Big Blue Diving Khao Lak

We hope this goes some way to helping you plan your arrival, we will keep a close eye on the official releases and update you all close to beginning of the khao lak season.

If you are heading to koh Tao to see Chaba, then the latest news will be on the way to you..

Big love peeps

🇹🇭 Thailand visa update as of 16 July 2026
The Thai Cabinet has approved updated details for visa exemption and Visa on Arrival measures under a country-specific entry framework.

Under the updated framework, eligible travellers will receive a 30-day visa exemption, 15-day visa exemption, or Visa on Arrival, depending on nationality. In total, 65 countries and territories will be covered.

📌 Current entry conditions remain in place.
The five related Ministry of Interior announcements will take effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette.

Travellers are advised to check the full update and monitor official information applicable to their nationality.

🔗 Read more: https://www.tatnews.org/2026/07/thai-cabinet-approves-updated-visa-measures-pending-royal-gazette-publication/

Well well well, we couldn’t have put it better ourselves, so here it is, https://justynjen.com/diving-in-the-similan-and-surin-islands/

The latest offering from the impeccably talented ms justynjen

Have a read and get in touch

Doing green things at Big Blue is part of the norm for us..

The Andaman sea, it is our world, our office, our favorite place.. how do you think we should look after our oceans?? .. a trip last season that prompted many a conversation

The most epic explains further

https://justynjen.com/diving-in-the-similan-and-surin-islands/

🌊 Happy World Ocean Day! 🌊

Although it's the low season, the team at Big Blue Diving Khao Lak is still hard at work protecting the ocean we call our home, our passion, and our office.

We were honoured to be invited by FED - Foundation for Education and Development and DMCR สำนักงานทรัพยากรทางทะเลและชายฝั่งที่ 6 to join this year's World Ocean Day event alongside members of our local community. The day included a beach clean-up, sea turtle release, mangrove planting, and educational activities focused on marine conservation.

Every action, no matter how small, contributes to a healthier ocean. Events like these help raise awareness about the challenges facing our marine environment and highlight the important role local communities play in addressing global issues.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in making the day a success. Together, we can create lasting positive change for our oceans.

Stay tuned for more updates on our sustainability initiatives and our Living Blue programme. 💙🐢

🐋 And that's a wrap on the 2025–2026 Similan season — what an ending! 🌊

Trip BB2634 is home, the Blue Dolphin is safely at dock, and Boots and the crew have just delivered what might be the most memorable final trip we've ever had. We honestly couldn't have scripted it better.

The diving across the Similan and Surin National Parks was simply spectacular — crystal clear water, colourful reefs, cruising turtles, endless schools of fish... and then the Andaman decided to really show off 🤩

🦈 Giant Manta Ray — One of those moments that stops you completely. Gliding effortlessly through the water, graceful, peaceful, and utterly magical. Everyone in the water will remember that one for the rest of their lives.

🐬 A HUGE pod of dolphins — Bouncing around the boat and, we're fairly convinced, having the time of their lives with some very puffed-up pufferfish 😂 Marine biologists have observed dolphins interacting with pufferfish in some rather curious ways... whether that's what we witnessed or not, it was absolutely hilarious.

🐋 An Omura's Whale — On the journey home, no less. One of the ocean's rarest and most elusive species, only recognised as distinct in 2003. Eve made the call on the one-sided white spotted mouth — an extraordinary sighting to end an extraordinary trip.

And of course... it wouldn't be a proper Andaman adventure without a few completely biblical storms thrown in for good measure 🌩️😂 The Blue Dolphin crew handled it all with their usual brilliance — safe, calm, and smiling throughout.

To every single guest on Trip 34 — thank you. What an incredible group of divers, ocean lovers, sunset watchers, dolphin spotters and storm survivors. It was an absolute honour to share the last trip of the season with you all 💙

See you next season? 🤿

📖 Read the full trip report here 👇
https://www.bigbluedivingkhaolak.com/trips/2026-05-03-similan-liveaboard-trip/

🗓️ 2026–2027 Season now open!

👉 www.bigbluedivingkhaolak.com

🐬 Trip BB2630 is home — and what a way to start winding down the season! 🌊

Boots and the Blue Dolphin crew just wrapped up 4 days in the Similan and Surin National Parks, and the Andaman was absolutely showing off. Calm seas, great visibility, and marine life in abundance from start to finish.

Here's how it unfolded:

🐙 Day 1 — Similan Islands — Straight in with a bang — mating octopus on the very first dive! A rare and incredible sight. Turtle sighting on dive two ✅, a fun drift along Island 9, and a cracking macro sunset dive to finish, with an ornate ghost pipefish at Turtle Rock stealing the show.

🌀 Day 2 — Koh Bon & Koh Tachai — The big schools are well and truly back. Rainbow runners, longnose emperor fish, and bluefin trevally in huge numbers, plus tornado-style barracuda schools at both sites. The parks are finishing the season in serious style 🙌

🪸 Day 3 — Torinla Reef & Richelieu Rock — Aquarium-like conditions at Torinla, another turtle, and then... Richelieu Rock. Three dives of pure sensory overload — the density of life there right now is something else. Rounded off with what might just be the sunset of the season 🌅🍺

🐬 Day 4 — Koh Bon — Two more brilliant dives to close out a brilliant trip before heading home to Thap Lamu.

A special shoutout to Dao and Jaja who completed their SSI Nitrox Diver certifications with instructor Nina — well done both! 🎉

And a huge thank you to everyone on board Trip 30 — it was an absolute pleasure. We're thrilled that some of you have already rebooked, and we can't wait to welcome you back 💙

📖 Read the full trip report here 👇
https://www.bigbluedivingkhaolak.com/trips/2026-04-08-similan-liveaboard-trip/

🗓️ 2026–2027 Early Bird bookings now open — save 10% with Book Now, Pay Later!

👉 www.bigbluedivingkhaolak.com

🐋 Trip BB2629 is back — and it saved the best for last! 🌊

4 days, 14 dives, and the Andaman well and truly delivered for Sam and the Blue Dolphin crew on this one. Incredible conditions from start to finish — and an ending nobody on board will ever forget.

Here's how it went:

🐢 Day 1 — Similan Islands — Thick with fish from the very first dive. Green turtles were practically queuing up at the stern between dives! The sunset dive turned macro — octopus, cleaner shrimp and nudibranchs all putting on a show.

🦈 Day 2 — North Point → Koh Bon → Koh Tachai — A whitetip reef shark at sunrise over the granite boulders, then... Koh Tachai. Massive tornadoes of barracuda and trevally, a turtle on the pinnacle, and a slack-tide sunset dive that brought an extraordinary aggregation of fish to the top. One of those dives.

👻 Day 3 — Surin Islands & Richelieu Rock — Richelieu did what Richelieu does. Ghost pipefish, ribbon eels, hunting schools moving through on a gentle current, and energy at every level of the reef. It absolutely lived up to its reputation.

🐋 Day 4 — Koh Bon — And then... a 5-metre whale shark along the West Ridge. Those lucky enough to be in the water at the right moment witnessed something truly special. A once-in-a-lifetime encounter, and the perfect way to close out a perfect trip.

To everyone who joined us on Trip 29 — thank you for being legends. Sam and the crew loved every minute 🙏
📖 Read the full trip report here 👇

https://www.bigbluedivingkhaolak.com/trips/2026-04-03-similan-liveaboard-trip/

🗓️ Still time to join us this season

👉 www.bigbluedivingkhaolak.com