Koh Dok Mai Reef Basics: Small islet and wall diving
Depth: 5 - 30m
Visibility: 5 - 20m
Currents: Usually strong
Surface Conditions: Calm
Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: ~15 km east of Phuket (1 hour)
Access: Diving day tours from Phuket Thailand

The name means Flower Island in Thai and this diving site must be named for its underwater beauty because above the water there are no flowers, only a few trees and bushes. As soon as you descend however, the colourful flower-like coral covering the wall makes the name understandable.

Koh Dok Mai is a small limestone islet rising vertically out of the sea. The site is mainly a wall dive down to thirty metres, with a hard coral staghorn reef sloping to the west. On the east side of the island are a series of caverns and caves which are great for practising penetration techniques, and maybe search and recovery!

Koh Dok Mai is a favourite dive site for Phuket's diving pros because of the diversity of small stuff on the wall and it's famed for the resident yellow tiger-tail seahorses. Try spotting them hidden amongst the lacy gorgonian sea fans. They are in there somewhere ... honest! Whilst your dive guide is looking for them for you, he'll also be looking for ornate ghost pipefish and harlequin ghostpipefish. There's also a huge variety of invertebrates here, such as lobster, crabs, zigzag clams, pencil urchins, oysters, squid, and white-eyed moray eels. This is one of the top macro sites for scuba diving Phuket so if you're a photographer a macro lens is the best option here.
Bigger fish such as leopard sharks and grey reef sharks are occasionally seen here and Indonesian bamboo sharks are becoming a more common sight beneath coral heads following a recent breeding program by the Phuket Marine Biological Research Centre. Octopuses are also common on the walls and if you look up you can normally see crocodile long-toms swimming close to the surface.

If you ever come across a dive buddy who claims in their log book to have seen a yellow submarine at Koh Dok Mai, then it's not necessarily likely that they took too many hallucinogenic drugs in the 1960's. One Phuket tour operator here did take non-diving tourists down on submarine tours around the island to goggle at the marine life. Thankfully, they don't play the accompanying music to the passenger.

source Reference : divetheworldthailand.com
source Photo :
Spherediving's photos

In the country's easternmost province of Trat, the Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park comprises 52 islands scattered along the coastline close to the Kampuchean border. Estsblidhed in 1982, it covers just over 650 sq.km. and is one of Thailand's least visited national parks. Koh Chang is the second largest island in Thailand, with a footprint covering 240sq.km.

Blanketed in almost impenetrable virgin rain forest, the hilly interior rises to a peak at Khao Join Prasat, which climbs to reach 744m. as it dominates the centre of the island. Although wildlife is sparse, there are wild boars, hornbills, parrots and sunbirds, all of which can be seen in the forest.

Most of the island's inhabitants still make their living from fishing. Tourism has just started to make its mark, and nowadays many of the once-familiar small resorts of bungalows and bamboo huts are being replaced, or joined by, high-end hotels, resorts and spas.

The islands amenities mainly focus around the perimeter, particularly the larger beaches which are all easily accessed by road. Getting around the island is simple as there are plenty of pickup trucks and taxis, as well as minibus travelling to and from Trat airport. There are also tourist amenities and accommodation on the island of Koh Mak.

Diving around Koh Chang
The diving here still has an exciting exploratory fell to it. As it's spread over a large area, the sites are uncrowded. Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park has large selection of healthy fringing reefs, pinnacles and walls, as well as several very enjoyable snorkeling sites. In general, visibility averages around 10m. although it can be in excess of 20m., especially at the sites further south. Marine life is also more prolific in these areas. There plenty of colorful reef-dwellers, form minute invertebrates up to giants clams. The waters also attract many large pelagics, rays and - quite regularly - ehale sharks.

source Reference : DIVE SITE Thailand

PHUKET: Yacht Crews Ltd of Thailand (YCL) will host 10 international superyacht brokers from around the world on a fact-finding visit to Phuket, the Gazette learned today from Khun Thidarat Pimson, Managing Director of YCL.

K. Thidarat has organized a four-day tour of the Phuket-Phi Phi-Krabi area aboard the motor yacht Taipan, a 172-foot superyacht managed by Emerald Yachts of Florida, USA. Emerald Yachts has donated use of the vessel to help in the government’s effort to promote Phuket as the yachting capital of Asia.

YCL, based at Yacht Haven marina, provides trained yacht crews to superyachts in Asia, Europe and the Caribbean.

“Phuket could become a major destination for superyachts, giving the local economy a great boost both in jobs and spending on supplies,” K. Thidarat said.

“If the new elected government can develop a more modern and effective visa program for foreign flagged crew, and if they can liberalize chartering regulations to be more in line with international standards, particularly those of Thailand’s major competitors like Malaysia and Singapore, then the Andaman region could begin to unlock the huge potential that is on offer in the superyacht charter industry,” she added.

The brokers will arrive here to start their tour on Sunday.

source Reference : phuketgazette.net