Amazing Underwater Creatures That I Bet You never Knew Existed.

There are so many awesome creatures on the planet that I bet no one know existed.

It's not a mutant fish nor a piscine wizard. ( I still think it is. ) The source of the light is actually the defence of the clever, microscopic animal who just wants to get through the day without being gobbled up. Is that too much to ask? The see-through cardinalfish evolved in lockstep with tiny little crustaceans called ostracods. The millimetre-long creatures sometimes get swallowed by the fish while they're looking for their actual food: plankton. To avoid passing through the digestive system of the fish, the ostracods evolved a brilliant defence: they light up. Since the cardinalfish's body is see-through, their glowing bodies turn them into easy targets for their own predators. Once the fish realizes that it's turned into a tasty fireworks parade, it spits the ostracod out and both critters can get on with their lives.

When in the Similan islands if you decide to go on one of the many Similan islands liveaboard trip you will certainly get the chance for a night dive. Yes, you will see some very odd creatures plus marvel at the green sparks that fly from your fins and every part of you as you disturb the luminescent plankton. But I have yet to see anything like this in the Similans yet but now we know what to look for who knows. It's a fascinating glimpse into the sneaky ways evolution has come up with that allow different animals to avoid becoming someone else's lunch. The cardinalfish probably became translucent to avoid being seen by its predators. But it's a double-edged sword: the ostracods evolved their light show because it renders the cardinalfish's main defence completely useless. And both adaptations are the result of millions of years of slow, unintelligent,  tinkering.

So next time you are in Phuket scuba diving keep a lookout for these little guys. During the day you will totally miss them unless you already know what to look for but if you do find them then it's certainly worth popping back for a night dive. There are so many Phuket tours to world-famous tourist sights and attractions like James Bond Island that attracts thousands each year but nothing as spectacular as this little guy. So for all scuba divers book yourself onto a Phuket safari to the Similan islands and get a couple of night dives in. You just never know. 

Now as for the Game fishing Phuket is famous for I am not too sure you will be able to catch any of these or if the Phuket game fishing boats are equipped to deal with magical fish or what you use as bait but you may get a good chance at more normal fish like Tuna, Barracuda, marlin and sailfish. 

So the best thing to do if you are as yet a non-diver. Go to a top dive shop like Thailand Divers and then see what's available. Then to discover scuba diving Phuket is one of the top locations in the world. Then as I am sure you will see so many awesome sights you will be hooked. Then to continue to the PADI open water course Phuket will get to so many amazing places in the three-day course you will certainly be addicted to diving by the time you are finished. All of this is available right from your Phuket hotel door. 

Phuket Thailand really is a magical place.

Thailand Divers in Phuket Thailand Is Moving To The Next Level To Cater For All And Not Just Divers.

What's really good for all dive centres and instructors of all sports

is when you get great feedback from experienced divers. Here in Phuket Thailand that has been a mecca for people diving Thailands waters for many years and attracts many new divers each year. it's nice to know from the experienced divers who have a lot of other places to compare us too. These reviews mean a lot.

There are so many now we can post them all. Review. but please check them all out and then you will see why Thailand divers offer the best Phuket tours for both diving and so much more.

Here we run many Phuket day trips for divers and non-divers alike. We have access to some great national parks where we can have 2 day and 3-day Phuket safari trips too. Phuket game fishing again is some of the best in the world. Plus the world-famous Similan islands which are open from 15th October until 15th of May for the best diving in Thailand.

The Similans are one of the worlds best diving locations and is very popular. There are so great Similan islands liveaboard trips ranging from an overnight trip to a great 8-day adventure into the Burma banks and back. Plus anyone wanting to learn to dive Phuket is the ideal place. From the first-timers when doing the discover scuba diving Phuket shallow reefs offers so much to see at shallow depths its more like an aquarium.

Then the PADI open water course Phuket again comes into its own with so many dive sites to explore you normally ending up doing 6 dives all in different locations compared to the required 4 that our divers learn so much more than most other places. Phi Phi Islands

When diving in Phuket or just visiting there really is no better place for a tropical holiday. Places like James Bond island and Phi Phi Bamboo are just a short speed boat ride away.  Phuket really is a dream location if you just know where to go and who to talk to. Just a short online chat and you will get all the best advice for everything from the diving, tours, fishing, snorkelling and even your Phuket hotel or the best guest house Phuket can all be arranged with a quick chat with Thailand Divers. Its never been easier to get to paradise. 

The Best Dive Center In Phuket Thailand.

Thailand Divers in Phuket Thailand Has Been Very Busy

Thailand Divers in Phuket Thailand

      
 Yes, Thailand Divers in Phuket Thailand has had a very busy low season making big changes. The number one centre for diving in Phuket has made some great changes. 

