Whale Shark Research and Golden Buddha!!!

We are proud to announce an exciting project for the upcoming season. We are partnering with Golden Buddha Resort to offer several Whale Shark Research Projects!!!

These will be week-long projects with visits to Richelieu Rock and unexplored local reefs as directed by the indigenous population. Additionally there will be exploration of the Mangroves and surrounding areas. Our objective is to aid in a worldwide effort to track the migratory patterns of the Whale Sharks as part of a program designed and implemented by EcOcean.


We will try to document through photographs and descriptions the various Whale Sharks that we see. Then our information is pooled with hundreds of other photographs and descriptions on Ecocean’s amazing database. Then we try to track the migratory patterns of these gentle giants.
As so little is known about their migratory patterns and even where they give birth, this is instrumental in affecting global action regarding the preservation of this endangered species. (The Whale Shark was listed under CITES as dangerously at risk of extinction in 2001)

As part of this project we will visit
Richelieu Rock (one of the most frequent sites for Whale Sharks in the region) in addition to other nearby sites (Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Surin Islands – depending on weather).
Finally by enlisting the aid of the indigenous population on (Koh Phra Thong) we will also follow their directions to recent sightings by fishermen and to sites where the Whale Sharks are rumored to congregate several times a year!
Each night will be highlighted by a slideshow of the days collected data, followed by lectures/discussions about the project, how to help and what to do when not in Whale Shark Country…
Overnight we stay in one of the many luxurious homes that make up the Resort. These are amazing homes individually designed. This is NOT your average factory resort, this is a community!
Each morning is greeted by the songs of rare and endemic species of birds, a delicious Brunch and then – more diving.

Golden Buddha resort is located on Koh Phra Thong. This is home to one of the only nesting grounds remaining in SE Asia for the Leatherback Turtles(there are conservation programs in planning phases now). The Island is also famous for Bird Watching, Kayak Tours and is home to some special Muck Diving.
By using the local population, rather than itinerant workers, Golden Buddha makes a direct and a tangible impact in the local economy. In addition to generating income you will be helping change the way Fish and other species in the area are seen seen. A turtle hatchling is worth hundreds of Euros in present and future income versus a bowl of soup.

Wicked Diving is proud to be partners with one of the only resorts in Thailand to emphasize the Think globally – Act Locally attitude. This is THE ONLY Resort outside of Australia participating in the Ecocean project. We will be providing all support, staff and training for the upcoming Ecocean projects and the many other projects in the near future. Keep Checking back for more information and schedules.

Similan Dive Sites – Christmas Point

Located on the Northwest Corner of the Similan Islands – Christmas Point is a great site. This has long been a favorite for our staff and guests. It is also very reminiscent of one of our other favorites – Deep Six. However, We find a different set of species and also the conditions here are tricky.

Any current is likely to be stronger at the northern-most point, but again there are ample options to dive in relative shelter. This site can be dived several different ways – all depending on current, skill level and of course what you are looking for!

Towards the North and Deep – Beware of downward currents which can take you down to depths beyond 30 meters. But out here you’ll find a site called Shark Canyon by some, or any other name you feel like. There are often White-Tip Reef Sharks out here. But in the cracks you’ll often find Napolean Wrasse and Rays (Blotched, Kuhl’s and others). If the Visiblity is good – you’ll see why this site attracts so many fish – it doesn’t t stop! It drops in step like shelves to 40m, then ontowards 50m and beyond. Keep your eyes on the deep – Mantas and other visitors come by…

The middle of the site is composed of a collection of large boulders and rocks, similar to Elephant Head Rock and Deep Six, with a maze of connecting swim-throughs and channels. It is possible to find a route which matches a deep to shallow profile by working back to the south. At some point you will come to a ‘coral courtyard’ with three separate exits through triangular openings. These are always exciting and make for stunning photography. As well – keep an eye out for some amazing Nudibranchs and other small critters.

South and Deep is a coral garden. Lots of Whip Corals and Gorgonian Sea Fans. This area did get hit by the tsunami pretty hard, but a surprisingly large number of these sea fans made it. Look carefully out here…some really stupendous treats…Red and Purple Firs Gobys, Ribbon Eels, Ghost Pipefish and lots of the very small stuff like Allied Cowry.

Up in the Shallows are massive Boulders that are incredibly scenic. In here there are crazy currents, Barracudas, Trevallies and beautiful nooks. Turn a corner and come face to face with a Napolean Wrasse.

The currents here are very important. This is not a site to visit unaccompanied by (locally) trained DM’s. On the outer fringe we get downward currents! In the boulders they can be quite strong. And jumping in during slack tide is great, but it can change quickly. Make sure your Dm’s know the area. Because it’s easy to navigate and cope with the currents if you know where to go.

This site should be dived by experienced divers. Although, in the shallows, there is a protected bay that frequently has Turtles.

Best done as an early dive due to depths. Though the best photography is done in the late afternoons…

www.wickeddiving.com
www.liveaboardguide.com

Similan Dive sites – Island #9

If you’ve never been here (or forgot) we’ll be putting together some of the these entries to help orient to the various sites in the region.

Island #9 (Koh Ba-Ngu) is the furthest North of the actual Similan Islands. It has a few very small beaches, but under the water this little island packs a punch.

With the great Western slope site of Christmas Point you can’t go too wrong! Frequent sightings of Napolean Wrasse, all manner of sharks (Leopard, Grey Reef, White-tip and Black Tip) Ribbon Eels, Rays and more!

Up at the top is North Point (pretty clever huh?) with the big fans, nice scenery and frequent sightings of Mantas a lot of people get kick out of this site.

On the Eastern Side comes one of our favorite reef dives in all of Thailand – Breakfast Bend. Great drift dive with lots of the little stuff (Nudi’s, Snakes) but also Turtles and Sharks. Best enjoyed early in the morning to maximize the light.

Finally there is Snapper Alley. While this was never a mind-blowing sites, it was one we did a lot because it was perfect academic dive, whether Open Water or Advanced. So we all knew it very well. Past Tense? Yup, due to the Geography of this site, it was the worst hit by the tsunami. All the current was channeled into the narrow passage between Islands 8 & 9 and this site took the brunt of it. At the rate of recovery we should see this site back on it’s feet in a few years.

