The Ribbon Eel (a member of the Muraenidae family) is also known as the leaf-nosed moray eel or bernis eel. It is also the only member of the genus Rhinomuraena because it is so unique. They are truly fascinating but very hard to find.

Distinguishing Features

Bearing a striking resemblance to a mythical Chinese dragon or a dancing ribbon, the Ribbon Eel is very elegant as it moves through the water. It has a long thin body and is vividly coloured, making it a spectacular sight.

Another prominent feature is their expanded anterior nostrils, which flare out from the tip of their nose.

Habitat

Ribbon Eels are drawn to lagoons and coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific. They are shy sea creatures, which prefer to burrow under the sand or hide in coral crevices, making it difficult to spot. They make themselves a burrow in which to live and hide.

Feeding Habits

Although it seems unlikely considering how beautiful this creature is, the Ribbon Eel is a carnivore, primarily eating small fish, cephalopods, mollusks and crustaceans. They hide in holes and surprise their prey, catching them in their strong jaws before retreating into their burrows.

Although they have very poor eyesight, they have an excellent sense of smell, which is their chief hunting tool.

Reproduction

The Ribbon Eels method of reproduction is very peculiar. Once an adult male reaches full size (approximately 1m), it will turn into a female (protandric hermaphroditism). The new female Ribbon Eel will then mate and lay eggs, before dying within a month. If you see a female Ribbon Eel, you are very lucky as they are extremely rare.

Life Cycle

It was once thought that there were three types of Ribbon Eel, due to the varying colourings at each stage of their life cycle, however, recent findings identified only one type of eel.

A Ribbon Eel will always begin life as a male then change sex when they reach maturity and need to reproduce. This extraordinary eel will also change colour when it changes sex. The males are mostly blue with a stripe of yellow along their back and on their dorsal fin, whereas females are completely yellow. As juveniles, they are completely black.

They are incredibly resilient and can live up to 20 years.

Ribbon Eel factoids

• These eels are very rarely found in public aquariums. They don’t live longer than a month in captivity because they are easily stressed.
• Ribbon eels are rarely seen free swimming, they are usually only seen with their heads protruding from holes in reefs or sand.
• Some eels can live in the same hole for months or even years.
• King Henry of England is reported to have died after eating a moray eel, another member of the Muraenidae family.

The batfish that you’ll most likely see around the reefs of Thailand is the Teira Batfish (Plantax Teira), also known as the Tall-fin Batfish.

There are five species of Teira Batfish currently known and they are very curious creatures. They often like to investigate divers and follow them around before returning to their group.

Distinguishing Features

Batfish are characteristically disc-shaped with laterally compressed bodies and large dorsal and anal fins. From the side, this makes them look triangular. Usually a blueish silver, they have darker coloured bands around their bodies and fringes of black on their fins. The Batfishes pectoral fin is also usually a striking yellow colour. Behind the pectoral fin is a distinguishable dark spot.

The Tall-fin Batfish is the largest of its species, growing up to 70cm in length.

Habitat

Batfish tend to spend most of their time in shallow tropical waters and make their homes around coral reefs and shipwrecks. Their numbers are most concentrated in the reefs around Northern and Western Australia and the Indo Pacific. At certain times of the year, the adults move locations, to find new sources of food, or to reproduce.

Popular Thailand dive sites with Teira Batfish are Richelieu Rock, Sail Rock, Batfish Bend (Similan Islands) and Koh Torinla (Surin).

Feeding Habits

As omnivores, Batfish eat plankton and marine algae, as well as small invertebrates. They have also been seen eating dead jellyfish.

Reproduction

Very little is known about the reproductive activities of Batfish, except that they spawn in the open ocean, rather than in shallower waters. When the juveniles grow to around 20 mm in length, they settle around reefs or lagoons where they are protected from predators.

Life Cycle

Juvenile Batfish tend to live by themselves until they are fully matured, seeking the shelter of coral reefs. They use mimicry to camouflage themselves and blend in with seagrass or coral rock. They also mimic the colour of poisonous or inedible sea creatures to deter predators.

As adults, Batfish are peaceful and social fish, usually forming schools with others of their species. This is also a method of defence when exposed in the open ocean.

Batfish factiods

• Batfish are a desirable feature for aquariums, but most keepers lack the ability to house them once they reach full-size.
• Certain species of Batfish play an extremely important role in the biome of the coral reef, similar to the Clownfish.
• Batfish are currently at risk of over fishing and damage to their habitat, due to trawler fishing methods.