Firstly we have made big changes to the shop. We now have a great chilled bar to relax in after a good days diving. Excellent cocktails, ice-cold beers and very cheap prices. 

Not only the shop and the stock that has been improved but the diving tours too. We still cover the best and most popular sites like Phi Phi, King Cruiser, Shark Point, Racha Noi and Racha Yai as three dive day trips. We are still running Phuket diving trips to the Similan islands departing EVERY day from 15th October till the 15th May 2016 so you don't need to plan your holiday around the liveaboard. You can plan your Similan islands liveaboard to fit your holiday. The trip can be overnight, 2 nights, 3 nights or as many nights as you choose. Instead of the boat returning after each trip we keep the boat out there and just bring you out by speed boat to the main liveaboard boat on the first morning and bring you back on the afternoon of the day you want to return. We can even do day trips this way. 

The things that are now available don't just include diving in Phuket. We offer so much more. Snorkelling tours to locations away from the crowds too as well as the more popular ones. Phi Bamboo island as always, the three Khai islands, Hong island, Chicken island, Krabi, Similan Islands, Koh Tachai. Stunning reefs and beaches to explore, tropical island hopping in an island paradise away from the masses. 

Now the big new thing is all the Phuket diving tours. Then to end the trip off maybe a sunset dinner cruise in the stunning Phang Nga bay or horse riding along the empty beaches and cooling off by a canter in the surf. Get away from the beach for a day or two.

 Take a Phuket safari into the heart of Phuket and canoe in the mangroves,  jeep up into the mountains, elephant trek through the jungle, Ox cat ride to a traditional Thai village and a rice farm, rubber tree tapping and Thai cooking. A day snorkelling and canoeing at James Bond Island or  White water rafting in the mountains,  Sea canoeing in the limestone caves in Phang Nga national park, ATV tours,  a trip around Khao Sok national park, big game fishing Phuket and of course the 2 most popular as always James Bond island and Phi Phi Bamboo island Thailand.

If you really want some peace and quite many of the tours are available now as private charters. This way you make the plan, you set the start time and return times. You can avoid the crowds and go to your own private beach. We even have a superyacht for charter for that really special day or overnight.  You will be the envy of all turning up

Thailand Divers really is a one-stop holiday planner right up to the hotel too. The new shop is located just 5 mins from the centre of Patong diving but the street itself (Nanai Road) is quiet enough with excellent restaurants, bars to relax in after a great day out.  We also have a great selection of Phuket hotels and Phuket guest houses to choose from as well. The shop itself is located in what used to be the restaurant of a very nice hotel called the Album Loft. Very comfortable and some rooms with their own kitchens, nice pool to cool off in. Not only is Thailand Divers the top dive centre in Phuket but could soon be the top holiday centre too. 

The new shop still has the same instructors and is still English owned and managed as it always has been. We still offer the best diving in Phuket, the best boats. We just thought that this low season that we can offer more than just diving. We can bring the same level of service to so many more things as well. So now when you come to Phuket Thailand you can really get a taste for the whole of Thailand rather than just Phuket scuba diving. Thailand Divers now is one-stop-shop for all your holiday fun on Phuket Thailand.

Never Give Up On A Dive Day Just Because Of The Weather

How many of us have looked out the window and said no diving today??

 Here in Phuket Thailand this week so many people did just that. Early morning was driving rain and wind and so many just turned over and went back to bed. BAD MOVE. Phuket in low season can produce some amazing diving and many who live here prefer diving phuket in low season. Less people and better still less boats and noise for the wildlife. This brings the more shy creatures out to play. 

This was really the case this week for two very lucky divers and their instructor. They day was a bad one weather wise in the morning. But as the boat left Phuket and headed out to some of the smaller Phuket islands things started to improve. The wind and rain stopped and the cloud started to break up. On dive number one ant Racha Yay in bay number 1 all the normal suspects turned up. Giant morae eels, sting ray, nemo, lion fish, parrot fish, butterfly fish and all the rest. 

Then back on the boat for a big hot lunch and prepare for dive number two. Everyone who comes with us phuket scuba diving knows we always love our big lunches. This was a great dive down to the collection of three wrecks all close together so can all be done in one dive. First the Harubi which was an old snorkel boat, then the wooden wreck of an old speed boat and lastly the massive bow section of a cargo vessel that sunk 3 years ago and towed to Racha Yai for diving. 

Then back to the boat for another light snack before dive three. A nice easy dive on the shallow reefs and the start of home run reef and this is where we bumped into a very friendly turtle that was just happy to swim along with us for a good portion of the dive. Yes we do see a fair few hawksbill turtles on the many phuket tours that we run from phuket and the Similan islands are a breeding ground so on the similan islands liveaboard trips then you do get a lot. This friendly guy was part of the group. swimming all around us, between us and going where we went. This is what makes Phuket diving so special in low season. The creatures are used to divers but dont like the crowds and noise of high season. So when it comes to the quiet times they all come out and interact with us. 

