Koh Bon - Phuket Liveaboard Dive Site Details
Liveaboard Dive Sites | Liveaboards | Thailand Maps & Dive Sites
Dive boats from Phuket Thailand takes you to the dive sites with most beautiful coral gardens, unexplored tropical islands, clear blue ocean and deserted soft white power sand beaches.
Koh Bon became part of the Similan National Park in 1998 and is around 12 miles north east of Island number 9. An oddity on the northern liveaboard itineraries as it is the only limestone island in the area. It has a reputation as one of the best liveaboard dives sites in Thailand for seeing manta rays, though this depends upon the date you choose for your liveaboard itinerary.
Two dive sites are to be mentioned here
The West Ridge
An underwater ridge that splits the current west and north. The up welling from the deep brings up the nutrients and with it loads of fish. The other marine life that you see with some regularity here are Manta rays, at times lots of Manta rays, they to are feeding on the plankton that go with the currents. Sit around 15metres on the north side of the ridge by the staghorn coral beds and the Mantas usually appear. The Mantas are
The main draw here but when the glass fish are in season look out for the Jacks and trevelies, the feeding frenzies can be quite spectacular.
Even without the excitement of mantas, divers can often see leopard sharks and sometimes even eagle rays here. Koh Bon is also home to lots of macro life which, along with the reef fish and pelagics, makes diving here a wonderful experience.
The best time of year to see Manta Rays on Ko Bon is late January through to April, though even then sightings are not guaranteed.
North Reef
Jump on the North side of the ridge and follow the reef. Although most of the divers will be around the ridge this is a great dive especially if you cant be bothered fighting the current. The reef runs down to around 28 – 30 metres and is split into three or four parts . All the coral is spectacular with the normal reef fish around, on top of the reef look out for the Barracuda this is also where I saw my first Whale shark this year. Towards the end of the dive look out for leopard sharks. They are usually on the sand bottom at about 20 metres. Sometimes sleeping and occasionally free swimming so always worth a look. |
|
English 