The Giant Moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) is the largest of all the Indo-Pacific morays in terms of body mass and grows up to 3 metres in length & 30 kg in weight. It is a species of moray eel and belongs to the family Muraenidae of marine fishes. There has been reports of provoked and unprovoked attacks on scuba divers by this fish.

Distinguishing features

The Giant Moray is mostly brown with a pattern of dark brown spots. The head of the moray eel is large but also narrow for accessing coral crevices when hunting. Circular gills are located behind the head and small eyes located forward. Juveniles are usually tan in color with more black spots.

Morays look snake like although they are actually vertebrates. They have no scales and also do not possess pectoral or pelvic fins. Eels swim in an undulating S motion. They also secrete a mucus over their bodies so they really are “slippery as an eel”.

Morays look more aggressive than they are. This is because they’re usually seen with their head sticking out of a crevice, mouth open. This is just for respiration, not intimidation.

Often you will see cleaner shrimps like the banded boxer shrimp inside a moray eels mouth. This symbiotic relationship keeps the the eels gnashers healthy and provides food for the shrimps.

Habitat

The giant moray eel is widespread across the Indo-Pacific area. From the east coast of Africa including the Red Sea to the Hawaiian islands and Polynesia. They can be found as far north as Japan and as far south as Fiji and Australia.

Giant morays dwell in a variety of reef habitats and can be found in rocky reefs, coral reefs and occasionally in lagoons, provided there is shelter. They usually live in depths of 1 to 50 metres.

Feeding habits

Giant moray eels are carnivorous creatures and nocturnal in nature. They leave their lair at night and hunt along the reef, divers are far more likely to see free swimming morays at night than in the day. Moray eels are the only fish that use “pharyngeal jaws” to capture prey. This is a second set of jaws in the back of their throat which also has teeth and is used to full prey into the throat.

Giant morays are known to engage in cooperative hunting with the roving coral grouper, a rare case of inter-species cooperation. They mainly feed on other fish and crustaceans but will also take an octopus or a diver’s finger if it comes close enough. Because of their poor eyesight, they depend on their excellent sense of smell which is the main hunting tool for them.

Reproduction

For breeding the giant moray eels goes on a journey and travels up to 4,000 miles which can take up to seven months. Courtship between morays can occur at any time of year, usually when the water temperatures is at its highest.

Any diver lucky enough to witness the breeding spectacle will see a beautiful dance where the eels rise up in a twisting embrace. This can last for hours. The fertilized eggs hatch into leptocephalus larvae which drift in the ocean for months before finally settling and becoming young eels (elvers).

Life Cycle

It takes about 3 years for a Giant moray to reach adulthood and they have been know to live to 36 years.

Giant moray factoids

• Eating giant moray has been known to cause ciguatera poisoning although the disease is not prevalent in Asia being more an issue in the Caribbean and south America.
• Giant moray eels have notoriously poor eyesight and rely on smell to hunt. This poor eyesight is why they sometimes grab a diver’s thump instead of the offered food.
• Moray eels are top of the food chain with no real predators.
• Scientific studies have found hermaproditism in morays.

Commonly known as the most venomous fish in the world, stonefish (Synanceia) is a member of the Synanceiidae family. They can be dangerous and even fatal to humans, should they come in contact. These fish are found in coastal regions of the Indo-Pacific, although some species have also been in the rivers of southern Asia.

It is estimated there are 5 species of stonefish, all of which are very similar in shape and size.

Distinguishing Features

Although stonefish have a number of distinguishing features, they aren’t that easy to spot. They camouflage themselves with a grey, mottled colour, similar to that of stone. They lie in wait for their prey, but are often stepped on by swimmers, which triggers a sting. The potent neurotoxins are secreted from glands at the base of their thirteen dorsal fin spines, more like needles, that stick up when the fish is threatened.

Stone fish can reach an average length of 30 to 40cm and up to 5lbs in weight.

Habitat

Just as its name suggests, stonefish prefer to live around rocky areas in the ocean where they can easily use their surroundings to aid them in catching prey. They mostly live in warm shallow waters, and can also be found around reefs.

Feeding Habits

Even though stonefish possess such dangerous venom, they don’t use it to catch their prey. They use their excellent camouflage to patiently lie in wait and ambush their prey, before attacking quickly. They eat small fish, shrimp and crustaceans, using their mouth like a vacuum to suck the prey as it passes.

