Destinations
Loading...Richelieu Rock is quite simply one of the best dive sites in the World and no doubt the best diving site in Thailand! The place is very famous for Whale Shark Sightings and has been described as a “Whale Shark Magnet”! In reality, chances of spotting this gentle giant is not as easy as it sounds but it still remains the best place in Thailand!
The chances to spot them is from February to May. Even if you don’t see any Whale Sharks, the site is still fantastic and you can spot many pelagic fishes like Barracudas, Giant trevallies and Dogtooth Tunas. You will also have good chances to spot a Manta Ray. Moreover, the place is also very good for macro creatures and critter lovers will just love it. They can see Porcelain crabs, Tiger Tail Sea Horses, Pipefishes, Harlequin Shrimp and a great variety of Nudibranch! So don’t forget your underwater camera!
The dive site is really big and you will need at least two dives to explore the spot. Diving in Richelieu Rock can sometimes be challenging because it is in open water and the current can sometimes be strong. The visibility can be reduced by the high density of plankton in the water, but that’s what attracts the Whale Sharks and the Manta Rays! The best way to explore this incredible spot is by liveaboard but it is possible to go there on a day trip from Phuket or Khao Lak. The Richelieu Rock is located South East of the Surin Islands.
Best time to dive: the ideal period to plan holidays here isOctober to November. Access: from the Shore. See the map of Richelieu Rock on the right for the exact location.
Fishes you may spot while diving Richelieu Rock
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Barracuda
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Giant Trevally
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Leopard Shark
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Manta Ray
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Pipefish
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Whitetip Shark
... and more fishes & sea life, Dogtooth Tuna, Whale Shark
Photos
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Clown fishes waiting in front of their blue anemone housePhoto by Jihye Lee -
Blacktip Shark patrolling the crystal clear water... EPIC photo!Photo by Yann Hubert -
Huge Hammerhead Shark patrolling the reef in French PolynesiaPhoto by Yann Hubert -
Beautiful & Colorful Mandarin FishPhoto by Rich Guest -
Yellow Seahorse in Lembeh StraitPhoto by Agnes Tjandranegara -
Flying Ray Manta in Bali!Photo by Jihye Lee -
Lion Fish swimming in crystal clear waterPhoto by Agnes Tjandranegara -
Surreal LifePhoto by Jihye Lee -
Closeup NudibranchPhoto by Jihye Lee -
Loads Of Small Fish In This Busy ReefPhoto by Jihye Lee
Diving Reviews for this region
Surin Islands
Large Pelagics, Manta rays and Whale Shark if you are lucky all in a superb remote area!
This is for sure the best dive site in Thailand and the best chance to spot a Whale Shark. It is better to go there on a liveaboard rather than on a day trip.
Hello! Just discovered your website and it’s amazing! congrats!
I dived richelieu rock last november on a liveaboard trip to the similans! just did my OWD back then and am surely spoiled now – first night dive at richelieu rock and it was unbelievable! sadly almost everything that came after in southern thailand and spain was fantastic but can’t fully compete with that! everyone who gets the chance to dive there – do it!!
Thanks Denise! Hope you enjoy what you’re seeing and about to read and discover on our site. We at Divezone are very interested on your liveaboard trip. How was it like? We would be more than happy if you’d share your liveaboard report here on Divezone. It will definitely help a lot of divers out there, who plans to do liveaboard around Richelieu Rock. Happy diving!
Yep, when I see ur photos I can’t wait to go diving again!
Everything was organized perfectly, the cabins were clean, with air con, water bottles, european plugs for cameras and stuff… it was a pretty big boat considering that we were only 10 divers. the food was awesome and varied (4 meals a day!), the crew was polite and a bit crazy – we had a lot of fun! before every dive we had a briefing of course, first all together, then again with your instructor or guide.
and to be honest: it’s heaven to be out of touch for a couple of days… no phone, no internet,… hmmm, no I wanna go back! 
okay, the liveaboard trip… it was organized by a dive center in chalong, phuket, where I did my OWD last year and I was lucky enough to have my private instructor who was willing to take me to the Similans AND to go on nov 6th, so just after the national park reopened again after the annual coral recovery period! so we went to kao lak and got on a boat called ‘peter pan’ for 4 days and we were 7 guests + instructors + crew. I know I repeat myself but I was VERY lucky! Usually there are way more people on a boat this size! but the season just began… we left kao lak soon after midnight and we woke up the next morning in another world
they planned 4 dives/day, morning, lunch time, afternoon and 3 night dives.
