What To Expect On A Koh Tachai Liveaboard

Liveaboards to Koh Tachai usually visit this area on a Similan Islands itinerary on their way to Richelieu Rock. It's only 12 square kilometers in size and located on the northwest of Similan Islands National Park, it actually lies between the Similan and Surin Islands. An idyllic location in the Andaman Sea, this small uninhabited island is formed of lush rainforest, stunning white sandy beaches, and crystal clear waters. Relatively untouched Koh Tachai is still unspoiled and worth the visit on your liveaboard dive cruise. Below the surface, some other visitors include whale sharks, manta rays, leopard sharks and Napoleon wrasse to name just a few. The waters around the island are quite shallow towards the shore then drop off suddenly to depths of 70 meters. Acting as a barrier, these drop-offs protect the island and the rich waters around it offer excellent snorkeling.

What You Can See

There are two great dive sites at Koh Tachai, the plateau to the south and the eastern reef. Off the eastern coast, the sheltered shallower waters make for good night dives. Most liveaboards will moor here for the night.

Koh Tachai plateau, about 1km southeast of the island, is so named because it is ringed by a ridge-like coral plateau crowned with hard corals, gorgonian sea fans line the scattered boulders, sloping from 12 - 35 m to the sandy bottom where leopard and nurse sharks lie peacefully undisturbed. Groups of snapper lurking on the top ledges, octopus hiding amongst the corals, under which red-banded cleaner shrimp work tirelessly. It is best to pay close attention to the divemaster's brief as this site can be challenging at times although the swim-throughs provide shelter from the strong currents. There is a decent line from a buoy on the south side, helping the diver to descend in sometimes strong surface currents. This site is for the more experienced diver. Towards the end of the dive, you may see coral-eating Hawksbill turtles, groups of batfish or even the banded sea snake lurking near the mooring line upon your ascent. Keep an eye out for the odd Napoleon wrasse patrolling the area.

Koh Tachai pinnacle is usually done as a drift dive and here the currents bring high levels of plankton, during the months of February - April, and in turn, the larger pelagics feeding on them such as the Manta Ray and Whale Shark. The strong currents enable the barracudas, trevallies, and sharks to hunt easily for smaller prey. Early morning dives can waken you up from your slumber quite quickly as it can sometimes be a feeding frenzy and you may not know where to look there are so many fish. Visibility varies on the month and the amount of plankton in the water, between 10-30m. If the larger pelagics are not shown, then be on the lookout for the macro life. Small frogfish and nudibranch are known to grace these waters.

An impressive underwater topography mixed with a diverse marine life makes Koh Tachai a must for Surin or Similan cruises.

Getting There

The best way to get to Koh Tachai is on a Thailand liveaboard trip to the Similan or Surin Islands, which will depart from either Phuket or Khao Lak. Further from Phuket than from Khao Lak, (200 km north of Phuket and 80 km northwest of Khao Lak), it is worth checking what port you prefer to depart from. Khao Lak is about 100km north of Phuket and can be reached overland. Please check your itinerary before purchasing flight tickets. There are international flights into Phuket and / or domestic flights from Bangkok to Phuket. Reachable from Khao Lak in one hour you may find other day boats in the area.