Reproduction

Stonefish are solitary fish and only come together to mate. The female lays as many as a million eggs on the ocean floor and the male fertilizes them. The eggs are fairly large, so when the newborn stonefish hatch, they are already well developed.

Life Cycle

Newborn stonefish are highly preyed upon by other fish, so very few survive to maturity. They spend most of their lifetime alone and sedentary, lying amongst rocks or sand to feed.

Stonefish Factiods

• The stonefish is edible to humans if prepared in the correct way- the venom breaks down quickly when heated. They are considered a delicacy in many parts of Asia, especially Japan.
• Stonefish are able to stay out of the water up to 24 hours, and can be found lying on beaches of the Indo-Pacific coastline.
• A stone fish can spit out water.
• Compared with other fish a stonefish has a very low swimming speed.

Moorish Idol are extremely common in the Indo-Pacific and around the reefs of Thailand, so if you’re snorkeling in the area, you’ll be almost certain to see them.

They are the sole species in the Zanclidae family.

Distinguishing Features

The Moorish Idol has a laterally compressed body with bright bands of black, white and yellow. They have a large dorsal fin with six or seven spines. These come together to form a long elongated philomantis extension, which trails behind them. Another prominent feature is their long tubular snout, containing bristle-like teeth. Moorish Idols can reach a maximum of 23 cm.

They are very similar in appearance to the the schooling banner fish. Banner fish are usually seen in bigger groups, whereas Moorish idols are usually in pairs. Moorish idols can be distinguished from banner fish by the orange triangle on their snout.

Habitat

Moorish Idols live in tropical and subtropical waters, mainly around reefs and lagoons. They prefer shallow waters, above flat reefs in particular. At night, they stick to the ocean floor and hide in the coral.

Feeding Habits

Moorish Idols are omnivores; they eat coral polyps and sponges, and also tunicates and other small invertebrates, such as shrimp.

Reproduction

Moorish Idols is that they mate for life. A pair will stay together throughout their lifespan. They are pelagic spawners, which means they release their eggs and sperm in the water column.

Life Cycle

Moorish Idols have an unusually long larval stage before they become juveniles, it needs to reach a length of 7.5 cm. Then the juveniles move onto the reef to feed and they grow rapidly. Juveniles tend to congregate in small schools until they reach maturity. Adult Moorish Idols spend most of their time alone, or form small groups of 2-3.

Moorish idol factoids

• The name comes from the Moors of Africa, who thought the fish to be a bringer of happiness.
• In Hawaii, the Moorish Idol is called ‘Kihikihi’, which means ‘curves’ or ‘zigzags’.
• Although a popular choice for saltwater aquariums, they have difficulty adjusting to captivity because they are very active fish and need a lot of swimming space.
• In Finding Nemo, one of the fish in Nemo’s tank, Gill, is a Moorish Idol.

The emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) is a species of marine angelfish, native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It belongs to the Pomacanthidae family and is a beautifully striking fish, popular with divers, snorkelers and underwater photographers. They are truly regal, both in appearance and the way in which they gracefully swim through the ocean.

Distinguishing Features

Bold and beautiful, the adult emperor angelfish is covered with bright yellow horizontal stripes and an orange tinted caudal fin. These fish also have an intriguing blue- black mask around the eyes, highlighted by electric blue and yellow.

The juveniles have strikingly different colouring than their mature counterparts. They are dark blue with electric blue and white rings over their body. They do have the similar black mask around the eyes. It takes 24-30 months for juveniles to achieve their adult colouring.

Emperor angelfish grow to about 40 cm in length, smaller than other species of angelfish.

Habitat

These fish live predominantly around coral reefs, at varying depths up to 100 metres. Whilst juveniles tend to live in outer lagoon patchy reefs, mature adults will live around areas of rich coral growth on clear lagoon, seaward or channel reefs. The emperor angelfish’s territory can be as big as 3,000 square metres and they are extremely territorial.

Feeding Habits

Emperor angelfish are omnivorous; sponges and marine algae are their primary diet in the wild. However, they do also eat small invertebrates. They have extremely strong jaws to chew up the sponges.

Reproduction

Both sexes of emperor angelfish change colour during mating season. The female turns a bland colour, whilst the mask of male turns completely black, signalling that they are both ready to mate.

A mating pair will quickly swim to the surface at dusk and mate, allowing the fertilized eggs to float away on the currents. This is done for two reasons; so predators cannot see the egg release and feed, and also because it allows eggs to disperse as far away as possible from the current site.

