Thailand Scuba Diving Dive Site Directory

Description

	Richelieu Rock is suitable for novice scuba divers and for snorkellers. As Richelieu Rock is the only food source in the immediate area, it is an excellent site for encountering large pelagics. Rainbow runners, great and chevron barracuda, trevallies, tuna and jack are all frequently seen.
Richelieu rock is also among the word’s top listed locations for sighting whale sharks. If you want to go snorkelling or scuba diving in Thailand with large pelagics, then scuba dive or snorkel Richelieu Rock. Predominantly, this is a wall-dive which follows around a main outcrop surrounded by smaller submerged pinnacles whose peaks range from 3m to 10m below the surface.
	In the deeper waters around the three southernmost pinnacles, accessible only to divers and not snorkellers, is a collection of large gorgonian sea fans, immediately beneath radiant hermetypic corals. Richelieu Rock is one of Thailand's most dramatic underwater rock formations.
Around the corals, even at snorkelling depths, is a wide diversity of marine life: residents include schooling bannerfish, a variety of snappers and lionfish, Moorish idols, Titan triggerfish, and even shovelnose rays. Snorkel or dive in Thailand at Richlieu Rock for bearded scorpionfish, stonefish, moray eels, seahorses, shrimps, crabs and nudibranchs.

The following tours visit Ricelieu Rock:

Watching out for the Reef: Coral Conservation Guide for Divers

• Avoid touching live corals. You can kill them with your bare hands.
• Keep your gauge and octopus hoses close to yourself and prevent them damaging the reef.
• Secure your weight belt. Dropping of the weights can destroy the reef.
• Refrain from chasing or touching animals, especially manta rays and whale sharks.
•Maintain a comfortable distant and enjoy
watching them!

Many divers unintentionally destroy corals whilst diving. Here are a few guidelines on how to avoid doing so.

• Use the correct amount of weight to aid in your buoyancy.
• Control your fins; keep them away from the reefs and avoid kicking sand onto the corals.
• Do not pick up organic objects (dead or alive) from the sea. Likewise, please do not buy shells or other decorative products made from sea animals.
• Do not stand or rest on the stone-like corals. After all, they are living animals.

Andaman Sky, Co., Ltd, 23/8 Moo 2, Ao Nang, Thailand