Nice scene.

     This is a common scene when you dive at the Similan Islands. The islands have a lot of colorful fish and many species feed in schools which is a great  spectacle.

Strongest "punch" in the world.

     Mantis shrimp or stomatopods are marine crustaceans, they are neither shrimp nor mantis, but receive their name purely from the physical resemblance to both the terrestrial praying mantis and the shrimp.  These aggressive and typically solitary sea creatures spend most of their time hiding in rock formations or burrowing intricate passageways in the sea-bed.They are burrowers, constructing U-shaped holes in the loose substrate near the bases of coral reefs in water ranging from 3 to 40 meters (9.8 to 130 ft) deep. Mantis shrimp is a smasher, with club shaped raptorial appendages. An active hunter, it prefers gastropods, crustaceans, and bivalves, and will repeatedly smash its prey until it can gain access to the soft tissue for consumption. It is reported to have a "punch" of over 50mph. The fastest punch of any living animal.They are active, intelligent, curious animals, capable of interacting with their keepers. Although it happens rarely, some larger species of mantis shrimp are capable of breaking through aquarium  glass with a single strike from this weapon. The eyes of mantis shrimp may make them able to recognize different types of coral, prey species (which are often transparent or semi-transparent), or predators, such as barracuda, which have shimmering scales. In a lifetime, they can have as many as 20 or 30 breeding episodes. Depending on the species, the eggs can be laid and kept in a burrow, or carried around under the female's tail until they hatch.
     You can see Mantis shrimp at Similan, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu rock when you go diving with Khao Lak Scuba Adventures.
    

Khao Na Yak

     Khao Na Yak is Khao Lak's house reef. Only 30 minutes away by local boat and with a maximum depth of 8 - 10 m. This is a most relaxing dive and an excellent dive site for new divers or for those who haven't dived for a while. If you like small animal that look strange and colorful like nudibranch, flat worm, sea horse, frog fish, lion fish, scorpion fish, moray eels, napoleon wrasse, ghost pipe fish,occasional rays and leopard sharks. This is the place you can go to see them. Khao Na Yak Reef as well as the Boon Sung Wreck also appeals to experienced divers who like to spend some time focusing closely on the varied fish life of a tropical reef.

     Dive site information
Depth: 6 - 10 m
Visibility: 5 - 15 m
Currents: Low
Surface Conditions: Calm
Water Temperature: 26 - 30°C
Experience Level: Beginner

Diving Season: Nov - May
Distance: 7 km south of Khao Lak (30 min.)
Access: Long tail boat 

Khao Lak Scuba Adventures organize day trip to Khao Na Yak from November to May.

Sarasin bridge.

     What’s the first sign to notice that you are stepping into Phang Nga from Phuket by car?
     It would be Sarasin Bridge, the only way to get to Khao Lak, Phang Nga by car. You may wonder why I mention Sarasin Bridge. Is it important to know about the only way to get to Khao Lak by car? Actually it’s not important if the bridge is just only a normal bridge but the bridge comes with legend of love.
     Flash back to February 22nd, 1973 @ Sarasin Bridge, love tragedy was existed.
     Young couple tied themselves with Thai loincloth, and jumped off the bridge.
Even though the couple can’t hold their last breaths up until the end, but their love story remains the same.
     The love tragedy originally starts with Dam-a young man local bus driver-
who falls in love with a lovely Teachers College student, Gew. Dam is only a guy who earns very little, he lives from hand to mouth while Gew was born in a wealthier family. It wouldn’t be a real tragic love if Gew’s father didn’t judge their love.
     Gew’s father dictated his daughter’s life by not allowing her to think and act freely. He wanted Gew to be married with a rich guy, not poor man like Dam.
But Gew and Dam didn’t’ give up. They were trying to make her dad understand
what their true love is. On contrary, dad hated what they have done. He sometimes detained Gew inside the house, for worse, he hit her like a slave,
not a beloved daughter as she supposed to be.
     Even thought Gew’s father was too blinded to see a glory of his daughter’s love, but not in villagers’ eyes. Some of them have convinced Gew’s father, but he never ever once listened to what they’ve told. He still wanted his daughter to get married with a rich guy.
     It’s like a sweet bitter love novel. No it’s not. It’s a REAL true love story. It’s hard to imagine about what they were thinking before they made up their minds
to committed suicide.
     It's about 1hr 30minutes from Phuket airport to Khao Lak Scuba Adventures by car. You will pass the bridge on the way.

Thank you Iza.

     Below is an email from Iza, one of Khao Lak Scuba Adventures's customers who was on the live-aboard last trip. Thank you Iza.

