<p data-path-to-node="0">Hey everyone!

<p data-path-to-node="1">I&rsquo;m currently mapping out my dive travels for 2026 and I&rsquo;ve been looking closely at the Andaman Sea. For those who want to see the best of the region without the long daily speedboat hauls from Khao Lak, a thailand liveaboard is definitely the way to go.

<p data-path-to-node="2">I&rsquo;ve been reading a lot of recent trip reports, and the consensus for the upcoming season seems to be that the "North Andaman" route is still the undisputed king.

<p data-path-to-node="3"><strong data-path-to-node="3" data-index-in-node="0">A few highlights I&rsquo;m seeing for the 2025/2026 window:

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<p data-path-to-node="4,0,0"><strong data-path-to-node="4,0,0" data-index-in-node="0">Richelieu Rock: This place is still legendary. Most boats are now spending at least two or three dives here because the biodiversity is just insane&mdash;everything from ghost pipefish to whale sharks.

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<p data-path-to-node="4,1,0"><strong data-path-to-node="4,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">The Similan Islands: Sites like Elephant Head Rock and Christmas Point are offering that classic granite boulder topography that Thailand is famous for.

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<p data-path-to-node="4,2,0"><strong data-path-to-node="4,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Logistics: Most of the top-rated boats like the <em data-path-to-node="4,2,0" data-index-in-node="48">Deep Andaman Queen, <em data-path-to-node="4,2,0" data-index-in-node="68">The Junk, and <em data-path-to-node="4,2,0" data-index-in-node="82">Sawasdee Fasai are running 4-to-6-night itineraries which seem like the "sweet spot" for hitting both the Similans and the Surin Islands.

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<p data-path-to-node="5">For those of you who have been recently&mdash;how was the visibility at Koh Tachai? I've heard the currents can be a *** of a workout there, so I'm wondering if I should brush up on my drift diving skills before heading out.

<p data-path-to-node="6">Also, if anyone has recommendations for a boat with a solid camera setup, let me know! I'm planning to bring a new rig and would love a dedicated station.