Of course there a lot of variations in names (North Point is also called Rocky Point) and in point of fact most of the sites are actually large enough to be broken into several dives (Christmas Point – deep and shallow are two distinctly different eco-systems). And you get yourself into the middle of an argument about how best to do Breakfast Bend – let alone where it starts and ends!

www.wickeddiving.com
www.liveaboardguide.com

Khao Lak Beaches

Life is good. Plenty of sun, empty beaches and endless…well something poetic…just sounds right.

As the sun comes out it’s really heating up again, but it’s nice to be on the beaches. Jump in the water. just stare into space. Moon is really out right now too, so bright skies and plenty of stars.

That’s all for now…keep coming back.

www.liveaboardguide.com
www.wickeddiving.com

Things in our bathroom – an ongoing saga

There are so many benefits to living here.

Superb quality of life, great food, great weather, incredible diving.

There is always a downside. Yes, the government won’t take care of us, we do have some interesting new illness’ that y’all don’t get and…

Strange things in the bathroom. I mean Bugs, Frogs, lizards and all sorts of strange things. As long as one remembers to laugh, it’s all quite fun.

So over the past days, with the sun coming out in force, there has been an explosion of strange things in the bathroom!


Frogs….


These seem to be fine, but not if you try to brush your teeth and the brown feller is staring at you. Feels strange.

Keep checking back…there are always more!

Khao Lak Weather May 25

With beautiful weather and our new website …www.liveaboardguide.com I have to say that I am Sorry about the delay in weather postings.
Distracting being too sunny and too hot.

But a couple of really nice days. Actually it was a bit on the hot side. 33-34 (92-95) tends to be hot here on the equator. AND muggy. We stayed in the shop with Air-Con and wouldn’t leave for any reason.

The sea has been flat as a pancake, and more and more happy divers coming off the Similans. Still running daytrips!


With the recent rain things are VERY green. Too much growth. After mentioning to the landlord that we had trouble finding our house with all the weeds he sent in some “people” to fix it. They wandered around our house spraying some chemical that killed every plant it came into contact with. So I had to keep the animals inside – in fear that they would turn brown and fall over.

Check out the new Wicked site, redesigned and ready to go. The Swedish site will be up shortly after some translation.

Similan Dive Sites – Elephant Head Rock

Elephant Head Rock

Between islands seven and eight lies Elephant Head Rock – or ‘Hin Pusa’.

A beautiful collection of submerged boulders, ranging from large slabs of rock to smaller stones. The relative isolation of the site between Islands 7 & 8 leaves it open to strong cross currents.

Conditions permitting drop down on the south side between the two large rocks which the break the surface. Stay close to the rocks until the strength and direction of the current has been gauged, and if necessary use the boulders as shelter. The south side of the dive site drops along a series of rock plateaus to a graduating sandy bottom which starts at about 30 meters and goes deeper – more than 50 Meters.
Keep the boulders on your left and work eastwards. Look beneath rocks for lobsters and large rays. A large channel can provide a good introduction to the dive, which sits at around 18 meters. Follow the opening through and then turn left into a smaller series of swim-throughs which bring you towards the north of the dive site.

If you skip the swim-throughs and head outside the site (rather than through) you will find some big fish hunting. Also spend some time looking for Frogfish, Flabellinas and other little stuff. You will be surprised by all that you find.
Conditions permitting continue swimming out towards the Northern-outer edge of the dive site over a sandy plateau where large White tips, Grey and Black tip reef sharks can sometimes be seen.

Turn back towards the rocks shallowing up to around 12 meters, where some inviting swim through bring you towards the center of the dive site characterised by smaller rocks and many small fish. Oriental and Harlequin sweetlips can often be found in the swim through as can larger groupers.

Also keep an eye open for some weird and wonderful nudibranches and in particular for flabbelina’s. Octopus, sea snakes and cuttlefish can also be found amongst the dead coral. Head south and you should come to an opening which begins at 12 meters and extends south to around 6 meters, where the current usually gains force. Beneath the large rock to your left is a long crack. Use a torch to look for baby white tip reef sharks. This can be a good place to end the dive, swimming back out to the north-east during the satefy stop for one final look for Sharks, Rays, Giant Trevally and Great Barracuda.

Mergui Archipelago – In Swedish-Ögruppen Mergui

Med över 800 öar,en del av dem i samma storlek som Singapore eller Phuket och de flesta av dem är helt obebodda, så har området obegränsad potential för dykare, segelbåtar, kanotister eller nudister mfl. Man har redan tagit till åtgärder för att bevara öarna, och regeringen verkar vara mycket intresserade av att utveckla området på ett positivt sätt. Olyckligtvis ignorerar de fortfarande problemet med dynamit fiske, och många platser visar spår efter förödelsen sprängningarna lämnar efter sig. Även om dynamitfiske länge har varit ett populärt sätt att tjäna snabba pengar så har myndigheterna på de ställen som turism industrin utvecklats insett att turismen kan bidra mer till ekonomin och människorna i dessa områden. Detta har snabbt satt stop på dynamitfisket i dessa områden då detta endast gynnar några få i dessa områden medan turism kan gynna ett helt samhälle. Styret i Myanmar måste komma till denna insikt och separera miljön från politiska intressen för att kunna gynna sitt land och sitt folk. Icke desto mindre är dykningen utsökt men kunde vara ännu bättre om fler kontroller infördes.
Det finns fyra olika typer av dykplatser bland dessa öar; grunda, rev nära öarna där sikten oftast är sämre men med ett brett spectrum av marint liv; rev längre ut från öarna där sikten är klart bättre, och korallerna i bättre skick;Klippor och små öar som reser sig från djupet och attraherar större marina djur såsom hajjar och rockor; och sand bankar som stiger upp fran djup på över 300 meter och attraherar ett brett specktrum av djur. Som summering kan Merguis skärgård kan visa upp ett av världens mest intressanta ecosystem.
Nära in mot fastlandet är öarna mycket gröna av vegitation och djungel och är hem åt några av de sista djungel katterna och andra stora däggdjur i Sydost Asien. För de som är intresserade av mer än dykning kan djungel trekking och flodtripper också bli en del av resan. Fågelskådare och andra naturenthusiaster kommer få sin lystnad mättad här.
Längre i från fastlandet är öarna torrare och havet runt om är djupt nog att ha god sikt. Här liknar koraller och fiskliv mer det som man finner i Thailand men med större artrikedom. Detta gör dykningen bättre och mer spännande än den som man finner åt syd och åt öst.

coconut grove restaurant

This is one of our all-time favorite restaurants. With good food, classic Thai hospitality and sunsets like this. Whether with friends or just a quiet night under the stars…this is really one of the reasons we live here. Order the Indian Curry – big but tasty.