from kao lak we went straight up to, koh bon, koh tschai, then richelieu rock where we did 2 dives and then I had my first ever night dive(!!) at richelieu rock – it was stunningly beautiful! the next day we dived elephant head rock (awesome!! 2nd fav dive site!!) anitas reef, tuna wreck, east of eden, shark fin reef…
seriously, this was one of the best experiences I’ve ever made! I know, I’m just diving for a year now and there’s a lot out there, but such a liveaboard trip… I could get used to a life like this
peter pan andaman diving did a great job! well organized pick up, time management, they have great guides, everyone (tour leader, photographer, even the driver, cook, crew,….) was really really nice, they’ve got a very talented video- and photographer on board who makes you a video if you like to for a reasonable price.
what else can I say!? A perfect trip! I’d recommend everyone who wants to see richelieu rock or the simians to go on a liveaboard, cos this is the perfect way to get the most benefits out of a dive trip and to really enjoy your time without hurrying back every evening, it’s just a long way back and forth if you do day trips.
after 4 wonderful days we went back to Phuket Town harbor and the mini bus took us back to the hotels and apartments,
we had a guitar, dvds, book, the sun and our buddies
hope I was able to help a bit!
Best dive site in Thailand, for sure!
Went there on liveaboard Nov 2014. 7 other boats there on morning dive so far too many homo sapiens. Up to 14 boats may gather there. The late afternoon dive was exquisite with only one other boat. Millions of shoaling small and medium sized fish. Gorgeous reef covered in mauve soft coral and every reef creature possible. Flirting cuttle fish allowed us within 2 inches of them and one diver gently stroked them. Definitely in my top 2 dives ever.
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Hello! It’s possible to do a day trip in richelieu rock on 26 or 27 or 28 of December? I will be those days near khaolak
Thanks!
Is this site too difficult to new graduate open water? I’m planning to dive at Richelieu on November.
Hi there!
Richelieu Rock is ranked as an “intermediate level” diving site because there can be strong currents. That being said, I hear that lot’s of time there isn’t much marine current. Best advice would be to dive with a very good boat, experienced and knowledgeable, they will evaluate your skills and make a proper decision.
Hopefully, someone comes around with a more precise answer from its own experience?
Thanks for reading Divezone! Safe bubbles!
I was really unlucky diving here – went in January and the visibility was 5m. Needless to say I saw hardly anything as the water was incredibly turbid.
Dive site was also quite congested – lots of liveaboards, lots of divers.
Careful planning is a must here – don’t take for granted that it will be amazing all year round and don’t take the liveaboard operators word for it.
I wish I had researched the liveaboard better and read the bad reviews too!
Highlights for me here was seeing how healthy the coral looks – some beautiful carpet corals and Gorgonians. I believe the hype!
Hi Faye!
I’m very sorry to read that the experience at Richelieu Rock wasn’t up to it’s reputation. I think it’s been a huge problem in Thailand both the degradation of the environment and the overcrowding of the diving sites.
Indeed, it’s always best to do research on dive center on websites like ours but also on diving forums. If you feel like i, you can research your liveaboard in the search bar – under the menu, top right hand side on Divezone – and leave a review of the boat, if we have a display page for it!
Thank you for reading Divezone! Looking much forward to reading more diving reviews from you!
My 13 years old son and I had 4 dives on Surin Islands in February 2019. We both qualified open water divers (=18m only) with not that many dives beforehand, but Richelieu Rock wasn’t a problem for us. We had a bit of a current on a second day in Richelieu, but we were able to adjust our dive to suit our experience and we had a great time. Visibility both days was about 12- 15 meters We saw 2 octopus, endemic tomato anemone fish, massive Napoleon wrasse, 14 (!) lion fish in one spot, barracudas that found me so interesting, that they came so close to me to check me out I was totally extatic to be surrounded by them and of course there are many more fishes! In fact shawls and shoals of them. Corals are also quiet healthy still there.
Ps. We did use a small dive shop with own speed boat that only take 18 divers. Liveaboards are not my “cup of tea” and we were on site with only two other boats in mid February, so we were lucky!