustment but once you're into the daily routine of early starts (and great sunrises!), eating-diving-sleeping(repeat 4 times), you really, really don't want to leave. Extreme healthy living - unless you get into the apres dive Chang Beer.
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/scuba50/SimilansLifeOnBoard?feat=directlink

Underwater, there's a lot to see - massive granite boulders, rocky ridges, coral bommies, disorientating thermoclines, all manner of swimthroughs, high octane drifts and psychadelic aquarium dives. There's always the expectation of seeing something big swim by, especially further north, but the highlights are generally from lower down the food chain, although we were lucky enough to see some reef sharks and, on the very last dive, an impressive Eagle Ray....no mantas or whale sharks though.
Here's a little sample which illustrates the action, the diversity, colour and variety of the area.
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/scuba50/SimilansUnderwaterHighlights?feat=directlink