During the day this is also a great pplace to settle in. Order a Lemon juice or mango shake, run around in the water, spend a few hours doing…nothing.

We sit here with the dog while he runs in circles in and out of the water.

Bang Niang beach is quieter and more focused on the smaller, bungalow style resorts. So the beach has less people, and plenty of space to wander quietly.

If you head along the Bang Niang beach road, you’ll find it. If not, look for our bikes. Or the dog. Arrive early for sunsets…..

Similan Diving Sealife – Wentletraps

Okay, we’re gonna geek out for a minute or two…on Wentletraps….

Yeah, whatever you might say. Small yellow snails. Whatever. Not interesting. I beg to differ. These guys are really amazing. And they are part of the really weird web of life that makes the reef so interesting.
This is one of those things I can sit and watch for long periods of time. Partly so I stay still and therefore stay under longer, partly because they barely move and amke for easier photography but mostly because they are so strange.
Of course, small yellow snails are not for everyone. So I warn people about this before going on a dive and let everyone know that if you want to see a shark – “look around”.

The Wentletraps in our region are small and yellowish as you’ll see from these pictures. They cruise along with aggression in their hearts and passion in their eyes.
They are always trying to get a “bit of action” if you know what I mean. Then….They just carry the eggs around on their shells. Sort of like tying your kids to the top of the car! Not cool. And since they are just eggs, they can’t be all that noisy.

When they are not getting “busy”” they take all their anger out on cup corals. I swear, who could be anything but happy with these little corals who look like wee little cups (thus the name). The Wentletraps, pull up alongside, jam their probiscus (nose/mouth) inside and digest the entire coral leaving just the exoskeleton. How cruel.

Then they just make the worst of it – they leave their eggs in the now empty skeleton and take off for more dirty deeds and massacres.

Yet, the voyeur in me loves to watch this drama unfold. Murderous cold-hearted single parents who abandon their children after eating their victims. Man, if that doesn’t sound like a good TV show or what!


These dramas usually take place on the underside of overhangs and other dark areas, as the Cup corals seem to not like direct sunlight. I have rarely seen them out during the day (except in darker caves or overhangs). They tend to be most easily seen on Richelieu Rock, Christmas Point and Elephant Head Rock. Of course you’ll find me lurking in dark areas on my dives too…but then….


Wicked Diving
Liveaboard Guide

Similan Dive Sites – overview

The Similan Islands are often mentioned as some of the best in the world. In 1992 they were actually listed as one of the top ten sites in the world. Now, we live here and love the area and the sites are really good, even after several years of diving them, but there are other places that are better. That’s true.

BUT
We don’t believe that there are many quite so convenient (Phuket Airport is less than one hour South of Khao Lak), with such good hospitality (Thailand) or in such a nice location (Khao Lak is gorgeous). The quality of life while staying here is incredible. Great food, jungle trekking, 50 Km of beaches, warm tropical waters and resorts annually winning Best in Asia, or Best in World awards.

The islands themselves….

The name Similan was derived from the Malaysian word for number nine, “Sembilan” as this little archipelago is made up of nine islands. Although the islands have local names, they are usually referred to by their respective numbers from south to north.

The Similans were designated as the 43rd national park of Thailand in 1982, covering an area of 128 km2, including Koh Bon and the two rocky outcrops of Shark Fin Reef and Hin Pusa. In 1998, another 12 km2 of Koh Tachai was added to the park, expanding the total area to 140 km2, of which only 15 km2 is land. The islands are uninhabited with the exception of Island 4 and 8, where the national park offices are located.

The nine islands offer a myriad of experiences, activities and breathtaking views to all visitors whether their striking white beaches or scattered magnificent boulders. However, the most outstanding scenes are found under the waves including spectacular coral growth and diverse marine life, making the islands the ideal playground for all divers.
More than 3000 different types of fish and over 500 unique corals have been identified and catalogued to date. According to experts on this region, there still exists a great quantity of undiscovered marine life – a challenge for all underwater photographers to become the first to document and perhaps even name a new species.

Basic Info

The Similan National Park is located 49 km west of the Phang–Nga coast. The Similans lie on the eastern side of the Andaman Sea in the Indian Ocean. The closest Port Is Taplamu, and the closest point of land is Thai Muang National Park. (Both are just a few minutes south of Khao Lak)

The topography of the Similans greatly differs between the eastern and western sides of the islands. The Monsoons come in from the west and bring high waves and debris. The Eastern sides of the Similans are protected from these – so the corals and sandy beaches.

The Eastern side of the Similans bring in huge rounds of applause and give us the big double whammy of great reefs as well as the huge scenery of the Western sides. Here you’ll find the protected coves and beaches with plenty of coral. Our fields of soft corals, and an abundance of hard coral fields that slope down from the beach to 35 to 40 meters underwater. Add all the reef fish make this scenery just about perfect. Then just for kicks sprinkle in a few pelagics coming in to hunt and you have some world-class diving!

Some of the sites here that are worth mentioning – East of Eden, Breakfast Bend, Beacon Reef (North and South) and Anita’s Reef are accessible to all level of divers. We usually combine one of the deeper morning dives with one of the reef dives.


With The Western side famed for it’s large stacked granite boulders creating dramatic elevated formations, tunnels, swim-throughs, archways and very impressive granite seascapes. Not to mention huge fish! you will find these to be the more challenging diving in addition to the deeper dives. But here you’re more likely to find our Napolean Wrasse, Bumphead Parrotfish, Grey Reef Sharks, Manta Rays and other pelagics. The most famous sites – Deep Six, Elephant Head Rock, Stonehenge, Fantasy Reef, Christmas Point are all perennial favorites and feature some of the amazing dives that make this area famous.
These can be challenging if there is current or if the visibility is poor. We prefer to take more experienced divers here. Due to depth and challenges, these sites will be done in the morning.

Clear water, mild temperatures and abundant plankton enable the development of vast, healthy coral reef formations in the Similans. Seasonal monsoons keep the regional waters circulating and assure the healthy and vibrant corals that have made this region famous.

