Rob: With the new season fast approaching ( I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!) Lanta Diving Safaris which is Koh Lanta’s only Liveaboard Diving Boat has just announced a few changes to their original schedule.

Due to an increase of interest they will be doing a few special trips which will incorporate the South of the Andaman Sea and the Similan Islands including Richelieu Rock. By combining these 2 amazing trips together,you not only get to dive all the best sites in the Andaman Sea,Thailand but you will be saving money on the trip price.

Koh Lanta’s only Liveaboard Trip - The M/V Flying Seahorse:

The 3 new special trips are:

Lds 11: Departing 30/11/08 from Phuket. This is a 7 day and 7 night trip - max 23 dives. The boat will return to Koh Lanta on the 7/12/08. Trip price 699 Euros

Lds 26: Departing 14/02/09 from Koh Lanta and returning to Koh Lanta on 20/02/09. 7 day and 6 night trip - max 23 dives. Trip Price 699 Euros

Lds 27 Departing koh Lanta 22/02/09 and also returning to Koh Lanta on 28/02/09. Another 7 day and 6 night trip - max 23 dives. Trip Price 699 Euros

Please note: for the above mentioned trips if you require a full set of Diving Equipment the price would be 3,500 Thai Baht . Also Marine Park Fee’s would be 2,100 Thai Baht. Equipment rental and marine park fee’s are per person and should be paid direct to the Dive Shop.

If you are thinking about doing quite a few days diving on Koh Lanta but don’t want to do a Liveaboard, you can still save money. Koh Lantas All Day Dive Boat have got some great Dive Packages which do not have to be dived consecutive days. After your first days diving you just let the dive staff know when you would like to dive again giving you plenty of time to relax.

Below you can compare the normal days diving costs to the super saver Dive Packages.

Price including scuba diving equipment:
Day Trips:

Local dives - Koh Haa, Koh Bida Nok, Koh Phi Phi - 3300 Baht
Super dives - Hin Daeng / Hin Muang - 3800 Baht

Dive Trip Packages:

3 Day Package: 2 days local dives 1 day super dive - 9,350 Baht

4 Day Package: 2 days local dives 2 days super dives - 12,500 Baht

5 Day Package: 3 days local dives 2 days super dives - 14,800 Baht

Please Note:Marine Park tax is not included in the above price and is currently 200 Thai Baht per person per day and is paid directly to the dive shop.

With all these great savings Sign Me Up is all i can say.

Rob:Whilst we are in the low season, I have been sorting out all my diving photos and videos from the 07/08 season. I really enjoyed not just viewing all the diving photos again but I especially liked looking at and remembering all the people I have been lucky enough to meet and dive with. What great time’s and memories we all share.

So I have put together a short collection of video’s which really do show what can be seen on each dive site.

Koh Ha This video starts with a tour of the Go dive Shop and Boat. I have added this as this is the boat I work on and it gives you a greater view of what we do.

Koh Ha is fantastic for beginners, advanced and snorkelers. The visibility usually exceeds 25mtrs. It has a lagoon area with a beach. For the more adventurous diver it has some caves, one with an air pocket called the Cathedral as it towers 30mtrs high.

Keep a keen eye out for Sea Moths, Harlequin Shrimps, Sea Horse, Turtles, Ghostpipe Fish and a great variety of Nudi Branch.

Koh Bida Islands These islands are 2 of my favorites mainly due to the incredible scenery above and below the water. Hard and soft corals are in abundance, you have reef walls dropping straight down to 30 meters, swim thru’s and Giant Gorgonian fans as big as a bus.

What you can look out for whilst diving are Octopus, Cuttlefish, Barracuda, Trevally eating frenzies, Leopard and Black Tip Sharks and if you keep looking out maybe a Whale Shark.

Hin Daeng / Hin Muang These 2 sites really are the best diving in the area and when I go there I can’t sleep the night before as I am too excited. Unfortunately due to strong currents they are not for the beginner diver.

Hin Muang is an oblong rock, submerged 10 meters underwater, stretching around 200 meters and dropping straight down to an incredible 70 meters. Hin Daeng is around 400 meters apart and is the opposite, with canyon’s, wall and pinnacles.

Both dive sites have impressive soft corals, and some would say home to Manta Rays sometimes with up to 5 circling me at one time and again if you are lucky enough a Whale Shark may be passing.

Other sightings include schools of Batfish, Yellow Tail Barracuda, Rainbow Runners, Giant Moray Eels and the best show of colorful Marine Fish anywhere in the world.

I would also like to thank Chris,DD,Stefan,Seb and Deborah for contributing some of the photos and videos we have used on the AmazingLanta site. Also a massive thank you to Oli not just for her photos and video footage but who lent me her camera several time’s when I had forgot mine. Thank You All!