--- On Mon, 11/15/10, Iza Lorenc <izabelalorenc@msn.com> wrote:

From: Iza Lorenc <izabelalorenc@msn.com>
Subject: MQII trip 10-14/11/10
To: divingkhaolak@rocketmail.com
Date: Monday, November 15, 2010, 3:45 AM

Dear Bee and KSA Team
Thank you very much for the amazing 4 days/nights trip on MQ II
The professionalism, knowledge and care of MQ II Dive Instructors are very impressive. I have learn so much from their experience.
Some days we had a rough weather, and big seas, the Instructors always make a very safe return to the boat.
All the dive sites we visit were very beautiful, and the choice where to go next was always adjusted to a weather condition, so we can get the best of it. Very well done and well organized.
The surface interval was nicely long, that give us time to rest and did not feel like "production line" , like some organizations do. So with the 4 dives a day , there was enough time to relax and enjoy the trip, with the pleasure of multiple dives.
The food was great, and I did have to escape from some of the meals, as was impossible to eat all (2 breakfasts then morning tea then lunch!!!). There was always choice for different food preferences: spicy, not-spicy, meat or vegetarian.
And the help from Thai Staff was incredible. I am not sure if I still remember how to take care for my own equipment, as every thing was always done for me.
I am just 1 day after the live-aboard trip and already want to go back to MQ II
Special thanks to Gonzo and Paul
Thank you very much Staff of MQ II and KSA
Best Regards
Iza

Why we should not feed the fish?

     It's an entertaining and interactive marine experience for the diver, and an easy meal for those beautiful fish, so what's the problem? It's now generally accepted that despite being a"once in a lifetime experience", feeding marine fish is bad idea for everyone, including divers, fish and the ecosystem. The Green Fins (The organization that help to protect and conserve coral reefs) 4Deadly D's explains why we should not feed fish or throw food leftovers and waste into the sea
     1) Disruption of ecological processes, over time this activity can change the behavior of the fish as they learn of connect divers, snorkelers, and boats with feeding time. Marine life maintains an intricate balance of ecological relationships and behavior. Unnatural feeding encourages species that would never usually come into contact with humans to interact. This may result in serious injury and harm to individuals. Upsetting such complex and unique systems can lead to measurable negative impacts.
     2) Disadvantageous health impact to fish, when fed, fish may stop natural feeding cycles which are important to ensure they are receiving the correct nutrients to survive. Over a prolonged period, fish conditioned to accept a free meal from a diver could become under nourished, stressed or in some cases, death.
     3) Danger to humans, attacks and bites have been increasingly reported by fish feeders and others in the vicinity because marine life mistake divers actions for handouts, or the marine life lose their natural wariness of humans underwater. There was highly publicized case of a resident moray eel in the Similan islands trained to eat sausages by visiting divers, one day it mistook a diver's thumb for a sausage and bit entire thumb off.
     4) Damaging the environment, many fed species like grouper and small sharks are predators whose feeding habits provide key roles in the delicate balance of life on coral reefs and other marine habitats. By supplementing the diet of these fish, we interrupt this important natural balance. There is much evidence today in Thailand that fish feeding is increasing the severity and rate of the coral eating Crown of Thorns starfish outbreaks.
     Khao Lak Scuba Adventures and Green Fins asks all tourists, divers and boat crew not to feed fish anywhere, to throw your left over lunch into the bin and to ensure that rubbish is taken off the boat and disposed of responsibly. It's not allowed to feed fish in National Parks around Thailand.

The dive site map drawing expert.

All these maps were drawn by Julian Arenas Mahe from Zaragoza (Spain). He is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and SSI Dive Control Specialist Instructor, who is now working now for a second season with Khao Lak Scuba Adventures. He has been diving in Spain, Oman, Indonesia and Malaysia.

"I have always had 2 main passions in my life, from an early age. one is the mountains, especially alpine and classic climbing. I love to reach highs and beautiful summits as cleanly as possible and to descend long white glaciers as fast as possible; another one is the underwater world. From my beginnings in free diving to my years as scuba fun diver, always looking for new underwater experiences in new places and with new people. But there is another passion sharing the same space, maybe comprising the other two, which is to travel, to visit new places, to meet new people, to know different cultures. I think that through this small explanation I can show why I became an instructor, why I enjoy every single day of my job, sharing experiences with different people above and below the water, teaching them and going together through the first or any other step of this amazing world" said Julian.

Julian is a positive person and likes to learn new things all the time. He is easy going, thinking about today and the near future. He doesn't like to make big plans for the future that are too far away, because he knows that things can change all the time, so he just enjoys his life everyday that he lives.

To meet Julian or diving with him, make reservation on our M/V Manta Queen I from now until May.