Climate and Seas
The southwest monsoon from the Indian Ocean has a greater effect on the Andaman Sea than the northeast monsoon. From May to October, the southwest monsoon brings rain and high waves, with the heaviest rains occurring in September. The northeast monsoon takes place from November to April. At this time, the Andaman Sea is the calmest because the monsoon is blocked by the mainland. This is also known as the travelling season. The average temperature is 27°c year round, with 83% relative humidity. Afternoon thunderstorms are the norm in Khao Lak – often referred to as Nature’s Air-Conditioning.

The Similan National Park office operates from November 15th to May 15th annually. Sometimes wind and waves can be strong and high at the beginning and the end of travelling season. Please check weather and sea forecasts before arrival.

With more than 40 named dive sites to choose from and a huge variety of dive styles – the Similans are bound to please.


Just like the Similans, nearby dives to really consider are Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and for something completely different – check out our local wrecks (Bon Soong and Premchai) as well as the newly discovered reef off Thai Muang.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have. If you didn’t figure it out, we are fish nerds and love the area – and showing off the area even more!

Similan Dive Sites – Koh Tachai Reef

Koh Tachai Reef makes a great drift dive and is suitable for all levels.  Its sheltered location means that it is often used as an alternative when the current makes Tachai Plateau too difficult to dive, while visibility usually tends to be better than the surrounding dive sites.   It is a great third dive of the day and a lovely dusk dive as it seems to be home to an unusual amount of resting leopard sharks! 
The current is usually running south to north along a shallow reef which gradually drops down to the sea bed at 30 meters.  It is a very peaceful dive, with large bomies spread out across a fine sandy floor and interspersed with Table Coral, Brain Corals and Fire Corals.  A good dive plan is to enter in the south then head straight out to 30 meters where you will find patches of Staghorn Corals.  Look for spearing Mantis Shrimp which live in the many holes around these corals.  Also look along the floor for larger Rays and Garden Eels. 

Ascend to between 20 – 25 meters and look inside crevices and under corals for a free manicure from Banded Cleaner Shrimps.  The bomies tend to be covered in small Glass Shrimp but they are also home to large Moray Eels as well as Common Lion Fish and even the Oscillated Dwarf Lion fish(although these are easier to find during night dives). Interesting Nudibranchs, Kuhls Rays and Flounders can be found in the sandy patches.  Look for Cuttlefish and Octopus over the rocky areas.  Keep a vigilant eye open for Leopard Sharks which can be found lounging in the sand at various depths.

 Towards the northern tip there is a sharp corner along the reef.  Stay towards the shallows as you go around the corner, as the current can pick up in the deeper waters.  The marine life tends to increase around here, especially if there is a current.  Large shoals of blue fusiliers, Yellow Fusiliers and Trevally can often be seen. Large bomies provide good entertainment during the safety stop before swimming out into the blue for a final spot of Manta searching.

Similan Dive Sites – Koh Bon

Koh Bon is located about 20 kilometers north of Island 9 and features one of the only vertical walls in Thailand. The island has no beaches and is in the shape of a horseshoe.

The main dive site is on the southwestern point and consists of a 33 meter wall facing the small cove, and a step-down ridge that carries on to depths of over 45 meters. Leopard sharks are common on the sandy flats below the wall (particularly on the eastern side).

Although the soft corals are not as high-profile as they are in the Similans, the colors of the corals are radically different and include shades of turquoise, yellow and blue, besides the more common pinks and purples. With the angles on the wall, they also offer an ever changing spectrum of colors and make for some great photos around noon.

Koh Bon is one of the better places to see manta rays, almost all year around. With wing-spans sometimes in excess of five meters they are a spectacular thing to behold! This last year featured Mantas almost everyday from mid-December until April. Frequent, but not daily sightings for the rest of the season!

There is also a pinnacle just to the north of the ridge. It is a deep rock, but if you’re an experienced diver it’s worth the short bottom times you’ll get (especially if you’re on a longer trip). Not all boats visit it and if conditions are not good (like the current is wrong), it’s not worth it. But, if the water is clear, you’re good with your air, and the current is slack, it’s a stunning rock. It looks like a temple built by some ancient culture. It’s larger than Richelieu Rock at the base, and a hard swim. The bottom is over 50 meters deep, and the top only come up to about 18-20 meters.

Some amazing little critters are seen here including nudibranchs, pipefishes, pleurobranchs and mantis shrimps.

Diving Depths of 1- 35 meters (1-100 feet), with most time spent on the ridge at 20-25 meters (70-85 feet).

Visibility runs about 20 meters (75 feet) but gust of cold water, with associated plankton blooms are not uncommon.

Currents can be mild to strong, depending on tides. It is also common to have virtually no current inside the bay but a ripping current on the outside.

Experience level: while beginners can do this site, it is recommended that the diver be intermediate and above due to lack of beaches, potentially strong currents and popularity of the site.

Khao Lak Weather May 18

Remember that our booking site is online www.liveaboardguide.com

Another great day in paradise! It really is a shame no one is here to enjoy this. Luscious Saturday afternoon.

Even the diving has returned to normal! Reports are coming back of 30M+ visibility and amazing fishlife.

Just goes to show that the best time to visit is the “worst” time to visit.

New website should be up tonight! check it out
www.wickeddiving.com

Khao Lak Flights – arriving at Phuket Airport

Phuket is a very large International Airport. Beside being a large European Tourist destination, you can easily arrange connecting flights from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Australia, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Peak season sees as many as 40 flights a day! With the rapid expansion of budget airlines in Asia, you should be able to fly at prices cheaper than the trains and just a little bit more than buses. Especially if you book at least 2 weeks ahead.

Phuket Airport is also only 75 KM South of Khao Lak! That’s less than one hour away, as we are connected by a very scenic and rapid road. Please allow us to arrange your transit between Phuket Airport and Khao Lak.
(Read our “taxi” section)

If you fly International direct, please expect a long customs/immigration wait – as long as 1 hour! Phuket Immigration officers are notoriously grouchy.

If you arrive from a domestic flight you should be able to walk right out the door minutes after landing.

Asia has recently liberalized its airways and is now home to the worlds best flight bargains. Budget airlines abound and offer some incredible deals. several of them have great internet booking sites and give you some real peace of mind about travelling to and from our area. With direct flights to Australia for $200 and flghts to Hong Kong for as low as $60…travelling here is pretty easy.

