Discover the Magical Creatures of Phuket’s Waters: Night Diving - Bioluminescence

The world is filled with incredible creatures, many of which remain unknown to most people. Beneath the waves, in the warm tropical waters of Thailand, there exist fascinating marine life forms that seem almost too extraordinary to be real.

One such creature is the see-through cardinalfish, a species that has developed a unique survival mechanism intertwined with the lives of tiny, glowing crustaceans known as ostracods. This isn’t some mutant fish or a magical marine wizard (although it certainly feels that way). The cardinalfish, despite its ghostly appearance, faces a daily battle for survival in the predator-filled waters of the Similan Islands.

Nature’s Fireworks Display: The Cardinalfish & Ostracods

The cardinalfish, like many marine species, feeds on plankton. However, in its pursuit of a meal, it occasionally swallows ostracods by accident. For these tiny crustaceans, digestion is not an option—they’ve evolved a remarkable defence mechanism: bioluminescence. When swallowed, they light up like tiny underwater fireworks. Since the cardinalfish is transparent, this sudden glow makes it a beacon for predators, turning the hunter into the hunted. In a desperate bid to avoid becoming a glowing target, the cardinalfish spits out the illuminated ostracod, allowing both creatures to survive another day.

This evolutionary arms race is a fascinating example of nature’s ingenuity. The cardinalfish likely evolved its translucency as a means of camouflage, a way to avoid detection in the water. But the ostracods’ ability to emit light has turned this adaptation into a vulnerability, rendering the fish’s invisibility completely useless in certain situations. Millions of years of evolution have resulted in this extraordinary natural phenomenon, a testament to the endless adaptations species make in their quest for survival.

Witness This Phenomenon While Diving in the Similan Islands

If you’re an avid scuba diver or simply curious about marine life, the Similan Islands are one of the best places to experience this magical display. A Similan Islands liveaboard trip offers the perfect opportunity to embark on night dives, where you’ll not only encounter unusual creatures but also witness the breathtaking bioluminescent spectacle of glowing plankton swirling around your fins.

While I’ve yet to personally witness the cardinalfish spitting out glowing ostracods in the Similan Islands, knowing that this phenomenon exists gives divers something new to search for. Who knows? You might be one of the lucky few to witness this incredible display firsthand!

Scuba Diving in Phuket: A World of Wonders

Phuket is not just about its stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife—it’s also a top-tier diving destination. If you’re already a diver, be sure to add a night dive to your itinerary. During the day, these tiny creatures remain nearly invisible, but under the cover of darkness, the ocean reveals its most mesmerising secrets.

For those new to scuba diving, Phuket offers numerous dive centres, such as Thailand Divers, where you can take your first steps into this incredible underwater world. You can start with a Discover Scuba Diving experience and, if you’re hooked (which you likely will be), continue to complete your PADI Open Water Course. With world-class dive sites just a boat ride away from your Phuket hotel, diving here is an unforgettable experience.

Game Fishing in Phuket: A Different Kind of Adventure

If diving isn’t your thing, Phuket offers plenty of other marine adventures, including game fishing. While you probably won’t catch any bioluminescent cardinalfish, you’ll have a great chance at reeling in big game fish such as tuna, barracuda, marlin, and sailfish. Many Phuket game fishing boats are fully equipped to handle these powerful fish, making for an adrenaline-pumping day on the water.

The Ultimate Marine Adventure Awaits in Phuket

Phuket is truly a magical place, offering a mix of adventure, natural wonders, and breathtaking marine life. Whether you’re night diving in the Similan Islands, marvelling at bioluminescent creatures, or heading out for a game fishing expedition, there’s always something extraordinary waiting beneath the surface. So pack your bags, book your Similan Islands Snorkeling safari, and get ready to experience the wonders of the Andaman Sea like never before!

Is phuket scuba diving about to have two great new divesites  

   Even in some of the most popular holiday destinations there are still amazing things to be seen just off shore. Take phuket thailand for example. On the island of phuket scuba diving companies have been running for years. All divers know about King Cruiser which lies half way between PhiPhi and Phuket. 