After this excellent dive it was back to the boat for afternoon tea and a look at the photos of the day. BUT the best was yet to come. When scuba diving Thailand most people think you need to go on big cruises to places like the Similans get the good stuff. Not in low season. Suddenly the captain sounded the horn and turned the boat on a new direction. 

Just a hundred meters away was a Minke whale. The boat cut the speed and had a course alongside but keeping its distance. The whale was having none of it and came to investigate. The whale was swimming just thirty meters along side the boat quite happy. 

In recent years there have been many types of whale sighted just off of phuket by the dive boats including Orca's, Minke whales, pilot whales, Omura's whales, Brydes whale and this year a Blue whale was sighted. This makes a phuket safari whale watching a real possibility as the number of different types seen here each year is growing all the time.

 This means now that the wildlife in the water is as good as that in places like the Khao Sok national park.  Each year many people come to phuket for the standard James bond island tour or phi phi bamboo. These are good tours but to get the best out of your stay in phuket thailand you need to do a tour like the Khao Sok safari trip and if you can combine this with a phuket day trip on the water too then who knows what you will see. 

May be a day game fishing phuket will get you in areas where whales can be spotted too. Doing any of these great trips where you can get out into a marine national park or the Khao Sok national park during the day. Then back in your phuket hotel or phuket guest house in time for dinner is an excellent way to explore.

 The one thing thats certain is the great sunsets that low season provides is second to none. 

Phuket Scuba Diving During Monsoon season.

What can I expect on a Monsoonal day?

       Scuba diving in Thailand during monsoon season can be a great time of year to visit phuket thailand. Phuket is positioned about half way down the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman ocean. Thailand has a northern and southern monsoon. Phuket being central can get either northern or southern monsoon, both or neither. When diving Phuket this time of year can have warm sunny days and mainly short sharp showers  at night. During the day can produce again heavy showers that last 20 minutes or so then dry up in 15 minutes as well. During Monsoon season the weather and winds come from the west, right across the Indian Ocean and can produce good surf all along the west coast resorts such as Patong, Karon and Kata beaches.

What is Monsoon?

The word monsoon literally means ‘season’ in Arabic. Traders travelling the waters off the Arabian and Indian coast noted for centuries that dry, cool, northeast winds blew for 6 months and then suddenly changed to warm, moist air from the southeast. So in a nutshell, the monsoon weather is a change in the type and direction of winds (and therefore swell) that brings moist air.

When and How Does it work?

Between April to September, the wind blows from the southeast as the land mass of India, the Himalayas and beyond heats up relative to the ocean. This causes moist warm air from the Indian ocean to rush into the gap as the warmer air rises. This is the moist ‘maritime’ air that brings the monsoonal rains. Between October and March, this phenomenon is reversed, as the temperature of the Indian Ocean is warmer relative to the land. This pulls dry, cool ‘continental’ winds to Phuket Thailand. This is often called the ‘dry’ or ‘high’ season but even the flash floods only last 30 mins or so. 

 What does it mean for the scuba diving Phuket? 

During monsoon season in Phuket is really mid May till mid October. This time of year is not bad for scuba diving in phuket. The weather is better in monsoon season than it is in many countries on a good day. As far as the ocean goes we can have flat seas on good days and up to three meter waves on the really bad days. As an average the waves are 75cms to 1 meter high. This does not really effect the dive boats here as they are mostly large sturdy boats built for diving in these conditions. The main difference is the direction of the wind, weather and swell. All the locations are useable all year round. The only exceptions are King Cruiser, Shark point and Anemone reef. Although very rare these sites can be canceled in extreme conditions as they are situated out in the middle of the ocean with no protection. 

The diving is fine but if the waves become too big it can become too risky getting back on the boats after a dive. Both Phi Phi and Racha Noi and Yai are good all year as they both offer sheltered bays on both the East and West side of the islands. This means calm flat water all year. The trip out and back to Phi Phi can be longer if there is strong wind or big waves as the boats run with the wind and waves on the way out and against on the way back. The trips to the racha Islands is ok too as there is protection from the waves for most of the way from Phuket and Coral island. Then from Racha Yai. However from Coral island to Racha Yai can be a bit exposed as can from Racha Yai to Noi. This however is only in the worst conditions and most days are great conditions. You can expect an odd shower at anytime during monsoon season but then again the clouds do tend to hang around the mountains on Phuket and the days on the sea tend to be nice. During this time of year the weather will change from day to day, week to week. Just ask in the office to check the conditions on the days you wish to dive and you can pick the locations depending on the weather. 

The best things about Monsoon season.

