Thai Treasures: 24 Breathtaking Photos
Gregory PiperThe vast diversity and abundance of eels is one of the South Andaman Sea’s most wonderful attractions. Eels are one of my favorite subjects to shoot and their prehistoric appearance always makes my heart jump a beat when I come across one. This zebra moray was simply sitting in a vertical wall just looking into my dome.
Gregory PiperPurple soft coral stretches out along jagged rock, punctuated with giant fans and abundant marine life.
Location: The North Point, Similan Islands, North Andaman Sea
Gregory PiperAn anemonefish hiding in its bright pink and red anemone
Gregory PiperA goby simply poses on a starfish. The contrasting colors make this one of my favorite shots of the trip. Anytime you can get anything to pose on those beautiful blue stars, the results are stunning!
Gregory PiperThis beautiful dorid nudibranch (Hypselodoris tryoni) just appeared out of nowhere as I was playing with a beautiful and boasting scorpion fish. Not to be outdone by a nudi, the scorpion displayed the weirdest behavior getting between the nudi and me, flaring out its fins as if it were jealous. I took this shot as it crept over the peak of some coral sporting its classic Marilyn Monroe pose!
Gregory PiperNow who doesn’t love an encounter with a pair of harlequin shrimp? Especially ones this size! Although I have been lucky enough to spot these dancing duos in Hawaii on more then one occasion, I must admit, they feed ‘em good out here in the South Andaman. These were by far the largest I have seen anywhere — including Bali. I spent about 30 minutes alone shooting this couple.
Gregory PiperThis nudi's bright, beautiful colors got me singing Christmas carols in my head while underwater.
Gregory PiperThe Thailand Aggressor waits patiently on the surface for us to return. The visibility, abundant sea life and breathtaking colors make the South Andaman Sea a bucket-list destination.
Gregory PiperMoray eels are a frequent sight in the Andaman Sea.
Gregory PiperA female tiger seahorse looking out from behind a sea fan. On the opposite side of the sea fan was a male seahorse. Although I saw several tiger seahorses, this was the only time I witnessed a pair. They seemed to dance together separated only by the fan.
Gregory PiperThe lush soft corals of the south Andaman Sea
These seamounts were covered with healthy, stunning and colorful soft coral growth from top to bottom. The south Andaman Sea boasts some of the healthiest soft coral growth I have seen outside of Raja Ampat.
Gregory PiperBatfish mosey along under the rays of the morning sun. Visibility on some sights in the south was simply amazing.
Gregory PiperThe simplistic beauty in nature. The south Andaman Sea has more anemones and more anemone fish per dive site then any other place I have visited.
Gregory PiperScorpion fish are masters of camouflage.
Gregory PiperThe South Andaman Sea and the Phi Phi Islands held many exotic attractions. Besides the abundance and health of its soft corals and lush sea fans, the area boasts many small wonders like this tiger seahorse.
Gregory Piper“Tachai Island Pinnacles” brought joy to my face as I cruised over the vertical walls covered in purple soft coral and beautiful sea fans of every color and size.
Gregory PiperAnemonefish on one of the many wildly colored anemones at East of Eden, Similan Islands.
Gregory PiperA dentist appointment, north Andaman style.
Gregory PiperBeautiful sea fans greet you as you roll into the water at Anita's Reef in the North Andaman Sea.
Gregory PiperA cuttlefish on a night dive as it slips away into the black in the Similan Islands.
Gregory PiperDueling or flirting … you decide. Watching these eels kept me occupied for half of my dive.
Gregory PiperThe peacock mantis shrimp is abundant in the north Andaman Sea. Its defenses include a deadly fast appendage, capable of snapping a human finger, breaking bones in the hand and smashing the glass of dome ports.
Gregory PiperThe one creature we all love to see … the whale shark.
Gregory PiperWhale shark at Elephant Head Rock.
The Thailand Aggressor
Ever since I listened to my uncle's war stories as a kid, I have been fascinated with Thailand. So when the Aggressor Fleet announced that they were putting a boat in Thailand, it made perfect sense to get my name on its guest list.
The Trip
Before my dive vacation, I headed to Bangkok to visit some WWII sites I have always wanted to see, and paid my respects to the soldiers who lost their lives. Then, I boarded my flight to Phuket to begin my 14-day dive excursion on the Thailand Aggressor.
The Experience
When I finally climbed aboard, I was not disappointed. The experience exceeded the already-high standards of Aggressor live-aboards, and the crew provided impeccable service, amazing food and comfortable, clean accommodations.
First stop: the famous Similan islands. The highlight of the week was Richelieu Rock; it was so good we dived it three times! Although damage from the 2006 tsunami is still visible, the area is well on its way to recovery.
Next, we ventured south, which by my account outdid the north — and that’s saying a lot! The clear-blue waters and kaleidoscope colors made the southern coast ideal for macro and wide-angle photography.
The Bottom Line
This is a world-class diving experience. The owners spared no expense when they dry-docked this beautiful vessel. I suggest taking a two-week trip on the Thailand Agressor to explore the northern and southern diving sites, because one week on this boat will just leave you wanting more.
Want More Scuba Diving Travel?
10 Tips for Solo Scuba Travel | Dive and Dine: Eat Locally When You Travel