This sank in 1997 after hitting anemone reef on its normal run from Phuket to Phi Phi. Then there is the cargo ship just ff Phi Phi Lay that was put there for the divers. Again on Racha Yai to the south of Phuket there is the Huruby which was an old snorkel boat again put there for divers. Next to this lies an old wooden speed boat and now the bow section of another cargo ship tht was put there after sinking Koh Yao Yai this year. These are wrecks that people dive on all year round. 

However when scuba diving in phuket there are some lesser known ones around too. There is a small wreck on the western edge of the  southern bay on Coral island. There is Marla's Mystery again place for diving on the east side of Racha Yai. This is set at a depth of around 35 meters so just out of reach of most recreational divers unless they have their deep specialty. 

 Again of Racha Noi which is very popular spot  Off the southern point is a nice drift dive along some spectacular scenery as you find yourself on top of a large rock formation surrounded by deep water. On the southwest side there is a wooden ship-wreck that draws a lot of interesting reef fish. There also a few other wrecks around at depth only available to tech divers so not know by most people. 

Again these although not so well known there are many instructors who know where they are and can get you to them. What are the real mysteries are the wrecks that no one knows about. Ones that show up on sonar and depth sounders only. Ones that know one knows what they were, when they sank or even if anyone has even listed them missing..... Even these are not as shocking as some images that have come from the new wreck finding tool of the world Google Earth. If Google maps is right then scuba diving in phuket will change forever. Right in the middle of patong bay are not one but two massive wrecks. This is the mystery. They look like modern passenger liners that no one remembers sinking or no one reports missing. Again even this can happen. 

Then where are the 20,000 plus people that would have suddenly arrive din Phukets busiest town out of the sea? Did these ships sink miles away and then on boxing day 2004 did the tsunami bring them into the bay?  Is Google Earth messing about? Who knows.  Take a look for yourself.

What ever your thoughts there are thousands of undiscovered wrecks around the worlds coast lines. All it takes is one person to decide to jump in the sea at that location. Who knows what you will find. Scuba diving in phuket as one of the top locations of the world and a great place to learn. So many courses can be done here including wreck specialty. Next time you are in phuket scuba diving or just on holiday why not think about a days diving.  Its a great place to learn as well and who knows you may be the first person to discover something new or even find these two mystery ships.

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 center for diving in phuket has made some great changes. Firstly we have a brand new shop with plenty of new stock. Not only limited to one brand but are dealers in mares, Scuba pro, Aqua Lung, Suunto, Cressi, Deep Blue and Ocean Dynamics to name but a few. If the item you want is not in stock then it can now be ordered before 1pm and it will arrive that day. If ordered after 1 pm then it will arrive the following day. All colour and sizes. That goes for prescription masks too. 

Not only the shop and the stock that have 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 liveaboards to the Similan islands departing EVERY day from 15th October till the 15th May 2016 so you dont need to plan your holiday around the liveaboard. You can plan your 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. 

However one of the best trips available is the three day three night trip to the Southern Islands of Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Ko Haa. These are the "Similan islands" of the south. The water as clear, the coral even better, the Manta Rays and Whale Sharks too. There are Leopard Sharks, Black Tips, Eagle Rays, Turtles, Sea horses and a thousand other things but the one thing you wont find is 20 other liveaboards full of people. The diving is as good except you may if you are lucky, not see another liveaboard for the whole trip.

The things that are now available dont just include diving in phuket. We offer so much more. Snorkeling tours to locations away from the crowds too as well as the more popular ones. Phi 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 hoping in an island paradise away from the masses. 

Now the big new thing is all the tours. Then to end the trip off may be 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 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.  White water rafting in the mountains,  Sea canoeing in the limestone caves in Phang Nga national park, ATV tours,  a trip round Khao Sok national park, big game fishing 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 super yacht 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 center of Patong but the street itself (Nanai Road) is quiet enough with excellent resturants, bars to relax in after a great day out. The shop itself is located in what used to be the resturant 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 center in Phuket but could soon be the top holiday center 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.