The best thing about the Phuket diving during this time of year is the cheap hotel prices and there are less people on the dive boats. The dive sites are less crowded and the fish are less spooked. The visibility is normally very good too unless a big storm has just passed by. There can be a bit more wind or an odd shower and remember even if its cloudy and raining on phuket there is a good chance of sun out on the ocean. Phuket scuba diving is great all year round. In a two week holiday you can get a bit of everything. From one extreme to another. 

All the normal Phuket tours run here all year round. Ok yes when the weather is really bad the small speed boat tours to places like James Bond island may be canceled until the weather changes. But in the tropics that can be just one day as the weather changes from hour to hour. There are plenty of other trips available that are not affected by the sea. A great Phuket safari thats a must for nature lovers and photographers is a visit to the Khao Sok national park. This can be an over night trip exploring the jungles or lakes or you can do a 2 night trips combining both jungle and lakes. 

Then for the keen fisherman Phuket game fishing is some of the best in the world. Just like the scuba diving people come from all over the world for the awesome game fishing phuket has on offer. Again this can be affected by the weather in low season but one day can be rain and the next blue sky and sun. All its means is that there is a chance that you will have wet days as well as sunny ones.

One last thing to remember is that the similan islands that lie to the west of phuket being a marine national park closes from mid May and does not open again till mid October. The similans are closed for 6 months each year to give the stunning reefs and wildlife a break from the noise and disturbance that tourism brings. The similan islands liveabaords are the best way to explore the islands when it comes to scuba diving. Then for the best snorkeling in Phuket the best way is by speed boat that will take you to four of the nine islands and get to all the best snorkel locations. The similan islands are by far the best of the phuket islands for both diving and snorkeling.

Just remember that this time of year one day can be a typical monsoon day and the next a typical tropical island paradise style weather. This time of year is awesome and does create the most stunning sunsets. Truly worth a visit.

An Awesome Visitor To The Similan Islands. The Biggest Creature To Have Ever Lived.

The Similan Islands has always been a heaven on earth when scuba diving Phuket.

Now if the Similan islands that lie just off the west coast of Thailand in the warm Andaman ocean did not already have a thousand reasons to go there it now has one more decisive reason to visit.

Up till now the big draw for diving in the similans has been the clear waters, the stunning corals and the largest fish in the ocean - The Whale shark. Now there is one even larger visitor spotted. The biggest creature to have EVER lived on the planet. The Blue Whale.

When doing a similan islands liveaboard over the season many people have been lucky enough to see a variety of whales from the Minke whale, Orca's, Brydes Whale, Pilot whales, Curviers beaked whale, Omura's Whale and now the Blue Whale too. This is looking to be an amazing location to see a large selection of whales too. 

A phuket safari to the similans by no means is a cert to see these giants of the oceans just as when on any phuket scuba diving trip we can only take you to the locations that give the best chance. Like Richelieu Rock, and Koh Tachai are a top locations for the whale shark and add Koh Bon to the list for the Manta ray too.  But luck still has to play a part too. 

But the blue Whale is without a doubt the most awesome creature for anyone to dream of seeing. 

The blue whale grows up to 110 feet in length. Its heart is the size of a small car. Its major artery is big enough that you could wedge a small child into it (although you probably shouldn’t). It’s an avatar of hugeness. And its size is evident if you ever get to see one up close. From the surface on a boat you can not make out the entire animal—just the top of its head as it exposed its blowhole and took a breath. But as it dives its head tilted downwards, its arching back broke the surface of the water in a graceful roll. Its only then you can see the size of the animal as the head dives the rest just follows and you see it seems to go on for ever. 

But why did they get so big?? There are several answers. We’re not short of possible answers. Some scientists have suggested that giant bodies were adaptations to the recent Ice Age: At a time of uncertain climate and unstable food supplies, bigger whales could store more fat, and their large bodies  allowed them to more efficiently migrate in search of the best feeding grounds. Some pointed their fingers at competition between early baleen whales, forcing some members to become giant filter-feeders. Others said that whales became big to escape from titanic killers, like the megalodon shark, or the sperm whale Livyatan. Yet others have pointed to Cope’s rule—the tendency for groups of creatures to get bigger over evolutionary time. may be a bit of both. But the one thing for sure is when you see one of these you will remember for the rest of your life. 

There are so many phuket tours these days to see all the sights around the area of Phuket Thailand like James Bond island but non will come close to the chance of diving with a Blue Whale and thats for sure.  

Another good way to see the whales is on a phuket game fishing trip. This is because the fishing boats stay away from the busy diving and snorkeling areas and thus to places where the whales can be spotted. The game fishing phuket has to offer is excellent all year round. There is a standard trip that will get a wide selection of fish but the "Big game" trips are where you are more likely yo see the big whales off in the deeper waters to the west of phuket and the phuket islands.  Either way there are some spectacular sights to be seen on any phuket tour.