Life Cycle

Emperor angelfish have been found to have three distinct stages in life; juvenile stage, intermediate, or sub-adult, and adult. The progression through every stage can take up to two years.

Once juveniles, they live alone, staying hidden under ledges or inside holes in the reef. Adults also are found singularly, defending its territory from other fish of its species and the wider marine community.

They have an average lifespan of 15 years.

Emperor Angelfish factoids

• Adults Emperor Angelfish project a low frequency, ‘knocking’ sound if they feel threatened by divers.
• They are expensive marine fish to purchase and need a very large tank- at least 100 gallons of water space.

The Similan Islands national parks department has this month (October 2018) announced a restriction on the number of daily visitors to the Similan Islands national park. This is part of an ongoing commitment to preserving the natural beauty of the archipelago.

From now on only 3,000 non divers and 525 divers per day will be allowed to enter the national park. (That’s for all 11 islands covering an area of 140 square km).

So it is important to book early if you want to be sure of a place.

When booking you must provide us with passport details for the entry permit application. Please provide for each participant:

Name:
Date of birth:
Nationality:
Passport number

The old post office in Phuket Town now houses a small museum. It’s tiny and not worth going out of your way to visit. But it’s a charming little building and free to enter so if you happen to be walking by, it’s on Montri road, why not pop in.

It’s open Tuesday to Saturday 9.00 am – 5.30 pm.

If you’re into museums you could also try the Thai Hua Museum nearby.

Kata Thani beach

Noi means small in Thai, so Kata Noi is the smaller Kata beach. Beach is Haad ( หาด) in Thai so Haad Kata Noi is small Kata beach. Lesson over.

Kata Noi is located just south of Kata beach. You can walk between the two over the headland, or get a tuk tuk. There is a stone step path down from the top of road to the north end of the beach. Or follow the road past the Kata Thani resort for beach access.

Kata Noi is about a kilometre long and dominated by the Kata Thani resort which takes up more than half of the beach front.

The Kata Thani is an upscale resort and Kata Noi feels like a more upscale beach than Kata. This is one of Phuket’s best beaches. The restaurants and shops in Kata Noi are a bit more expensive than Kata.

Kata Noi is a lovely swimming beach with a gentle slope into the sea. As with all Phuket’s west coast beaches the sea is generally calm from November to April during the northeast monsoon. Then from May to October the southwest monsoon brings the waves and the surfers start to have fun.

Snorkeling at Kata Noi beach

There is a reef at the the south end of the beach, just swim out along the rocks. On a good day the water can be quite clear. The local dive shop (Seafun divers) which is attached to the Kata Thani hotel can organise beach dives. When you get out far enough the reef takes a 90 degree turn and runs parallel to the beach for a short length. You can see stingrays in the sand here.

The road into Kata Noi is a dead end. When driving out of Kata Yai before entering Kata, take the right and go up the steep hill. You can follow the road all the way south to Rawai past Nai harn beach, Ya nui beach and Promthep cape. Along the way there are viewpoints and elephant trekking camps. There are also some excellent “after beach bars” built on stilts into the mountain overlooking Kata Noi. They are a great place to go for a sunset beer or cocktail.

A small island attached to Phuket town by a bridge

Koh Sirey (or Ko Sire) is a tiny island off the east coast of Phuket. Actually it feels more like a part of Phuket because it’s attached by a bridge from Phuket Town. It’s the second most populous island in Phuket province, after Koh Phuket.

Koh Sirey land area is about 20 square kilomentres. It’s largely untouched by tourism although some day trip boats to Phi Phi and Koh Khai depart form Koh Sirey. The Westin Sirey Bay resort is also on Koh Sirey. A few large villas have been built. They stand in contrast the Chao Lay (sea gypsy) community that also has a home there, in the Laem Tukkae area.

We wouldn’t recommend spending your whole holiday on Sirey but it’s worth taking a trip out to there and driving or biking around the road that loops the island. There are some viewpoints and some places to sit by the sea. There is a temple with a reclining Buddha statue. Koh Sirey also has some decent seafood restaurants.

At the entrance to the channel between Phuket and Sirey is Rassada port, the port for ferries to Phi Phi, Krabi and Koh Lanta). Further in the channel are Phuket’s shipyards and berths for fishing boats.

After you cross the bridge onto Sirey Island look out for the monkey feeding station. An platform has been built next to the road where long tailed macaques come out of the mangroves because they are fed bananas and nuts (available for sale there).