A Typical Day in Phuket Scuba Diving

A Typical Day in Phuket Scuba Diving .

A typical Day in Phuket Scuba diving is quite Early starts What Some May Think, Thirty Seven AM. The dive center will pick you up from your hotel lobby in either an air conditioned mini bus or other style of car or van. Takes the Drive Around 20 - 30 minutes Through the countryside and Other Beach Resorts As You cross the Island of Phuket Thailand . 

A great day for diving in phuket.

Once at the Pier You Find that at First glance it looks like Chaos As there are dozens of Boats and Dive companies, speed Boat Tours and Fishing Boats all over the Place. How Ever it is Really well Organized. As the Bus stops You are met. by the Tour Leader Who has your name and then over to your instructor Hands You Waiting for You Who is there. The Pier in Chalong Quit is a long one so they have several "Pink busses" to take You. to the End where there are Again a Dozen or so Dive Boats tied up. The instructor Waits for everyone to Get Together then Takes You to the Boat. As now we are in Thailand and ITS Rude to Wear shoes in the House they are Boxes to. . Put your shoes in before stepping onto the Boat. Make sure You Put your shoes in the right box or your shoes Will Go to a different Place to You.

phuket scuba diving is a comfortable day.

The Dive Boats themselves Vary in Size and Comfort. My Boats was Nice and Big with Plenty of Space Inside if Needed and a Large shaded Area upstairs with Tea, Coffee, drinking Water and Chocolate. Here we have a Boat briefing by the Tour Leader which. Takes About 5 minutes or so. The Boat has 3 toilets and showers I. AM on to rinse off at the End of the Day plus another 2 More showers to rinse off after Platform on the Dive the Dive. There are bins for Fresh Water Cameras. and another one for other equipment. There is a large sun deck on the top deck. While this is going on my instructor is setting up my equipment for me which was a very nice touch. As the briefing Ends My instructor joins our Group As Guides US round to the Front of the Boat where there is another SET of steps that take US to the Front of the cabin where the breakfast is served. By going to the Front ment we were at. the Front of the line while everyone was trying to Else Climb down the Back Stairs. The breakfast was Great. Eggs, saucages, toast, tomatoes, croissants, fried rice and a chicken rice soup, fruit and fruit juice. Better than many small hotels. Now time for a snooze to let the food go down. 

phuket scuba diving gets you to great locations.

phuket thailand has awesome dive sites

About 30 minutes from our first dive site we are awoken by our instructor and told to get a drink before he does our dive briefing. We get a very good briefing telling us not only background to the site, what we will see, what to look out for and what to be aware of. We are given a full safety briefing and what to do if we get separated. Now another drink. Its funny but as the water we are diving in is so warm 29 - 30 degrees we still sweat underwater so we have to be careful not to get dehydrated. Now down to the dive deck to get kitted up. The divers are split into 2 groups to give everyone space when getting ready. We are in group 1. All the gear is already set up on the tanks in a numbered place on the boat. We sit down and put on the BCD at while we do this the boat crew actually help us with our fins and other bits and pieces and then buddy check. We stay seated till the boat arrives and stops. When in the correct position the Captain sounds a horn and we all get up and move to the back of the boat. When the group is all together with our instructor we get in the water. our instructor gets in first and waits at the back of the boat to make sure we are all ok as we get in. Then move away from the boat when all are ready and in a close group the instructor gives us the sign and down we go. . . .

phuket diving offers some great sights

When diving in Phuket there are several locations that are in easy reach. Today we are diving at Phi Phi and Shark point. The first location is a small island to the south of the main islands. This is a very nice easy dive with huge shoals of yellow snappers everywhere. There is plenty of healthy soft coral, big sea fans and color everywhere. We follow a long ridge covered in coral and life.The instructor leads and points out so much as we go you can tell he dives here several times aweek and loves to dive. As we go he checks our air from time to time. By the time we get down one side of the ridge and back up the other its been around 35 minutes.                                                                                       

diving in phuket can get exciting.

