First Class Access to World Class Sites
Thailand has more than 2,000 miles of coastline, and a wealth of scuba centers and dive lodges spread across the shores of both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. But to discover the country's premier sites, you'll have to venture a bit farther from shore. And the best way to do that is aboard the Thailand Aggressor. This sleek addition to the world-wide Aggressor fleet of dive liveaboards provides a select few with total access to world-famous destinations in the North Andaman Sea, including the Similan Islands and beyond.
The Boat
The Thailand Aggressor is a modern, 115-foot liveaboard dive yacht that carries a maximum of 16 passengers in eight private, ensuite cabins. Guests are served by a crew of eight, which includes a dedicated dive staff, chef and cabin stewards. Accommodations include spacious master staterooms with queen beds and deluxe staterooms with twin beds. All have private bathrooms and showers, wardrobes, personal media centers and independent climate controls. Seven of the eight staterooms are located on the main deck, with large ocean-view windows and direct same-level access to the aft dive deck. The remainder of the main deck is devoted to diving, with individual gear stations set in parallel rows, with a large central camera workstation with low-pressure air hoses, and rinse tanks and shower facilities near the stern. A pair of secure stairways leads to a water-level swim platform, which is fitted with two swim ladders and grab rails to facilitate water entries and transfers to ship's launches for diving and shore excursions.
The social hub of the Thailand Aggressor is the upper deck, which includes a climate controlled lounge and dining areas with both tables and booths. Large windows bring in ample light and showcase the passing scenery. The ships entertainment center includes a selection of books, DVD movies and a large-screen monitor for showcasing photos or presentations. Amidship, an additional covered social area is furnished with benches and tables to enjoy outdoor dining and relaxation. The yacht's top deck provides a partially covered sun deck with chaise lounges, a full wet bar, sound system and hot tub.
For enhanced reliability, the Thailand Aggressor not only features twin engines, but also redundant systems for power generation and two SCUBA compressors. An onboard nitrox membrane system delivers an unlimited supply of oxygen-enriched breathing media, and a reverse osmosis system provides ample supplies of pure fresh water. In addition to satellite communications and all appropriate safety systems, the boat is equipped with D.A.N. Oxygen System and an Automatic External Defibrillator.
The Diving
The Thailand Aggressor departs weekly form the port at Tap Lamu, which is located some 55 miles north of the Phuket International Airport. The itinerary takes divers into the North Andaman Sea and then the heart of the Similan Islands. This cluster of 11 small islands and numerous granite rock formations is a national park, famed for its white-sand beaches, sparkling coves and coral reefs. This region often appears on “top ten” lists of the world's best dive destinations for its warm turquoise waters, abundant fish life and colorful corals.
Surrounding the islands are huge underwater rock formations that create walls, inviting swim thoroughs, narrow canyons and caverns. Seascapes include liberal growths of hard corals and groves of brightly-colored soft corals and sea fans. This diverse underwater terrain provides habitat for a wide range of creatures, from the macro to the mega. Critter watchers can search for frogfish, cleaner pipefish and banded pipefish in small crevices, seek out an assortment of nudibranchs, or look for long-nose hawkfish perched in black coral bushes. Rubble and sand slopes harbor ribbon eels, dragonets and red fire gobies, while the reefs are patrolled by turtles, schooling angelfish and the occasional whitetip reef shark. Certain areas are also known for iconic sightings of Napoleon wrasse and hump head parrotfish.
After taking in the most popular dive sites in the central Similan Islands, the Thailand Aggressor continues north to the uninhabited island of Koh Bon and Koh Tachai pinnacle. These remote and less-visited formations deliver an even greater range of diving adventures, including sites with steep drop-offs facing blue water. Here, divers have a good chance of seeing passing whale sharks, and Koh Bon is home to a famed manta ray cleaning station. These formations attract sharks, including leopard sharks, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks and patrolling grey reef sharks. The flanks of its underwater slopes attract large schools of yellowtail barracuda, fusiliers, trevally, sweetlips and black and white snappers, while recesses hold octopuses, sea snakes, and nudibranchs.
To round out the tour of its Andaman Sea itinerary, the Thailand Aggressor continues on to what is widely considered as Thailand's finest dive site: Richelieu Rock. This solitary pinnacle rises from ocean depths to just above the surface. Because of its exposed position, it is best visited during the months between October and May, when seas are calmer. The reward for the additional 50-mile cruise to the rock is an ocean teeming with life. This pinnacle provides a high chance of whale shark sightings, as well as manta rays, devil rays and huge schools of Barracuda, Trivially, Jacks, Tuna and more. The in-close scene is equally rich, as the numerous crevices and folds of the pinnacle hold grouper, morays and a laundry list of prized macro finds such as tiger tail seahorses, ghost pipefish, and a species of tomato clownfish found nowhere else in the world.
We represent the Aggressor Fleet in Thailand and around the world. To learn more and start planning your liveaboard diving adventure, talk to our dive travel specialists at 800-330-6611 or send a note to sales@caradonna.com.