{If you arrive in Bangkok and then are transferring to a domestic flight please allow at least 2 hours there for various immigration/customs checks – it rarely takes this long, but you never know.}

Inside the terminal there is a Burger King and a another small fast food joint. A couple of crap-shops and a very limited newstand are inside. So we’ve found it more entertaining and interesting to wait in the arrivals area.

{Air Asia is currently the only airline that flies into the new airport in Bangkok, where all of the international flights land. If you are transferring to one the smaller regional airlines, then give yourself several hours of transit time between airports in Bangkok.}

As with most International Airports, you can easily rent cars (don’t forget that we drive on the Left here!)

Please read our section on taxis before selecting one at the Phuket International Airport
Major discount domestic (and regional airlines) are:

Thai Air Asia (www.airasia.com – use the “Malaysia – English” section to book flights in English)
Nok Air (www.http://www.nokair.com/nokconnext/aspx/welcome.aspx?currlang=en-US)
Orient One-Two-Go (http://www.fly12go.com/en/main.shtml)
Fireflyz (http://www.fireflyz.com.my/) cheap flights to malaysia

Though not really budget airlines, these will offer similar routes, and will work with travel agents from your country …

Bangkok Airways (http://www.bangkokair.com)
Thai airways (http://www.thaiair.com)

There is also
Phuket Airlines (www.phuketairlines.com)
But after a series of accidents and poor safety records they have been Blacklisted from European air spaces, and at least one of the planes has been held for non-payment of airport fees – we discourage their use

For Budget Flights within South-East Asia, we Recommend…

Tiger Airways (www.tigerairways.com) Based in Singapore
Silk Air (www.silkair.com) Budget arm of Singapore Airlines
Dragon air (www.dragonair.com) Based in Hong Kong
Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com) Based In Kuala Lumpur
Jetstarasia (www.jetstarasia.com ) Based In Singapore

Both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore have opened new budget terminals, so we expect to see an explosion in air traffic in this area. Please ask us any of your question

Khao Lak Weather May 17, 2007 – great!

Well here is our sun again. Got warm too. It was lurking in the high 20’s (low 80’s) there for a few days, but it’s back to warm weather again.

Had a nice day in Phuket looking at furnishings for our new Wicked Shop. Should be nice…we hope…

Lots o f online work. Trying to make the new site nice and smooth, so lots of little tinkering to make things nice for y’all.

Lots of changes in the year ahead.

Khao Lak Taxi Service – the evils of Phuket Airport

Editors note:

There is now a new Taxi service that is easy and simple to use. Please go to www.khaolaktaxi.com for easy and simple pricing and details

The dirty tale of taxi Service at Phuket international Airport

Taxi’s at Phuket airport…
What to say….this is a very tricky issue, and one that stirs up a huge amount of emotions in this area. Simply put, any taxi that offers it’s services to you at the terminal at Phuket Airport is part of a very strong, very ominous mafia. They don’t allow metered taxis in their turf (through both intimidation and actual violence) and also bully hotels into paying them commissions for delivering people without reservations. You may possibly get diverted to a golf course, or travel agent or worse. The price you pay for the ride itself is about 2-3 times what you would normally pay for a taxi outside the airport gates. While not every taxi trip is a tale of woe, there are frequent enough stories that we discourage their use.

…Addendum March 2007…

The government has required the presence of metered taxis in the parking lot of the airport. They are to display their badge number and deliver you to your specific destination. The newspapers in the area are filled with continued reports of abuse and problems involving commissions. Still be wary….

If you will allow us to recommend a few options.

First, if you do use these taxis, please don’t tell them you do not have a reservation – they will bully and abuse the desk people into paying a commission (30% of your room rate), which they do not deserve. They may also divert you to a travel agent to book a room or a tour. Again, these are EXTREMELY overpriced and are rarely what is advertised. Make it clear that you do not want a golf lesson, or a townhouse or a tour of Phuket.

If you are heading to Khao Lak, the mafia is powerless in this region. The hotels rarely pay their extortion demands (part of why our prices are more reasonable), but the drivers will overcharge for the trip (less than 80km). They will more frequently tell you that Khao Lak is closed, that there are no hotel rooms available or even tell you that the area is off limits. DO NOT believe them. We are completely open, far more beautiful than Phuket ever was and we will welcome you with open arms.

A fine option is to walk straight out of the airport parking area (about 300 meters) and hail a proper taxi – yellow or red. These will agree upon a price, still large, but less than the mafia (between 1500-2000 Baht depending on your negotiating prowess). You will also get to your destination without diversion. If you are in a large group, or have a pile of luggage, ask the driver to come pick you up inside (you must sit in the car/minibus) to avoid the mafia intimidation.

A final choice, and obviously one that you can take with a grain of salt, is allow us to arrange a taxi for you. We will either come in person or send one of our trusted drivers from Khao Lak. We will wait for you at the gate with your name on a sign, and drive you straight here. If you want to stop along the way for a meal or just to sit by the ocean for a few minutes, we are more than happy. We understand that you are on vacation and need time to adapt. If it is not one of us, then it will be one of our trusted taxi drivers (see the never be hired again.

www.khaolaktaxi.com

We will also arrange transportation to and from a variety of other places. Whether you arrive by train in Surat Thani or by bus in Phuket town. We also help in arranging transport in the local areas of Khao sok, Takuapa, Thai Muang and Phangnga. Please let us know what you need, we’ll take the headaches away.

Similan Dive Sites – Breakfast Bend

*One* of the best reefs in the area, with lots of vibrant colors and fish. Typical of the Eastern side of the Similans, there is a nice shallow flat area from 0-8 meters (0-25 feet) that is rich in small coral bommies interspersed with sandy patches. Plenty of fish, making the shallows great for snorkeling and beginning dives.

At about 8 meters (25 feet) down to 30 meters (100 feet) runs a gentle sloping reef that is rich in hard corals and all the inhabitants.
At the bottom, frequent visitors are leopard sharks and Kuhl’s rays. A great place to find ghost pipefish!
As you head into the safety stop in the shallows, keep an eye out for hawksbill and green sea turtles. There are plenty of fish keep you entertained during the safety stop.
An excellent drift dive. Due to geography this is a dive best done early in the morning.

Diving is from 0-30 meters (0-100 feet) with average depth at 12 meters (40 feet).