phuket 

 Now we are on a flat rocky area at only around 5 meters in depth. Our instructor just stops and hangs around. I am a bit confused as we all have plenty of air left. He just stays still looking all round us. Then suddenly points and there are 3 black tip sharks heading straight at us. They pass with in only a couple of meters of us. as we look there are more and more of them. We just hang around there drifting with the sharks and taking photos. What a Great Dive and What an instructor. He Knew exactly where to Find everything and He Knew the sharks Will be there and just waited for them. This Will be a Great Day.

phuket scuba diving offers some unusual sights.

phuket th

Diving in Phuket Thailand is Something Special. Its not just the diving but the boat seem to be competing with the food quality. The chefs on the Boat are better than Most Hotels and resturants on the Island. We had a Choice of 4 different dishes plus Soup and Veg. One being a Great SPAG bol. Lunch was in a Setting that Can not be Beaten. Most people know. it or Maya Bay As "The Beach" the Location of the Hollywood movie. This trip so far is worth three times what I paid. After lunch and a suitable time to let another great meal go down we left maya bay and 10 minutes further on we can to a locationknown as Turtle rock set under the huge cliffs if Phi Phi Ley. 

I do not have to Say Too much About this Dive As the name Turtle Rock says it all. Yes Turtles and More Black Tip sharks on top of so many Other Colorful Tropical Fish and Again our instructor managed to Point out so much and helped US in. . positioning ourselves to get great photos with the turtles. After another great 50 minute dive it was back to the boat for an hour and a half ride to Shark Point. Time to top up the tan on the sun deck. Again 20 minutes out a Wake up Call from the instructor for a Dice briefing. This briefing includes How to Get close to the Leopard Shark without spooking it (US spooking it? What About spooking it me?) So we Can Get photos with them. Now I Can not Say How Exciting this is As I know How Great the First. 2 Dives were and this sounds like it Will be better. However we are told this is not a Zoo Wild Nothing is so certain and like all animals Can they be unpredictable. Shark Point is a very Colorful Dive Site. So much coral, big sea fans, anemone's and life.

 We got to see Tiger Tail Sea Horses as well as so much more. Rounding one rocky out crop on the sand we came face to face with the Leopard Shark. Its was resting on the sand. We stayed a good distance away then made our way to its front so he can see us so not to spook it. We sat back and watched the instructor. He can in very low to the floor directly in front of the shark, folded his arms and crept forward till he was no more than 2 foot from it and they just looked at each other. Then just back away without flapping arms or stirring up the bottom. We all moved in one at a time and waited for the other person to move off before going in. How amazing to be no more than a couple of feet away from a big shark. We stayed and watched as another group came. This time they saw the shark and all swam straight at it from all sides and above it. The shark took one look and swam away. This other group had not been briefed by the instructor so did not get the experience we did. 

Wn back on the boat we packed the equipment away and had a nice hot shower. The chef had been busy again and there were pancakes with Banana, Mango and with honey or chocolate sauce and fresh fruit. this was eaten up on the Sun Deck where we looked at each others photos (and compared Ours to the Other Group Who scared the Leopard Shark Away). Ours were so much better and that was Totally down to our Instructors in depth briefings and instructing US. How to Move to the positions and How to Best Dive with these creatures. When diving in Phuket there are many different Some are a few companies but for the sake of a Baht Cheaper $$ Couple of the Experience Will be un comparable. You are in Phuket Thailand and As I said before I had for a Holiday Experience What I paid was worth the Three times. Phuket Scuba diving is Something Special. There may be better boats or better dive sites around the world but for the whole trip I can not see how it can be improved and for such a small price. 4,200 bht for the whole day and wait till you see the photos of the sunset as we came home. Most people can only dream of seeing things like this. 

phuket scuba diving will get you views you will remember for life.

phukethailand is a holiday to remember