Bar Racuda, above the Lanta Scuba shop

Rob: It’s great to socialize on Koh Lanta after the day’s diving trips. In Lanta’s main town of Saladan a new bar has opened directly above Lanta Scuba’s dive shop. (We do bookings for Lanta Scuba’s scuba diving speedboat trips). The bar has been cleverly named Bar Racuda and its main purpose is for divers to relax, socialize and gossip about the days activities. The opening party was quite special – luckily I didn’t have work the next day.

In Thailand before entering homes, some bars and restaurants you have to remove your footwear. The biggest problem I find is after a few beers when your leaving the bar flip flops all look the same. After trying several on you end up leaving with the ones that fit you the best hoping when you wake up they are not ladies shoes.

So many shoes, which ones to choose?

Behind the Go Dive shop a bbq was had by 30 customers and staff. This was put on because a group of 11 guests had just come to the end of many days diving. Instead of doing two dives a day the guests requested to do 3 which was easily accommodated. It’s just fantastic when you can end the trips in style.

The diving around Koh Lanta this week has been superb – there has been glass fish everywhere on Koh Bida, Koh Ha and Hin Daeng. It’s been just spectacular to watch the speed and team work of trevally, rainbow runners and tuna to eat them up as quickly as possible and the slower flutemouths,trumpet fish and lion fish trying gracefully to do the same.

Interested in scuba diving on Koh Lanta? Send us your details, dates of travel and an idea of what you’d like to do (number of days, liveaboards or daytrips) and we will get back to you within 24 hours. We’ll let you know about availability on the boats and suggestions of how to make the most of your holiday.

Best, Rob Lee and Chris Mitchell, Directors, AmazingLanta.com

Rob: Hin Daeng and Hin Muang the two premier dive sites south of Koh Lanta are nothing short of spectacular. Traditionally at the start of the dive season on Koh Lanta, it is manta ray heaven and this year is no exception – this week we’ve had up to 4 manta rays being spotted together.

Manta at Hin Daeng, November 2007 – Photo by King from Go Dive

Hin Muang, a long oblong submerged pinnacle, has one of the deepest drop offs in Thailand, going down to 70 metres. Hin Daeng, although only 400 metres apart, features several different drop offs connected by rock shelves at different levels. Strong currents are sometimes present so the site is for the more experienced diver.

Although Koh Lanta daytrips go regularly to the site, doing a Lanta liveaboard is a great option. When so many mantas are sighted together, the Thai boat captains radio each other. After hearing the radio chatter, the Lanta Diving Safaris Liveaboard changed its schedule slightly and decided to head to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang first for a morning dive, getting there before the day boats.

Manta up close and personal at Hin Daeng, November 2007 – Photo by King from Go Dive

The decision to change schedule paid off. All customers on the Lanta liveaboard saw 4 Majestic Mantas flying, swirling, diving, just like watching an aerobatic display. When they seemingly stop on top of the reef being cleaned you always have a special moment when you look straight in their eye.

When the day boats arrived at 11am they were unlucky this day and the customers didn’t spot any. With the mantas it’s amazing diving at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang but without them it’s still amazing diving – when you have the mantas you forget to look at the dive sites and the smaller critters that still make for a great dive.

Read more about Koh Lanta’s dive sites and send us a message if you’d like to come and see the mantas yourself!

Koh Haa Lagoon in November 2007, as seen from the back of the Go Dive boat

Rob: What great feelings I have when I return home to Koh Lanta. This is my fifth year working here I really like to call it home. Between seasons I was away for 6 months in England day dreaming about paradise. Luckily though the time passed quickly and on arrival all the familiarity comes flooding back: amazing food, spectacular views, sunsets, beach life, a stress free environment and not forgetting the main reason I’m here: amazing diving.

This week the Koh Lanta dive season starts officially, and as normal it is a slow start for customers but not so slow for marine life. If you’re looking to have the place almost to yourself, the beginning of November is the time to come. The first week has been full of wonderful surprises. Calm flat seas and sunshine, with a balmy water temperature of 28 degrees and 30 / 40 metre Visibility on all dive sites. I’ve been out on the Go Dive Daytrip boat doing some scuba instructing and guiding. It’s been great to start working with divers again, showing them what Koh Lanta has to offer underwater.

Whilst diving I have been surprised so far at how many juveniles I have been spotting. The two best things for me this week was more than 150 baby barracudas maybe a foot long 12 metres deep in Koh Ha Lagoon. Also another highlight was a Helgarda Nudibranch still producing its eggs – what a rare surprise. A Whale Shark has been spotted in the area too by another dive boat – lLucky buggers!!! But unless I see it for myself I don’t believe them (yes I am jealous ). Now the hunt is on to see who can find the first Ghost pipefish of the season around Koh Lanta.

Every week AmazingLanta.com’s managers Rob Lee and Chris Mitchell will be keeping you posted on the scuba diving around Koh Lanta – what’s been seen underwater, what the weather’s like, and special trips coming up. Subscribe to our RSS feed to keep in touch and email us if you want to come and join us!