Visibility is usually great – 25 meters (85 feet), unless cold water comes from the deep – thermoclines.

Currents are present but just climb onboard them and go for a ride! As the currents split in the middle of this site, it is best done with an experienced guide so you end up in the right place.

Experience level – this site is suitible for all divers (and even snorklers!)

Similan Dive Sites – Deep Six

Deep Six

Deep Six tumbles down from the north point of Island 7.  It is a collection of submerged boulders similar in topography to North Point and Christmas Point on Island 9.

  A mooring line to the west brings you down to the center of the dive cite.  Continue to swim north where you can find boulders which extend down to maximum depths of 45-50 meters. Keep an Eye on your depth gauge!

Stay close to the rocks until you have assessed the current, which tends to be stronger towards the northern tip of the dive site.  White tip reef sharks can occasionally be seen in the deeper areas, as can larger rays and Kuhl’s stingrays.  Like this one Keith hovering right over a Kuhl’s Ray at 35 Meters…

There are some great swim throughs around the big boulders at the centre of the dive site.  A large arch at around 22 – 24 meters on the western side will bring you into a maze of smaller swim throughs lined with whip corals and sea fans.  Pipefishes and crustaceans love these dark holes, and harlequin shrimp have been found sitting on the bottom of the western swim through.  Oriental sweetlips and larger groupers can be found under rocks and table corals.  Look along the rocky bottom for mantis shrimp, octopus and sea snakes. 

Flabellina can be found along the outside walls of the main boulders. Like this one…

There is a larger channel on the eastern side of the dive site which can also provide good shelter if there is a strong current.  Leopard sharks also seem to enjoy these sheltered sandy areas.  Towards the south of the dive site, the boulders spread out into larger sandy areas which runs alongside of the island at around 10 meters.

  In the shallows here you will find more huge gaps in the boulders, making for some really scenic swim-throughs. There are alos plenty of exciting fish and discoveries in here. This is a Great Barracuda just before taking off…

  Look here for red and purple fire gobies and nudibranchs.  Swim out into the blue for the safety stop or return to the mooring line as it can be difficult for the boat to collect you if you stay close to the island.  This is also a good opportunity to look for cruising manta rays as well as to watch the large shoals of fusiliers.

Here is a pretty good map of the site, as done by the authors of “Similan pocket dive sites” a really good book about the Similans. They dived the area for several years, so they are in the know about how to dive these sites. You can purchase a copy of this and other books in our shop.

Wicked Diving

Liveaboardguide

Khao Lak Weather and Jellyfish lessons

The diving on the Similan and Surin Islands has just come to an end. The Season is officially over and we are already preparing for next season. Wicked Diving is opening a new shop, much larger and easier to find and all that that entails, currently all our equipment is getting serviced, our liveaboard site is being finalized and so much more. So keep checking back…

So here is a great picture from yesterday. Beautiful scene from Khuk Khak beach. Just running around being stupid with the dog. (I’m not implying he was being stupid, just me). It is so nice to get out and really enjoy quiet time. This is such a rarity for us, as we tend to work Full-On during the season – 14-16 hour days are pretty common. Also nice to get some color!

Today is grim as we have a large storm front moving in from India. But things can’t always be perfect.


Below is a picture from up close to one of the large jellyfish we get here. These ones are almost free of stingers, so it’s amazing to really get close and look at the details. These incredible things (they lack central nervous systems! They are more of a collective of specialized cells) really are from outer space. Whole entire ecosystems live inside them as they travel about. Fish and crabs live under the bell (the top), small shrimps clamber around in the arms and of course small schools of fish follow them, using them as a support base for feeding. Very cool. And they do have stinger, but up inside of the bell.
These are actually from the earliest branch in the tree of life. The Cnidarians (really nice link)- they are the same group as Corals and Anemones. Weird huh? But look at it…if you turn a jellyfish upside down (and there are in fact “Upside Down Jellyfish” ) it looks very much like an anemone. they encrust that in calcium and you are looking at coral. They all use nematocysts (stinging cells) to incapacitate their prey, they all lack central nervous systems and all are so weird to watch. Okay – Coral can seem a bit boring, but I still like it…I always am amazed that they can get all this done and still not even have a brain, let alone nerves…This is the place for a great political joke….

We do have stinging Jellyfish, but they are actually very small and virtually invisible.

I am burning the midnight candle to pop our redone site up for y’all. So please be patient…we’ll get ‘er done!’

We are fixing up our liveaboard site as well, so please check in on that for all your questions and concerns…

Similan Dive Sites Report – Richelieu Rock

Remember that our incredible site for choosing your next liveaboard is up and running
www.liveaboardguide.com

Richelieu Rock

One of the star attractions of the Andaman Sea (and coveniently located for Khao Lak diving!), Richelieu Rock is famed for housing everything from the most obscure marine life to the biggest of the big fish, with whale shark sightings becoming increasingly common throughout the season.

  Situated to the north of the Similan islands, Richelieu Rock is part of the Surin National Park.  The Rock itself is a submerged pinnacle which forms the shape of a horseshoe.  The north of the dive site is characterized by a rock face which rises to the surface in low tide and drops to a sandy bottom of about 30 meters.  The south side has a shallower incline composed of a collection of rocks and crevices, which can provide shelter during strong currents.  Soft and hard corals are interspersed across the divesite, with the northwest rock face covered in a diverse collection of soft tree coral.  The star attractions include sea horses, ghost pipe fish, Janss’s pipefish, harlequin shrimp and tigris allied cowries.  Juvenile sweetlips, angel fish and cube box fish also make a frequent appearance.  A wide variety of clown fish including the tomato clown fish, squat shrimp, moray eels, cuttlefish and octopus are common.  There is also a large resident nurse shark, resting in a small cave in the south side.  Around the outside of the pinnacle, large schools of barracuda as well as blue finned trevallies cause mischief to schooling rainbow runners, yellow damsels and blue powered surgeon fishes.  The diversity of the dive site easily accommodates multiple dives.

Click on the map for a larger picture

This map is taken from Pocket divesite’s guide book: Similans including Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock more. Info at pocketdivesite@gmail.com. You can also purchase this book in our shop! Only 100 Baht. This is one of the best dive site books we’ve run across.  

Getting to Khao Lak via buses….

Remember to check out the best liveaboard booking site…www.liveaboardguide.com

Buses

Khao Lak is on the main North-South route between Phuket and Bangkok

If you come from either Phuket or Bangkok, just let the driver know that you wish to get off in Khao Lak at the Supermarket. That is the center of our town and quite close to our shop. If you are arriving from other parts of Thailand, you should be able to ask for Khao Lak (Pronounced Cow Lack). If it seems like you are getting a run around, ask for Takuapa (Pronounced Tock-oo-ah-pa) which is a main transit hub 30 km north of us. Frequent buses depart from there to our town. Again, just mention the supermarket and everyone knows what you mean.

This is one of the best roadside eateries that I stopped at. Located in Surat Thani…this might not be what your restaurant will be like…

Buses come in four main catagories:

Tourist Buses

These are called by many names – VIP, 1st Class, Luxury, Super VIP and many others besides. Generally Tourists buses are quite comfortbale and will head on a pretty direct route to wherever you are heading. The routes are pretty clear, and you will usually depart from a main tourist area (Kho San Road) and arrive at a similar area. This saves you some steps, but you will not see the real Thailand and you will usually be dealing with “Travel Agents” who are trying o get you to book something (diving, hotels, mini-golf) with them at much higher prices than you would actually pay. You will also be away from competition that could offer you something better. Your trip will cost you as much as 3 times as much as you would pay for a goverrnment bus, for the same or lower quality

Government Buses

These are all blue or orange, with the destination and stops written on the front and sides. These are usually only available at Government Bus stations, though you may be able to hail one from a roadside stop. At Government Bus Stations you will often encounter people walking up to you to sell you tickets to the route you’re going on. Sometimes these are the boys who work on the buses and are trying to fill empty seats (they get paid on how full the bus is). They may also be touts that are trying to divert you to a private company bus for a higher price as well as commission on hotel rooms and other expenses you will incur. Be cautious. They will not rob you, but they may not be what they seem.

VIP Buses

The government VIP bus has larger seats (three across instead of four) that recline further. There is a restoroom on board as well as snack service and blankets. There are also fewer stops along the way. Generally these are the long routes (more than 8 hours) and run at night to avoid traffic. These are the most comfortable buses in Thailand and a GREAT way to travel.
You will need to prepurchase your ticket for these. If a travel agent is purchasing one for you, he will adding a commision as these are a set price and non-negotiable. There is currently a system in place to order tickes online, but not for our sleepy little town. Keep chekcing back…

1st class buses

These buses are comfortable by anyones standards, with a toilet onboard, movies (usually a Thai version of old classics like Rambo or Predator or Terminator) and infrequent stops. The seats recline, but not all the way. You will stop at a roadside cafeteria for a meals.

2nd class buses

These buses are still comfortable but are budget. There will not be a toilet on board, the seats will only partly recline and there will be more frequent stops. These are fine for day time rides, as you can see the country side and the frequent stops allow you to get out and stretch your legs and use the restrooms at the bus sations. People selling local treats wil also introduce you to Thai fast food. Not recommended for overnight journeys.

Buses depart from Khao Lak for Bangkok frequently

VIP bus runs once a day, departing at 17.45 it takes approx. 11 hours to get to BKK it costs 895 Baht

There is one First Class bus per day departing at 17.00 it costs 580 Baht

Second Class buses depart much more frequently Every 2 hours from 8.30 until 20.00
The cost is only 420 baht

The primary toursit bus departs Khao lak at 17.00 it costs 700 baht (or more, depending on which travel agent you go to)

Departures from Bangkok are very frequent, check travel agents (do not end up in Phuket and then taking a minibus back to Khao Lak – they will sell you this trip!) or better yet go to the government bus station and ask for your tickets there. There is usually a VIP departing at 19.00, and a 1st class separting at 7.00.

If you have any questions – write to us…pland@wickeddiving.com or visit the website…

www.wickeddiving.com

Khao Lak Weather May 13th, 2007 – Great!

check out www.liveaboardguide.com – our new site!!!

The weather was quite nice today. Another long walk on the beach with no one else around for several hours!

Just can’t predict how conditions will be this time of year…
This is definitely a reminder about the quality of life….Got some pictures but forgot the camera…oh well

So here is an picture from our catalog.
This was hilarious.

Under a large boulder there was this mass of crazed fish squirming and swirling. These catfish just form these huge balls and sort of roll from pace to place. They are really bizarre to watch and very overwhelming to be near them.

Here is a wee-baby Boxfish trying to get out of the flow of thousands of these guys surrounding him.
Seeing how they are not adapted to swimming normally, he had a heck of a time just staying in one place with his huge mass of flesh surrounding him.

The catfish are uncommon, but not unheard of. The boxfish are quite common, you just have to keep your eyes open. They are often in small cracks and fissures (due to lack of swimming ability) and come in several colors – Yellow, browns, blacks and more…

Book your vacations now…Khao Lak is busiest when the diving is best. So call ahead, check out our site, or go online….

www.wickeddiving.com

Khao Lak Weather May 12th, 2007

So today we had a nice mix of weather. Bit of rain in the morning, then it cleared up and the dog took my for a walk. The beaches are gorgeous right now. In two hours of walking I passed a single person, a Burmese guy scavanging old fishing nets (they mend and sell them for extra cash).

But with clear skies and no one around we had a good romp.


Here’s Baruce posing. He’s turned into a “talker” and likes to howl and mumble about all sorts of the world’s problems – not enough attention to dogs, not enough of the good food, water that is too cold, bathing….


Trying to update the site right now….www.wickeddiving.com

and of course, if you want liveaboards…www.liveaboardguide.com

Khao Lak Diving – Deep Sea Porn!!!

In thee lonely times with the weather turning sour and Karin gone – I find myslef drawn to more and more deviant things…so today I busted out ye olde Nudi pictures and was shocked – shocked! I forgot exactly how dirty the guys are!

All Nudibranchs are Hermaphroditic, so they can actually go at it from both ends at the same time!!!

Here are three of them going nuts! And you thought that sea slugs were boring? heck no…and they skip the foreplay and just go right at it….


They are also love ’em and leave ’em types…plenty of single mothers/fathers here! They’ll drop a load of eggs like this….

They lay them in really nice outward spirals and then…wander off to do it all again! Shocking!!!

This is a nice picture of a Nudi-rose. This is actually the egg spiral from a Pleurobranch, a much larger species. They are pretty cool and flow back and forth in the surges.



Of course you can come see all this naughtiness in person …www.wickeddiving.com

or better yet book a liveaboard to see several sites like these…www.liveaboardguide.com



 

Khao Lak Weather May 10….

So here is a quick repost of the weather on May 8th…

Looks nice? Well….just a few hours later things changed…










Then the power went out for most of the night.
Pretty big bummer there.






So after a nice early morning respite from the weather, it started raining again yesterday, all day, and night and now…..


This has been going on for hours…

You’ll notice our trash can being washed away.





So of course, everyone wanted out of the rain. So in walked one of these…it sure has the basics of a Praying Mantis, but who knows…still wouldn’t want to find one in my socks…

Just another one for the bug collection….Picture collection that is…

New site rolling out…www.wickeddiving.com

and of course the very best site for liveaboards in the world…www.liveaboardguide.com

Khao Lak Weather May 8th 2007

So we have a nice break in the weather today. Feels like the edn winter, yet it’s only been a few days.
I guess we just get spoiled here. As the season is coming to an end, the real work begins. We are deep into our website – www.wickeddiving.com – for next year and doing all sorts of updates to our new website – www.liveaboardguide.com
as we bring that online. Plese give us feedback on all that as you notice things..we’d love to change and adapt to meet your needs and desires.

But not only has the season come to an end, but we are digging through the piles of pictures we have …

So here’s a really interesting one of our “leaf insects” these are pretty rare to find in the town but in the jungle these are around….really hard to find though.

This one was taken by a guest in Khao Sok National Park which is the largest National Park in Thailand, home to one of the largest dams as well as the second largest lake in the country. There are villages that got submerged beneath the rising waters and should make for great diving. But there is also a huge selection of underwater caves. This is a huge region for us in the years ahead!

You can see how beautiful the area is. This is also one of the least visited parks in Thailand, so the trekking and lodging here is incredible. The other thing this is home to…the largest flower in the world….the Rafflesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafflesia) that is huge and stinks of rotten meat. Pretty cool….

So when you come visit, this is one of the really cool options for the area. And y’all thought this was just diving?

Khao Lak Weather May 5th 2007

Just got a nice picture of our sign and the sunset.

We’ve just had a couple of days of nice weather, and the beaches look nice too.

The weather turned for the better as the low-pressure system moved North to deluge them instead of us.

But we have a pretty grim forecast for diving in the next week – big waves…so it looks like this is it. A couple of boats will keep runnning, but really the season is over.

Of course I do have company…Saqueak prefers to sleep most of the day.

And actually it appears that she likes to sleep most of the night too…so I must rely on the dog Ba-Ruce to tend to my solitude…

Welll anyhow….


Check out our sites….

www.wickeddiving.com
www.liveaboardguide.com

Keith’s gone…

Well here’s keith last night…I broke out the spectacualr wine…man was this good. I’m glad we waited 8 months to open it. it was worth it.

There was nothing there, so that white light is kind of weird. But the wine demtioa was real….


As was Aom’s laughter. Keith can be charming…so he won her heart…


After tomorrow it will only be the pets and myself left here!

Khao Lak Weather May 3rd 2007

Overcast with spotty sunshine. The crap of this is that the Similans are still pretty clear and the diving is STILL very nice. But guess who’s on land? Whimper…

So we will start mining our huge backlog of pictures and uploading lots of the best of….

Here’s a friendly turtle checking things out…what nice colors…


Remeber to check out our
sites….

www.wickeddiving.com
www.liveaboardguide.com

Khao Lak Weather May 1st 2007

Well, it seems to be the end of the sun. Just heaps of rain. But it’s still warm. Very warm…33 (93) and the rain is still welcome. Of course the mold that started growing on the outside of the Fridge is a bit annoying. Or the fact that our street sign started growing a plant. But at least it’s green.

Funny thing is the diving around Khao Lak is still really sweet. If we can just keep diving, then things are fine. The Similans are doing even better.


We’d also like to introduce the newest member of our family – Aom. She is our new shopstress. WIth a real inclination towards neatness and order, She will find herself busy around me and Karin.

We are also signing papers on our new shop in a day or two. So we’ll have a big new shop with plenty of space outside for hanging out, talking diving crap and of course cold beers after diving! It’s pretty busy time for us!

Yet, without so many visitors we tend towards the smaller tasks to keep busy. Like web design

Or you taking scooter lessons from the dog.

Ba-Ruce is a Thai dog, so he learned to drive a scooter at a very young age. We are currently working on “go fetch me a six pack of beer, get the laundry and pick up a paper”. He’s a bit slow on that skill, but man once he’s on the scooter, he’s a real terror to the cats!

We are still open, and chugging along.

www.wickeddiving.com
www.liveaboardguide.com

Bangkok and ADEX and the Happy Snapper

So Karin and I headed off to Bangkok to sell ourselves.
Well, we tried to sell our new website…well actually we tried to get boats to use our website to sell themselves. Convoluted?

Yep.
But check out www.liveaboardguide.com
and see what we are up to. Seems pretty good so far…
But before we left…we had a night out with Keith. Here’s us with the lovely hostess with way more than the mostess – Aeh, the boss lady of Happy Snapper – the best live music joint this side of Phang–Nga.

She gave Each of us a tshirt. Of course they are a gaudy yellow, but that’s the kings colors and we are supposed to wear yellow shirts on Mondays to celebrate his 60 years of ruling Thailand.

There are no actual pictures of us at ADEX, as I was busy running around trying to get people to sign up for our site. And looking for important people to leech free drinks off of. And free snacks. And finding computer geeks to…well geek out with.

Instead you will find this picture of Karin buying an old (looking) poster at a sort of fake antique shop in the middle of Chatuchak weekend market. This is one of the largest markets in the world with thousands and thousands of stalls. Hotter than a camels left nut in there too! But man is it cool to wander around.And of course, everyone’s favorite….MBK. 7 floors of stalls with a massive amount of things. One entire floor is just mobile phones and accessories. I mean this is where phones geeks go to talk super phone geek talk and there are bidding wars on the best phone numbers. It was also the scene of a fire about one week ago. Interesting to think about how anyone could possibly escape from this place on a normal day, let alone a fire. But there are cheap DVD’s so….


So check out our websites…..

www.WickedDiving.com

www.Liveaboardguide.com